The new school year is traditionally an exciting time for educators to meet new students and gear up for nine months of learning together. August is especially challenging for new principals - educators who will be leading both staff and students from late summer to late spring. This year seven Catholic grade schools in the Springfield diocese are under the leadership of new principals. Earlier this month these women were at the Catholic Pastoral Center in Springfield to meet one another and discuss their new jobs.

This year's new principals are: Sister Anna Flanigan, OSF, of St. Boniface School, Edwardsville; Catherine McGarrahan of St. Ambrose School, Godfrey; Margaret Holland Pennell of Holy Family School, Granite City; Karen Jakich of St. Elizabeth School, Granite City; Irene Koester of St. Michael the Archangel School, Sigel; Carissa Cantrell of Little Flower School, Springfield; and Jean Kennedy of St. Aloysius School, Springfield.

{mosimage}After living away from the Springfield area for more than a decade, Carissa Cantrell feels fortunate to have been hired as the new principal for Little Flower School in Springfield.

Cantrell was a teacher at Cathedral School in Springfield for just one year before she moved to Indiana where she taught eight years at St. Mark School in Indianapolis. Several years ago she became principal at St. Ambrose School in Seymour, Ind. A family move brought her back to the Springfield diocese and Little Flower, where she leads a staff of 24 along with 253 students.

"My husband was promoted and transferred back home to Springfield after being in Indiana for almost 12 years," she says. "I was thrilled to find a principal position after our move.

"I am so excited to be part of such a wonderful parish and school. Little Flower has such a rich tradition and a history of educating children and I am so happy to be part of that," she says. "I know this will be a terrific year."

Cantrell says her reasons for promoting a Catholic education have roots in her youth. "I am a product of Catholic education and want to give back," she says. "It is truly a joy to be able to educate the whole child - academically and spiritually."

{mosimage}After working for seven years in Campus Ministry at St. John's Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois at Champaign, Sister Anna Flanigan is returning to her work with younger students. As the new principal at St. Boniface School in Edwardsville, Sister Anna heads up a staff of 16 to 18 individuals who teaches 190 students grades K-8.

Except for her years at U of I, Sister Anna has always worked with younger children. She was a physical education teacher in the Girard public schools from 1976-1980, and then spent about a dozen years teaching, mostly as a sixth-grade teacher at Seton Catholic in Moline and St. Philomena in Peoria. From 1995 to 2000 she was principal at St. Cabrini School in Springfield.

Sister Anna says she is excited about her new job. "I believe that what I am being called to do is lead the school in fulfilling its mission statement. In short: To work together to create, learn, live, love, laugh and play in God's image. Our mission is always to bring people closer to God's love," she says. "I know my challenge will be providing the balance of the trends and needs of the future with the traditions of the past. And of course, enrollment and finances."

Now that she is back in the Springfield diocese, Sister Anna says she feels like she is coming home. "I am a graduate/alum of SIU-E. St. Boniface was my home parish during my college years. Actually I lived about two blocks away from St. Boniface on North Buchanan. My home diocese is the Springfield diocese, so I'm excited to return. The welcome I have received from the parish and school has been awesome."

Sister Anna sees leading a Catholic school as a "way to share my faith with others and to grow in my own faith life." Most of all she believes in being a part of a faith community that shares a common vision and "allows all of us to flourish in his love."

{mosimage}Karen Jakich has spent her entire educational career at St. Elizabeth School in Granite City, where she taught at the second-, sixth- and eighth-grade levels before assuming a vice principal position last year.

"I am excited to be working with an excellent staff. The people that work in our school are extremely dedicated. The families are wonderful and the children are delightful," Jakich says. "The Catholic school environment is the best there is in education."

St. Elizabeth has a staff of 15 that leads 140 students.

"Our school will be visited by the state and diocese in October, so I have been busy planning for the visit," she says. "I hope to increase enrollment, which I realize will be a challenge in these difficult economic times. We are also building a new playground, thanks to our active PTO and their generous donations. I look forward to assisting with fund-raising efforts. I hope that we are able to reach the goals that we have set for our calendar program this fall and our school auction in February."

Jakich says that when she graduated with a bachelor's degree 13 years ago, she felt fortunate to find a job. Now she is especially glad she was hired to teach at St. Elizabeth. "Since that time, I have received an outpouring of support with my personal life and professional life. The people at St. Elizabeth School are unbelievable.

"Most importantly, I can not imagine being in a place where I can not begin my day with prayer," she concludes. "My faith has grown over the past decade. I am thankful to God for all the blessings in my life and I am looking forward to a fantastic school year."

{mosimage}As Jean Kennedy enters her 25th year on the staff at St. Aloysius School in Springfield, she is now principal of the school which is home to 159 grade school students and 22 preschoolers. A former first-grade and third-grade teacher and technology coordinator, Kennedy heads a staff of 20 at the school she also attended as a young girl.

"I have spent all my life in Catholic school," Kennedy says. "Both my husband and I graduated from St. Al's, as well as his mother and both our boys. My mother-in-law, both my sons and I also attended Ursuline Academy.

"St. Aloysius is an integral part of our life," she concludes. "I am happy to be the principal at St. Aloysius School. I have loved teaching here for 24 years. It is a great school with wonderful children, parents and staff."

{mosimage}Irene Koester came out of retirement to become the new principal of St. Michael the Archangel School in Sigel. The former music director and retreat director of St. Anthony Schools in Effingham, she was also organist at St. Anthony Church and St. Anthony Hospital in Effingham and St. Mary Church in Shumway. Additionally, she was a substitute teacher in the Effingham area.

"Small country schools are great centers of learning and activity," she says of her new school, which has just 10 staff members and 94 students. "The parents are very involved in our day-to-day workings. It's a great place to be."

Koester credits former principal Michael Schmitz for making it easy for her to move into administration. "I am following a great administrator who has a great staff within a great community. I hope to be able to fill his shoes and keep things going," she says.

"I have wanted to move into administration for several years. After a year of retirement, the opportunity came," Koester concludes. "It's a great opportunity to stay in Catholic education, to stay in my home area, and do what I enjoy."

{mosimage}Cathy McGarrahan is returning to working at the grade school level after spending the last seven years teaching older students. The new principal at St. Ambrose School in Godfrey, she now leads a staff of about 20 individuals and 230 students.

An educator for the past 17 years, McGarrahan spent from 2000-2007 teaching English at Marquette Catholic High School in Alton. From 1995-2000 she was principal at Ss. Peter and Paul School in Collinsville, where she also taught from 1990-1995.

McGarrahan says she is proud to be joining a school with such an impressive history. "I hope to continue the high level of educational excellence that has been a tradition at St. Ambrose," she says.

Since she has spent her educational career in Catholic education, she naturally feels strongly about the good that can be accomplished in Catholic schools. "The learning environment is so special in a Catholic school," she says. "The amount of support from parents, teachers and staff cannot be equaled in any other educational environment."

{mosimage}Margaret Holland Pennell has been dedicated to Holy Family School in Granite City for more than two decades. She was executive director of Holy Family Learning Center for 19 years and a teacher at Holy Family School for 20 years. Most recently she has been assistant principal at the school, which is home to 230 students and 24 staff members.

Holland Pennell says she feels "blessed" to serve with such caring individuals. "I have had the privilege of working with this faculty and staff for many years. I admire and respect them for their sincere commitment to the wonderful children and families of Holy Family Parish," she says. "The faculty lovingly and enthusiastically shares their talents, abilities and excellent teaching skills.

"Our support staff and volunteers consistently demonstrate kindness and proficiency in the execution of their duties. The combined efforts of these dedicated people have created an atmosphere in which our children can flourish in a faith-filled environment."

With her background at Holy Family Holland Pennell is naturally an advocate of Catholic education. "I feel that through the education that precious children receive in Catholic schools, we have the ability to provide a strong foundation in the work of God.

"This foundation gives our children the opportunity to establish a life-long intimate relationship with our Lord," she says. "Faith is a process of growth, as our knowledge of him increases we become more aware of the beautiful gifts he has given to us."