Moeller named executive officer for NUACS

Shelly Bauer

named principal

By RACHEL WEDDIG

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The New Ulm Area Catholic Schools (NUACS) have chosen a new executive officer and high school principal.

Wednesday the NUACS Board of Education announced the selection of William (Bill) Moeller to succeed David Schieffert as the new executive officer. This past May, NUACS named current NUACS teacher Shelly Bauer as the new Cathedral High School principal.

Moeller expressed satisfaction with his selection.

"I was pretty happy and very excited," Moeller said. "Catholic education has always been a big part of my life. The idea of getting into this position is a wonderful opportunity."

Moeller was one of 12 applicants, two of whom were interviewed. The criteria the board looked at were faith commitment, management skills and curriculum development.

Moeller is already familiar with the NUACS. He served as chair of its board of education for six years. This experience gave the board confidence in his abilities to carry out the school system's mission and philosophy.

Moeller chose to participate on NUACS school board because he always felt a need to be involved in the Catholic church.

"It's always been important for me to be involved with volunteer activities at the school," Moeller said. "It gave me the chance to be more intimately involved and really appealed to me."

Moeller graduated from St. John's University in Minnesota with a major in English. After teaching for five years, one year in Virginia and four years in Fairmont, he entered law school at Marquette University. Upon receiving his J. D. degree he accepted a position with the New Ulm Gislason and Hunter law firm.

As a result of his new position, Moeller has quit his position with Gislason and Hunter. He worked there for 19 years and had been a partner with the firm for the past 16 years.

The decision to leave the law firm was difficult.

"I have nothing but the highest respect for the law firm. In no way am I unsatisfied with the practice," Moeller said. "But, I had to leave for something I really believed in. I decided five to six years ago that I wanted to end my career in education because I had taught for five years."

Moeller's starting date is indefinite.

Bauer spent the past year as a computer science teacher at Cathedral High School. She joined the NUACS staff in 1990 as a media specialist. She received her bachelor's degree in elementary education from Minnesota State University at Mankato.

The committee that selected Bauer felt she had good experience in areas such as leadership, knowledge of curriculum and curriculum development and ability to work with students and parents, Schieffert .

Bauer's official starting date is July 2, and Schieffert said a main focus for her will be school curriculum.