Meet Our Staff

Mrs. Karen Steiner was born and raised in Bethlehem. She is a graduate of Freedom High School and Shippensburg University. Karen is the Preschool Director, as well as the four year old classroom teacher and has been since the start of the preschool in 2001. Prior to Holy Cross Christian Preschool, Karen worked as a classroom teacher at The Hillside School in Macungie, White Township Consolidated School in Belvidere New Jersey and was a substitute for the Bethlehem Area School District for many years. Working at Holy Cross has been the best career choice! Mrs. Steiner LOVES her job and is not afraid to tell anyone all about her angels. When not at the church/school building, Karen is enjoying time with her three daughters; Jessica, Rachel and Kathryn and her husband Jim. Mr. Steiner happens to be the church saxton so he is involved with the preschool too. Karen also taught preschool at Holy Cross for many years before, as she has been a member of the church since 1988. Mrs. Steiner enjoys taking pictures (of all of life’s moments), scrapbooking and reading. The only thing better than working with preschoolers is sitting on a beach with a book, or spending time with family and friends.

Mrs. Patricia Chmela graduated from Liberty High in 1974 and was married to Chris Chmela in 1977. She has one daughter, Rebecca, who is married to Chris Bennett. Rebecca and Chris have made Pat and Chris grandparents with a brand new grandson, Benjamin born January 2015. Pat has been the four year old classroom aide since September 2004. Prior to working at Holy Cross, Mrs. Chmela was a stay at home Mom until her daughter went to college. During that time she was involved with the PTA & PAC at Rebecca’s schools. She taught Pre-K Sunday School at Holy Cross for 23 years. Mrs. Chmela’s hobbies are snow skiing, reading and spending time with her family. Mr. and Mrs. Chmela enjoy vacationing at the Jersey Shore, Killington Vermont, and the occasional trip to Disney.

Mrs. Penny Miller was born and raised in the Allentown/Bethlehem area. She is a graduate of Dieruff High School and Kutztown University. After graduating from Kutztown, she substituted in the Bethlehem School District and then taught middle school aged students at Central Christian Academy (now Covenant Christian Academy). In 2001, she set teaching in the classroom aside to begin a family with her husband, Mike. She has 4 children ranging in age from 13 down to 6. It was after her youngest went to kindergarten that she took the reigns up as a teacher again, this time as the 3 year old preschool teacher. She has been a lifelong member at Holy Cross, and has spent many years teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. When she’s not looking for preschool ideas on Pinterest, Mrs. Miller enjoys volunteering at Lehigh Valley Academy, where her children are enrolled; as well as taking them to dance and Boy Scout functions. She also enjoys reading books and curling up to watch a good movie with her family.