Published: June 11, 2009 01:35 pm      

St. Mary of the Knobs principal heads to new job at Ivy Tech Community College in Sellersburg

Mary Ann Bennett will work as dean of education

The woman who led St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic School since its inception is stepping down to take on a new challenge.

Mary Ann Bennett became principal of the school in 2001. Since then, a grade level has been added each year up to sixth grade. This year, the school graduated its second class of sixth-graders.

Now, her education background will help her in a new venture — as dean of education at Ivy Tech Community College in Sellersburg.

The education program has been around for about three years and now it is big enough to warrant a dean, Bennett said.

Her role as dean will mean she will educate students who are wanting to become teachers. Bennett, who started her career in the classroom, said that’s a neat part of the job.

“I have some very good teachers here and to know that I could be part of sending good teachers to this school and others in my community is very rewarding for me,” Bennett said.

She also will be in charge of spreading the word of the growing program, which touts students being able to transfer credits to Indiana University Southeast to finish up an education degree.

“I must like developing programs,” Bennett said with a chuckle.

That is part of what drew the college to choosing her, said Marilyn Faulkenburg, vice chancellor of academic affairs for Ivy Tech.

“She started that school and grew that program there from preschool through sixth grade,” Faulkenburg said. “Her ability to grow programs and look into the community for resources to do that and the fact that she’s always been in education — that’s what we’re looking for, someone who can grow this program.”

Though leaving what Bennett helped start is, what she called, “bittersweet” and “heartbreaking.”

“It isn’t an easy job to be a principal. It is probably more of a two-person job for many people in this type of work,” Bennett said. “But in my heart, I wanted to see it all the way up.”

Though she said she wasn’t looking to leave, this opportunity just presented itself through a friend.

“I prayed about it for months and it just feels like it was meant to be,” she said.

However, her time with St. Mary’s isn’t over. She said she will continue to be an active member of the church.

She said even as Ivy Tech is undergoing some major renovations and expansions, the St. Mary of the Knobs parish is going to be having some changes, too. She said in the next couple of years, a new church and activity center will be built on land adjacent to the existing church that will include a large gym and indoor walking path.

Bennett said that will help the school continue to grow for whoever fills her shoes. So far, no replacement has been named, she added.

Looking back, Bennett said she used to question what she was doing, being principal of the school.

“I used to say ‘What have I done? I can’t do this!” Bennett said, laughing at herself.

But now, with the goal of expanding to sixth grade complete and the school continuing to grow, Bennett is proud of her accomplishments.

“It feels good,” she said. “But it has been a team of people working for the same thing — not just me.”

Bennett’s last day at St. Mary of the Knobs is June 30. She starts her new position July 15. She said she hopes to enjoy a short vacation between the two.