This year at Liberty we welcomed three new assistant principals to the administration staff. Catherine Stathulis, Eryne Harper and Anthony Paletta are all new to the district and the assistant principal role in general.
While this is her first year as assistant principal, Dr. Stathulis, or as she’s better known Dr. Cat is not new to the education field. For ten years she worked in Westerville City Schools.
“I worked as a teacher on a special assignment,” said Stathulis. “Where I worked with teachers during the first four years of their career.”
Prior to that, she taught 11th and 12th graders, classes including AP Lang, African American literature, cultural studies, and Humanities. The work she did preparing and working with teachers helped her with her new role as assistant principal, by broadening her understanding of what teachers go through.
“The three years I spent working with other teachers, I wasn’t just in my isolated English world,” said Stathulis. “I really understood a broader perspective of teachers at different content areas, at different levels, so now I feel I can support teachers more fully.”
Coming into a new school can be difficult at all ages, even as an educator. However Dr. Cat was ready for a new challenge.
“Liberty is a pretty well oiled machine,” said Stathulis. “Here the idea of being challenged is really exciting.”
Besides school, Dr. Cat has a son in college, who has been playing soccer for a while.
“I’m still a soccer mom. This is his last season so I’m a little bit sad, but I love watching soccer,” said Stathulis. “I’ve also enjoyed going to Liberty games.”
Assistant Principal Anthony Paletta, like Dr. Cat, worked as a teacher before coming to Liberty.
“I was a social studies teacher, teaching government at New Albany High School,” said Paletta. “I was also their student council advisor and cross country coach.”
In his free time, he spends time being a father and a husband at the same time. He also is a runner and likes to go hiking and backpacking.
The transition to Liberty wasn’t drastic for Mr. Palleta, however the environment at Liberty is one like no other.
“I was surprised at how cohesive the community is here,” said Paletta. “The amount of opportunities that are here for students, and the passion and the excitement that everybody has is amazing.”
The experience of teaching is invaluable when transitioning to an administrative role. Interactions students prepare you to understand teacher’s jobs better. When you support teachers, you support all the students at school. Providing an inclusive environment is a goal of Palettas.
“You see around our school, we have the respectful, engaged and inclusive signage. I really want to build upon that and bring all of our students together,” said Paletta. “I want to make sure that all students are represented no matter what, whether in athletics, extracurriculars, the arts, or any of the student clubs.”
Similar to what Mr. Starner says: There’s something for everybody here and Mr. Paletta aims to ensure that every student feels a sense of belonging.
Our final new assistant principal is Eryne Harper. Before coming to Liberty she was teaching high school English in South Carolina for 10 years. Her many years of experience prepared her for what goes into making a successful high school.
“I aim to focus on supporting the teachers in the classroom,” said Harper, “and helping them support their students as best they can.”
Working with her team of administrators, she is also promoting the initiative of increasing school spirit by encouraging students to be inclusive, engaged, and respectful.
Outside of school, Harper describes herself as sort of a homebody. This fall she plans on watching a lot of Buckeye football games.
All three principals have made great additions to the Olentangy Liberty staff, and are already making great impacts to life at school.
