St. Mary Shrewsbury announces new principal

By Susan Bailey 

CFP Correspondent 

A new principal has taken the helm of St. Mary’s School in Shrewsbury, replacing Jeannie MacDonough, who served faithfully for 15 years. An email newsletter, called a Flocknote, which was sent to parishioners over the summer, introduced the principal, who began her new position on July 1: “Mrs. Magda Harrison has been in education for the past decade with roles that include administrator and educator. She has led private and Catholic schools in K-12 and directed STEM programs at the college level. Her leadership and dedication to child-centered learning are inspiring and on the cutting edge of technology. Saint Mary School welcomes her on July 1st as the new principal for the 2021-2022 school year.”  

Mrs. Harrison considers her most important job to be that of a child advocate.  

“I will spend a lot of time with your children, getting to know their personalities, learning styles, and interests,” she wrote in the Flocknote. “I will celebrate their successes, small and large. I will encourage them every day and let them know they are valued and have a special place in our school community.” 

Mrs. Harrison brings a wealth of experience and education to St. Mary’s. She has spent the last decade as a teacher and administrator, ranging from higher education to elementary school. She earned her bachelor’s degree in educational psychology from Excelsior College, located in Albany, New York. She continued at Excelsior, earning her master’s degree in educational health services. Mrs. Harrison has also completed an educational leadership program from Niagara University, located in Niagara, New York. She is currently a candidate for a doctorate in educational leadership at North Central University located in LaJolla, California. 

Mrs. Harrison selected Catholic education as her focus because of her faith.  

“I attended Catholic school from kindergarten to high school. I also come from a very religious family who wholeheartedly believed in the value of Catholic education,” she said. “What also amazes me is my parents put five children through Catholic schools from K-12. My parent’s faith in Christ always inspired me to be a good person and help others.” 

Mrs. Harrison found her Catholic schooling to be the perfect fit because it supported her parents’ values and ideas. Upon graduating, she sensed the call to give back to the system that had served her so well.  

“Being a teacher or administrator at a Catholic school is often referred to as a vocation,” she said, “a calling to be a part of something of greater significance; in my case, to share in the church’s mission.”  

St. Mary’s undertaking of providing a Catholic education rooted in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ lines up perfectly with Mrs. Harrison’s goals. The collective spirit of the students, teachers, and parents at St. Mary’s attracted Mrs. Harrison.  

“The community here is the type I grew up in,” she said. “From the moment I walked on the grounds, I could feel how special this place truly is. It’s like a family among families. Everyone is connected in a way that you can’t describe. All the members of this school look out for each other; it’s an unspoken code of love.” 

Building on the school’s mission statement, Mrs. Harrison plans to maintain and strengthen the school’s Catholic identity while advancing academic excellence.  

“Rigorous standards and support for instruction and curricula will ensure our students the maximum learning and growth experiences,” she said. “St. Mary’s School is known far and wide for its distinction in academics while anchored in faith. The vision of St. Mary’s is to promote the ongoing formation and spiritual growth of our students as they nurture their God-given gifts.” She hopes to lead students to be disciples who know and live the Catholic faith. 

One of Mrs. Harrison’s specialties is her vast experience with STEM education, an approach that focuses on one or more of the four disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math. She previously served as director and head instructor of the Health Information Management Program with the division of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math at SUNY college in upstate New York.  

Her plans for implementing STEM programming are ambitious, centering on students experiencing science hands-on. 

“Through project-based learning, students will develop knowledge and skills they can utilize not only in science but every subject matter,” she said. Partnering with local colleges and universities’ science, technology, engineering, and math departments will allow students to experience all aspects of these subjects at an early age.  

“Exposure to the sciences for children as early as three years old can spark a love for the sciences that will last a lifetime,” she said. “My hope for St. Mary’s is that each student has experiences here that they normally would not have had if they did not attend this wonderful school.  My goal is that we will prepare our students for both high school and college. We want to lay the foundation for our student body to achieve their dreams and fully develop their God-given gifts.” 

Mrs. Harrison’s strong faith guides her in all she does.  

“The Church has always been my strength,” she said. “During difficult times, my mother would say, ‘God will always find a way and provide.’ The Church and my parents’ faith had influenced and shaped me to be the person I am today. I don’t know where I would be or who I would be without my faith in God and the Church.” 

Her parents exposed her to the Gospels, which were reinforced and deepened through her Catholic education.  

“I learned to love others and care for their well-being,” she said. “I learned that every one of us is a child of God, and we were all made in his image. His image is to love and serve.”