Letter from Fr. Tim Hedrick

I am happy to announce that a new principal has been selected for St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School for the 2020-2021 academic year. After careful review and prayerful consideration of a dozen applicants, the search committee came to the unanimous decision that Ms. Maria Mateu Ward is the best person to lead St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School.

Ms. Ward was born and raised in St. Catherine of Siena Parish.  She is a 1986 graduate of SCS and 1990 graduate of St. Mary’s Dominican High School.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts and Science with a concentration in Behavior Science from Southeastern Louisiana University.  She earned her Masters of Education with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction from Dominican University of California. 

For the last two decades, Ms. Ward has served at St. Isidore Catholic School in Danville, CA.  She taught 4th grade (all subjects) and 8th grade (Language Arts, History, & Religion) for seven years, she served as vice principal for five years, and she served as principal for the last eight years.  St. Isidore is a very comparable school to St. Catherine of Siena. It is the largest Catholic school in the Diocese of Oakland.  It is known for academic excellence and has a similar sized faculty.  You can find out more about Ms. Ward in her enclosed letter of introduction.

Ms. Ward is looking forward to getting to know the students, parents, teachers, and parishioners of St. Catherine of Siena.  She will spend the week after Easter at St. Catherine of Siena.  Later this summer, she will move home with her three children. 

Thank you to Dr. RaeNell Houston, Peter Kernion, Pam Truxillo, Sarah Caruso, Scott Walker, Cherié Kay Larocca, Denise Douglass, Pierre Legrand, Michelle Alley, Michelle Macicek, Joni Maurer, and Fr. Andrew Gutierrez for serving on the search committee. They spent many hours going through résumés and conducting interviews. I am grateful for their hard work!

I would like to thank Mrs. Kimberlie Kilroy for her four years of faithful service to St. Catherine of Siena. I know you will join me in praying for her in her new endeavors. 

Please join me in praying for Ms. Ward as she embarks upon a new chapter in life, leading St. Catherine of Siena School into a bright future of academic excellence and strong Catholic faith formation.

To Ms. Ward, “Welcome home! We look forward to welcoming you back to St. Catherine of Siena!”

Sincerely in the Lord,

Rev. Tim Hedrick
Pastor  
 

Letter from Maria Ward

I am very humbled and honored to be selected as principal of St. Catherine of Siena School and to join this wonderful community dedicated to academic excellence. Be assured that I share in your commitment to provide all students with the opportunity for high academic achievement within a safe and secure learning environment. I come to St. Catherine of Siena as an alumna and a seasoned school administrator. 

When I started as a third-grade student at St. Catherine in 1980, I could only dream of returning as the principal 40 years later. Our school inspired my love of education and a strong dedication to Catholic education. Developing spiritually, emotionally, and academically is vital to each child’s well-rounded development. This builds the foundation they need to be successful in life and live out their God-given potential. 

As Fr. Tim has stated, I am returning to Louisiana from California after almost twenty years, having worked at the same school most of that time. While at St. Isidore School in Danville, CA, I worked in many different capacities as an educator and administrator. During my tenure, I implemented small group instruction, piloted new curricula, departmentalized the middle school, created a makerspace, revamped the emergency preparedness plan, developed a variety of middle school enrichment classes, and provided professional development for faculty and staff. Moreover, I have led other large projects such as remodeling the entire school over three summers, creating a safety committee, and developing a marketing team to increase school enrollment. I have also served on the diocese level through the school accreditation process, and have served on the professional development committee and staff development committee, as well as being a mentor for new teachers and principals. Though these accomplishments are very noteworthy, I must admit that my greatest accomplishments are personal.

I am the mother of three beautiful children: Elizabeth (16), Joe David (13), and Charlie (11). People often say I treat all the children in my school as if they were my own. Please know that I will work tirelessly to ensure that all of your children have the best possible experiences here at St. Catherine of Siena School.

I am excited and eager to bring my skills as an educational leader to St. Catherine of Siena School. My goal is to fully support our students, teachers, faculty, staff, and families. Together, we will develop very strong partnerships to provide a rigorous academic experience while continuing the traditions for which St. Catherine of Siena School is known.  Most importantly, together we can lead our children to a deeply personal relationship with Jesus so that they know they are loved and valued.  Teaching the Gospel values through instruction and example are two pillars I want to foster in our school community.

As your principal, it is important to me that everyone who steps through our doors is excited to be here! This attitude enables us to meet the challenges of academic excellence in a positive, fun, and nurturing environment. I am looking forward to getting to know your children and families and making St. Catherine of Siena School my home once again. I am grateful for this opportunity.

God Bless,  

Maria Ward