By Celine Klosterman
The superintendent of a Catholic school system in Ohio will be the next chief administrative officer and principal of Holy Trinity Catholic Schools in Lee County.
Richard Facciolo is currently superintendent of Bishop Hoffman Catholic School System in Fremont , Ohio, which educates about 720 students in preschool to 12th grade. His contract begins June 1 with Holy Trinity, which has about 410 students in early childhood programs through 12th grade.
“We are very impressed with Dr. Facciolo’s accomplishments and administrative experience and feel we are extremely lucky to have found someone of his caliber to lead Holy Trinity into the future,” School Board President Gary Hoyer said. “He is a proven, effective and innovative leader in Catholic education and has the talent and vision to help ensure that our school continues to thrive and grow.”
Before beginning at Bishop Hoffman under a yearlong contract in March 2010, Facciolo was president of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas for 10 years. He also served as chancellor, chief administrative officer and vicar for education for the Diocese of Las Vegas and worked as superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Las Vegas. He has been principal at two Catholic schools in California and assistant head of school at Valley Preparatory School in Redlands, Calif.
He earned an Ed.D. in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in 2001. He also holds an M.S. in human resources management.
Holy Trinity chose Facciolo after a nationwide search. School board members, parents, faculty and community leaders were involved in the interview process, and he was the unanimous choice of all selection committees, according to the school system.
“I look forward to working with outstanding educators, a talented school board, supportive parents and great students,” Facciolo said. “Holy Trinity has established a firm foundation that should place the schools in a position that will carry into the future. I will attempt to lead that leap from very good to recognition as a national model for small Catholic school systems.”
He said he was drawn to Holy Trinity because of its excellent consolidation of the Marquette and Aquinas school systems in 2005, and by Holy Trinity’s road map for its future. “They have a really good plan; we just need to execute it.”
Facciolo will take over for Doris Turner, who will retire June 30. Hoyer said Holy Trinity has been blessed by her guidance, which he said was instrumental in the 2005 merger. “We are confident that Dr. Facciolo will continue that tradition of excellence.”
