St. Michael’s School begins new chapter with new principal

• St. Michael’s School begins new chapter with new principal

Contributed Story & Photo

This August, St. Michael’s Catholic School will begin its 148th academic year and continue its long tradition of educating students of the local community in a Christ-centered environment. Over the course of its history, the school has seen many changes as it has evolved over the decades. From its founding in 1877 to the 1980’s, St. Michael’s School was primarily led by religious sisters. By the 1990’s the school began having lay members lead the school as teachers and principals, and this continues to this day. St. Michael’s Catholic School has announced that starting this summer Mr. Sean Mooney will serve as its new principal and will lead the school to advance its mission to know as Jesus knows, love as Jesus loves, and serve as Jesus serves.

Mr. Mooney most recently served as principal of St. Joseph Catholic School in Yoakum for eight years. Prior to that he served as a teacher at St. John Paul II Catholic School in Corpus Christi. He has a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Texas A&M and a Master’s degree in Education Curriculum and Instruction.

The Pastor of St. Michael’s, Fr. Jacob Mendoza, established a search committee made up of members of the parish community in November, and Mr. Mooney was selected in late February. “Mr. Mooney’s substantive experience in administrative and academic affairs, as well as his high energy, strong faith, and collaborative approach in working with faculty, students, and parents, made him an excellent choice for our school,” said Fr. Jacob. “In Catholic schools the principal shares in the pastoral ministry of the school in a unique way, helping to lead families on our Christian mission. Mr. Mooney is enthusiastic to share in this mission of forming our students in body, mind, and soul.”

Mooney is excited to be taking on this new role. When asked what prompted him to apply for the position he said “When I learned of the opening, I felt called by the Holy Spirit in a rather unexpected way. I enjoy taking on new challenges, and this opportunity presented itself at just the right moment. I am eager to respond to God’s call to serve this community by using my abilities to strengthen and grow St. Michael’s long tradition of forming children to be disciples of Christ.”

When asked about what to expect in the coming years, Mr. Mooney said “My highest priority is to foster a relationship with our faculty and parents that is cooperative and built on mutual trust and respect. I intend to utilize this relationship not only to serve our current families but to encourage other families to take advantage of the many wonderful things we have to offer. I look forward to serving all who choose to join our St. Michael’s family.”

St. Michael’s Catholic School is open to all faiths. If you or someone you know is interested in benefiting from a Catholic education, call the school office at 361277-3854 or visit the school’s website at www.stmschoolcuero. org.