CHARLOTTE — Four Catholic schools in the Diocese of Charlotte will welcome new principals this fall. Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville, St. Gabriel School in Charlotte, St. Pius X School in Greensboro and St. Leo School in Winston-Salem will all have new leaders.
BISHOP MCGUINNESS HIGH SCHOOL
At Bishop McGuinness, Tracy Shaw, former assistant principal, fills the position left vacant after beloved longtime principal George Repass passed away unexpectedly last November. Shaw is a 20-year veteran of Catholic schools in the Charlotte diocese and served as a teacher at St. Pius X School before moving to Bishop McGuinness in a leadership role.
Her goals for the school include “building upon what George has done and making it even better,” she said. Shaw also plans to increase collaboration among students, teachers and parents and to more fully integrate technology into the academics of the school.
ST. GABRIEL SCHOOL
St. Gabriel School welcomes Michele Snoke as principal this year. She assumes the role after principal Sharon Broxterman retired after 30 years in the diocesan Catholic schools system. Snoke served as assistant principal for the past seven years.
Snoke, her husband and two daughters (MACS students) have lived in Charlotte since 2004 and are parishioners at St. Gabriel Church.
“I feel blessed to be a stakeholder of the Diocese of Charlotte, as a parent watching my daughters receive an amazing education from Catholic elementary, middle, and now high school, and as an educator and administrator in the Catholic schools system,” Snoke said.
“To my new and returning St. Gabriel families, I would first say thank you for all of your support and confidence in my leadership abilities to continue to strive to provide academic and spiritual success to all my students. I’m looking forward to a great school year.”
ST. PIUS X SCHOOL
Ann Flynt, assistant principal at St. Pius X School for the past seven years, was also recently named principal. Flynt has been an educator in the Greensboro area for two decades.
Flynt replaces Anne Knapke, who is relocating with her family to Pennsylvania.
St. Pius X is a K-8 school and will be adding a pre-kindergarten class in a new building this fall.
Flynt said she is “excited and thrilled to have the opportunity to work with wonderful professionals in both the church and school community, and to make a positive difference in lives of students.”
ST. LEO SCHOOL
Joanne Brown will serve as the new principal of St. Leo School. Brown has a Master of Arts in educational administration and a Master of Education in special needs learners. She has extensive teaching experience at the elementary level and has enjoyed successful leadership opportunities that have enabled her to initiate program development for academic growth, lead professional development and support environments of optimum learning.
“I am looking forward to joining the St. Leo Catholic School community as we continue the tradition of excellence in program development and high quality instruction,” Brown said. “I am truly blessed to join in the commitment to serve our students fostering gospel values and assuring learning for each child.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter. Melissa Kinsley contributed.