Welcome to Notre Dame!!! As the principal of this wonderful school I want to welcome you to our website and provide you with some information regarding me and my educational philosophy.
Throughout my 38 years as an educator, I have participated in many workshops, graduate classes, and professional development opportunities and, in the true form of a good lesson, my professors and instructors often opened the class with an introductory activity. One very common activity included the question, “If you could build, design and lead your ideal school, what would it look like?” I loved this question because I always had a clear vision of what “My Ideal School” would be.
With alacrity, I would write about how my ideal school would be ready for the children. The staff in my dream school would eagerly subscribe to this model and they would do whatever it took to ensure the success of the children. They would be concerned about the welfare and academic success of every child celebrating their gifts while meeting their needs. The staff would eagerly participate in professional development to strengthen their own skills thus insuring a quality instructional program. My school would be a great place to work.
Another component of my dream school included parents who would value a partnership with the school and who would turn that partnership into action by supporting their children’s education with volunteerism and involvement. My Ideal School was structured with many other components including a fine arts program, a foreign language program, and a strong technology program all contributing to an instructional program that utilizes best practices in a work and learning environment pleasing to both staff and students. My dreams and ideas were vast and there was no limit to my imaginings as I defined my “My Ideal School”.
At the close of the exercise the professor would charge us to go out and make a difference; make our vision happen, he or she would challenge.
Well, I certainly tried. As a principal of several public schools over the years, I was able to implement a lot of the elements of my dream in an attempt to make whatever school I led be the best it could be, but there were constraints to change and the constraints were endemic to the public educational system. While many teachers cared deeply and wanted to do things differently to serve the best interests of children, there was little room for innovation due to mandates and the ever-looming and time-consuming accountability policies such as state mandated testing, whole school reform models, scripted instructional programs, and an inordinate number of instructional models. As difficult as it is to believe, under these constraints, hard work and commitment actually become impediments. Time and energy is spent on implementing the latest and greatest in education rather than just doing what the staff and I know is needed. Exhausted, I finally retired from public education in June of 2007 very disheartened. I loved my profession but I could no longer do my job the way I knew it should be done. I was very sad to leave but I felt that I had no choice.
A few months after I retired, my good friend and our parish Choir Director, Julie Linn, mentioned that the principal’s job at Notre Dame had become available. She knew that I missed my profession and she believed that my faith coupled with my expertise would serve the school and the parish well, so she encouraged me to talk to Father Ed Namiotka who was the Pastor of our Parish at time and a supporter of Notre Dame. After a few months of conversation with Father Ed I began to serve as principal of Notre Dame Regional School in November of 2007. I immediately knew that I was where I belonged and the heartache I felt by leaving my old job was immediately gone.
When I reflected on my past years in public education, I recognized that God used some pretty extreme measures to bring me to this place. Some of His measures were painful, but He knew what it would take to get me to make the changes that would bring me to Notre Dame. Not only am I spending the end of my career here, but this is where I began my own Catholic education. I was a member of the second graduating class of St. Rose of Lima School in Newfield (now known as Notre Dame Regional School Newfield Campus) in 1965. And never in all my wildest wonderings, as I contemplated many possible futures at frequent points in my life, did I ever see myself as an administrator at any Catholic School, let alone this one. I cannot help but believe that this was God’s plan all along…from the beginning. He is truly the pilot of my life and I must trust all things to Him.
Notre Dame fits!!! I belong here!!!!
I am finally able to impart my vision for my Dream School to an eager staff and to appreciative parents and watch it become a reality. My four years as the principal of Notre Dame Regional School has been the most gratifying experience of my professional career. We are a school that is ready for children. We are a school that cares like a family. We are a school that follows the teachings of Christ. I am blessed to be here.