Principal changes at St. Theresa School
By Kathryn Reed
Anne Filce is in the principal’s office and Danette Winslow is back in the classroom full time.
The change at St. Theresa School in South Lake Tahoe became effective July 1, though the decision was made during the last school year. It’s the head pastor who makes the administrative decision.
Filce has been a teacher at the Catholic K-8 school on and off since 1996. In addition to her job as principal, she will also be teaching the 4-5 combination class like she did last year.
Winslow was in the classroom some of her years while principal. She was not available for comment.
Filce said she would be attending Catholic school management training courses later this month. Her focus will be on learning about recruitment and retention of students.
In 2005, the school had more than 200 students, while in 2010-11 there were less than 90.
Filce pointed to the economy – South Lake Tahoe had an unemployment rate of 17 percent in May – and families moving as reasons enrollment has declined.
Her school is not alone. Lake Tahoe Unified and Douglas County school districts are facing the same dilemma on the South Shore.
However, Filce does have making calls to parents who no longer have kids at St. Theresa on her to-do list this summer before classes begin Sept. 6.
St. Theresa is the only Catholic school in the basin, with the next nearest one being in El Dorado Hills. Filce said even though rumors have floated the school is closing; she said there is no truth to that.
Besides enrollment concerns, Filce will also be spearheading the accreditation process that begins in the fall.
Her contract is for one year, which Filce said is normal for Catholic schools – to renew them annually.
A new principal has been long over due along with a staff with up-to-date administration and organizational skills.
Let’s hope this new one has the backbone to put the kids first, not the out of control and unregulated teachers
Danette is an amazing teacher and principle. She ALWAYS put kids first and did everything possible to make the school an amazing place of learning. She built a community of dedicated parents and teachers that work together for the best of our children.
I wouldn’t need to go to Catholic Management school to figure out it’s the bad economy causing the decline in enrollment.
Has the congregation decreased?
Pay for school or free school, hmm; which to choose? when my budget gets super tight, and we are about to get the power turned off, or lose the house.
STOP blaming the economy on poor choices the school continues to make over and over. You the school know exactly why enrollment is down and why parents are pulling there students out left and right. Anne probably does not want to hear what past parents and/or students have to say. Switching Danette and Anne will not fix the problem it will remain unchanged. Danette in her unprofessional manner will still be pulling the strings and nothing will change. The school needs to be run as a business and not on emotion. Until you change how things are handled it will continue to be run in the same flawed manner with the same individuals and the ones who suffer the most are the kids and their education. At least in the public schools there is accountability.
Accountability in public schools? Are you serious? How come so many graduate without being able to read, write or compute?
At least with St. Theresa’s you can choose whether to attend or not.
Oh amazing how people can hide behind the computer to say these things or better yet talk crap about Danette and the school and never came forward. To you that did and still do talk crap, no body wants to hear your lies nobody wants to hear you wine so maybe just once you can learn to keep quiet. You sent your kids there for a reason maybe you should stand behind that reason. Why are you blamming Danette when its parents like you that think because they paid for the school that you can run the school. Maybe open your own then. Thank you Danette for all your hard work and dedication to the families at St Theresa. Good luck to Annae cause I know she cant handle whats about to hit her….
Wow “dogwoman”, you are one of the most negative people commenting on here…always. You are amazing! Why do you bash everyone/everything?! You sure are against public schools. Students have the choice to attend public schools or not also. They also get to choose what kind of student they are going to be, what kind of citizen, what kind of contributor. Just as you get to choose. Do you know anything, really, about St. Theresa School or the public schools in town? Do you really?!
That was actually a positive comment about private education vs. compulsory public education.
But why are you attacking me NOW for something I said weeks ago? I’m sure I’ve said worse things in recent days that you can get indignant over. It’d be more relevant.
As someone with strong ties to St. Theresa school I can say that while I feel that Anne Filce will make a fine principal, anyone who sits on the internet and knocks Danette Winslow and all of the hard work and dedication she put into the school really needs to get their heads examined. She has put her blood, sweat, and tears into that school and it was in no way her fault that enrollment went down. She had to make some extremely hard decisions because just like many other institutions today, they suffered from having finite resources to work with. The economy truly HAS hit the school just as hard as it’s hit everywhere else. I can see how some parents wouldn’t see this though. I worked with some bratty kids in my time there, but despite how horrible some of the children were, you could see just where they got it the moment you met their parents. I had the displeasure of working with the children of some of the most rude, spoiled, entitled, and just flat out mean people I have ever met. It’s easy to talk down on someone else from afar, but to do the job she did is another thing entirely. Maybe you all should go back to school to help you re-learn some perspective. I’d LOVE to see any one of you try to do half as good of a job as Danette did. I seriously doubt any of you would even come close.
Everyday I check this story to see what kind of comments have been posted.I keep asking myself do I post a comment or do I just let it be. I could not be reached for comment on this story because I was never formally contacted to do this story. I do feel that Kae did a good job of reporting the story though.
I will not validate any of the rude and unkind comments with a response. I would like to thank my supporters for their love and loyalty. It means a lot to me. To my former supporters at least have the integrity to sign your comments with your name. I can only imagine who you are.
People who truly know me, know that my 17 years of dedication to St. Theresa School were filled with love for the children. I have tried to live my life and vocation in the words of Mother Theresa:”If you do good people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do Good anyway. The good you do today will be forgotten by tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and you will be kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway”.
Please continue to pray for St.Theresa School to be successful. And that it remain in this community. It is a very special place that has helped hundreds of children and their families to be responsible, faith-filled, and generous citizens. I thank God for STS everyday.
St. Theresa School has also lost enrollment because LTUSD has created 2 excellent elementary school programs, the Spanish Immersion program at Bijou and the Environmental Science Magnet School in Meyers. It’s hard for a private school to compete with these wonderful free programs that are full and have waiting lists.