Some seven years ago, Joan Dollinger was serving as the administrator of Saint Mary By-the-Sea Retreat House, Cape May Point, when she learned from a friend that Assumption Regional Catholic School, Galloway, was looking for a new principal.
Dollinger was initially hesitant to consider a change – she loved her ministry and was able to ride her bike to work. Her friend insisted she participate in a discernment retreat, and she wound up leaving that experience believing she should apply for the job.
She ended up being selected, and just 17 days into her tenure, the school community was saddened by the death of her predecessor, longtime former principal Mary Ellen Schurtz.
“I quickly came to see that my particular ‘blend’ of the spiritual and academic was needed for a community that was grieving the loss of their beloved principal,” said Dollinger, who invited the school community to join together for prayer and sharing. “It was a blessing to be able to help them grieve and move through this profound loss.”
Dollinger went on to serve as the school’s principal for seven years, leading up to her retirement in advance of the 2024-25 school year. Her tenure there, she said, was a blessing.
“The ARCS community was a beautiful place to serve as principal. It was a faith-filled and engaged community where children love God and love learning,” she said. “It was a blessing beyond measure to serve with amazing educators who were the face and heart of Jesus each day to their students and to one another. [And] our families supported our efforts to be a beacon of light to the community.”
Dollinger said she is proud of the work Assumption did to further expand on “an already excellent school,” and credited her “dream team” of fellow administrators.
“Their dedication, talent, commitment, faith, creativity and love for our school brought joy to me and our community,” she said. “While I will greatly miss the entire ARCS family, this special group will tug at my heart for years to come.”
Dollinger brought to Assumption a wealth of experience in Catholic education, with time spent working at Lacordaire Academy, Upper Montclair, as director of guidance and in theology and business. She also taught second grade at Saint Joseph, Sea Isle City, and eighth-grade English/Language Arts, religion and music at Our Lady Star of the Sea, Cape May. She also served as a school leader, both as principal at Saint Nicholas School, Egg Harbor City, and as principal of Our Lady Star of the Sea.
She described her time working in Catholic schools – as a teacher and leader – as a great joy, and reflected on the special nature of being an educator in a Catholic setting.
“Christ is ever-present in our schools, and to be part of developing children into faith-filled persons with a love of God and service has been a blessing beyond measure,” she said.
And while Dollinger is retiring from her school post, her active ministry will continue: She recently assumed the role of pastoral associate for lifelong formation at her home parish, Our Lady Star of the Sea.
“I am very excited to serve this community that has been part of my entire life. The parish has been the sacred space of my families’ worship and sacraments for generations,” she said. “Additionally, two of my grandparents, my parents, my siblings, children, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and I attended Our Lady Star of the Sea School.”
She describes the new job as “coming home,” and notes that she will once again be able to ride her bike to work. Even her new office is familiar – it was her sixth-grade classroom as a child.
“While I will greatly miss the ARCS community, and the ministry of Catholic school education, I am excited for the next part of the journey,” she said. “While my ministry is changing, I will still be sharing God’s incredible love with the people that I will serve.”
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