St. Ann's Principal Marlene Tennier Retires

By Maria Gaetano
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 5/23/02)

"Most of all, I will miss the children," said Marlene Tennier, principal of St. Ann School in Arlington, who is retiring this year after over 40 years of working in Catholic schools. Tennier, originally from Wilmington, Del., has been principal at St. Ann School for seven years.

Reflecting on her years as educator and administrator, Tennier said that what she most enjoyed about her job was the unity that existed between her religion and her work, citing the ability to share her Faith while on the job. "I have always been able to enrich my Faith life as well as witness to others, faculty and students, while teaching," she said.

Catholic schools, according to Tennier, give children a true education because they offer good academics and are also able to teach values. This has made being a teacher and principal especially rewarding for her, said Tennier. "Children need to be aware of the presence of God … and develop their prayer life and good Catholic values. You need good academics too but you can’t have that unless they know Jesus, how to pray and right from wrong. Catholic schools give both. One supports the other," she said.

Tennier’s history in Catholic education spans five dioceses and many titles and duties. She has taught, been director of religious education (DRE), assistant principal and principal. She has served in Catholic schools as far away as the Los Angeles diocese as well as closer to home in the dioceses of Wilmington, Richmond and Arlington and the Archdiocese of Washington.

Tennier received her secondary education at St. Elizabeth High School in Wilmington, her bachelor’s degree from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, and her master’s degree from Trinity College in Washington.

Tennier says that her teaching and administrative efforts in schools are for the sake of the children, who have consistently motivated her. "You watch the children grow, learn, mature … it is very special," she said, and they are a "catalyst on bad days." The children all smile and say hello in the halls, and often the youngest children will come up to her and tell her she’s the "best principal ever." That can change a whole day around, said Tennier.

Instituting the foreign language program and helping bring the school’s technology to its state-of-the-art status are what Tennier sees as two of her biggest accomplishments at St. Ann. The students now all take Spanish, as a requirement, during the school day. The years of Spanish instruction give the students a leading edge in language classes in high school and teach important second-language skills.

As principal, Tennier has weathered the challenge of working to diversify the school both ethnically and in the area of academic ability so that Catholic education is available to all students. Tennier says that it is important that children with special needs are just as well-cared-for as mainstream students, and that keeping a balance can be challenging.

While looking forward to her retirement years as a time to "simplify" her life, Tennier plans to stay busy with family and friends, spend time at home, travel and volunteer in the community. She says she looks forward to volunteering with the Benedictine Sisters of Ridgely, Md., who serve single mothers and their children. She was taught by the Benedictine Sisters and says she wants to be able to give something back. Tennier would also enjoy volunteering in Catholic schools, but in a "more relaxed role," she said with a smile.

Copyright ©2002 Arlington Catholic Herald.  All rights reserved.