[News Archive]

St. John Regional Catholic School welcomes Karen Smith as Assistant Principal

Karen Smith is the newly appointed assistant principal at St. John Regional Catholic School in Frederick, effective July 1.  Although new to this position, Karen is not new to St. John’s school, having been on the faculty since 2000, teaching 4^th and 5 grade. 

A native of New Jersey, Karen taught grades Pre-K through 8 for 20 years before coming to Frederick; 14 years at a Catholic school and six at a public school.   Growing up Karen attended Our Lady of Mt. Carmel grade school in Ridgewood, New Jersey and later, as a teen, she attended St. Luke High School in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey.  She received both her bachelor and masters degrees in Education with concentration in Learning Technology from William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey. 

Karen and her family moved to Frederick four years ago, as her husband was relocated by his job to Rockville.  After having lived ten miles from New York City for so many years, Frederick’s rural beauty, with its laid back atmosphere, was very appealing to the Smith family.

As assistant principal at St. John’s school, Karen will be administering to approximately 500 students.  Her job will entail a variety of tasks, including assisting Joyce Connelly, school principal; developing curriculum; evaluating teachers; monitoring students’ progress; testing students.  In short, becoming a “second set of hands and eyes,” as she describes.  Concurrently, Karen is completing her Certification in Administration and Supervision at Johns Hopkins University.

Aside from her duties as assistant principal, Karen also teaches Irish Step Dancing to a group of St. John students after school.  What began a few years ago as informal lessons with a small group of girls after school, the Irish dance lessons have grown to include a larger of group of students who perform at St. John’s annual Grandparents Day, as well as at some other local events and club.  Growing up in a family with an Irish heritage, Karen and her siblings took Irish dance lessons.  While she was in college she taught dance classes in her spare time to earn extra money.  When she was 19 she traveled to Ireland where she received certification as an Irish step dance teacher.

Karen also enjoys sewing and quilting.

She and husband, Donald, live in Middletown and have two children – Sean, 21 who is attending Frederick Community College; and Susan, 27, who is married and lives in Westminster.  They are members of Holy Family Catholic Community in Middletown where Karen has been a 5^th grade catechist in the past and is also Eucharistic Minister.

Karen looks forward to working with Joyce Connelly, and serving in her new capacity at St. John’s school.  She is eager to become a Catholic school administrator and hopes to foster a stronger Catholic identity in the community.  As she explains, “It is important to help the public know and understand what a Catholic School education is all about.” 

When asked for a favorite scripture passage, Karen answered without hesitation...

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
                    - Matthew 6:21.

We wish Karen every success in her new role at St. John's Regional Catholic School!