(June 25, 2004) – Sister Dawn Gear named superintendent of schools
Sister Dawn Gear, assistant superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Camden since 2001, has been appointed by Bishop Joseph Galante to be superintendent of schools for the diocese. She has been appointed for a three-year term beginning July 1.
In making the appointment June 22, Bishop Galante said, “I am very delighted and grateful that Sister Dawn has accepted this important role. She brings a great sense of commitment and love for Catholic School education and brings a wealth of experience over the years in the ministry of Catholic schools. I know she’ll be a great, great benefit to all those who are involved in our schools: to parents, students, teachers, principals and administrators.”
Sister Dawn, a member of the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart succeeds Dr. David T. Coghlan, who has been superintendent of schools for the diocese since 1991. Dr. Coghlan is currently president of Paul VI High School in Haddon Township.
“Sister Dawn has a long and successful career in Catholic education. She has not only the credentials and a record of accomplishment, but also a deep religious faith and commitment to the Catholic school mission. Catholic schools of the diocese will be in good hands,” said Dr. Coghlan.
Sister Dawn, 58, holds a bachelor’s degree in education/language arts from D’Youville College, Buffalo, and a master’s in education, administration and supervision/curriculum from Georgia State University.
She was born in Mont Clare, Pa., where she attended Saint Michael’s Byzantine Catholic School and later Bishop Kenrick High School in Norristown, Pa. Her teachers had a major impact. “My own school experience motivated me to get into education. I enjoyed school. I had wonderful teachers. I felt that I wanted to be like them,” she said.
Her teaching career began in 1963 at Mother of Divine Providence in King of Prussia. Two years later she entered the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart and took vows in 1968. Sister Dawn is the first religious named to the superintendent post in the diocese.
From 1969-1979 Sister Dawn taught in elementary and high schools in Pennsylvania (St. Norbert’s in Paoli, 1974), New York and Georgia. During this time she taught every grade from Kindergarten through grade 12. From the classroom she moved to assistant dean of studies/students at St. Pius X High School in Atlanta, 1979-1986, and later founded two elementary schools and a 500-student high school in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
As founding principal at these schools she led the development of the schools’ master plans and construction, as well as subsequent curriculum development, strategic planning, personnel development and training, fundraising, financial management and parent involvement. These efforts led to two awards, the National Catholic Education Association’s Distinguished Principal Award and the National Distinguished Principal Award, both in 1996.
As assistant superintendent of schools of the Diocese of Camden, Sister Dawn was director of personnel for the 55 elementary and 10 secondary Catholic schools in the diocese. In this role, she was responsible for the placement of administrators and teachers, was the liaison to the Diocesan School Board of Education, and was responsible for student/parent services. Sister Dawn believes her more than 35 years of experience as an educator, administrator and supervisor has prepared her well for the challenges of her new role.
“Having taught at every grade level, having established three schools, having been assistant superintendent, I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to obtain a wide range of experience with helping schools create a Catholic identity, curriculum development, staffing and faculty development, school management, budgets and finances. “I look forward to drawing from this experience to work collaboratively with Bishop Galante, with pastors, principals, parents, teachers, school administrators and students, to build on the hard work of Dr. Coghlan, and to continue the good work of our Catholic schools which have been so important to our Church and to the nation over the years,” she said.
According to Sister Dawn, a major priority in the months ahead will be to work with the Diocesan School Board to develop a long-term strategic plan for the schools of the diocese. “In the face of new challenges we must plan so that Catholic schools remain a vital element in the Church’s mission for new generations of young people,” she said.