Looking Back

Dear Saint Martin of Tours Families,

The summer always brings time for reflection, and this year is no different. This fall I will begin my fifth year as principal of St. Martin of Tours, and as the new school year approaches, I've found myself reflecting on how I got here, and how clearly I can see God's hand in it.

Honestly, becoming a principal was never part of my plan. As a teacher, I had no interest in the role — I pictured myself stuck behind a desk all day, disconnected from the classroom, from kids, from the part of the job I loved most. But over time, I was lucky enough to work under leaders who showed me a different model: principals who were instructional leaders first, who stayed close to teaching and learning rather than retreating into administration. Watching them changed how I saw the role entirely, and slowly, the idea of leading a school started to feel less like a desk job and more like an extension of why I became an educator in the first place.

When I first started thinking seriously about becoming a principal, someone asked me what my dream school would be. Without hesitation, I said St. Martin of Tours. We both laughed, because everyone knew Mrs. Rodriguez wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. A few months later, the night before I was set to interview at a completely different school, I saw the posting for St. Martin. In one of the more untraditional interviews I've had, I ended up spending part of that other interview talking with the associate superintendent about the St. Martin postion. Looking back, I don't think that was coincidence. God works in ways we don't always see coming, and He was clearly writing a story I couldn't have planned myself.

I hope that over these four years, I've made a real impact on this school. But what I know for certain is that this community — and this calling — has impacted me. This job has a way of surfacing your insecurities and sensitivities, the parts of yourself you'd rather not look at too closely and leaves you with really only one option: reflect, lean on faith, and try to become the person God is asking you to be.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received, right before I started here, was that there are countless ways to be a leader and a principal — you have to find what works for you, and what feels true to who you are. For me, that's meant building relationships with students rooted in love rather than fear or intimidation of "the principal." I think of Christian, who as a first grader started stopping by my office for candy. It didn't take long before he'd interrupt Mrs. Lawrence's class the moment I walked in — "Did you bring me candy?" — and soon other kids were doing the same. It was never really about the candy. It was about kids feeling welcomed and safe, the same way I hope they feel welcomed by God in this school we've built together.

As I begin year five, I'm grateful for this community, for the path that led me here, and for the chance to keep growing alongside all of you.

Best,

Mr. Cortese