Head of School

August 23, 2024

Dear Holy Trinity Catholic Academy Families,

I hope you have all enjoyed your summer, rested, and are as excited as I am for a welcoming new school year with many beautiful memories to be made. First, let me introduce myself. My name is Mrs. Darlene Gonzalez-Morris, and I am the new Head of School for Holy Trinity Catholic Academy.

A little about myself: I have a diverse background that I am proud of; I have been fortunate to work in different areas of leadership throughout my career, which has helped me understand and operate through the many demands of leading a school. I was a teacher for 15 years, a Director of Operations, a Director of Early Education, and a Principal. While many people may wonder why I have held many different positions, it is because I wanted to learn and understand all areas of leading a school before I immersed myself in the role of a school leader. I taught because I love children, and I wanted children to have someone who championed them; I wanted children to know that I, like so many, struggled in school and wished I had a mentor who would believe in me as I journeyed through education.

I became a Director of Early Education because I needed to understand the rules and policies governing early childhood programs and learn the importance of each milestone in each age group. *Note: Hats off to all the teachers who agree to teach children from birth through 1st grade—you guys have the patience of Saints! God Bless You! I dipped my feet into the Director of Operations role to fully understand the behind-the-scenes of the school operations process. Yes, I hold a Master of Science in School Building Leadership, but school operations are a serious matter, where the day's routines, book orders, state test orders, crisis management, etc., come into play. However, I have been fortunate and prosperous in leading schools because of all these roles. I have been the proud leader of some dynamic students, teachers, faculty, and staff, and while I always leave a little piece of my heart

behind when I leave a place I have led, I know that God always puts me in a place where I am needed, and more often than not, a place I need in return.

As your Head of School, I am committed to working with your children, building a solid community, and collaborating with all of you. Your involvement and support are invaluable on this journey. Will there be challenges? Undoubtedly. Will I make mistakes? Absolutely, I am not perfect, and I acknowledge that. However, I promise to learn from these experiences and continually strive to improve our community and communication. I am here for you and committed to making our school the best it can be.

As we embark on this journey together, I am filled with excitement and profound honor at the opportunity to lead your school community. I look forward to the year ahead, where we can learn, grow, and build strong relationships that will benefit our school, children, families, and community. I am eager to meet and work with all of you as we strive to make Holy Trinity Catholic Academy a shining example of excellence.

God KNOWS you. God LOVES you. God is Always with you,

~ Mrs. Morris