Search
-
August 31, 2022
Name: Fred Martin
School: Saint Joseph Catholic School, Enid
What do you look forward to most at the start of a new school year?
The new year is such a time of excitement: new books, new classes, new teachers and new classmates. It is the time when we see all the potential without yet experiencing the struggle and the strain. Pure, exuberant joy.
What was your favorite subject in school growing up?
I enjoyed English especially, and I discovered at the end of my studies a love for drama.
How will you help students and teachers succeed?
My role is to help the faculty meet the goals of Vision 2030 and the needs and demands of parents and students. To do this well, I must listen to those groups and communicate clearly and efficiently to faculty. Then, we approach those problems as a community, as a family, in a spirit of "encounter, accompany, community and send." It may sound like I am throwing Vision 2030 at the problem as a platitude, but the plan is designed to hear others, embrace others in their need, to accompany them in community and launch them as they grow ready to augment that vision through their own discipleship. Thus begins the loving process.
What are some of your goals for the 2022-2023 school year?
The primary goals this year are to grow enrollment by class population and by upward expansion. That process must be planned and nurtured. My personal goal is to develop a routine of self-management so that I can effectively accomplish all goals while supporting my whole community.
Name: Lou Ann Wood
School: All Saints Catholic School, Norman
What do you look forward to most at the start of a new school year?
I am very excited to be an All Saints Eagle! This is an amazing school with fantastic teachers, parents and students. I look forward to building relationships with our All Saints families and learning about the rich history of All Saints Catholic School.
What was your favorite subject in school growing up?
My favorite subject was history. I was a history teacher and did my best to make learning fun! I even took a group of 5th grade students to National History Day in Washington, D.C.
How will you help students and teachers succeed?
I am here to help! I want to make sure that students feel safe and loved. I will be working with our teachers to make sure that our academic instruction is top notch.
What are some of your goals for the 2022-2023 school year?
I want to work with our staff and school advisory council to create a strategic plan for this year and set goals for the next five years.
Name: Wade Laffey
School: Saint Mary Catholic School, Ponca City
What do you look forward to most at the start of a new school year?
The first day of school is the best day of the year! The quiet of the first few weeks of summer is nice initially, but by mid-July, the school building becomes quiet – absent of excitement and interaction. With the start of school, life returns, spirits soar and hope is renewed! With the start of school, I am especially reminded of the 24/7/365 nature of living the Catholic life that only a Catholic school environment can provide. God gives me the chance to learn and grow from my past mistakes at the start of each new school year.
What was your favorite subject in school growing up?
I loved them all – that is probably why I'm an educator today. I really liked being at school and being a part of the inner life of a school, and I still do. I came to really enjoy teaching chemistry and physics when I was a Catholic high school teacher.
How will you help students and teachers succeed?
The ability to succeed already lies within each student and teacher. Sometimes that ability gets hidden by these walls that we put around ourselves, or that others attempt to place in our lives. I'd say that 90% of what I do is show up each day, be present and give my authentic self in service to the school, its students and its staff. My prayer is that my words, actions and efforts will fill the students and staff with self-confidence and the inner conviction that he or she is a beloved son or daughter of God and can be successful in every endeavor with God's help and grace.
What are some of your goals for the 2022-2023 school year?
My goal is to be patient in learning all the ins and outs of what makes Saint Mary Catholic School the amazing institution that it has been for almost 122 years now. My goal is that each student and teacher will know that I care about them, that we're on a mission from God and that, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we can build up the Saint Mary Catholic School family as a truly amazing, unabashedly Catholic community.
Who is your favorite saint and why?
My favorite saint is Saint Joseph. All God asked him to do was to protect and take care of the two most important people who ever lived: Jesus and Mary. He was called to be the head of the Holy Family, even though he was the least perfect member of that family. Easy, right? In my vocation as a Catholic school educator, God has given me a similar task in leading Saint Mary Catholic School. Despite my many failings, I am called to lead, protect and take care of the most important people in our school families’ lives, their children, and to give my life in service to my school family. Moreover, Saint Joseph accomplished his tasks from God quietly, without fanfare and with faithful action. I hope to do the same at Saint Mary Catholic School!
Name: Helen Treacy
School: Bishop John Carroll Catholic School, Oklahoma City
What do you look forward to most at the start of a new school year?
New and familiar faces excited to begin a new year of learning together.
What was your favorite subject in school growing up?
English and Language Arts. It is still a favorite today!
How will you help students and teachers succeed?
By being present to their needs and working alongside them to achieve their goals and the goals of the school community.
What are some of your goals for the 2022-2023 school year?
Being a principal in a new area, my hope is to understand the dynamic of the community and begin to work together to make it continually flourish. Go Eagles!
Name: Laura Cain
School: Mount Saint Mary Catholic High School, Oklahoma City
What do you look forward to most at the start of a new school year?
I love the excitement and energy of teachers and students at the start of a new year! I am working on learning students' names and getting to know each of them. As a principal in the archdiocese for the last eight years, I am familiar with the system of schools, but I look forward to leading in a high school setting alongside a tremendous group of educators and professionals in Catholic education.
What was your favorite subject in school growing up?
English was the subject I enjoyed the most.
How will you help students and teachers succeed?
By building relationships with students and teachers, we can provide the instruction and support to meet individual needs. Establishing an environment of high standards and accountability and cultivating deep relationships with Jesus will position all of us for success!
What are some of your goals for the 2022-2023 school year?
As the new MSM principal, I hope to learn as much as I can about the culture and charism of The Mount. I hope to celebrate the continued traditions of MSM, build upon the values of the Sisters of Mercy and help prepare the community to move from excellent to extraordinary!
Who is your favorite saint and why?
Saint Catherine McAuley, of course! Her commitment to the poor and compassion for others impacted me as a young MSM student, and now inspires me as the leader of a Sisters of Mercy school.
Name: Nicole De Longe
School: Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School, Edmond
What do you look forward to most at the start of a new school year?
The start of every new school year is a wonderful time of year. It is the commencement of rekindled friendships, new goals and growth opportunities for all – the culmination of hours of endless preparation from the school, parish and parents. I personally feed off seeing the students reenergized and listening to their hopes and aspirations for the upcoming year. As a leader, teacher and disciple of Christ, my fulfillment is derived from supporting and nurturing the students, faculty and staff's goals and ensuring that they are in alignment with the Church and top-tier educational standards.
What was your favorite subject in school growing up?
As a child I always loved to read and learn new things. Naturally, reading became my favorite subject all throughout primary and secondary education. The love and desire to learn progressed into taking an elective in the 8th grade to become a teacher's aide. My love for reading quickly turned into the love of teaching – and that has never stopped.
How will you help students and teachers succeed?
First and foremost, I believe very strongly in open and honest communication. Without honesty, forward progress is hard to achieve. Thankfully, our teachers and students are already succeeding and well equipped. My efforts will be to remove systematic obstacles so that they can reach even higher levels of success and achievement. My approach is to lead by example by displaying how to lead a Christ-centered life by leveraging our gifts and showing how to put these gifts to good use for God, our families and the community at large.
What are some of your goals for the 2022-2023 school year?
While there are many goals for this school year, the overarching goal is to get acclimated with Saint Elizabeth Ann Seaton Catholic School and Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church, with the end goal of becoming a bridge between the two thriving communities so that we may leverage all the synergies and operate as one.
Who is your favorite saint and why?
All the Saints are truly amazing individuals and very fascinating studies. However, my favorite saint is Saint Catherine of Sienna. The way she lived her life, treated her family, her writings, how she gave away her food and clothing to the poor and her political involvement are all interesting. She had a mystical marriage to Jesus, the stigmata and was later declared a Doctor of the Church. She is my confirmation saint and I believe she has spiritually guided me to where I am today.
Name: Janet Edgar
School: Saint John Nepomuk Catholic School, Yukon
What do you look forward to most at the start of a new school year?
As a new principal from out of state, it is exciting to come in and observe all the things the school has in place. It lines up with our self-study for accreditation, so I will get to buckle down and learn all the wonderful things about the school and also the things we need to do better in the future.
What was your favorite subject in school growing up?
I have always loved reading! I still love to de-stress with a great thriller novel.
How will you help students and teachers succeed?
I feel like my job is to serve the teachers so that they can serve their students.
What are some of your goals for the 2022-2023 school year?
I want to get to know all the students and their families and find ways that we can make our community stronger.
Who is your favorite saint and why?
Saint Teresa of Calcutta is one of my favorite saints. There are saints walking among us every day, we just have to listen to the call of Jesus.
To learn more about Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, visit archokc.org/schools.
Courtney Rhone is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
