John Bapst High names Sekera alumni director, five new teachers

BANGOR – John Bapst Memorial High School will add a director of alumni and community affairs and five full-time teachers to its staff this fall. The new teachers will teach Latin, science, English and social studies.

Joseph Sekera, former principal of the school, has been named to the new position of director of alumni and community affairs. He returns to John Bapst after a year’s sabbatical and will work with the development office helping to build alumni and community support.

Sekera served as head of the school from 1971 to 2001. He led the move to reopen the school as a nonsectarian entity in 1981 after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland closed it.

“Joe will play a key role at Bapst as we enter a new phase of development,” said interim principal Allen Adriance. “Our success at attracting students has challenged our resources both in terms of space and money. We believe that Joe and his unique connections to the school and the Bapst family will be instrumental in our future success.”

Because of a shortage of space at John Bapst, Sekera will work from an office at 31 Central St.

In response to increased enrollment, John Bapst has hired five full-time teachers, including two who replace teachers on leave of absence, school officials said.

. Brenda LoPotro of Winterport, who will teach Latin, has 30 years of teaching experience. She holds a degree in Spanish from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree from Georgia State University. She holds certification in Latin, social studies, English and Spanish.

. John Allhouse of Bangor, who will teach science, spent last year as a faculty fellow in chemistry at Colby College in Waterville. He received an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Hiram College in Ohio and graduate degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

. Sharon Kobritz of Bangor, who will teach English, has been an adjunct instructor at the New England School of Communications and a consulting instructor at the University of Maine Division of Lifelong Learning. She received an undergraduate degree from Boston University and recently completed a master’s degree at the UMaine.

. Lynne Manion of Old Town will teach social studies. She earned an undergraduate degree in journalism and policy studies from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in communication from the University of Maine. She is a doctoral candidate in history at the University of Maine.

. Ronald Schwizer of Hancock has 25 years of experience in teaching, administration and research in science. A former associate professor at the City University of New York, he taught at three independent schools in New York and did postdoctoral research at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor. He earned an undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Bridgeport, a master’s degree in biology from the University of Chicago and a doctorate in biomedical sciences from City University of New York.

Four hundred and ninety-one students have enrolled at John Bapst Memorial High School.