Southern Nebraska Register, HCS
Hastings Catholic Schools announced Feb. 23 that Sam Dunn accepted the position of Saint Cecilia Middle & High School principal.
Dunn’s contract will begin Aug. 1.
The search for a new principal came after the news that current principal and assistant chief administrative officer, Father Cyrus Rowan, would assume the role of chief administrative officer at Hastings Catholic Schools following the promotion of Father Thomas Brouillette to vicar general for the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln. Father Brouillette will move to Lincoln and assume the vicar general role full-time in June.
“We are looking forward to having Mr. Sam Dunn as the new principal at St. Cecilia Middle and High School,” Father Rowan said. “He is a proven administrator with many talents and gifts. Mr. Dunn brings with him much experience as a school administrator and will help continue to move St. Cecilia forward with our academics, our fine arts programs, other activities, and with the building of our culture around the core values of faith, family, commitment, and courage.”
Dunn is currently superintendent at Loomis Public Schools in Loomis, a role he took on in 2017. He has been in education for 38 years, as a teacher, coach and administrator. During his tenure at Loomis Public Schools, they earned an excellent rating from the Nebraska Department of Education AQuESTT, an accreditation rating system, top NeSA scores in the Fort Kearney Conference and area schools, and the top reading score through the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association.
The search process for the new principal began in November. In a letter from Father Brouillette regarding the process he said, “identifying and selecting the new principal for St. Cecilia Middle and High School is one of the most important tasks we will do to ensure a high-quality education that is true to our Catholic faith, academically strong, and a firm foundation for our children and families.”
A selection committee was formed to handle gathering and synthesizing community input, assisting in interviewing candidates and providing administration with a consensus recommendation. The selection committee included representatives from the school parent community as well as two faculty members, administrative representatives, St. Cecilia and St. Michael parish pastors and Father Lawrence Stoley, Ph.D., director of Catholic schools for the diocese.
Hastings Catholic Schools was founded in 1912. It consists of St. Michael Elementary, which includes grades PK-5 as well as childcare services, and St. Cecilia Middle & High School. On average, the two schools educate 425 students each year.
