By Paula Day

Six elementary schools in the archdiocese will see new faces at the helm this fall.

Four Atlanta metropolitan area schools, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Anthony's, St. Jude the Apostle in Sandy Springs, and St. Thomas More in Decatur, along with St. Mary's in Rome and St. Joseph's in Athens have new principals heading their staffs.

Father Ron Rhodes, new principal for St. Anthony's School in Atlanta's historic West End neighborhood, is the first priest to serve in that capacity in an elementary school in the archdiocese. The native Philadelphian is the son of a retired teacher who taught elementary school children for 33 years. He himself taught at the secondary level in that city from 1969 to 1978. He served as pastor of St. Alphonsus Church in Wilson, NC, and pastor of the Newman Catholic Student Center at Chapel Hill, NC before coming to Atlanta.

In Rome, Ms. Susan Odle will take over as principal of St. Mary's School, a position relinquished by the Daughters of Charity this spring. A former religious, Ms. Odle is a native of Lockport, NY. She comes to Rome via New York, Alabama, Wisconsin and Michigan, where she has been involved in Catholic education for 23 years, the last several as an administrator. Ms. Odle received her bachelor's degree from D'Youville College in Buffalo and holds a master's degree in special education from Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee. An outgoing person, she says the Rome community will find her very approachable.

Two of this year's new administrators are familiar faces on the archdiocesan education scene. Barbara Poole is St. Jude's new principal, but for the past four years has simultaneously worn the hats of assistant principal and guidance counselor at the Sandy Springs school. She began teaching in archdiocesan schools in 1973 and at one time served as guidance counselor for all elementary schools in the archdiocese.

The other veteran, Sheryl Mitchell, has taught at downtown Atlanta's Our Lady of Lourdes School for 17 years. She has worked at all levels in the primary grades and established a program for four-year-olds several years ago. During the summer she ran the school's summer camp for five years. She hopes one day to start a nursery, but, in the meantime, in addition to guiding Our Lady of Lourdes School, she is working toward a master's degree at Georgia State University.

St. Thomas More's new principal is Dr. Tom Collins. For the past 17 years he has served as principal at St. Francis Xavier School in St. Joseph, MO. Sister Teresa Ballisty, IHM, will replace Sister Helen Dolores Gilroy, IHM, as principal of St. Joseph's School in Athens. She has been principal of Star of the Sea School in Virginia Beach, VA.