New SMCC principal feels welcomed by community

Joe Carroll is well underway in his first year as the new principal at St. Mary Catholic Central High School.

Carroll, the former principal of St. John’s Jesuit Academy and Christ the King Elementary School in Toledo, hopes to use his first year at SMCC to “learn and support,” he said.

“What I’ve told the teachers when I first started was that this school has been a wonderful school before I was here, and it will continue long after I'm gone,” Carroll said. “My job this year is to learn about the community, learn about the students and learn about the faculty and then determine what our greatest needs are.”

Carroll, a Toledo native, has much to learn as an out-of-stater, he said. On top of learning about the school, he is adjusting to the rules of the Archdiocese of Detroit and the differences in the school systems from Ohio to Michigan.

Carroll’s faith has always been “front and center” in his life, he said. He was born and raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools his entire education. He received degrees from two Catholic institutions: a Bachelor of Art and Science degree in education from Lourdes University and a Master of Educational Leadership degree from the University of Dayton.

Carroll and his wife sent all three of their children through Catholic schools because they were looking for an educational experience for “developing the whole person – academically, socially and emotionally,” Carroll said.

Because of his faith, Carroll said he is drawn to working at private schools.

“I can help shape whole individuals. I can pray and bring God into their lives,” Carroll said.

He spoke highly of the community he has found at SMCC.

“Everybody here looks out for each other, and it’s a family atmosphere from Sean (Jorgensen, president) all the way down to every employee and family,” Carroll said.

Carroll said he understands the pressure he has to follow, as previous principal Jason Linster “was loved by the community and by the faculty and is hard to replace,” he said.

“I want to make sure it is a seamless transition as we move forward,” Carroll said.

Carroll said he feels very welcomed at the school, especially after his welcome at Lunch on the Lawn, an annual day of fun for students and faculty at SMCC with water slides, pizza and games on the front lawn of campus.

Carroll was welcomed by students as a new faculty member with squirt guns, aerosol string and a pie in the face, a tradition held by the school for all new faculty members.

Having prior experience as a middle school principal and dean of students at St. John’s Jesuit High School, Carroll said the job can be lonely when he has to make unpopular decisions and have difficult conversations with students, families and faculty members.

“We spend so much time making sure those that we lead are taken care of and are good, where many times we don’t take time for ourselves,” Carroll said. “We’re always the one fixing and helping and giving advice.”

Subscribe Now: For all the latest local developments, breaking news and high school sports content.

Carroll said he is blessed to have a supportive wife at home to be there on the hard days. He reminds himself to “slow down and listen more” and to trust the process.

“Know that tomorrow will come, and it’s all going to be okay. There isn’t a problem too big," he said.

Faith Zochowski is a 2020 graduate of St. Mary Catholic Central High School. She is studying journalism at Bowling Green State University and will graduate in May.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: New SMCC principal feels welcomed by community