St. Ann Teacher Steps Easily into Principal's Shoes

By Linda Busetti
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 8/22/02)

Sally Berra, the new principal of St. Ann School in Arlington, knows the names of all the school’s students and they know her.

After six years of a mentoring relationship with former principal Marlene Tennier, Berra steps comfortably into the role of principal. Tennier had asked Berra, a veteran junior high teacher at St. Ann, to act as assistant principal "as needed." Berra’s responsibilities increased over the years. By the time Tennier retired last spring, Berra had had "a nice tutorial, an internship" on being principal. She is also enrolled in Marymount University’s new Catholic School Leadership Program and will earn her master’s in school administration next May.

Originally from Connecticut, Berra attended Randolph Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg. She graduated in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in French and continued her studies at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville to attain her teaching certification.

Berra returned to Connecticut, where she got a job with Yale University’s repertory theatre. This lead to a job at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, where she met her husband Thomas, who is technical director at Ford’s.

As her own two sons entered school, Berra re-discovered teaching. She volunteered in the Great Books Program at St. Agnes School in Arlington, where she worked with middle school students. She found them to be "delightful" and says she "thrived on the experience."

Berra received her re-certification as a teacher and substitute taught for three years in diocesan and public schools. She "highly recommends" substitute teaching because it "clarifies the age group with which and the type of school in which a teacher will be most comfortable."

"Catholic education matched my own personal and family values," Berra said.

After teaching seventh grade at St. Ann for six years, Berra had to cut back on teaching in order to care for her mother who lived in Connecticut. Tennier said something could be worked out. When the four-day-a-week school librarian position opened up, Berra took it because it allowed her long weekends with her mother. The change had hidden blessings — as librarian, Berra had the opportunity for the first time to work with the school’s kindergartners and first-graders.

"When I look back, the path seems to be winding, but it was really a straight line to this point," she said.

As she begins her work as principal, Berra says, "The strength of St. Ann School is its size." The 260 students and their parents form a close community with faculty, she said.

With St. Ann Church scheduled to be razed in November, Berra sees the loss of the church and the fact this is the first year the school is without the Sisters of Notre Dame as creating a challenge.

"Our challenge will be to keep present the visible spirituality without the church and sisters," Berra said. "Children need to come to feel they are the Catholic Church."

Berra is excited about her first year as principal of St. Ann School. "I loved teaching," she says, and now she finds she has the same enthusiasm for the role of principal.

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