Our Team

Patti Smith, President

Patti most recently served seven years as an Admissions Officer at Loyola Academy. In this position, she worked extensively with current and prospective students and has in depth knowledge of the admissions process. Her other professional experiences include serving as Region Vice President of a subsidiary of Barclays Bank, specializing in financing of high risk transactions including mergers and acquisitions. Patti was also the Director of Marketing for PACT, a not for profit organization which arranged for life care for mentally disabled adults. Ms. Smith serves on the school board of St. Ann’s School in the Pilsen neighborhood. She is a graduate cum laude from the University of Notre Dame.  She and her husband John are committed to Catholic education, in part, in thanksgiving for the many benefits and formation that it has afforded their four children.

Our Instructors

The course will be taught by high-energy, highly skilled Catholic grade school teachers, many of whom are graduates of University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) program or Loyola University’s LU-CHOICE program. Teachers from these highly selective programs have earned masters degrees while teaching in low-income schools and are now teaching in local Catholic schools. Teachers are chosen not only on their ability to convey curriculum concepts in a clear manner but also on their ability to encourage and instill confidence in students. They are also committed to Catholic education and social justice.

Supporting Catholic Education

PEACE Educational Services is committed to supporting Catholic Education, achieving this mission through a three-fold approach:
1) PEACE supports students’ transition from elementary school to Catholic high schools by providing confidence-centered educational services such as HSPT and other test preparation, study skills, tutoring, and advisory services.
2) PEACE supports Catholic elementary education by encouraging the retention of excellent Catholic school junior high teachers by providing these teachers with meaningful additional income.
3) PEACE provides these support services to students in very low-income schools by means of fundraising support.