It is with great pleasure and personal gratitude that I introduce myself to you, the families of St. Francis of Assisi Elementary School, as the new principal for the 2010/2011 school year.  It is a wonderful privilege to have been invited by your very devoted Pastor, Monsignor Maresca, to join you in the work of educating your children within the beauty and traditions of the Catholic faith.  As a school teacher and administrator for the past 26 years, I have witnessed firsthand the rewards of a Catholic education.  This gift, that you so lovingly offer your children, instills in them a Catholic identity based on Jesus’ teachings that will allow them to soar not only as individuals, but as world members.  They will know and respect the dignity of others, as well as, develop in themselves a strong sense of purpose.  It provides them with a deep faith, a respect for intellectual values and a commitment to social awareness.  I commend you for recognizing these most important needs of your children and for giving them this invaluable gift.  Together, with the dedicated Faculty and Staff of St. Francis, I hope to work with you to raise your children up so that they can become the people God created them to be.  With God’s guiding hands, we can do wonders.

Since meeting with Monsignor Maresca in the early Spring, I have begun to learn about the many wonderful people of St. Francis School.  In particular, I would like to thank Mrs. Barbara McArdle, your school principal, for her graciousness and generosity in offering her help to me.  When I first became a principal, I received a book from my own mentor entitled, What Great Principals do Differently by Todd Whitaker.  It describes all the insights of what makes a principal great, and most important of all is the desire to be better each year.  And I believe that Mrs. McArdle did just that.  Each year she served as your principal, she made St. Francis a better school.  It is my prayer that I can follow in her footsteps.

May God bless each of you with a peaceful and restful Summer.  Enjoy your children!