Principal Search & Discernment Process
Welcome Nativity: Faith & Reason community!
"I'm happy to introduce the processes that will guide our official principal search. This process has been established by experts and utilized by the Office of Catholic Schools not only here in the Archdiocese of Denver but for school systems across the country. Its goal is to ensure our search reveals the best candidate for our school."
- Fr. Emanuele Fadini, FSCB
background
Fr. Emanuele Fadini, FSCB
Pastor, Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Parish.
Michael Edghill
Associate Superintendent of Mission, Archdiocese of Denver. 18 years of experience in Catholic education as a teacher, principal, and consultant.
Sr. Marilú Arbesu, MSCB
Vice Principal at Nativity: Faith & Reason
Fr. Accursio Ciaccio, FSCB
Associate Pastor of Nativity of Our Lord, religion teacher or school chaplain for 16 years, he represents grades 6-8 developmental stage.
Ms. Andrea Cipoletti
Nativity: Faith & Reason faculty member with 26 years teaching experience, she represents the grades 3-5 developmental stage.
Ms. Leigh Woods
Nativity: Faith & Reason faculty member with 16 years’ experience, she represents the pre-K through 2nd grade developmental stage.
Mr. Sean Grycel
Experienced in the private sector, he is also a former principal. He currently serves as the Chair of the Nativity: Faith & Reason School Advisory Council, representing both school alumni and current parents.
Mr. Michael Oakes
The Oakes family have been parishioners at Nativity for 12 years. He has two children currently attending Nativity Faith and Reason in 6th and 4th grade.
Mrs. Rosemary Vander Weele, M.A.
President of Our Lady of Lourdes Classical Catholic Schools in Denver, CO. She also serves in leadership development for the Institute of Catholic Liberal Education.
Mr. Joshua Karabinos
Executive Director of Nativity of Our Lord. Former executive with the Archdiocese of Denver and principal at Logos Consulting Group.
We are excited to share with our parents, parishioners, and the wider community that the “pre-search phase” of hiring our permanent principal is completed. It included the hiring of interim principal Mr. Mark Strawbridge, addressing immediate school culture considerations brought forth by parents, weeks of listening sessions, bolstering our school mission and core pillars, and choosing a hiring committee to ensure we all find the best possible candidate.
As the official “search and discernment phase” begins we are offering this webpage to communicate as clearly as we can how this process will unfold. We hope it’s a positive step in our commitment to transparency and community-wide consideration that you rightly expect from a school that relies on, and thrives from, such a faith-based community ethos.
Please pray for our next Principal. We have great confidence in the Lord, and this community, that Nativity: Faith & Reason is poised to continue as a very special school!
Through wider consultation, and the feedback of many parents, we have worked hard to form a hiring committee we believe gives us the necessary expertise, representation (faculty and parents), and perspective to make the best possible choice. We are grateful that each of them has agreed to share their precious time and experience for the benefit of our school. The goal of the committee is to advise the Pastor throughout the hiring process in his final hiring decision. Please pray for them!
Process & Key Dates
Title | Dates |
|---|---|
Principal Position posted universally | Completed: Feb 14, 2025 |
Survey sent to parents | Sent: Feb 19, 2025 |
Survey sent to Faculty / Staff | Sent: Feb 19, 2025 |
Survey results are compiled and shared with committee. | Completed: March 3, 2025 |
Faculty & staff focus group with OCS, committee members | Completed: March 7, 2025 |
Committee reviews focus group feedback | Completed: March 11, 2025 |
Interview process opens, 3 rounds, until offer is made. | March 30 - April |
New principal onboarding process | May - June |
focus group for faculty / staff
Focus groups are crucial in hiring a principal for a Catholic school, ensuring that the chosen leader aligns with the school's mission, values, and faith-based education. By gathering input from teachers, staff and parish leaders, focus groups help identify qualities that reflect Catholic virtues such as servant leadership, faithfulness, and a commitment to holistic education. They also foster a sense of community discernment, ensuring that the new principal will not only excel in academic leadership but also nurture students' spiritual and moral development in accordance with Catholic teachings.
On March 7th our faculty and staff focus group was moderated by Mr. Michael Edgehill with multiple committee members observing. Parent survey results, and a detailed report of this focus group, were then shared with the full committee on the evening of March 11th from 6:30 PM - 8:45 PM. Teacher, staff, and committee feedback has been comprehensive and appreciated.
Share Your Feedback
Email principalsearch@nool.us to send a message the search committee.
If you have a time sensitive inquiry, please contact the school directly. Thank you!
Job Listing
The principal advertisement is posted by the Office of Catholic Schools and will appear on various relevant sites. Send Applications to principalsearch@nool.us.