MEDIA RELEASE

NEW NIAGARA CATHOLIC SECONDARY PRINCIPAL
AND ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY VICE-PRINCIPAL
APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED BY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Niagara Catholic Director of Education John Crocco announced the following Administrative Appointments on June 6th.

Denice Robertson has been appointed as the newest secondary Principal at Niagara Catholic. She will become Principal of Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School in St. Catharines effective September 1, 2012. She is currently Vice-Principal of Saint Michael Catholic High School in Niagara Falls.

Mrs. Robertson brings to the position 22 years of experience as an educator with Niagara Catholic. She was hired full-time as a Science teacher at Lakeshore Catholic High School in Port Colborne September 1990. She was Program Chair of Science at Lakeshore Catholic for six years and Vice-Principal of Denis Morris Catholic High School in St. Catharines for three years before spending three years at her current position of Vice-Principal of Saint Michael Catholic High School.

“I am thrilled and honoured to have been appointed the next Principal for Niagara Catholic,” said Mrs. Robertson. “Holy Cross has a tradition of outstanding leadership and wonderful teachers! I am blessed to have this opportunity.”

Mrs. Robertson is the only new Principal appointed in Niagara Catholic this year. The vacancy became available when Mr. Anthony Bozza, Principal of Denis Morris Catholic High School, announced his retirement effective at the end of the current academic year. Mr. Ted Farrell, Principal of Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School in Grimsby, will succeed Mr. Bozza at Denis Morris. Mr. Farrell will be replaced at Blessed Trinity by Mr. Joseph Zaroda, the current Principal of Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School.

Mary-Lou Vescio has been appointed Acting Principal of Alexander Kuska Catholic Elementary School in Welland.

Niagara Catholic also welcomes new Vice-Principals to the administrative team.

Tony Della Ventura, currently an Education Resource Teacher at Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School, has been appointed Vice-Principal of Denis Morris Catholic High School.

Kevin Timmins, a Student Services Guidance Counsellor at Saint Paul Catholic High School in Niagara Falls, has been appointed Vice-Principal at St. Francis Catholic Secondary School in St. Catharines.

Maria Solomon, Educational Resource Teacher and Acting Vice-Principal of Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary School in St. Catharines, has been appointed Vice-Principal of Canadian Martyrs.

Sheri Basset, a classroom teacher at St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School in Niagara Falls, has been appointed Acting Vice-Principal of St. Alfred Catholic Elementary School in St. Catharines.

"The individuals selected to Niagara Catholic's administrative team in 2012 are deeply committed to helping our students grow and develop their gifts from God in a Catholic educational setting," said Kathy Burtnik, Chair of the Niagara Catholic Board of Trustees. "Their commitment to our schools and to our students is inspiring and we are confident that they will bring great energy and enthusiasm to their new positions of leadership."

Niagara Catholic Director of Education John Crocco described those appointed to the administrative team as exemplary Catholic educators.

"The new Principals and Vice-Principals appointed today are leaders in the vocation of Catholic education in every aspect of the word and will join our exceptional team of Niagara Catholic administrators," said Mr. Crocco. "They lead by example, sharing their faith, commitment to Catholic educational excellence and the responsibility of nurturing the souls and building the minds of our students with all they do. We are proud to welcome these new leaders to Niagara Catholic's administrative team."

A complete list of Niagara Catholic Administrative Appointments and Assignments >>

-30-

Contact: John Crocco, Director of Education
Issued by: Jennifer Brailey, Manager Corporate Services & Communications
Date: June 8, 2012