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By Kathi Stearns, Staff Writer
ATLANTA—John J. Cobis has been named principal of Our Lady of
Mercy High School in Fayette County, effective July 1, 2000. The announcement
was made May 19 by Donald T. Sasso, Secretary for Education.
“We are delighted that John Cobis has accepted the
principalship at Our Lady of Mercy High School. John is an experienced Catholic
high school educator who is also very familiar with the Atlanta educational
scene. He will bring a high level of energy and dedication to his work in
building the educational community at Our Lady of Mercy,” Sasso said.
Cobis, who previously served as principal of Our Lady of Lourdes
School, Atlanta, and as dean of students at St. Pius X High School, Atlanta,
replaces Sister Dawn Gear, GNSH, who announced May 15 that she was resigning
her position as principal of Our Lady of Mercy, effective June 30.
“Sister Dawn laid a strong foundation for Our Lady of Mercy,
and I look forward to building upon the work that she has done to be able to
provide an excellent educational opportunity for the families of this
community,” Cobis said.
 The opportunity to start a new high
school is something that is unique and usually a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
for a principal. I am honored to be part of something like this.
John J.
Cobis
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“The opportunity to start a new high school is something that
is unique and usually a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a principal. I am
honored to be part of something like this. Our Lady of Mercy’s
administration, faculty, staff and students can blaze a trail that others can
follow.”
Not only does Cobis look forward to the challenge of building a
new school community, but he also brings with him a strong commitment to
academic quality in Catholic education.
“By combining top-quality academics with virtues such as
honesty and compassion, we are teaching the students not only how to make a
living, but how to live,” Cobis said. “Athletics, the arts,
extracurricular activities and service are vital to the health of the school
and its students. These programs help to develop the whole student as they
become young adults in the Catholic Church.”
A native of Columbus, Ga., Cobis, 41, began his career in
education as a teacher, coach and athletic director working from 1981-88 at Our
Lady of Mercy Elementary School in Potomac, Md. From 1988-90 Cobis was the
principal of Our Lady of Lourdes School, Atlanta. Cobis served the St. Pius X
High School community from 1990-97 as an English instructor, dean of students,
director of admissions and coach of various teams. Since 1997 Cobis has been
serving as principal of his alma mater, Pacelli High School in Columbus.
Cobis has a strong background in education which includes a 1997
educational specialist degree in educational leadership from the University of
Georgia; a master’s degree from Trinity College, Washington, D.C., in
educational administration and supervision in 1986 and a bachelor’s degree
in English/education from Columbus College, Columbus, Ga., in 1981. He is
currently pursuing a master’s degree in theological studies from Spring
Hill College, Mobile, Ala., and expects to graduate in the spring of 2001.
Cobis was named to “Who’s Who Among Outstanding Young
Men of America” in 1983. He is a member of the board of directors of Asset
Builders of Columbus and Columbus Partners in Education. In addition, he is the
regional associate for the National Catholic Educational Association and an
active member of the National Association of Secondary School Principals,
Rotary International and the Knights of Columbus.
Our Lady of Mercy is one of two new Catholic high schools that are
scheduled to open in August 2000 with a ninth grade only; the schools will add
one upper grade each succeeding year.
A proposed 500-student school, Our Lady of Mercy is projected to
begin the year with 125 freshmen. The high school is located in north Fayette
County adjacent to the south Fulton County line, at Highway 138 and Holyfield
Highway.
Cobis will be opening a state-of-the-art
facility and his first task will be to work on increasing the size of the
freshman class where we currently have openings.
Donald T.
Sasso
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“Cobis will be opening a state-of-the-art facility and his
first task will be to work on increasing the size of the freshman class where
we currently have openings,” the Secretary for Education said.
The other new Catholic high school is Blessed Trinity High School,
which is adjacent to Queen of Angels School and St. Peter Chanel Mission,
Roswell. A proposed 1,000-student school, Blessed Trinity is projected to begin
the year with 250 freshmen.
The first principal of Blessed Trinity High School will be Frank
Moore, a dean of studies at St. Pius X High School, Atlanta, for 10 years and
principal for the past two years of Bishop McGuinness High School in Oklahoma
City. Moore, who holds a master’s degree in mathematics from Tulane
University in New Orleans, also taught for 15 years at a Catholic school in
Metairie, La.
Interested families can request an application to either high
school or obtain more information by calling the Office of Catholic Education
at (404) 888-7833.
Tuition for both high schools has been set at $6,500. Tuition
assistance is available to assist active Catholic families. Enrollment figures
have not been announced for either school.
Both high schools, along with three new elementary schools, were
built through the 1997 “Building the Church of Tomorrow” Capital
Campaign that raised $102 million in pledges. Of this amount approximately $44
million will be used for archdiocesan needs and $58 million will be used for
parish needs.
Twelve million dollars of the $44 million archdiocesan portion
will be used to pay for a portion of the construction costs of the five new
Catholic schools. Bond issues amounting to $50-$60 million will also be used to
fund this new construction.
The three elementary schools, Queen of Angels, Roswell, Holy
Redeemer, Alpharetta, and Our Lady of Victory, Tyrone, opened in August 1999.
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