Comings and Goings Our New Principal, Ms. Napoli Ms. Quinn Leads College Counseling Ursuline’s New Athletic Director

Christopher Pope Photography

“I chose Ms. Napoli to lead our school because she is an experienced Catholic school educator and administrator ready to fully support Ursuline’s mission and Core Values,” said Dr. Melnyk. “She maintains a firm belief in the value of an all-girls education and the capacity of all students to learn and achieve excellence. Ms. Napoli is an accomplished, inclusive academic leader, with a demonstrated ability to develop innovative and academically rigorous programs and curriculum.”

Theresa Napoli brings to Ursuline 40 years of teaching and administrative service in Catholic schools. She began her teaching career at Ursuline as a science teacher in 1981. She also served as an Academic Advisor, guiding hundreds of young women toward the next chapters of their educational future, and she moderated the National Honor Society. Subsequently, Ms. Napoli taught at Aquinas High School, Marymount School of New York, and Convent of The Sacred Heart. In 2005, Ms. Napoli became the first female assistant principal at Fordham Prep. She later served as Principal of St. Barnabas High School and then Dean of Academics at Fairfield College Preparatory School.

Ms. Napoli looks forward to connecting with the faculty, staff, students, parents, alumnae and the broader Ursuline community in her role as principal. “I am wholeheartedly committed to upholding and enhancing the spirit of St. Angela Merici,” said Ms. Napoli. “The Ursuline School is where I grew in my formation as a Catholic educator. I am excited and honored to rejoin the Ursuline community. My husband, Ron Troyer, and our blended family of five children and eight grandchildren, share my happiness as we begin this new chapter.”

She added, “Since the announcement of becoming your principal, I have been blessed with calls and emails from former parents and students, some of whom have daughters presently attending our school. All the well wishes and prayers have affirmed for me my mission to have a chance to further serve all of you and return the graces and blessings I so gratefully received by being a teacher and advisor.”

Our new Director of College and Academic Counseling, Mollie E. Quinn, started at Ursuline on July 1, 2022.

“I am honored to be part of a school grounded in the powers of faith, tradition, community and academic excellence. For the past 12 years, I have worked in college counseling where I have been an advocate, resource and partner to hundreds of high school students, and their families, pursuing their dreams of higher education.” said Ms. Quinn.

She joins Ursuline from Xavier High School in Manhattan, where she has been Director of College Counseling since 2019. Before that, she was Director of College Guidance at Cristo Rey New York High School in Manhattan from 2013 to 2019, and Assistant Director and Coordinator of Scholarships and Enrichment Programs from 2009.

Ms. Quinn holds a Master of School Counseling from Fordham University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in History from Providence College.

She now leads the College and Academic Counseling team of Mary Ann Boustead, Elaine McMahon and Jennifer Baker. “I believe that applying to college is a process of discovery and reflection that invites students to think about who they are and who they want to become. Students learn to identify and assess themselves, to set priorities, and to make major decisions. I look forward to navigating this process with the students and ultimately yielding a college that is the right fit for each Ursuline senior.” Welcome, Mollie Quinn!

Sean M. Ryan joined Ursuline as our new Athletic Director, effective August 1, 2022. Mr. Ryan earned a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Administration, Business Minor, at St. John’s University and then joined The Brearley School, in New York. His extensive duties included facility operations, staff oversight, budget administration, scheduling, event management and coaching varsity basketball and cross country.

Describing these years, he has said, “If you think you can, you are correct. If you think you can’t, you are also correct. These words by Henry Ford were the way I started the first practice of every cross country season. When parents asked how I measured success for my teams, I responded by saying my team was successful if my student-athletes learned something about themselves that will make them a better person on the last day of the season than they were on the first. The fact that my team won 11 NYSAIS state championships was as rewarding to me as a coach as the fact that our girls went on to great universities and careers.”

Mr. Ryan left Brearley to attend Eastern Michigan University (EMU) where he completed his Master of Science in Sport Management. In addition to his studies, Mr. Ryan joined the EMU athletic staff and gained experience in compliance and game day operations for the university’s 21 Division I teams.

Most recently, Mr. Ryan worked at the Ann Arbor Sport Commission. He was the Event Director for the NAIA National Championship for Competitive Cheer and Dance. He also handled baseball and softball rentals, event organization, community outreach programs and ran tournaments in the county.

Mr. Ryan says, “I feel truly blessed to join such an amazing school. I welcome the opportunity to return to the most important job on earth . . . education.”

We welcome Mr. Ryan. Perhaps we’ll see him run the NYC marathon again, for the sixth time!

Dr. Jeremy Barker joined Ursuline as Director of Human Resources on July 1, 2022. He began his career teaching in Palm Beach County, Florida, New York City, and the Rye City School District. He launched his path into educational leadership as a curriculum coordinator in Rye then as an Assistant Principal in Mamaroneck and a principal in Harrison. Dr. Barker then served the South Orangetown Central School District as Director of Human Resources for four years. Most recently, he was the Assistant Superintendent for Administration & Personnel in Mamaroneck.

Dr. Barker holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University and Queens College, respectively, in addition to a master’s degree in Educational Leadership & Policy from Fordham University. His doctorate is in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville College, where his doctoral research focused on staff development for school support staff and its impact on employee efficacy, job satisfaction, and retention. Dr. Barker’s research was awarded the Mary Humphreys Scholarship for doctoral studies and in 2020 he was the winner of the Manhattanville College Doctoral Program’s Outstanding Service Award for his service to the college community.

Dr. Barker was drawn to Ursuline because of its dedication to Serviam. “I’ve always believed in the idea of servant leadership, that we are here as school leaders to support and develop our faculty and staff in order to provide our students and families with the best educational experience possible,” he said.

In the role of Director of Human Resources, Dr. Barker will focus on several important areas, including the implementation of systems and processes to more efficiently carry out the human resources functions of the school and also to ensure the school’s compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

In addition, he will plan and coordinate professional development and oversee the evaluation process for all faculty and staff. Some of the other key areas of Dr. Barker’s responsibilities are recruitment and hiring, leadership development, and staff relations. Welcome, Dr. Barker, to The Ursuline School!

“If, according to times and circumstances, the need arises to make new rules or do something differently, do it prudently and with good advice. Always let your principal recourse be to gather at the feet of Jesus Christ, and there, all of you, with all your daughters, to offer most fervent prayers. For in this way, without doubt, Jesus Christ will be in your midst, and as a true and good master, he will enlighten and teach you what you have to do.”

By Renata Cioth Mulder

At the end of the 2021-22 academic year, we honored four remarkable educators who had decided to exchange their Ursuline ID cards to pursue a different path or to enjoy retirement. We value the ways that they lived out the school mission and contributed over many years to the formation of Ursuline students into wise, active, globally minded leaders.

We invite you to read their tributes on the following pages.

Rosemary joined Ursuline in fall 2011 as a member of the English Department to teach American Literature and Advanced Placement Language & Composition. She was an innovative teacher, effectively embracing technology such as NBC Learn digital media to add new dimensions to the study of literature. She also co-moderated the student-run newspaper, Unison. When we embarked on our first Strategic Plan in 2014, Rosemary stepped up to co-chair the Strategic Plan Implementation Committee for four years, working with all the school’s constituencies to promote and enhance our curricular, facilities, advancement, and mission strategies.

Rosemary’s tenure as principal of Ursuline began on July 1, 2018. She served in that role through some of the most tumultuous years that our school and the world have experienced. Through these extraordinary times, she held the health and safety of our students as the main imperative. She also embodied and ensured the school’s mission, in particular, Serviam. A favorite service activity was at the Food for Others Garden in the Bronx, planting or harvesting produce which was donated to cancer patients living in public housing.

As a student-centered leader, she actively engaged in all aspects of the school, always seeking to connect with students and encourage them. After four years as principal, Rosemary found that her passion really was with the students in the classroom. This fall, she will be teaching American Literature again, at a local Catholic school. Best wishes to this dedicated teacher!

Terri’s career at Ursuline began in September 1980 as a teacher of Religious Studies. Over the course of 42 years, Terri was involved in many dimensions of The Ursuline School. She was a chaperone on trips to Washington, Europe, and many school retreats. Terri was a dedicated coach of the forensics team and helped organize the Emily Clemente Memorial Forensics Tournament. She chaired both the NYSAIS and the Middle States Accreditation committees. She and her brother sponsored the Peter & Carmela Agliardo Memorial Scholarship in memory of their parents. For her dedication to students over the years, Terri was honored by the Christine MacMenamin Scholarship Committee in 2019. We wish Terri good health and many well-deserved years of fun and relaxation.

Shernaz began her career at Ursuline in September 2003 as a media specialist in the Gabelli Library. She was well known for her commitment to scholarship, patiently helping students work on research papers. She also provided instruction to faculty in the use of information technologies to enrich and support curriculum. In September 2019, Shernaz joined the Reading and Language Department, again helping students to master content. Shernaz was also extremely committed as a Model United Nations Club moderator. In addition she was an indispensable faculty moderator of the Global Scholars Program, using her copious research knowledge to steer the students toward depth and insight. We will miss her gracious presence and kindness, and wish her many enjoyable years with her family.

Moira Prunty celebrated her 25th year at The Ursuline School, where she initially had been an invaluable member of the Advancement team. For the past 14 years, Moira served as a college and academic counselor to hundreds of Ursuline students. She was passionate in her efforts to help students succeed at Ursuline and to find their perfect fit as they undertook the college search process. Students appreciated that Moira was their most fervent cheerleader, applying her considerable knowledge to their circumstance for their benefit. She was not afraid to be honest as the situation warranted. Moira treated the girls as active participants in their own journey and showed respect to their families.

She stepped up this past year as our Interim Director of College and Academic Counseling while our search for a new director was underway. May she now enjoy many wonderful years of retirement.