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Kay Cozad
Catholic Schools Office Superintendent Holy Cross Father Stephen Kempinger, Associate Superintendent of Personnel Rebecca Elswerky and Associate Superintendent of Curriculum Mary Ann Bachman have departed their positions as of the end of June. A reception was held June 24 in the Archbishop Noll Catholic Center.
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Catholic School Office sees
changing of the guard
FORT WAYNE — The Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend will bid a fond farewell to three of its top officers this summer.
Superintendent Holy Cross Father Stephen Kempinger, Associate Superintendent of Personnel Rebecca Elswerky and Associate Superintendent of Curriculum Mary Ann Bachman departed their positions at the end of June.
Father Kempinger leaves his post as superintendent of schools after three years at the helm. He stepped into the position after serving as associate superintendent in South Bend for two years under former superintendent Michelle Hitte, who will be interim superintendent this fall. The position had Father Kempinger overseeing the Catholic schools of the diocese, with visits to the schools and supporting the principals with crisis situations. He also advised Bishop John M. D’Arcy on educational matters.
Father Kempinger was ordained into the Congregation of Holy Cross in 2001 and has worked in this diocese all nine years of his priesthood.
He is currently completing his coursework for his doctorate in educational leadership, with a minor in higher education administration and hopes to complete his comprehensive exams and dissertation soon.
Father Kempinger, who resided part-time in South Bend at Moreau Seminary and at Our Lady of Good Hope Parish in Fort Wayne, will be moving full-time to the seminary where he will be on the formation staff working with the first-year seminarian candidates with their discernment to the priesthood.
“I’m excited about that. We have 10 candidates next year,” says Father Kempinger.
The outgoing superintendent is proud of his association with the diocesan schools and looks back at the planning and feasibility studies done as being an important step in the improvement of the system. He is also proud of the building of St. Pius X School as well as Father Bill Schooler’s nomination for the National Catholic Educational Association’s Distinguished Pastor Award.
Father Kempinger leaves with the hope that the schools will continue on in their strengths and to look for ways to improve. “I hope they continue with planning, which will strengthen the schools. It will open doors for more students to come to our schools,” he says.
He will miss the “wonderful people, office staff and the principals and the wonderful gifts they bring to their schools.” He enjoyed getting to know and collaborate with area superintendents and those from around the country as well.
For the incoming superintendent Father Kempinger offers, “It’s important to listen. You’ll have good people around you. Don’t be afraid to step out of the box. If something could be done better — do it!”
Father Kempinger’s associate superintendent Rebecca Elswerky came to her position in March of 2001 after serving as a teacher within the diocese and then assistant principal at St. Vincent de Paul School in Fort Wayne.
Her duties within the schools office have included responsibility for licensing, internships, mentoring, new principal and new employee inservicing, assistant principal and lead teacher inservicing, policy and procedure, the Prospective Principals Program, inservicing for new principal interview and selection, collaborative efforts with various colleges and universities including the University of Saint Francis, the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College, Holy Cross College, as well as other secular colleges.
She says, “I basically worked to make myself available as a resource to help resolve concerns and/or problems for pastors, administrators, teachers and parents/stakeholders.”
Elswerky has seen many changes during her tenure in the schools offices. The schools, she reports, are working to be more cutting edge with innovation in technology, providing and understanding various programs to help better meet all student needs and promoting awareness of state regulations.
Of her role in the Catholic school system she says, “I believe in the Catholic school system and how it works.”
She offers the best of wishes for the future of the schools and those they serve.
Though she will miss the people she worked with she looks forward to the new adventure she and her family has before them in Lexington, Ky., where her husband accepted a new position. Her hope is to work at the secondary level in administration, but she is open to anything educational.
For future diocesan central office employees Elswerky encourages entering with “the knowledge that those you serve and those you work with are tremendously dedicated, committed and compassionate educators.” She adds, “Enjoy, encourage, laugh and be flexible.”
Associate Superintendent of Curriculum Mary Ann Bachman, stationed in South Bend, has worked with Title 1 and 4 requests and writing federal plans for the schools within the diocese as well as quality assurance and supporting the school personnel whenever they need it, since August of 2007. As a veteran teacher of 21 years and three years of administration duties as assistant principal at Corpus Christi School, Bachman brought not only her professional expertise but her love of Catholic education to the position.
She has enjoyed learning each new task required by the position saying, “There was a huge learning curve for me. I took over responsibilities I’d never had before.”
Bachman has been encouraged with the work the schools have undertaken for their accreditation reviews saying, “There’s been a lot of work toward that end with a lot of sharing between schools as they get ready. It’s important — we’re all in this together.” Local and diocesan-wide meetings and workshops, she says, have been helpful.
For the future, Bachman will assume the role of principal at St. Adalbert School in South Bend in the fall. Though she will miss her work in the central schools office and particularly her administrative assistant Joyce Baranowski — her “right and left arm and a huge help” — she is looking forward to working with the students once again.
Her hope for St. Adalbert and all Catholic schools is that they “continue to grow and continue the improvement process.” She also hopes that efforts to develop Catholic identity within the diocese school system will continue.
A farewell reception was held for the three on June 24 following a Mass at the Archbishop Noll Catholic Center Chapel of the Good Shepherd. |
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