October 14, 2021
By Bella Gamboa
(Principal Brewer: front, far left / Vice Principal Hanrahan: front, far right)
Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing the new principal, Ms. Brewer, and the new vice principal, Ms. Hanrahan. I asked them many questions regarding where they have come from, what they have accomplished, and what they plan to create and accomplish here at Resurrection. I really enjoyed this interview with both of them. They both have such kind personalities, and their intentions came across very pure and sincere.
“So much of this year is about being together again and finding ways to do that… to again, re-establish that support network…”
-Principal Brewer
One of the first questions I asked them was, “What attracted you to Res? Why did you choose to apply here?” Both of them had a similar response, claiming that they both valued the community and type of learning that is held at all girls schools. In order to view how they connect to the student body, I asked them about their experiences as students. Ms. Brewer’s story was very inspiring. She spoke about how though her grades were average, she worked hard for them. She knows the labor that goes into school work and enjoys hiring teachers who struggled in school as well so that the teachers may understand all of the students. She really enjoys her job for this reason, because she feels she gets to play all positions of the field. She is able to connect with the students, the administration, the parents, and she can make a difference within the community.
Ms. Hanrahan feels so happy to be here at Resurrection because she feels like she is back at her old high school, Mother McAuley. She sees the uniforms, the laughs, the positivity and is reminded of her old stomping ground. She values “the sisterhood” and feels that it is very important that the support and kindness continues. She feels that starting the morning in prayer sets the tone for the rest of the day, which she appreciates as well. I felt that our Res community would also like to know them a little better on a personal level. I questioned them about what they enjoy, their passions, their motivations, etc. Ms. Brewer without hesitation said she loves getting to know others. She lives for accompanying others on their path, being a part of their life and helping them develop their God given talents.
“Taking care of others- adults or students- is what fulfills my calling.”
-Principal Brewer
Vice Principal Hanrahan spoke about how leading 50 week-long service trips and tying the gospel message into life and sharing that with others really resonated with her. She loves to read and travel. She comes from a big Catholic family from Irish descent that had a strong influence on how she grew up and the woman she is today.
Due to the fact that we are a school of faith, I wanted to ask the Principal and Vice Principal what their background in faith is. Principal Brewer was born and raised Catholic. When she was in fourth grade, she wanted to be an altar server; however, she was not allowed because she was a girl. Still, girls weren’t allowed to be altar servers at the time. She grew up to minor in theology at the University of Dayton. She did many service trips. She lived on the side of a mountain, where she served others and taught about religion. Vice Principal Hanrahan was born and raised Catholic; however, in her early twenties she felt the calling to truly be Catholic, and she really connected with her faith at that time. She struggles with many of the church’s teachings; however, she prayerfully reflects in pursuit of clarity. She taught for fifteen years in a Catholic school. She finds that her faith guides her life.
“When you are in conversation with each other, you are reinforcing a community. When we know each other, even if we make a decision that is not agreed with. The one who disagrees knows there is a reason behind the decision, because they know the decision maker. Therefore, they can respect the decision, even if they didn’t agree with it.”
-Vice Principal Hanrahan
I went on to ask them about their management styles and how they would support Resurrection. Principal Brewer had a very respectful answer. She said that she really values being with the student body and having informal connections. When there is a connection between administration and the student body, there is already a layer of support, so that when bigger things come up they can help more efficiently. She is fine with following, however, she can lead if the situation calls for it. She needs things organized and if she sees that things aren’t working correctly, she will step in for the benefit of all. Vice Principal Hanrahan responded by saying how important community is to her, which is why we will see her in the morning to check our IDs. She feels that greeting us with a smile in the morning is very important to start our day with a friendly beginning. She tries her best to check in on us when she sees that we are alone. She wants to do as much as she can to support us because we are a community under God.
Before I ended with the final two questions, I needed to ask if we should expect anything new and exciting here at Res. Are we going to see any big changes? They both responded very eloquently. The Principal spoke about how a big part of this year is about being together again and finding new ways to connect again. She believes that once we can do that, we can move forward with new changes and new beginnings. The Vice Principal expressed the gravity of this year, with it being the 100th year. She indicated that this year, there is a return to normalcy, the structures need to be reestablished, and the school needs to regroup.
“Almost everyone here at Res is an expert that we can learn from, because we are new!”
Vice Principal Hanrahan
These last two questions received such interesting replies that I feel they should be read
word for word:
Q: What does the perfect and most ideal principal/vice principal look like to you?
P: The perfect principal changes every day through the school and in what a community needs. There
are days when I go home and feel like I did great and there are other days in which I felt like I could have done better. Because of this, you need to be adaptable. You need faith to have God guide you to do the right thing. You need diversity to be able to do many parts of the job, because a principal is able to do it all.
VP: I think there are three words I think about: Love, competency, and courage. You have to love the community and what makes the community, love gives you what you want. Courage gives you what you need. When people disagree with your decisions, you have to take that into consideration. But You also have to know what you are talking about as well, which is where competency comes into play.
Q: Lastly, is there anything you would like to say to the students?
P: Take advantage of Resurrection and all your high school experience has to offer: when it comes to relationships, learning, and hardworking. And then, ground that into your faith and the person you want to be. It's a great time in your life.
VP: Thank you. They (Res girls) have been so welcoming. I got on the mic in the cafeteria and said excuse me ladies and it went dead silent. There is a gentleness and respect in this community. I want to say to them that, you are standing in the shadow of giants and you have to pass that down to the next generation. The sisterhood lives on and that is what you have to carry with you.
The new Vice Principal and Principal are very kind and approachable. They want us to know that the Resurrection community can count on them. They can be reached by email and are happy to talk in the hall!