Huron Expositor, 2007-10-03, Page 11News
The Huron Expositor • October 3, 2007 Page 11
New St. James principal planning to `carry
forward with good work that's been started
Susan H u n d e r t m a r k
iiiMEMEM
Joanne Lombardi never set on a
career path to become an elemen-
tary school principal.
But, when the opportunity arose
to become St. James School's new
principal, Lombardi was keen to
take on the challenge.
"This is my first job as a principal
and I guess it's a natural evolution
of all the things I've done," she says.
Working in the education field for
24 years, Lombardi has taught JK
to Grade 6 at the London District
Catholic School Board and in the
Kitchener -Waterloo District
Catholic School Board.
She came to the Huron -Perth
District Catholic School Board three
years ago, working as the special
education coordinator and spent
last year working half-time as well
as vice principal at St. Columban
School and St. Patrick's School in
Dublin.
"I've always been keen on engag-
ing in new experiences and expand-
ing my work in leadership roles,"
she says.
While she says she's still on a
Joanne Lombardi
"huge learning curve," Lombardi
says the St. James staff, students
and extended community have all
been very welcoming and helpful so
far.
"What a great school!" she says.
"The children are kind and caring
and focussed, the staff is remark-
able, professional and dedicated and
there's great family support."
Since this year is the first in
many since St. James has split
grades, Lombardi says the change is engaged and busy children are less
"a little something new to St. likely to get into trouble on the
James" but is going well. playground. It'll be invitational and
She says split grades caused the inclusive - a proactive way to fight
decision to open up the schoolyard bullying," she says.
to all ages and grades, instead of Lombardi says a new program to
assigning certain ages to certain begin at St. James School this year
areas of the yard. will be an introduction to the rosary
"I think it's going to work well in a as a tool for spiritual life.
small community where we all She says volunteers from the
know each other," she says, adding church will be coming into the
that St. James has 190 students school to teach the whole school
this year. about how to use a rosary and its
Planning to "carry forward with connection to Jesus and Mary.
the good work that's been started" "It's a part of the Catholic tradi-
by other former principals, tion and this program will give it
Lombardi notes St. James contin- more prominence," she says.
ued to do well in the EQAO testing
of Grades 3 and 6.
She says she'll
also be continu-
ing work on anti -
bullying initia-
tives already in
place at St.
James with a
playground pro-
gram where
Grade 7 students
organize games
for everyone.
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