NUACS starts year with two new in the top administrative posts

By RACHEL WEDDIG

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- School kicked off for New Ulm Area Catholic Schools (NUACS) Tuesday. The new school year brings in two new head administration officers, Executive Officer William Moeller and Cathedral High School Principal Shelly Bauer.

"I look forward to working with all the teachers," Moeller said. "I am tremendously impressed with all of them. It's been wonderful to sit and talk with all the teachers. It's an honor and a privilege to work with them."

Bauer joined the NUACS staff in 1990. She served as a media specialist in Holy Trinity Middle School for 10 years and taught religion last year. "I'm very excited and very humbled by the fact that they choose me to do the job," Bauer said. "It's like a dream come true. The students and family have been very supportive."

School began with an all-school mass Tuesday morning with the new Bishop John Clayton Nienstedt leading the mass. "It's so great to kick-off the new year with the all-school mass," Bauer said. "It's great that we come together as a K-12 system -- having school unity is a plus."

NUACS total enrollment is fairly consistent with the past years. This year's enrollment is 645 students, a decrease of 10 students from last year. St. Anthony's Elementary's enrollment is down from last year. The enrollment there for this year is 222 students, a decrease of 17 students from last year.

The main reason for the decline is that there are 18 fewer kindergarten students. Holy Trinity Middle School has enrolled 207 students, 10 students less than last year and Cathedral High School has enrolled 216 students, 18 students more than last year.

NUACS enrolled 17 new families this year, ranging in grades K-12. "Many families are coming because they heard things from other parents and families," Moeller said.

Moeller had been a partner with the Gislason and Hunter law firm for 16 years before joining NUACS. Moeller feels his job as a lawyer has helped him prepare for his new position.

"In some ways working as a lawyer has helped me. I learned something new every time I tried a case," Moeller said. "That sort of training has helped me now when I run into new ideas and issues. I can dig in and try to understand and get to the bottom of issues."

Even though Moeller is new to his position at NUACS, he is very familiar with the system as he served as chair of the board of education for six years.

"I'm excited to be in this position. I had wanted to get back into education," Moeller said. "This is the place I wanted to be, and the time I wanted to do it."

Bauer knew that some day she wanted to be part of school administration. "Before I had my undergraduate degree I knew I wanted to be in administration," Bauer said. "Then this position opened up and I knew I wanted to try for it, and having it happen here at NUACS is like icing on the cake."

Bauer will focus her duties on curriculum and faith development. "We want to work on implementing a virtues program based on faith, hope and love, and expose kids to those acts so they can continue to grow," Bauer said.

There are three new faculty members to NUACS, all in the high school. Lenise Brennan is a new part-time geography teacher, Jena Kauffmann is a new 9th-grade science and chemistry teacher, and Angela Sandgren had taught previously in the elementary school and is now a new religion teacher in the high school.

"There's very little turnover in our staff," Moeller said. "The vast majority of teachers are career teachers -- that's all they ever wanted to do."

Bauer is looking forward to the new year. "I feel very privileged to work with the students and staff and I'm here to serve," Bauer said. "I want to come and look at what's happening and what needs to be changed."