By Anne Marie Amacher
BETTENDORF — A new principal with administrative and special education experience will lead Lourdes Catholic School this fall.
David Hobin said he is thrilled to be at Lourdes.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in special education from Illinois State University and master’s in educational administration from the University of Illinois in Springfield.
He has been in education for 11 years. That includes eight years as a special education teacher in public schools. For seven years he worked in Peoria, Ill., then relocated to Rock Island, Ill. He then moved into administration. For the last three years he has been principal at Visitation Catholic School in Kewanee, Ill., a 45-minute commute from his Rock Island home.
Under Hobin’s leadership at Visitation, a strong faith community has been built, enrollment has increased by 20 percent and standardized test scores have increased, Lourdes Catholic School stated in a news release.
Hobin said he attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through high school and was happy to return to Catholic schools in an administrative role three years ago. Of his new position, he said: “Lourdes Catholic School is a great school; it is close to home for me and a great fit for me and my family. I was very impressed with everything I saw on the Lourdes website and everyone I spoke with had great things to say about Lourdes so that made the decision to apply an easy one for me.
“Everything I read and heard about Lourdes was true. The people have been so welcoming to me and just great. The families are very supportive and great to work with. We really are a family at Lourdes.”
Jim Kersten, president of Lourdes’ faith formation board, said the board found Hobin to be a good fit for the school. Kersten noted Hobin’s experience as a principal and his success in increasing enrollment at his previous school as well as the fact that he is a practicing Catholic and displays impressive leadership skills.
“The teachers on the interview committee felt he would be a great asset to the school and felt confident and comfortable in his leadership ability. David also came highly recommended to us from the interview committee and the Peoria Diocese.”
Hobin and his wife Kim have a daughter Alexis, who will be a second-grader at Lourdes this fall, a son, Andrew, 2, and are expecting another child. They will become members of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.
