Florida Catholic | Principal Honored

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Maria Fernandez was honored with the 2007–2008 Dr. Robert J. Kealey Distinguished Principal Award for the South Atlantic Region presented by the National Catholic Educational Association. “I tried to be the best I could in the position that has been entrusted to me.”

‘Goal-setting’ principal honored

St. John Neumann’s Maria Fernandez is selected as one of the nation’s top principals.

PRISCILLA GREEAR | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 01.25.08

KENDALL | Maria Fernandez never planned to be a principal.

She did not feel that it came naturally and she does not even like public speaking.

But when she became principal of St. John Neumann Preparatory School 21 years ago, after 16 years as a Spanish teacher, Fernandez quickly grew to love the ministry.

It definitely shows: The seventh and eighth–grade classes ranked on average in the 97th percentile on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills last year, even though St. John Neumann is one of the smallest schools in the archdiocese. It is filled to capacity with 350 students, about 80 percent of them Hispanic, in grades pre-K3 through eighth.

“I don’t have turnover, very seldom, so we can study scores and determine where we should go next and work on areas of weakness and reinforcing areas (where) we’re doing well,” said Fernandez, 61, who also has continually sought to improve the school’s spiritual caliber.

This year, the National Catholic Educational Association took note of her accomplishments by awarding her the 2007-2008 Dr. Robert J. Kealey Distinguished Principal Award for the South Atlantic Region. The award is presented annually to 12 elementary school principals from across the country.

Fernandez was nominated for the honor by the archdiocesan Department of Schools, which selected her as archdiocesan principal of the year for 2007-2008, citing St. John Neumann’s sacred culture and standard of excellence.

Fernandez also has served the archdiocese by being a mentor to inexperienced principals and serving on the principals’ advisory council. She will be honored March 25 at the national association’s convention in Indianapolis.

“It’s a great honor. I haven’t received many honors in my life except from my children in school. When they triumph, I triumph,” Fernandez said.

She credits her faculty for their “incredible support” and sees as one of her finest accomplishments the implementation of workshop and enrichment programs to ensure the school reaches children of all learning levels.

As she prepares to retire within a year, the 5-foot Cuban-American reflected on her career in her tidy office, decorated with a needlepoint picture of a girl swinging under a tree, a sketch of Jesus washing a disciple’s feet and a painting of palm trees.

Supported by an active parent-teacher association, St. John Neumann now has a library, computer lab, early childhood center and two buildings.

With 80 computers and a wireless Internet network, technology is integrated throughout the curriculum.

All the middle school teachers have at least master’s degrees. The enrichment program emphasizes critical thinking, including chess competition.

Fernandez, a mother and grandmother, was teaching at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in South Miami and renewing her certification at Florida International University when a professor encouraged her to move into administration.

“Sometimes it just takes one person to give you the go-ahead,” she said.

She earned a master’s degree and took the position at the nascent St. John Neumann, founded in 1981, which then had an enrollment of 270 students. “I said, ‘OK, I’ll give it a try,’ and I really enjoyed it.”

Fernandez said she was inspired by the vision of St. John Neumann’s then-pastor, Father David Russell, who wanted to emphasize Catholicity and excellent academics, and always have the school act consistently with its philosophy.

Religion teacher Livia Lagomasino, who has taught at the school since its foundation, commended Fernandez’s efforts and her willingness to sacrifice financially in order to foster inclusiveness, such as by establishing the exceptional-student program.

Lagomasino recalled a first-grader who one day came out after a workshop declaring, “Mrs. Fernandez, I can read!” and is now “an excellent student.”

She credits her principal for establishing a caring, gossip-free environment in the school.

“For as small a school as we are, what we are able to accomplish here is tremendous,” Lagomasino said.

“She is a very outgoing, open kind of person and a visionary because she sets goals for the school.”

“She has a thirst, a hunger for learning and that trickles down to her faculty and staff and students,” said media specialist and alumna Cristina Rodriguez, 33.

“She’s all about the kids learning and being prepared,” added Rodriguez, noting that Fernandez “lets teachers do their job.”

Anthony Capote, 12, also gave Fernandez a thumbs-up, saying he likes the “curriculum that really challenges us.”

“Not that it’s more material, it’s that every year it’s just a little more than what’s expected of us,” he said. “She’s really active, a real leader and she’s fun for the school.”

Anthony also credited Fernandez for effectively tackling the problem of school bullies.

Eighth-grader Alessandra Guas said she is sad to leave St. John Neumann but feels “very confident” facing high school.

Fernandez said she appreciates having had the opportunity to serve as principal and shape children’s lives.

“I always ask the Holy Spirit for guidance” and strive to grow spiritually, she said. “I tried to be the best I could in the position that has been entrusted to me.”

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