Our teachers and staff are committed to supporting the students in their faith and education.
Staff Members
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Joy Reitsma
- Title: Principal
- 6th-8th Grade
Joy has over 36 years of teaching and administrative experience. She joined the Salem Lutheran School team in 2022. She has a BA in education from Concordia University, Chicago, as well as an MA in education from Florida International University. Joy has taught in Illinois, Louisiana, Florida and South Carolina. Her favorite subjects to teach are math and art. She enjoys helping with sports, music and drama. Her son plays ice hockey and is a Star Boy Scout.
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Rev. Jonah Schultz
- Title: Pastor
Rev. Jonah Schultz was installed as the 25th pastor of Salem Lutheran on June 16, 2024. Pastor Schultz graduated from Concordia University Chicago in 2017. He served as a Lutheran High School teacher in Kansas City, MO, for three years before studying at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He married his wife, Mary, in 2017. They have one son, Stephen, who attends Salem Lutheran School where he receives the best education available on either side of the Mississippi.
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Jackie Steinacher
- Title: Teacher
- 3rd, 4th and 5th Grade
Jackie is a lifelong member of Salem’s church family and a 2004 graduate of Salem Lutheran School. She earned her B.S. from Western Illinois University. In her spare time, Jackie enjoys spending time with her family, including her children Amelia and Henry, both of whom are students at Salem. She also enjoys travelling, trivia nights, concerts and all kinds of outdoor recreation.
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Deborah Steinacher
- Title: Teacher
- Kindergarten/1st and 2nd Grade
Deborah has been blessed to be a member of Salem Lutheran Church for over 50 years and a teacher at Salem Lutheran School for nearly 30 years. She is a graduate of Illinois College and earned her colloquy from Concordia College-River Forest. In her free time, Deborah enjoys working in her flower garden, camping, day trips and spending time with family. “My teaching career at Salem has been a blessing to me and family,” said Deborah. “We were truly blessed to be able to send our children to Salem Lutheran School from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.”
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Candy West
- Title: Teacher
- Pre-K
- Age 4
Candy is a Jacksonville native and Illinois College graduate. She brings
with her three decades of business and people experience, three decades of volleyball coaching and officiating experience, and she has spent the last decade teaching and mentoring the youth of Jacksonville and surrounding communities. She maintains close relationships with all three parochial schools in the community and volunteers at the Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen. She considers herself a lifelong learner. Candy, along with her husband, raised two married daughters. She is the proud grandmother of three future leaders. -
Christina Martin
- Title: Teacher
- Pre-K
- Age 3
Christy received her Associate Degree in 2014 for Business and received Teaching Certificate for Level 2 in Early Childhood in 2023. She has worked in early childhood for over 10 years. When not in the classroom, she enjoys being a mother of two, Evangeline and Evander and all of the sports and school projects they do. Her favorite color is green and she likes being very crafty and artsy, as well as spending time outdoors and enjoying all things nature.
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Stephanie Bezler
- Title: Aide
- Pre-K
- Age 3
Stephanie is a mother of five who has spent the last 28 years focused on her family as a stay-at-home mom. She attended Illinois State University where she was a 4-year member of the ISU Dance Line and a two-year captain. She has been a member of Salem Lutheran for many years and is excited to take on a role as a Pre-K teacher, as she truly loves children. Stephanie enjoys being a “dance mom” to her three daughters, Lauren, Anna, and Emilie; and also loves being a “soccer mom” to her 2 boys, Jack and Sam. Both of her boys have been students at Salem Lutheran from Pre-K thru elementary school and it has been a wonderful experience.
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Bethany Malone
- Title: Teacher
- Pre-K
- Age 2
Bethany is a 2013 graduate of Waverly High School and received her CDA in 2024. She has worked in early childhood development for three years. Outside of the classroom she is a mother of two daughters, Dalaney and Karlie, and enjoys cooking, reading, and anything outdoors. Her favorite color is yellow and she loves Fall and Spring the most.
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Mary Schultz
- Title: Aide
- Pre-K
- Age 2
Mary is a graduate of Concordia University Chicago where she earned a degree in Elementary Education. She was awarded a Masters in Literacy in 2020 from Concordia University Wisconsin. Mary taught 4th grade for three years in the Kansas City area and also worked as an infant lead teacher in a Lutheran Early Childhood Center for two years before taking some time off to be home with her son. In her spare time, Mary loves to read, play the piano, sing, bake and have family dance parties. Mary feels blessed to be at Salem where she can work under the same roof as her husband and be across the hall from her son who will be in Pre-K4.
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