Remarks by the Principal

(about the new Principal)

From Mass on June 12-13, 2004

I am so excited about being here and having the opportunity to serve you all as principal of the school.

After a long and challenging interview process that involved many wonderful people committed to St. Mary’s, Father called to offer me this opportunity. I think he was a bit surprised when I told him it would take a few days for me to decide. As a social scientist trained in research, I was in the habit of collecting data, analyzing that data, and then drawing conclusions and making decisions. I told Father that I would need to talk to some members of the parish, attend weekend liturgy and chat with students, parents and members of the parish before I could make a decision.

Much to my surprise, a few hours later I received a cell phone call direct from the parish golf event. I was impressed. After a week’s worth of data collection, here’s what I found.

• St. Mary’s is a faith filled community, devoted
  to the message of the gospel.
  
  
• It is a parish dedicated to passing on the Catholic
  tradition to its youth, willing to sacrifice and support
  a school so that its students can have the very
  best opportunities in life.
  
  
• It is a loving, caring and nurturing parish that will
  not compromise on the quality of programs. You
  expect excellence, and are not willing to accept
  anything less.

A faith filled people, supporting children, and demanding excellence: How could I say no?

So, here I am, your new principal.

For the past few months, I have undertaken a project at home that I think will illustrate how I will work as your principal. A few years ago, my mother-in-law passed along a family heirloom, a wonderful gift of a grandfather clock. After unpacking and setting up the clock, it began running just as it has for so many years.

A couple of months ago, I decided to take a look inside, just to see how things worked. It was a little dusty in there, so I started brushing the dust away and cleaning up a bit. A few hours later, my wife innocently asked, “Honey, have you noticed that the clock sometimes doesn’t chime when it is supposed too?” Oh oh! Was I in trouble.

The problem statement was very simple – fix the clock and avoid the wrath of an entire side of the family. I began by reading about clock repair. You have no idea how complex clock mechanism’s can be! Gears and cams and levels and weights all moving in a precise way, any one of which could spell disaster.

Undaunted, I did what every one of you would do. I took the clock apart, removed the face, and reassembled the clock so that I could watch it work. For days, I followed gear trains and watched levels go up and down, and had to check every fifteen minutes to see if I could catch it not chiming. I can tell you it didn’t chime when I was on the phone, at three in the morning and when I was eating, but it always worked correctly when I was watching!

Anyway, what I found was that there was some corrosion on some of the parts. I cleaned each piece carefully. There was some dust in the mechanism (hmmm, I wonder how that got there?). There were some parts that needed a little oil. Like many things, there were a lot of little problems, all contributing to the problem, but none causing the problem. I wasn’t successful the first time, nor the second, but after a lot of attempts, I am happy to say that the face is back on, and the clock chimes every time.

So it is with the school. I will study how it works, clean up and polish some of the pieces, and having it run “like a clock.” The school is the family heirloom of the parish, lovingly shared, and deserving of our unfaltering attention.

I have much to learn about our school, and I would hope the parish shares its family stories with me. I want to know your expectations, your wishes, and your concerns. I want to build a school where the entire parish is welcome to come and learn, and a school where students are offered premier academic preparation as they learn about Catholic values and tradition.

Anxious to get started, I have scheduled meetings for parents and others that are interested in what the future holds for the school next week. The schedule is on the insert in the bulletin. I realize that with this short notice, not everyone will be able to attend. But there will be plenty of opportunity. I love talking to others about my passion for education and Catholicism, and encourage you all to stop by and chat.

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to serve St. Mary’s.

-- Dr. Thomas D. Dertinger

About the New Principal

Dr. Thomas D. Dertinger

It is with great joy and enthusiasm that I have taken the opportunity to serve the parish of St. Mary’s as principal of the school! I look forward to my role as administrator of the wonderful gift that the community of St. Mary’s has bestowed upon our youth. It is with great humility that I offer some of the details of my journey to St. Mary’s.

I was born and baptized in Saint Aiden’s Parish on Long Island, New York. By the time my family moved to a town near Albany, New York during my junior high school years, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. After graduating from Oswego State University, I began teaching middle school and high school students in the Mohawk Valley region. My high-school Drafting teacher had moved to “the valley” and invited me to start my doctoral degree in education at the State University of New York at Albany. While working on my degree, I was offered the opportunity to write vocational education curriculum for the New York State Department of Corrections. Although I missed the classroom, I was soon promoted, and an unanticipated career in educational administration for the prison system ensued. To completed my doctorate in Curriculum, Instruction and Supervision, I returned to the classroom for my dissertation research. Working in a 6th grade science class for two years, I designed instructional materials that insured each student “mastered” the objectives of curriculum. The conclusion I reached was that all students could succeed at a high level of achievement, and once students started succeeding at that high level, they would be successful at a greater and greater rate.

My love for education deepened when I found the love of my life taking graduate classes in the Reading Department and soon married Barbara. Barbara was teaching in the local elementary school, and together we started our family with Jennifer, our only child. Jennifer started her education at the Academy of the Holy Names, but was quickly whisked off to Richmond Virginia as I became an Education Program Director for the Virginia Department of Correctional Education. Barbara settled in as a reading specialist for the Richmond schools, and I found myself in a number of state management positions. Greatly missing the classroom, I began teaching education courses at the University of Richmond in the Master’s in Education program, focusing on Educational Psychology, Statistics and Research, and Educational Supervision. Perhaps the most fun I had was being a University supervisor of student teachers, spending a number of semesters in elementary and secondary classrooms in Henrico, Chesterfield and Richmond City schools working with student teachers and their cooperating master teachers. This experience is what perhaps “drew” me back to education.

Most recently, I have been active in the start up of Saint Gabriel’s Parish in Midlothian. Barbara and I formed the initial Baptism Team, became Eucharistic Ministers, joined the RCIA team and were original members of the Marriage Preparation Team. As we finally moved from the local elementary school to our new worship space, I built the altar, ambo, processional cross and candlesticks currently used for liturgies in our multi-purpose building. Jennifer joined the choir, and continues to participate in the music ministry of the Catholic Campus Ministry at William and Mary College. Graduating next year with a dual major in chemistry and music (cello), she is sure to contribute to Saint Mary’s School in a number of ways.

As a believer in life-long learning, I began the MBA program at the University of Richmond a number of years ago. With two courses left to finish, students of Saint Mary’s will know that I, too, have homework to do and exams to study for. As I negotiate the budget, finances and management of the school, I can only hope that it works as well as it does in the textbooks.

Education is how we pass along our culture. St. Mary’s has a highly developed faith-filled and knowledge rich culture that will be passed along to our children with the care, love and skill of a dedicated group of teachers and staff in Christ’s name. I am most anxious to join them!

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