Mary Kilar Wins National Distinguished Principal Award

Arlington, Va.—Mary Kilar, principal of St. John the Baptist School in Whitewater, Wis., will receive the 2012 Distinguished Principal Award from the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).

Kilar will be honored at an awards ceremony during the association's annual convention April 11–13 in Boston, Mass.

"We must be living ambassadors of our faith in every action, word and deed," Kilar said in describing her educational philosophy. "Catholic education is a calling, a ministry to embrace all of God's children and form them in our sacramental Catholic faith to be good, contributing members of society."

"Mary has been the catalyst for many positive changes in every singular curricular area of our school," said Margarete Schels, a St. John the Baptist teacher. "Mary lives by the philosophy of effective leadership expressed by John Quincy Adams: 'If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are a leader.'"

Kilar is one of 11 principals nationwide who have earned NCEA's top award for principals this year. The following will also be honored:

• John Bennett, St. Aloysius Catholic School, Baton Rouge, La.
• Terry Chapman, Our Lady of the Visitation School, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Patricia Devanney, St. Anthony School, Winsted, Conn.
• William Geasor, Salve Regina Academy, Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Kimberly Hermsen, Mazzuchelli Catholic Middle School, Dubuque, Iowa
• Sheila Martinez, Our Lady of Victory School, Washington, D.C.
• Nancy Matteo, St. Andrew School, Newtown, Pa.
• Kathleen Murphy, Corpus Christi School, Piedmont, Calif.
• Suzette Williams, Catholic School of St. Eugene, Oklahoma, Okla.
• Kathleen Wollan, Nativity of Our Lord Catholic School, St. Paul, Minn.

"Our award winners demonstrate inspirational leadership, dedication to academic excellence and a strong commitment to offering their communities quality, faith-based education," said Christian Brother Robert Bimonte, executive director of the NCEA Department of Elementary Schools. "These distinguished principals embody the very best of Catholic education in this country."

About the Convention
NCEA's annual convention—which draws educators, administrators, catechists, pastors and parents from throughout the nation—will offer informative sessions, liturgies and networking opportunities. The event at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center will also feature an exhibition of educational products and services from more than 300 companies.

Keynote speakers will include Father Ron Rolheiser, president of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas, and Dr. Mary McDonald, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Memphis, Tenn.

The convocation of the National Association of Parish Catechetical Directors and the annual meeting of the Catholic Library Association will take place concurrently with the NCEA convention.

NCEA, founded in 1904, is a professional membership organization that provides leadership, direction and service to fulfill the evangelizing, catechizing and teaching mission of the church. NCEA's members include elementary schools, high schools, parish religious education programs and seminaries.

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