Longtime Catholic school administrators retire

By RENEE WEBB
 Content and Design Coordinator

When the bell rang for the final time before summer break this week at Sacred Heart School in Boone, Emmetsburg Catholic and Pocahontas Catholic – the schools’ principals were not only wrapping up another school year but their long-time careers in Catholic education.
The following three principals will retire: Cindy Edge, principal of Pocahontas Catholic; Sue Eldridge, principal of Sacred Heart School in Boone and Jean Hyslop, principal of Emmetsburg Catholic.

EdgeEdge served in Catholic schools for 35 years – 20 years teaching and 15 as an administrator. Her career in Catholic education began at St. Matthew’s in Clare, followed by Sts. Peter and Paul in West Bend, then St. Mary’s in Humboldt before heading to Pocahontas Catholic.

“As I retire from this ministry of Catholic education, my heart is filled with gratitude,” she said. “It has been a blessing to walk with our students, families and staff in faith, learning and love.”

Eldridge has served for 24 years at Sacred Heart. Her first 10 years were aPrincipal Eldridge addresses visitors on Grandparents Day.s a third grade teacher, followed by 14 years as principal.

“I grew up attending Catholic schools – Go Kuemper Knights – and wanted my son to have that opportunity,” she said. “After subbing in several different types of schools, I knew I was a Catholic school teacher. Being able to share my faith and help children grow their relationship with Jesus is wonderful.”

Hyslop pointed out she taught a year at Sts. Peter and Paul School in West Bend before she started a four-year program with Clarke University through Briar Cliff University to get her administrator’s degree in Catholic administration. She served as building coordinator and teacher for two years and then became principal at SPPS.

In 1999, while remaining as principal in West Bend, she also became principal of ECS. When SPPS closed in 2007, she served as part-time principal in Emmetsburg as well as the DRE at Holy Family Parish. In 2018, she became full-time principal at ECS.

Hyslop“It was like God laid the path for me and I followed it. The first time I walked into SSPP, I felt a sense of grace and peace. I love that feeling,” Hyslop recalled. “I have the same feelings about Emmetsburg Catholic School. 

Each day Jesus surrounds me and gives me strength, hope, vision and friends of Jesus. I love being wrapped in faith all day long and giving children and staff the opportunity to be wrapped in faith.”
Working in Catholic schools did help enrich the faith lives of the women.

After she began teaching third grade religion, Eldridge noted she “relearned a lot of details and became more interested in church history. I also practiced more spontaneous prayer which I think is important for children to understand prayer doesn’t have to be a formal memorized prayer. It can simply be a conversation with God.”

Hyslop said the Catholic school environment has enriched her faith in many ways and added that it’s a bit hard to explain because it is more a way of living.

“There have been many difficult times such as cancer, death of my niece and many moreHyslop chaperones students during the diocesan spelling bee. events that Jesus has been there and kept my strong,” noted the Emmetsburg Catholic principal. “He has given me so many joys such as retreats, friendships, Bishop’s Dinners and Mass – opportunities such as the ordination of Bishop Nickless, celebrating Cardinal DiNardo and many more unusual events that would not be part of my daily life.”

With their work in administration at diocesan Catholic schools coming to an end, there are definitely aspects of their jobs that they will miss but they will hold onto memories.

“I will always treasure the students, staff and families,” said Edge. “They have been a blessing to me.”

Hyslop noted that she has loved going to church with the students and staff as well as watching others grow in their faith while being alongside them on their faith journey – whether students or adults.

EldridgeFor Eldridge, she said she will miss the children – being able to help them on their spiritual journey and in forming a personal relationship with Christ.

“I truly believe that as our societal values continue to erode, moral guidance received in a Catholic school is going to be even more important than when I was a kid,” she said. “I always remind the kids that I want to see them in heave someday. It’s so important to plant those seeds whenever we can.”

Edge said it is her wish that God will continue to guide and bless PCS for years to come.Edge paints a student's hand for hallway decorating. “Thank you for allowing me to serve in your school,” she said. “We have shared prayers, classes, field trips, challenges and countless blessings.”

Reflecting on her years in Catholic education, Hyslop cited words from a song from Kathy Mattea: “We are all just seeds in God’s hands, we start the same, but where we land is sometimes fertile soil and sometimes sand.”

“I believe that I landed in fertile soil at SSPP and Emmetsburg Catholic School,” said Hyslop. “May you and your children find that fertile soil, blessings to you.”

Cover photo: Jean Hyslop, Cindy Edge and Sue Eldridge at an administrator's meeting in Storm Lake last week.

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