Meet Our Teachers

Jelena has served as the principal of St. Sava Orthodox School since 2024. She loves reading, writing, playing piano, cooking, gardening and silk painting. Jelena is a Serbian writer and the author of two books of short stories and one novel. Her book "Dan kada je Moz Lili postal ono sto je oduvek bila" (Arhipelag, 2012) won "Stevan Sremac" award in 2013 for the best prose work in Serbia. Jelena is a proud mom of four accomplished children. Education: Master's Degree in Science of Education (University of Wisconsin, River Falls) Specialization degree in ESL Methodology (University of Belgrade, Serbia) Bachelor's Degree in English Language and Literature (University of Novi Sad, Serbia) Lower Elementary Teacher public school license English Language Learner public school license American Montessori Society certified teacher degree

My name is Karen Grabner, and I have had the privilege of being a part of the St. Sava Orthodox School since 2000.  I pride myself on nurturing a strong classroom culture through building relationships with my students  and creating hands-on learning opportunities. I graduated from Mount Mary College with a Baccalaureate Degree in Elementary/Middle School Education and a Minor in Social Studies.  My education has been continued by attending several classes and workshops on literature circles, writing, technology, and science. Outside of school, I enjoy reading , gardening and spending time with family and friends.  My husband, Gilbert and I have been blessed with two children and three wonderful grandchildren.

Calli Spheeris has been the science teacher at St. Sava Middle School since 2014.  Whether guiding students to gather protists in a puddle, pour concrete, or visit science and technology workshops at local universities, her philosophy of education is to nurture creativity and knowledge of the real world.  At Northwestern University, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education, and at UW-Milwaukee she earned a Master of Arts degree in English and a Master of Architecture degree. She has lived and worked in Chicago, Greece and Milwaukee. After 25 years and 4 design awards in architecture, she eventually returned to her love of teaching.

Chelsea Clark graduated from UW-Eau Claire with a Bachelor of Science in Middle Childhood-Early Adolescent Education in 2009. Before being welcomed onto the wonderful staff here at St. Sava Orthodox School in 2014, she spent time serving as an AmeriCorps Service Member working with at-risk students in Wisconsin Rapids, as a substitute teacher in many public school districts in central and southeastern Wisconsin, and as a Title 1 Reading and Math intervention teacher in Milwaukee. Mrs. Clark has taught various combinations of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade during her time at St. Sava, and hopes she has taught her students as many memorable things as she has learned from them. Beyond providing a standards-based education, she endeavors to instill in her students a love of reading, science projects, real-world connections, and spreading kindness and God’s love to others. Outside of school, she loves spending time with her husband and family, and is also an avid reader, runner, musician, hiker, soccer fan, and crossword lover.

Nina Rudic has been the Serbian language teacher at St. Sava Orthodox School since 2003.  She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Belgrade, where her field of study was International Business, Trade and Commerce. She worked as an import specialist in Belgrade before living in the US, where she and her husband raised 2 children who graduated from St. Sava School. Ms. Rudic enjoys reading, real estate, home improvement, investments, and everything to do with new technologies.

Jennifer Sweetland is in her 15th year of teaching music and K3/K4 at St. Sava Orthodox School.  These dual positions give her the wonderful opportunity to work with children from their very first days of school all the way through to graduation preparation. Her students have performed for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Link Up program, St. Sava Cathedral’s annual Savindan celebration, Sv. Mardarije slava services in Libertyville, IL, and concerts with Sumadija Folklore Ensemble, Stevan Sijacki Choir, and the Serbian Singing Federation.  She has also sent students to the Wisconsin School Music Association’s Solo and Ensemble competitions at both the district and state level.  Biggest of all, though, she directs the annual school musicals, which typically involve nearly all students in grades 1st through 8th She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and she has spent plenty of time on the stage herself in various choral performances, operas and musicals.  She also enjoys reading, writing, learning foreign languages, and going to concerts.

After competing elementary and middle school she went to Zenica where she attended music high school and graduated from it in 1991. She enrolled in University of Sarajevo, School of Education in Bjeljina, Republika Srpska and graduated as Professor/Classroom Teacher in April of 2000. From 1991 to 2005 Mira worked in few elementary schools in Maglaj, Zvornik and Bjeljina as music teacher and choir director. During that time she joined famous Srbadija choir from Bjeljina and toured through Serbia and Europe. Srbadija took part in many international choir festivals which were held throughout Europe winning top prizes. In 2005 Mira came to Milwaukee to visit with one of her brothers. Soon after she arrived she met Vojislav at St Sava Church and by the end of the year they married. Mira is now proud mother of three teenaged boys. As the boys were growing and getting to the school age they were enrolled to St Sava School. In 2014 Mira joined St Sava School teaching staff as K-3 teacher and Teacher assistant and is still proud member of the school’s faculty.

I started teaching at St. Sava in 2024. I am an experienced teacher, having taught high school mathematics at Riverside University High School (MPS) and Pius XI Catholic High school; college level math courses at Marquette University, Carroll University and UWM; and middle school mathematics at Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy in Buffalo, New York. I have a Wisconsin Master Teacher’s License and am National Board Certification in Adolescent Mathematics.  I completed my undergraduate work here in Milwaukee at Marquette University and have a Master’s in Mathematics Education from the University of Buffalo as well as a Master’s level certificate in Urban Leadership from UWM. My first teaching job was with middle school students and I am enjoying working with that age group again - their enthusiasm is contagious.  I am married and have two adult children, one of whom is a Montessori teacher in Wauwatosa. When I have free time, I greatly enjoy both reading and traveling. I am always planning a new trip.

I have the privilege of being the first grade teacher at St. Sava Orthodox School this year. However, I am not new to teaching. My past 28.5 years have been spent teaching children in the second and sixth through eighth grades for Milwaukee Public Schools. I received my Post-Baccalaureate teaching certification from Alverno College focusing on general education for first through eighth grades, and social studies through ninth grade. My educational philosophy has always been that every student has the ability to learn so that they can become productive and well-rounded citizens. Likewise, that learning is a life-long endeavor that should be embraced and enjoyed. Prior to that, 17 years were spent in the banking industry with Bank One and Marine Bank. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a degree in International Relations and specialization in Russian and East European Studies in 1985. My husband, a former educator at St. Sava, and I are blessed to have two daughters and a brand new granddaughter this year. We are enjoying being grandparents! I love animals, reading, crafting, traveling, football, tennis (Go Djokovic) , The Hallmark Channel and Dancing With the Stars. Not to mention, listening to a wide variety of music, especially Serbian music. I have been a part of the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church and community since arriving in the United States with my family from Serbia (former Yugoslavia) when I was three years old. Coming full circle in my personal life and professional career is not lost on me as I begin my new journey in our school.

I teach gym and middle school social studies! I received my Bachelor's in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in May of 2023 and I just graduated with a Master's Degree in Social Work with a focus in school social work this past summer. Prior to starting here, I worked at Cadence Academy Childcare and Preschool. I am a St. Sava School alum, so I am really loving being back as a teacher! I am passionate about education and helping others. In my free time, I love to travel, read, and hang out with my family and friends.

Deepali Namboothiry has been teaching English Language Arts for the past 25 years in the Milwaukee Area. She has been a Montessori educator in both public and private schools. Mrs. Namboothiry has also taught at Wedgewood International School, a Citywide Speciality School of MPS, during which she completed her International Baccalaureate Certification for Middle Years Program specializing in ELA. Mrs. Namboothiry has her Masters in English Literature and Bachelors in Education from Mumbai University, India. She has her diploma in Montessori Education from American Montessori Society. She is state licensed to teach ELA grades 4-12. Mrs. Namboothiry has earned her Reading Instruction and College Advising Certifications from Columbia University, New York. During her free time, Mrs. Namboothiry loves to cook healthy meals, go on nature walks, choreograph Indian dances, and spend plenty of time with her two children and her students.