Gail Msezane

New Principal, St. Thomas More School, Decatur

Age: 54

Birth Date: Aug. 18, 1944

Place of Birth: Saskatchewan, Canada

Marital Status: Married to Alfred Msezane.

Children: Temba, 25, and Lambda, 23.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in psychology, 1967, from St. Thomas More College at University of Saskatchewan, Canada; teaching certificate, 1972, from a teachers college, Ontario, Canada; master’s degree in education, 1985, from Mercer University, Atlanta.

Work Experience: Taught second grade and kindergarten from 1983-97 at St. Thomas More School, Decatur, and served as temporary principal at the school in 1997-98. Also taught third and fourth grade in 1973-74 at St. Patrick’s Catholic School, Ontario; taught youth in Africa for one year and taught kindergarten from 1981-82 at the Paideia School, Atlanta.

Primary Hobbies And Interests: Gardening, playing bridge, walking.

Philosophy On Catholic Education: All children have gifts from God and can learn. They need to be respected and to learn to respect knowledge and people through the example of teachers.

Special Educational Areas Of Interest: Children in kindergarten.

Accomplishments In Education: Voted teacher of the year by peers at St. Thomas More School in the 1980s for a DeKalb County recognition program.

School To Serve At: St. Thomas More School, 630 West Ponce De Leon Ave., Decatur, 445 students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Goals For First Year As Principal: To improve communication among parents, students and teachers by providing teachers with guest speakers on the topic of parent conferences and by providing time for parent phone conferences during the school day; to offer curriculum development and technology classes for teachers and group planning periods to further integrate various subjects in the curriculum.

Laura Riley

New Principal, St. Joseph’s School, Marietta

Age: 51

Birth Date: June 18, 1947

Place of Birth: The Hague, Netherlands; moved to Michigan at 10.

Marital Status: Divorced.

Children: Jennifer, 28, and David, 27.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in elementary and gifted education, 1987, from Mississippi University for Women, Columbus, Miss.; master’s degree in educational administration, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Miss., 1995.

Work Experience: Served as assistant principal, 1994-98, at Annunciation Catholic School, Columbus, Miss.; taught French and creative and deductive critical thinking skills to gifted elementary age children at St. Mary’s School, Columbus, Miss., 1987-93; taught ESL classes to Hispanics and Asians and GED classes to at-risk teens and adults at learning center at Mississippi University for Women, 1993-94.

Primary Hobbies And Interests: Reading historical fiction, biographies and mysteries; playing with grandson and Labrador retriever.

Additional Languages: Dutch and French.

Philosophy On Catholic Education: The best way to educate the total child is by incorporating the spiritual values Jesus taught into the academic curriculum.

Special Educational Areas Of Interest: Loves physical, earth and space science, algebra and geometry; also middle school math instruction for girls, which is particularly important for their continued development of math skills.

Accomplishments In Education: Planned and implemented program for gifted elementary school children at St. Mary’s School, Columbus; began school-wide biweekly enrichment program at Annunciation School, Columbus, where teachers and parents taught classes on topics including the Civil War, drama, cooking and music.

School To Serve At: St. Joseph’s School, 81 Lacy St., Marietta, with approximately 490 students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Goals For First Year As Principal: Making smooth leadership transition for St. Joseph’s School; learning school’s wants and needs by listening and being sensitive to staff and trusting guidance of Holy Spirit; developing technology program at St. Joseph School, which is currently purchasing 19 additional computers for lab.

Karen Russ

New Principal, Immaculate Heart Of Mary School, Atlanta

Age: 60

Birth Date: July 13, 1938

Place of Birth: Louisville, Ky.

Marital Status: Single.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in math, 1961, from Edgecliff College, Cincinnati; master’s in educational administration, 1969, and a certificate in secondary school principalship from Spalding University, Louisville, Ky.

Work Experience: First lay principal of Assumption High School for girls, Louisville, Ky., where she served from 1971-98 as math teacher, assistant principal and as principal for 17 years. Served as a member of the Sisters of Mercy, Cincinnati Province, from 1962-70 and during that time taught in Louisville schools, including Mercy Academy where she was assistant principal from 1964-70. Also taught for one year at Holy Family High School, Columbus, Ohio, and at an inner-city African-American public school in Louisville.

Primary Hobbies And Interests: Time with friends and with her two poodles, going out to eat and to the beach.

Philosophy On Catholic Education: To educate students academically, spiritually, emotionally and physically in a caring Christian environment by hiring qualified and dedicated teachers, the key to a good school, to carry out this philosophy.

Special Educational Areas Of Interest: Working with new assistant principal at Immaculate Heart of Mary School on religious formation of students through use of new religious book series; further integrating technology in school curriculum by networking 30 computers in lab.

Accomplishments In Education: Led Assumption High School, Louisville, to receive three U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Awards, increased school’s enrollment by 50 percent and oversaw construction of $1.3 million art and science center, networked and provided Internet access for all school computers.

School to Serve at: Immaculate Heart of Mary School, 2855 Briarcliff Road, NE, Atlanta, with approximately 500 students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Goals For First Year As Principal: Supporting teachers at school and hiring other good ones; maintaining a student-centered learning environment by ensuring all students receive needed teacher attention; getting to know students and their families by becoming involved in home and school association and being available to meet with them; applying leadership skills developed as high school principal.

Brian A. Tierney, Ph.D.

New Headmaster, Pinecrest Academy, Cumming

Age: 53

Birth Date: April 25, 1945

Place of Birth: Lexington, Ky.

Marital Status: Married to Connie Tierney.

Children: Kelly Stewart and Brian Tierney.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in math and natural science, 1969, from Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky.; master’s degree in chemistry, 1972, University of Mississippi, Oxford; educational specialist degree, 1977, and doctorate in school administration and supervision, 1983, from Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Fla.

Work Experience: Headmaster at Lee Academy, Clarksdale, Miss., from 1991-98; headmaster at Lee-Scott Academy, Auburn, Ala., from 1985-91. Worked from 1969-85 for Indian River County public middle and high schools, Vero Beach, Fla., in positions including system administrator, math and science teacher and science department chairman.

Primary Hobbies And Interests: Repair projects, walking and reading.

Philosophy On Catholic Education: Motivating students to become lifelong learners by showing them the importance of education, goals and self-direction for a fulfilling life.

Special Educational Areas Of Interest: Building all academic departments; developing activities to enhance math, science and computer programs.

Accomplishments In Education: Seeing the outcomes of youth he has taught in math and science.

School To Serve At: Pinecrest Academy, relocated from the facilities of All Saints Church, Dunwoody, to a newly constructed facility at 955 Peachtree Parkway, Cumming. The independent Catholic school, founded in 1993, has doubled last year’s enrollment with 292 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

Goals For First Year As Headmaster: Adapting Pinecrest Academy to the new school building.

Karen Vogtner

New Principal, St. John the Evangelist School, Hapeville

Age: 44

Birth Date: April 16, 1954

Place of Birth: Atlanta

Marital Status: Married to John Vogtner.

Children: Zachary, 19, and Patrick, 15.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education, 1976, Georgia State University; master’s degree in special education/learning disabilities, 1978, The Citadel, Charleston, S.C.; graduate study in school administration, University of Dayton, Ohio.

Work Experience: Eight years as assistant principal at St. John the Evangelist School; has also served as computer teacher and technology coordinator and headed enrichment and remediation and computer programs at the Hapeville school. In prior experience, she taught youth with learning disabilities from 1980-83 at Lake Habin Elementary School, Morrow, and from 1976-79 at Sedgeville Middle School, Charleston. Taught ballet and dance for five years at public magnet schools for the gifted, Charleston.

Primary Hobbies And Interests: Ballet, teaching liturgical dance, jogging and reading.

Philosophy On Catholic Education: Teachers are ministers and to make learning valuable must put Christ at the center of all academic and other subjects taught.

Special Educational Areas Of Interest: Applying computer and other technology in learning; using newly purchased closed-circuit televisions at St. John the Evangelist in all classrooms for morning prayer, current events and media projects and viewing programs through satellite system.

Accomplishments In Education: Nominated by former student for Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers; supervised the purchase of 16 computers for computer lab, eight for media center and one in school office; had classroom, lab and media center computers networked, provided technical support.

School To Serve At: St. John the Evangelist School, 240 Arnold Street, Hapeville, 275 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

Goals For First Year As Principal: To carry out the theme “Building a Heavenly Nation” by prayer and weekly schoolwide service projects internally and in the Atlanta community. To create a Christ-centered learning environment enabling students to develop Christian values.