We are thrilled to officially announce the incoming principal: Ms. Rebecca Lord. Throughout the interview process, it was clear that Ms. Lord had the full support of staff, students, families and the IMS central office, and she is the very best person to continue to lead St. Barnabas.
This coming school year will be Ms. Lord’s 10th year at St. Barnabas, having taught hundreds of students and most recently serving as Assistant Principal for three years. As a teacher, she was recognized with the St. John Neumann Teacher Impact Award for her exemplary performance in the classroom and the outstanding results that her students achieved. She was also an inaugural member of the Mathematics Cadre, helping to develop strong math instruction across the network.
Ms. Lord is a proud alumna of Temple University. She then was selected as part of a small cohort of IMS teachers, going on to earn her Master’s of Education as a Reading Specialist from St. Joseph’s University. Starting this summer, Ms. Lord is enrolled in a graduate-level program at the University of Notre Dame, completing coursework on serving English language learners.
As a teacher and school leader, Ms. Lord has been recognized for the strong relationships and classroom community she has built, and the high expectations she holds for students and staff alike. As a school leader, she was integral in navigating our school through many challenges, helped to develop our school’s PRAISE values, has incorporated social-emotional learning across all grades, and has been instrumental in hiring teachers and staff that create a joyful and loving school environment.
Going forward, Ms. Lord’s focus areas will be continued social-emotional learning across content areas, building on recent academic growth, and ensuring that the needs of each student are being met. Continuing to grow our enrollment, serving students and families from diverse backgrounds, and ensuring our Catholic values are at the forefront will be priorities for our school.
In other news. Mr. Steve Janczewski will be now serving as a full-time Director of School Leadership and is looking forward to continuing to supervise and support St. Barnabas. Mr. Whittle will be working as a Network Instructional Coach, supporting teachers across IMS.
May God continue to bless St. Barnabas under Ms. Lord’s leadership!