Neighbor News
Narberth, St. Margaret School Welcomes New Principal
School is back, and the new principal for St. Margaret's brings opportunity for strengthening the Mercy driven school with enthusiasm.
Fulfilling the position as principal of the only parish elementary school in the Lower Merion Township brought the search committee together shortly after graduation mid-June, as Micah Sumner, principal was recruited by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for a Director of Urban Education, to work with some of the schools located in urban areas. Within one short month, the search committee rallied to interview seven qualified applicants before selection Mary Anne Johnston as principal.
Mrs. Johnston has a BS in Elementary Education from Gwynedd Mercy University and a Master’s in Education from Gratz College. She has served many years in Catholic education. She taught at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School in Philadelphia, was choreographer and Director of Development at Cardinal O’Hara High School, and taught at St. Andrew the Apostle School in Drexel Hill for 15 years before becoming the principal at Nativity BVM School in Media, where she served for nine years. From 2013 -2015, she was the President of St. Mary Magdalene School in Media, and this past year she was the Leadership and Academic Support Manager for the Independence Mission Schools, an organization that manages a network of Catholic schools in the city and the Philadelphia area.
Mrs. Johnston brings years of education and leadership experience to the St. Margaret School community and students supporting our strong Catholic identity and promoting educational opportunities to move children toward an advanced curriculum in a student-centered environment.
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Throughout the interview process, Mary Anne expressed a commitment to the needs of the students, familiarity with the mission of the Sisters of Mercy, who have served our school throughout its long history instilling the gifts of mercy in the hearts and minds of the children through their faith based education. Collaborating with Sr. Corinne Ritchie, past principal of 20 years while presently volunteering on a daily basis continues to motivate mercy and fulfill the school mission. Johnston expresses ‘gratitude for the opportunity to be actively involved in the faith and academic formation of children at St. Margaret School.’
To learn more about St. Margaret School, visit the website: www.smsnarberth.org
