Dear Parents, Students and Visitors

This web site has information just for you and your child(ren). Please keep in mind that the staff is willing to help your child(ren) grow educationally as well as socially. Your child(ren) will be treated with respect and we will not accept anything less in return.

Your responsibility as parents, is to see that they attend school on a regular basis, to attend their classes on time and to do the best that they can do. Their major responsibility is to learn. Various activities have been planned throughout the year as well as a varied extracurricular program to enhance their academics.

Sincerely, Dr. Lucine Mastalerz Residence: Chicago's Northwest Side

Occupation: Dr. Mastalerz wears many hats as the new Head of School for Notre Dame High School for Girls (9-12) and Principal of St. Ferdinand Elementary School (PreK-8) in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood. She is active in the educational community serving on the new Catholic Schools Council at DePaul, and co-administering a Big Shoulders Grant with DePaul University for educational leadership in Math and Science. Dr. Mastalerz also is working with the Catholic Area Network of Schools (CAN) preparing an educational workshop day for the schools in the network and presents exciting uses of technology in the classroom. She continues to mentor and help shape the future of educational leadership with DePaul using assessment and technology through grants from Big Shoulders and BP.

Education: Undergraduate in secondary education at SIU; MS in Educational Leadership from DePaul in 1988 with emphasis in both Ed Leadership and Curriculum Development: Doctor of Education Degree from Roosevelt University in 2000. Her dissertation was on "The Dynamics of Burnout in Catholic Elementary Principals". This set the stage for numerous academic endeavors which included co-authoring a finance handbook for schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Vital Stats: A native Chicagoan, Dr. Mastalerz's enthusiasm for Catholic education is evident by her many ministries over the years. She started her career as a Catholic high school teacher at Resurrection High School. She received the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Educational Leadership Award as well as the Illinois Award for Excellence in Teaching of Economics. She pursued her Masters while teaching and raising a family of three with her husband Stan. After her Masters, she became a Catholic School principal in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Her husband's corporate life has taken her to upper state New York and West Virginia where she continued to work as a principal and attend Franciscan University at Steubenville, Ohio for a superintendent certification. After her doctorate, she has gone on to present many times in the areas of finance, assessment and curriculum development including at the NCEA. Dr. Mastalerz taught as an adjunct faculty at DePaul University and Dominican University teaching school finance, curriculum planning and design, and assessment. She has special interests in technology and assessment initiatives. Dr Mastalerz has served as an educational administrator in both the public and private sectors for more than 20 years at elementary, middle and secondary schools. She received the Christifideles Award from Cardinal George this year as a layperson that demonstrates faithfulness and dedication in ministry.

The biggest challenge I face in my job is: Providing an educational environment that nurtures all children, leading them closer to God and preparing them to become strong faith-filled future leaders in our Church.

What I like most about my job is: I love my job and the ability to serve both God and children. The ability to reach out and inspire a child by everything you say, do and provide. I am creating a learning environment that prepares today's learner for a world not yet envisioned. I am so blessed to be working with so many great people at DePaul and the Office of Catholic Education such as Superintendent Sr. Mary Paul to create a new model for Notre Dame High School for Girls with a challenging curriculum that is faith based and technology rich for young women in the city.

My advice to new teachers and principals is: "Embrace the challenge of tomorrow in today's classrooms and schools with passion and enthusiasm to light the fires of those around you. Set the bar high for those to follow. Don't be afraid to lead. Think outside the box: try something new!"