By Elizabeth Wulfhorst
LINCROFT – Saint Leo the Great School has named Caroline Fitzgerald, former school counselor and vice principal, as its new principal. Fitzgerald assumed the role July 1 after former principal Cornelius Begley left to helm Christian Brothers Academy, also in Lincroft.
According to Rev. John Folchetti, pastor at Saint Leo the Great Church, the search committee received 30 applications for the position and conducted nine interviews. Folchetti welcomed Fitzgerald to the principal’s job with an announcement May 19.
Fitzgerald received her Master of Education in school counseling from Monmouth University. She has worked at Saint Leo the Great School (SLG) since 2016, for three years as the school’s first counselor and the last three as vice principal of the lower grades. Prior to that she raised her children before spending one year as a paraprofessional covering a second grade classroom.
As school counselor, Fitzgerald created a Character Program at SLG for each grade level, utilizing character-building classes and incorporating the Positivity Project, a program designed to teach positive character traits and relationships. Fitzgerald applied the skills and experience she gained raising four daughters through their teenage years to help meet the emotional needs of her students.
According to Mary Koury, director of admissions at SLG, “after five years of tangible evidence of how her work had a positive impact on the school environment, Saint Leo’s was recognized as a National School of Character.”
Today, SLG has a counseling department consisting of two counselors, one for the middle school and one for preschool through fourth grade.
Fitzgerald said she is excited to start her new role. After two years of pandemic-adjusted schedules, she said she plans to bring back traditional events and activities and introduce new ones for the upcoming school year.
“As someone who has experienced numerous roles within the school, I now have the chance to implement some of the suggestions and personal ideas to bring SLG to the next level,” Fitzgerald said.
“Additionally, I plan to incorporate more arts into the school community,” she said. She also has ideas to increase both student and parent involvement in school programs and noted she is looking forward to working with Folchetti on matters of Catholic faith.
In addition to starting and continuing her career at SLG, Fitzgerald is also a graduate of the school, which she said will guide her in her new role.
“I believe I am fortunate in this position. My strong work ethic, my love for this school, and my dedication to the student and family relationships I have cultivated over the past several years gives the personal touch I want everybody to feel when they become a part of the SLG family.”
Koury called Fitzgerald “too humble” to toot her own horn and said she values the fact that Fitzgerald is “an alumnus who can remember the traditions she loved while attending SLG, but appreciates how far the school has advanced and continues to adapt to the needs of each student.”
SLG, like other schools, is adjusting to a rapidly changing world by integrating technology and technological teaching techniques to prepare students for high school and beyond. Fitzgerald has already begun investigating ways to incorporate virtual reality technology in the school, according to Koury.
“Caroline has forward-thinking ideas, she has listened to parents, teachers, students over the past several years and brings her wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience” to the school, Koury said.
“She is the best person for the job and can ‘hit the ground running,’ as they say.”
The principal search committee consisted of constituents from the SLG community, including Joseph Manzi, administrator; Elizabeth Barrella, educational consultant; John Shibles, parish trustee; Ron Gentile, school board chairperson; Thomas DiChiara, parish lawyer; Christine Wiessel, PTA president; and Cathleen Cotgreave, a faculty member.
“Some of my fondest childhood memories are through the relationships I established here as a student,” Fitzgerald said. “Assuming the role of principal confirms I have truly come full circle and have returned home.”
The article originally appeared in the July 14 – 20, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
