Late August is always an exciting time for both educators and children. As the 2008-2009 school year begins, seven Catholic grade schools and one Catholic high school in the Springfield diocese are under new leadership. Earlier this month, these men and women were at the Catholic Pastoral Center in Springfield to learn more about leading a Catholic school and to meet one another and share ideas.
This year’s new principals are: Lori Loveless, St. Isidore School, Farmersville; David Timmermann, St. Paul School, Highland; L.Gale Thoroman, Routt Catholic High School, Jacksonville; Lori A. McNeff, St. Mary School, Mt. Sterling; Mike Guidish, Sacred Heart School, Pana; Marian R. Crosby, Cathedral School, Springfield; Deacon Kevin Richardson, St. Patrick Catholic School, Springfield; and Cathy Robertson, St. Mary School, Taylorville.
“I can already tell that our new principals will be great assets to our diocesan schools,” says Marilyn Missel, associate superintendent of education for the Springfield diocese. “They have already begun to network with other principals and bring many gifts to the schools they represent. We are blessed by each and every one of them.”
marian-crosbey.jpgMarian R. Crosby
Cathedral School, Springfield
After administering most recently in the Belleville and Rockford dioceses, Marian Crosby is beginning this school year as the new principal for Cathedral School in Springfield. She now leads a staff of 16 and at least 165 students.
A member of St. Jerome Parish in Troy, she has served as an administrator of Holy Trinity School in Fairview Heights, Roscoe Middle School in Roscoe and Freeport Junior High in Freeport. She has also taught at Triad Middle School in Troy, Santa Barbara in Dededo, Guam, and Brentwood School in Enid, Okla.
A great believer in education at all levels, Crosby has both her bachelor’s degree and her master’s degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and is also working on her doctor of education degree from University of Missouri at St. Louis.
Crosby says she is excited to be working at Cathedral. “The people and programs reflect the diversity within God’s creation,” she says. “This is a great time to be part of Cathedral, as we refurbish and renew the facilities; we have the perfect opportunity to do the same with our programs and practices.
“I have been an administrator in the public schools, and at times my Catholic values were in conflict with those of the world,” she says. “As a Catholic school principal, I can use all of my talents to build his kingdom here on earth.”
mike-guidish.jpgMike Guidish
Sacred Heart School, Pana
Mike Guidish says he is honored to be the new principal of Sacred Heart School in Pana. A member of St. Louis Parish in Nokomis, he received his bachelor’s degree in education from Eastern Illinois University, his master’s in education from University of the Illinois at Springfield and his specialist degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
Guidish is coming out of retirement for the second time to work half-time at Sacred Heart. He was most recently principal of St. Maurice School in Morrisonville, until the school closed in May 2007. He also taught for eight years and was principal for 25 years, all in the Nokomis Public School District. “The first time I was retired for about an hour and a half,” he says. “This time I’ve been off for a year.”
His new schedule will allow him to spend some quality time with his wife of 38 years, Linda, his three grown children and their families. “Our children have blessed us with five grandchildren (one born earlier this month) and we are expecting one more grandchild in November.”
Guidish says he is happy to be working with the approximately 160 students (PreK-8) and the staff at Sacred Heart. “I look forward to the new school year and continuing the fine tradition of Sacred Heart School,” he says. “The school has a very active and supportive parents group called SHOP, which stands for Sacred Heart Organization of Parents.”
lori-loveless.jpgLori Loveless
St. Isidore School, Farmersville
Lori Loveless said a bittersweet goodbye to an eight-year teaching career at St. Michael School in Staunton to take over as principal of St. Isidore School in Farmersville. A parishioner at Ss. Mary and Joseph Parish in Carlinville, she’ll be driving to Farmersville each day to lead a staff of five teachers and 57 students from PreK through eighth grade.
“I love everybody at St. Michael’s,” she says, noting that she taught third- through eighth-grade reading as well as second grade. “The people are great and I will miss them. However, the staff here at St. Isidore is a wonderful group of teachers. We’re going to have an exciting year.
“My plans are to carry out the mission of Catholic education,” says Loveless, who has a bachelor’s degree from Sangamon State University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Illinois at Springfield. “Catholic education is the most important education that can be given to children — and people!”
lori-mcneff.jpgLori A. McNeff
St. Mary School, Mt. Sterling
Lori McNeff is the new principal at St. Mary School in Mt. Sterling.
Over the years, McNeff has primarily been a resource teacher for students with learning disabilities, always working in the Brown County Community School District #1 in Mt. Sterling.
She has supervised hearing impaired students at the high school level, but spent nearly 20 years primarily working with students at Brown County Elementary School in grades K-4. During the 2007-2008 school year she was both assistant principal and a K-2 resource teacher.
McNeff has her associate’s degree from John Wood Community College in Quincy; her bachelor’s degree in deaf education from Illinois State University in Normal; and her master’s degree in educational leadership from Western Illinois University in Macomb.
At St. Mary School, McNeff will be leading a staff of seven who are educating 65 students.
kevin-richardson.jpgDeacon Kevin Richardson
St. Patrick Catholic School, Springfield
After spending the past four years working as a school administrator at Catholic schools in Decatur, Deacon Kevin Richardson is now looking forward to his new position as the principal of St. Patrick Catholic School in Springfield.
A deacon at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Decatur, he has his master’s of theological studies from Quincy University, his master’s of education from Boston College and his bachelor’s degree from St. Louis University. He was ordained to the diaconate in June 2007.
Deacon Richardson worked for many years outside the field of education in New England, and then spent two years with the Illinois State Board of Education. Most recently he has been principal of St. James Catholic School in Decatur until it closed in 2006 and was then assistant principal and dean of students at St. Teresa High School, also in Decatur.
“I have heard wonderful stories about the faculty, students, board and many volunteers who work together to make St. Patrick’s a special place to learn and grow,” Deacon Richardson says.
“This is a momentous time in the history of the school. As St. Pat’s approaches its 100th anniversary, it continues to evolve to meet the needs of the community,” he says. “St. Patrick is exploring an innovative school model that is committed to preparing students for success in high school and beyond. I am thrilled to be a part of it.”
cathy-robertson.jpgCathy Robertson
St. Mary School, Taylorville
Cathy Robertson is returning as the leader of a school where she once spent 14 years as a teacher, with 12 of those years spent teaching third grade. She is the new principal of St. Mary School in Taylorville.
Most recently the coordinator of Teaching and Learning Services at Blackburn College (and an adjunct instructor), she has also been the Teen REACH program director for Christian/Montgomery Counties Regional Office of Education. At the beginning of her career, she taught at Sacred Heart School in Pana and at the now-closed Sacred Heart Elementary School in Springfield.
Robertson has her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Bradley University and her master’s in elementary education from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. At St. Mary, she’ll be leading 12 staff members and 110 students.
“I was baptized at St. Mary Church, so I’ve been a student, a teacher, a parent and a parishioner at St. Mary’s,” Robertson says. “This is my first experience as a principal and I look forward to the opportunity.
“Catholic education has been a large presence in my life,” she says. “I hope to assist in providing that continued presence in my parish.”
l.-gale-thoroman.jpgL. Gale Thoroman
Routt Catholic High School, Jacksonville
Gale Thoroman is yet another principal who feels like he is returning to his roots. A teacher at Routt many years ago, he is the new principal of the school and its 15 staff members and 135 students.
Thoroman has his bachelor’s degree from Eureka College and both his master’s and education specialist degree from Western Illinois University. He retired from the public school system after 23 years teaching and coaching and 14 years in administration.
He was an assistant principal and then principal at Beardstown Junior-Senior High School in Beardstown. Additionally he has taught in seven schools in Illinois and Missouri, including Routt, where from 1970-1974 he was a math and physical education teacher, head baseball and boys basketball coach and assistant football coach.
“While ‘retired’ the past three years, I was the driver education teacher and assistant boys basketball coach at my alma mater, Mt. Sterling Brown County,” he says.
“My biggest challenges are to increase enrollment, enhance curricular offerings, minimize costs and still improve our academic results,” he says. “Routt was my second teaching job. I was young and immature, but they gave me a chance to learn and grow. Now that I am an experienced veteran of 40 years in education, this is my opportunity to give back to Routt.”
dave-timmerman.jpgDavid Timmermann
St. Paul School, Highland
David Timmermann says it has been many years since he has worked in a Catholic school, but he looks forward to returning to Catholic education. He is the new principal at St. Paul School in Highland, where he will be overseeing 300 students and 25 staff members.
Most recently the superintendent of Breese Elementary District 12, Timmermann has also been a principal at Breese Elementary, and a teacher in Webster Groves, Mo., Mater Dei High School in Breese and at St. Paul in Highland.
He has his bachelor’s degree in music education from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He earned his master’s in education administration and his specialist superintendent’s endorsement from the same college.
“I spent the first years of my teaching career in a Catholic school. These years were the most rewarding of my 30-plus years in education,” he says. “I hope to lead the school staff in a way to best provide a Catholic education for all of the students.
“I have been fortunate to have an excellent staff that helped me with my transition to St. Paul,” Timmermann says. “I plan to continue the excellence in the educational program that has existed for many years.”