Guiding Generations: The Women of De La Salle

By Alexandra Stevenson
 

When I started teaching at De La Salle in the fall of 1998, there were very few female educators. Initially, I felt a bit out of place and unsure how to navigate the unique experience of educating young men in an all-boys school environment. In my first years, my ability to embrace the Lasallian mission and adapt to the specific needs of young men was inspired by two fellow female educators: Kathleen Dennehy and Dr. Ann Koch. 

While Ann had just retired, her legacy and her ongoing connection to the DLS community gave me context in navigating the English classroom and how to create space for boys to find meaning and a deeper sense of self through literature. I had the incredible privilege of working alongside Kathleen Dennehy for several years until her retirement in June 2009. Given the nickname “the tiger lady” by her students, I knew this was a woman I wanted as a mentor and guide. She was utterly beloved by her students in spite of her high expectations and strict boundaries for behavior and tomfoolery. All the boys in her classroom knew they were loved, even with her stern demeanor. In fact, her sternness was a gift in that it allowed the boys to realize their potential and to hone their skills. While Kathleen taught coed classes, she has said of teaching boys, “They were my treasured students.” Kathleen has also said that her students at DLS “were both respectful and grateful.  It gives me joy to reflect on my years with them… my career at DLS was a rewarding experience.” I modeled my teaching after Kathleen’s: high expectations, no nonsense, but always with an undying commitment to the Lasallian mission of loving our students first. 

Kathleen also taught me that teaching goes beyond the classroom. For her, “It was a joy to share in their growth and to support the young men not only in the classroom, but also in their extracurricular activities.” By watching her, I knew being a part of this community meant that the commitment to care for our students extended to the theater, the bandroom, the gym, and the field. My twenty-eight-year commitment to Lasallian education started with the guidance of women like Ann and Kathleen. 

Not only have they inspired me, but they inspired former students to follow the call to teach. Scott Hirsch, DLS Alum and longtime DLS math teacher and coach, said this about Ann and Kathleen: They are “dedicated to a fault almost.  They lived for the students.  No matter how demanding, or difficult their coursework was, the students knew the two of them would be there to get them through it.  They challenged us to think for ourselves and take pride in our work.  Kathleen, in particular, was at all the games and events the students participated in.” Scott has said that he wouldn’t be the teacher and person he is without these women educators. 

In addition, John Pelster, another alum and now DLS English teacher and coach, said that Ann Koch “taught my sophomore English class at De La Salle. She was also Mrs. Koch back then. The class was in room 202 and we joked about how it was like room 101 x 2 (if you are familiar with Orwell's 1984, you will get that allusion). To be fair, that was a reference to the workload, not the teacher because Dr. Koch was never anything but supportive. The most important part of that class for me was the connection Dr. Koch made between literature and life. She was the first English teacher who really showed me that books aren't just simple entertainment, but that they were often profound, moving pieces of social commentary; that books could be something to change me and change the world. If it hadn't been for that, I never would have become an English teacher. So ultimately, I owe my career and any positive influence I may have had on this school and its students to Dr. Koch.” 

Other female educators like Vicki Resch and Patti Stauch also paved the way for the rest of us who followed and answered the call to teach at De La Salle. With Kelly Gardner’s retirement in June 2025, I am currently the most tenured female faculty member on campus, along with my esteemed colleagues Lissa Ladouceur and Anna Talmadge. We have a combined 80 years of teaching experience. It is crazy to think we have been here this long, but De La Salle has shaped me into the woman, mother, and educator I am today. Lissa Ladouceur says that in her years at DLS, she “has watched boys grow into men, and in some cases, return as colleagues. The school’s mission is about forming men of character, and I try to show students that real strength comes from the character inside, from empathy, respect, and integrity.  As a female teacher and a mother myself, I’m here to help them find their voice while also challenging them to become compassionate, thoughtful adults.” 

There is a beautiful reciprocal relationship in teaching. I have learned so much from the boys in my time here. Over the years, the young men of De La Salle have taught me the value of patience, courage, and resilience. The experience of bearing witness to young men growing into adults who know what it means to honor the dignity of all humans has been one of the most rewarding and moving experiences of my life. As my Culture of Storytelling students know and have heard me say countless times, it is an honor for me as an educator to have been a part of their journey and to see them evolve into “heroes” who aspire to live as men of character and conviction. Anna Talmadge, longtime Social Studies teacher and chair, echoed these sentiments when she shared: “Being a female teacher at De La Salle High School is very meaningful to me. I want my students to succeed just as I want my own children to succeed, and I try to create an environment where they feel supported and valued. I try to instill in my students a sense of empathy and compassion, encouraging them to treat others with kindness and understanding as they grow into young men.  When they experience success in the classroom or in the theatre or in their sport, I'm as proud of them as a parent would be; and when they experience defeat in those same areas, they know that I am there to comfort and support them”. 

As De La Salle celebrates sixty years of forming young men of faith, integrity, and scholarship, the story cannot be told without the women who have helped guide that work. From pioneers like Ann Koch and Kathleen Dennehy to the many educators who have followed in their footsteps, women have helped shape the heart of this community, challenging students to think deeply, act compassionately, and live with purpose. Over the years, the number of women faculty and staff has increased. Our VP for Academics, Dr. Heather Alumbaugh, is the first female academic lead in the school's history, starting at DLS in 2016. The profound increase in women educators has increased the impact we have been able to make on our students. In classrooms, on stages, on fields, and in the quiet conversations that shape a young man’s character, the women of De La Salle have played a vital role in forming generations of Spartans. It has been, and continues to be, a profound honor to be part of that legacy.