Faculty & Staff Photos

Mrs. Manuel has been teaching for six years and is passionate about Catholic classical education and the opportunity to help children grow in knowledge, faith, and virtue. She earned her bachelor's degree from Cardinal Stritch University and received her teaching certificate from Judson University. Mrs. Manuel believes education is about more than learning facts; it is about forming good character, developing a love of truth, and growing closer to God. As both a teacher and a mother, she understands the importance of nurturing each child's individual gifts and helping them develop confidence, responsibility, kindness, and a love of learning. She feels blessed to be part of the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart school community. Her hope is that every student leaves her classroom knowing they are loved by God, capable of great things, and called to treat others with kindness and respect.

Mrs. Nelson is proud to lead our Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade community in an authentically Catholic, classical education. Guided by the conviction that God calls us all to be saints, she works daily to cultivate an environment where students--from their earliest years of discovery to their graduation milestones--can grow in their personal relationship with Jesus and unlock their potential to be lifelong learners, seeking the truth, goodness, and beauty that can be found all around them. Mrs. Nelson earned her masters in Education, Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Phoenix and her bachelors in Elementary Education with a distinction in English at Dominican University. She holds certifications in ESL from National Louis University and Theological, Ministry, and Spiritual Formation from the Archdiocese of Chicago. In addition to her leadership role, she teaches language arts to the fifth and sixth grade class. Outside of OLSHA she enjoys taking cooking classes and planning road trips with her family. 

Mr. Heneghan is in his third year of teaching science and mathematics and his first year of administration at OLSHA. He has a B.S. in Physics from the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. Mr. Heneghan is an Eagle Scout and has nine years of beach lifeguarding under his belt. He grew up in Dana Point, California, and he’s lived in Rockford for two years. When not teaching, he enjoys lifting weights, swimming, running, and reading science fiction.

Mr. Rilott teaches the virtues class and leads the works of mercy program at the academy. While he began teaching at the academy in 2018, he has been involved with the school for many years. He is the Director of the Rockford Family Initiative, a group that promotes pro-life and pro-family work. Mr. Rilott taught for fifteen years at St. Bernadette School, and he is currently the Director of Religious Education and Evangelization for St. Bernadette. Mr. Rilott lives in Rockford with his wife, Donna, and has two children and four grandchildren.

Mr. Lyter has a Bachelor's degree in Music, Spanish, and Philosophy from the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND. This is his fifth year teaching at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. He is married with two children.

Mr. Huston is a humanities teacher with an undergraduate degree in Philosophy & Letters from the University of Dallas. He is from a family of seven children and is originally from Orange County, California. He is currently working on his Master's in Theology and is in his second year of teaching humanities at OLSHA. In his spare time he enjoys sacred music, running, and swing dancing. 

Mrs. Wagner holds a B.A. in mathematics from Northern Illinois University. She has thirty years of teaching experience across all levels. A U.S. Navy veteran and a homebound minister at St. James Church in Belvidere, she enjoys family time and walking in God’s beautiful nature.

Mrs. Gorsline has a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts from Northern Illinois University. She has eleven years of experience in classroom instruction, and this is her second year at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Academy. She’s married and has three sons. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Mrs. Altham earned an AB in English at Yale in 1977; she also earned credits toward a master’s at Hillsdale (teaching American history) and at the University of Southern Connecticut (number theory and how people learn—or fail to learn—mathematics). After several years in the publishing and business worlds, Mrs. Altham moved to northern Illinois; she began teaching at the academy in the fall of 2000. She is now semi-retired, but enjoying this year’s classes in Algebra I and American/Modern History. Her three daughters are all grown and flown. Her recent novel, Death Comes to Wyandotte, is available from the publisher, Os Justi Press, and from Amazon.