After an extensive search, the staff at Saints Peter and Paul School are excited to welcome their new principal into their community. Tricia Weis will begin that role at the downtown Naperville catholic school officially on July 1.
Leadership is a Calling
Weis is a 1983 graduate of Saints Peter and Paul School, who went on to teach at both public and private schools until taking on administrative roles. With 13 years experience as both assistant principal and principal, the pastor at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Father Brad Baker, describes her as, “equipped and poised to build upon and grow our national Blue Ribbon school well into the future.”
“I’m a servant leader, wanting to serve the staff, the students, and the community at large,” Weis says, often referring to leadership as a calling for her. “It’s my greatest joy to see others successful. So it’s my goal to set others up for success.”
Weis also had what she calls the “fantastic opportunity” of opening up the first Catholic school in nearly 40 years in the Rockford Diocese.
“Time and time again, that sense of vocation, that sense of doing God’s work comes through,” says Fr. Baker.
Weis and her husband Nick are active members of St. Mary Immaculate Parish near their home in Plainfield. There, she is a Eucharistic Minister and they both are Marriage Prep Facilitators. The two were married at Saints Peter and Paul Church more than 25 years ago. Their five children all attend Catholic elementary and high schools.
About Saints Peter and Paul School
Saints Peter and Paul School has a rich history rooted in Catholic tradition dating back to 1853. Located on Ellsworth Street in downtown Naperville, it sits next to Saints Peter and Paul Church where students attend mass during the week. The school provides education, faith building, extracurriculars, and athletics for kids in Kindergarten through 8th grade.
The church provides a place for the greater community to gather for events such as its Lenten Fish Fry and its annual Sound of the Season concert during Christmas time.
The school is embarking on fulfilling a three year Strategic Plan created last year by its school board. In preparation for being the new principal, Weis has read the plan and is excited to be tasked with implementing it. That includes creating a preschool program, growing enrollment, and professional development.
“I’m excited to get to know everybody; the faculty, staff, and parent community,” Weis says. “I want to be present and available and to do great work with you.”