By Paula Day

Catholic education in the Atlanta archdiocese will be enriched this year by the leadership of four new principals in the area's elementary schools.

The backgrounds of the three women and one man are varied. One is an Atlantan who was educated in archdiocesan schools, but who has worked in the city's public schools, another comes from the desert of the Southwest with its Hispanic and Indian population. Still another is familiar with Midwestern school systems. The fourth returns to the archdiocese after serving as an administrator for her religious community.

Belinda Johnson, a native Atlantan, is the new principal at St. Paul of the Cross School in northwest Atlanta. Her roots in the area include attending Our Lady of Lourdes School, Drexel High School before its closing, and graduating from St. Pius X High School.

"It's like a high school reunion every time a parent comes in," she says. "Since I also grew up in the community I am familiar with most of the people."

Ms. Johnson taught in the Atlanta public schools for 13 years. For the past two years she served as a Fulton County Board of Education administrator. She comes to Catholic education with a sense of gratitude: "The parochial schools in Atlanta instilled in me a value for lifelong learning. I feel a need to share that in the classroom in an advisory capacity and with other adults -- help them value continuing educational growth for themselves."

At the present time, Ms. Johnson is involved in a doctoral program in administration and supervision at Georgia State University. Her education has included a focus on special education in all areas learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, mildly handicapped and gifted. "I feel, as an administrator, this background is a wonderful asset," she comments. "It will help me assist teachers to gear lessons for individual students' needs."

Instituting an humanities program at St. Paul of the Cross is one of Ms. Johnson's dreams. As a first step, she plans to set up an art gallery for students and is already soliciting donations of authentic art to be hung, with the donor's name attached, in a section of the school.

She is also working toward the hiring of three religious sisters from a Jamaican Franciscan community for the 1988-89 faculty. The process involves certifying them according to Georgia's requirements and obtaining immigration permits.

As the mother of an eight-year-old son who attended Our Lady of Lourdes this past year, she has firsthand knowledge of the challenges of parenting. She was active as a Lourdes school board member and is chairperson of the school's accreditation committee.

"I really like what I'm doing," she says. She feels she's somewhat unique: "I'm black, I'm a woman, and I'm a layperson" in an administrative position in Catholic education.

Having a man for a principal will be a first for St. Jude the Apostle School in northeast Atlanta. Bill Meehan, a native of New England, will fill that post this coming school term.

Last May, Meehan resigned his administrative position in Rock Island, Illinois' Jordan Catholic School because of declining enrollment. His exploration of employment opportunities led him to Atlanta and St. Jude's.

Meehan says he "feels fortunate to walk into the situation" at St. Jude's where "the ground-work has been laid with a five-year plan for development.

"I'm here to stay -- to open new avenues of funding. I will be carrying on much of the work that has already been done to expand the facility." Plans include expanding the school's media center, adding classrooms and installing air conditioning. As an administrator Meehan will emphasize "a good solid curriculum," and staff development that "meets the needs of children and parents of the community."

The 48-year-old father of four says he was influenced in his career decision by an aunt who was a Sister of Notre Dame and a dedicated educator. He admits that he is idealistic. "I like working with children -- with people, especially when I see ideas become reality."

As for being a man in what was once considered a "woman's world" Meehan says, "It's never been an issue." In fact, he frequently hears comments that it's nice to have a man on the staff for the different viewpoint he can bring.

Meehan admits that coming from a Midwest Metropolitan area to Atlanta involved some adjustments, not the least of which was relocating three teenagers and leaving one behind to attend college in Illinois. He notes he now has to plan ahead when driving in Atlanta to "deal with the traffic and know where I'm going." He is used to the logic of the Midwest's traffic grids that are usually laid out in east-west, north-south patterns.

Regarding the task ahead, Meehan comments, "A lot of what I've heard is exciting and I agree with it. I feel we're on the right road."

The new principal at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Northeast Atlanta was born in Phoenix, AZ, and grew up in Tucson. She has been a Catholic school educator for 31 years, eight of those as principal. When asked what inspired her to become an educator, Nellie Jo Hendricks replied, "I always wanted 55 children and teaching was the way to have them."

Ms. Hendricks comes to Georgia by way of New Orleans. She met archdiocesan school officials there in April at the National Catholic Educational Association meeting and became interested in Atlanta's opportunities for career Catholic educators.

"I see myself as having a vocation to Catholic education," she says. She became a principal because she regards administration as a chance to "become involved in leadership positions and curriculum development. I wanted to be able to reach out to parents as well as children."

Ms. Hendricks hopes to focus her attention in three areas this coming school year: "working with teachers in preparing exciting children's liturgies, assisting teachers in developing learning centers in classrooms and continuing to provide quality Catholic -- not just Christian -- education."

A graduate of Seton Hill College in Greensburg, PA, Ms. Hendricks has a master's degree in educational administration from the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Sister Helen Gilroy, IHM, returns to St. Joseph's School in Athens as principal after a six-year absence.

"It's a new return," the Philadelphia native says. "So much has happened." She refers to the school's new facilities and the growth from 250 to almost 400 students in the six-year-period.

Sister Gilroy has been involved in elementary Catholic education for 32 years, beginning as a first and second grade teacher in a small country school in West Grove, PA. She remembers, "I always played school as a little child" and in joining a teaching community, education became her life's work.

Sister Gilroy sees Catholic schools as "an oasis in the world today." Their role: to educate young people in true Catholic, Christian values. This education, according to Sister Gilroy should give children peaceful interiors, deeply rooted in self-respect and awareness of God's love for them.

One project she hopes to introduce at St. Joseph's is a "big brother, big sister program" where older students befriend, take responsibility for and share with younger students. The goal of the program is to create a family spirit within the school community.

When she was called away from St. Joseph's six years ago to serve as regional administrator for her religious community, Sister Gilroy was promised by her superior that she would "see what I can do to place you back there someday."

Glad to be back, Sister Gilroy says her return will allow her "to pick up the rest of the pieces of my heart."