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July 28, 2010
Dear Families,
I am honored and delighted to be writing my first letter to you as the Principal of
St. Anthony of Padua Grade School. I plan to communicate with you every Wednesday throughout the school year. After meeting many involved in this community, I am so excited about the possibilities and all that we can offer to our students.
Let me take a moment to introduce myself. I am coming from the Archdiocese of Baltimore where I taught Kindergarten, First Grade, and Middle School then became principal of Ascension School. I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a Master of Education from Towson University. I received a Certificate in Administration and Supervision from the College of Notre Dame in Baltimore.
I am a cradle Catholic originally from Worcester, Massachusetts. From an early age, I enjoyed being involved in the Church community of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This Church has a similar history to St. Anthony’s in that it was built by the loving hands of the Italian-American immigrants. The beautiful worship space here reminds me a great deal of my original parish. I vividly remember the festivals, parades, and the Columbus Day celebrations of my childhood. These are wonderful traditions to pass on to our children.
My husband and I live in Bel Air, Maryland, and have 4 children:
Lindsay, 29, a Music teacher in Prince George’s County, Maryland;
Chris, 27, an account manager for Network Media Partners in Hunt Valley, Maryland;
Beth, 20, a Biology major and a junior at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania;
Alex, 18, who will be entering Mt. St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, in the fall, to study Education and Psychology.
Our children were educated in Catholic elementary and high schools.
I enjoy reading and boating in the beautiful Chesapeake Bay.
I am excited about sharing my Catholic faith and love for our Savior with the students and families at St. Anthony of Padua Grade School.
It is vital that we continue the mission of our Catholic schools as we educate the next generation. Our children must be strong academically, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. We must prepare them for a technologically advanced and global society. They must have the opportunity to grow in community as they learn to give and receive support and to live a Christian life in the Roman Catholic tradition. We must be able to offer this to any family desiring a Catholic education for their children.
I know that here at St. Anthony of Padua Grade School we can provide all of this in a safe and nurturing environment. Thank you for your warm welcome. May God continue to bless our work at St. Anthony of Padua.
Peace,
Virginia Palermo Bahr, Principal
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Mission