News

New St. Edward principal: Religion should never take a backseat

Published: August 15, 2009   

By Malea Hargett
Editor

Malea Hargett

Leah Speakes, middle-school science and math science, shows off her gecko, Moe, who lives in the St. Edward School science lab. Part of the students' responsibilities is caring for the animals.

Malea Hargett

Leah Speakes, middle-school science and math science, shows off her gecko, Moe, who lives in the St. Edward School science lab. Part of the students' responsibilities is caring for the animals.

St. Edward School in Little Rock is proud of its diversity. Thirty-five percent of the students are minorities, including a large number of Hispanic children who are members of the parish. There are also Asian, black, multiracial and Middle Eastern children.

Twenty-one percent of the students are non-Catholic.

The school, across from MacArthur Park and the Arkansas Arts Center downtown, brings together a mix of students from all over central Arkansas. Parents drive from as far away as Pine Bluff and Carlisle to bring their children to the school.

The principal and faculty have always welcomed children with special needs. Resource teacher Patty Hayes works with about 50 students with a variety of disabilities, including autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

"Our diversity has always been our biggest thing," said secretary Jan Britt.

"Diversity in every way," principal Jason Pohlmeier added, "socio-economic, as well as ethnic and academic abilities."

Faith and family

With the diocese's youngest principal now at the helm, St. Edward School is looking forward to a great school year.

Pohlmeier, 26, a former religion teacher at Subiaco Academy, comes from a well-known family. His father, Tom, is a deacon at St. Joseph Church in Paris. His mother, Sharon, is the secretary at St. Joseph Church and School. An older brother, Father Erik Pohlmeier, is the pastor of St. John and St. Mary churches in Hot Springs.

"Church has always been a part of our lives," he said. "That all leads to service in the Church."

He attended a Catholic college and double majored in religious education and theology. After he started teaching religion at Subiaco Academy after graduation in 2005, he decided that Catholic school administration was a goal for him. He started taking master's degree education courses through a program offered by the University of Dallas in 2007.

"Realizing the influence that educators can have on young people really convinced me I was in the right place," he said. "I began to realize the passion motivated me to see how I can have as much influence as possible. God has given me certain gifts to do that well .... I knew Catholic schools are where I wanted to be."

With his education and teaching experience in religion, Pohlmeier said he will be ensuring that the faith permeates the school.

"The most important goal is teaching kids the faith," he said. "Teaching kids who Jesus Christ is, is our most important goal in Catholic schools. ... It is very easy because of the emphasis placed on test scores (to overlook religion); it is convenient for schools to overlook religion. It does not go on their transcripts that matter to colleges. You don't get standardized tests for religion ... I want to make sure that religion never takes a backseat to the rest of the curriculum. ... Everything should be focused on faith. The truth in every subject is because God put it there."

Pohlmeier said his age will have its advantages.

"One of the biggest things in education is the use of technology. I grew up in the Internet age. None of the technology scares me. ... You come with a certain amount of energy because it is busy work. ... I think it is a good example because when kids think of school principals they have a stereotype in their heads. It's probably not a 26-year-old male. For kids to realize you don't have to be this stereotype to care about Catholic education. You can be a young male, and it's OK to be Catholic and it is OK to care about school."

The students will also get to interact with new pastor Father Jason Tyler, who has similarities to the principal. In addition to sharing the same first name, Father Tyler is 29 years old.

'New' building

Most of the school has been updated or is new since the addition in 2007. The new building includes the library, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms, Spanish classroom, lockers for the junior high students, office, teachers' lounge, conference room and multipurpose rooms used by the parish and school.

"The entire old building has new ceiling tiles and new lighting, and all of the hallways and classrooms were professionally painted this summer," Pohlmeier said.

The east side of the school was landscaped, and the gym floor was stripped and repainted.

Middle-school science and math teacher Leah Speakes said the high-school level science lab prepares the older students for high school.

"Every year we try to update more," she said. "It is outstanding equipment."

One of the highlights of the lab is the live animals, including a ferret, gecko and two rabbits owned by Speakes but cared for by the students.

"They clean the cages and give them baths," she said. "They take a lot of responsibility. It is a great atmosphere for kids to learn."

Hayes, who joined the staff 10 years ago, said St. Edward is unique because it was the first Catholic school to employ a resource teacher to work with children with physical and mental disabilities as well as those who are falling behind in math, phonics or reading.

"If an individualized curriculum is necessary, we develop one," she said. "It allows us to help the children who are the neediest... We are proud that we were the first. It brought attention to a segment of the Catholic school community that wasn't being served."

Pohlmeier said he was immediately impressed with the pride and loyalty shown by the students and parents. He said because of the diversity is difficult to label the school.

"The school often gets overlooked," he said. "We take extra pride in who we are."

Philip Gallager, the school's computer teacher, oversees the 32-station computer lab.

"I think what I like best about the school is the acceptance," he said. "When there are new students, immediately places are made for them at the lunch table. We didn't have to break up a fight last year. We are in an environment where we can be Catholic and teach from a Catholic point of view."

125th anniversary

School pride will be on display this year as the school celebrates its 125th anniversary. The church and school were founded in 1884 by German Catholics. The first school started teaching students in September 1885, and for many years Benedictine nuns from Jonesboro and Fort Smith worked there as principals and teachers.

When the school started, there were 64 students. From 1965 to 1972 the school grew to its maximum of 360 students, mainly from students being bused in from the Air Force Base in Jacksonville and the closing of St. Andrew Cathedral School.

The school had an enrollment between 170 and 185 students from 1998 to 2006. For about three years the enrollment reached about 200 following Hurricane Katrina and the closing of Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Little Rock in 2005, Pohlmeier said. When the school opens Aug. 17, the enrollment is expected to be 170.

"We want to keep our school small," he said.

But he adds that he would love to get more parish children enrolled at St. Edward.

"The mission of a parish school is to serve its parish," Pohlmeier said.

The anniversary will kick off with a bilingual Mass and dinner with Bishop Anthony B. Taylor at 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 10. All current and former students and parents will be invited to attend.

St. Edward School