By Paula Day

Dr. Dick Johnson, assistant superintendent of Catholic schools since 1983, will assume the position of superintendent of schools for the archdiocese July 1.

An educator for 39 years, Dr. Johnson was the first lay person hired for a position in the Catholic schools’ central office. He will take over the post now held by Sister Roberta Schmidt, CSJ. Sister Roberta will continue as Secretary of Education for the archdiocese.

Ms. Maureen Kane, who is currently principal of St. Joseph’s School, has been hired as assistant superintendent of Catholic schools, according to Sister Roberta. Principal since 1981 of the Marietta school, Ms. Kane brings recent first-hand experience to her new job.

The hiring of Ms. Janet Kelhoffer as school psychometrist for the archdiocese completes staffing for the Office of Catholic Schools, according to Sister Roberta.

Remarking on the changes, Sister Roberta pointed out that her role as Secretary comprises three areas: Catholic schools, religious education in the parishes, and campus ministry in the secular colleges and universities located in the archdiocese.

“It (the realigning of positions) will allow me to provide a more comprehensive vision to total Catholic education in the archdiocese,” she said.

As assistant superintendent, Dr. Johnson focused his attention on finance and development, and was involved in the supervision and evaluation of principals. He will continue his work in these areas according to Sister Roberta. Ms. Kane will concentrate on curriculum, staffing, and parent-student activities.

Dr. Johnson is 62. Before he took early retirement from the Gwinnett County school system, he was director of high schools there.

Ordained a permanent deacon for the archdiocese in 1987, he is a parishioner of St. Lawrence parish in Lawrenceville. He maintains an active interest in civic committees involved in helping the mentally retarded.

Dick Johnson was born in Macon Ga., but has lived in various U.S. cities. The family returned to Georgia and settled in Gwinnett County in 1967. He commented on the growth of Catholicism in the county, noting that the single Catholic congregation in the county, a 14-family mission of Holy Cross parish in Atlanta, nearly doubled its membership when the Johnson family registered. The county now have five parishes serving over 19,000 Catholics, according to archdiocesan records.

Not anticipating a great change in his present duties, Dr. Johnson said as superintendent he will be in charge of the Office of Catholic Schools, a task involving overall administrative duties.

“The big thrust will be our presence in the field,” he said. “We exist to be of service to schools and personnel in the schools.” The archdiocese maintains 14 elementary and one secondary school, all of which are fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

“We are a confederation of schools,” he pointed out “not a centralized system.” Basic administration for each elementary school is the responsibility of the parish in which it is located.

“We are constantly working to maintain our identity as Catholic schools, and we need more schools. The projections for enrollment next year are good.” He was hesitant to give specific numbers or mention individual schools because projections are fluid at this time.

Dr. Johnson’s educational background includes a secondary education at De LaSalle Academy in Newport, R.I., an undergraduate degree from Emory University, a master’s degree in secondary education and administration from the University of Massachusetts, and a doctorate in educational supervision from the University of Georgia. He is married and the father of five boys and two girls, the youngest of whom is 14.

“His many years as an educator,” Sister Roberta commented, “both in private and public schools, qualify him for this position.”

Chicago native Maureen Kane taught in Catholic schools in the archdiocese of St. Louis before coming to St. Joseph’s School in 1974. In her new position she will help develop and implement new programs, evaluate textbooks, assist with teacher observation and evaluate textbooks. She will also write job descriptions for non-professional and newly evolving positions, and will work with the Office of Religious Education in coordinating certification of religious teachers in the schools.

While she was principal at St. Joseph’s School, Ms. Kane worked closely with the Home and School Association and saw the group honored by the National Catholic Educational Association when it received the NCEA Parent Organization Recognition Award in 1987. As assistant superintendent of schools she believes she can use this experience “in getting to know parents and staff and pulling out their talents” in ways that will benefit the various school communities.

Ms. Kane hopes to implement or enhance programs and projects in the schools which will meet the needs of parents and students. These could include before-and-after school activities, use of a steady corps of volunteers and development of parent-student handbooks.

Maureen Kane, who is 44, is a product of 16 years of Catholic education culminating in a bachelor’s degree from Fontbonne College in St. Louis. She earned a master’s degree in education with emphasis on administration and supervision from Georgia State University in 1979.

As a superintendent fresh from wearing principal’s shoes, she plans to be a support to the principals of the archdiocese’s schools.

“I bring the advantage of having been an ‘on-line principal’ for the last eight years,” she said. “I’ve been directly involved in some of the principal’s basic concerns and problems as well as in areas of success. I’ve changed some of my thinking and have generated some new ideas, but I have a lot to hear from other schools - the principals, faculties, parents and students. I want to learn what their ambitions and hopes are for their school communities - where they’d like to see their schools be in the next five to 10 years.”

As a staff member in the school office, Mrs. Janet Kelhoffer’s primary tasks will be to take referrals from school administrators for testing of students, then to evaluate, diagnose and make recommendations.

A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Mrs. Kelhoffer has lived in the Atlanta area for the past six years. During the 1985-86 school year she worked as a psychologist for Catholic Social Services. In her new position, she will be doing similar work which involves testing school-age children for learning, social and emotional problems.

After receiving a referral from a school administrator which indicates a concern about a student’s learning, behavior or social interaction, she will assess the situation through observation and through talking with the child, parents and teachers. Using appropriate standardized tests, and further consultation with parents and teachers, she will make a diagnosis and recommendations.

Janet Kelhoffer is married and the mother of three teenage children. She received a master’s degree in school psychology from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in 1967. She is certified as a school psychometrist/psychologist in the state of Georgia.

Mrs. Kelhoffer said she is looking forward to “a role I feel comfortable with.” Although she will be working out of a different office, she will be serving the same Catholic population. She found her previous clients in her CSS position “very receptive,” and anticipates renewing friendships when she begins again to work for the archdiocese.

“With the increase in the Catholic population in the archdiocese,” Sister Roberta Schmidt remarked, “the educational needs have also increased. The greatest growth is now in religious education in the parishes.” She believes she will now have more time to devote to this important area.

In addition to this, she will continue to oversee the implementation of the archdiocesan school study done by Mietler Consultants which made concrete recommendations and long-range proposals for development of the Catholic school system. She also hopes to be able to study ways to enhance Catholic presence on college and university campuses through campus ministry.