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BY ERIKA ANDERSON
Staff Writer
ATLANTA--Sister Dawn Gear, GNSH, has been named principal of the forthcoming
Our Lady of Mercy High School in Fayette County, giving her a third opportunity
to found and foster a new school.
She was appointed principal of the south side Catholic high school, which is
scheduled to open in the fall of 2000, by Sandra Smith, Ph.D., superintendent
of Catholic schools, effective Aug. 1.
Sister Gear, who has been an educator for over 35 years, was also the
founding principal of St. John Neumann Regional School in Lilburn and The
Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan School in Atlanta. She said she enjoys the
process of building a school from scratch.
“I know in my heart that I like to build and create,” she said.
“Building a building is one thing, but it’s creating a loving, caring
community that is important.”
Sister Gear’s career in education began in 1963 when she taught grades
four and five at Mother of Divine Providence School in King of Prussia, Pa. A
graduate of D’Youville College in Buffalo, N.Y., Sister Gear received a
master’s degree in education in 1979 and a specialist degree in
administration from Georgia State University in 1989.
Of Sister Gear’s 36 years in education, 24 have been spent in Atlanta.
From 1975-79, she taught grades six through eight at Christ the King School in
Atlanta, until she went to St. Pius X High School in Atlanta as a teacher,
assistant dean of studies and assistant dean of students. From St. Pius, Sister
Gear helped to start St. John Neumann, where she served as principal for 11
years until she left to help found the Donnellan School.
While under Sister Gear’s leadership in 1994, St. John Neumann was
named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, which led to her receiving
the 1996 Distinguished Principal of the Year Award for the South Atlantic
States of the National Catholic Educational Association. She was also a
National Distinguished Principal that year.
“For me, when St. John Neumann was named a School of Excellence, it was
a joint effort by the teachers, parents and everyone who was involved in
it,” she said. “That is what gave me the greatest satisfaction.”
Though much of her experience has been in elementary schools, Sister Gear is
excited to minister to teenagers again when the new high school opens in the
fall of 2000.
“I think in grade school, you are building a foundation and in high
school you just continue with that foundation,” she said. “In
elementary school, you are preparing them for high school, but in high school,
you are preparing them for the challenge of their future, and you have to
prepare them for anything they want to do.”
Sister Gear believes that there are also many similarities between grade
school and high school.
“You have to listen, you have to talk and you have to love,” she
said. “That’s a heavy responsibility. You have to be very present to
kids.”
One of the ways Sister Gear hopes to be present is by getting to know her
students, their parents and the faculty of the school.
“I’m the guide of the whole operation” she said.
“I’m not just a dictator making all the choices. I’m the
facilitator bringing everyone on board so that we can work together.”
“Everyone will have a different idea of what they want, but everything
we do will be for the benefit of the children,” she added. “The kids
are the priority.”
Sister Gear will begin her job Aug. 2 and said she is grateful to Archbishop
John F. Donoghue for the opportunity to lead the new school.
“I want to be someplace where I think I’m needed,” she said.
“I think people are glad they are getting a sister and that support is
encouraging to me. I am glad that my experience will be put to use.”
One of Sister Gear’s main concerns as she begins her new job, will be
selecting the faculty of Our Lady of Mercy.
“I’m interested in faculty who want to work in a Catholic
atmosphere, in faculty that live by Gospel values and who want to emulate that
to the students,” she said. “I also want faculty who are academically
prepared and who know students don’t all learn the same way.”
She also added that flexibility is essential in a faculty member and that
teachers must have knowledge of technology. Sister Gear said that she is
confident that the staff will work well together.
“Building that team concept is very important and we need to build that
around spirituality,” she said. “Academics are important, but if
we’re not going to be spiritual, it’s not going to work. My biggest
concern is getting the right people in there.”
Though Sister Gear has helped to found two schools already, she said the
fruits of the labor are worth the extra effort.
“There is a lot of work initially, but after the preparation, when you
see kids actually come to meet success and happy with what they’re doing
and practicing their faith, that’s the fruition of your work,” she
said. “That’s what it’s all about. That’s what Catholic
schools are about. We’re there to teach, we’re there to preach and
we’re there to give example.”
Above all, Sister Gear hopes to create an environment that will encourage
the students to “become better people.”
“I want it to be a wonderful Catholic institution--a place of learning,
a place of love and of care and concern,” she said. “That’s what
our goals are.”
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