ROCHESTER — Her list of responsibilities is as lengthy as her job title — diocesan assistant superintendent for government services and administration. As recent honors would indicate, Sister Patricia Carroll, SSJ, has worn all her hats quite fashionably over a 17-year stretch as an administrator in the Department of Catholic Schools.
Sister Carroll has resigned from her diocesan position to pursue other employment opportunities. Her last day was May 18, when a reception was held in her honor at the Pastoral Center.
Sister Carroll departs as a strong believer in the goodness of Catholic education and the team effort that goes along with it in this diocese.
"We have some great things in place in each of the schools. It’s all because of the great administrators, teachers and parents," she said.
Sister Carroll, 62, graduated from Nazareth Academy and entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1962. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Nazareth College, and went on to teach middle-school grades at St. Stanislaus School (1965-68), Sacred Heart Cathedral School (1968-73) and St. Ambrose School (1973-74), all in Rochester. She also taught from 1974-80 at St. Patrick Academy in Oswego, in the Diocese of Syracuse.
From 1980-90 she served as principal of St. Patrick Junior High School, now Holy Family Junior High, in Elmira. In 1990 she moved into diocesan administration, serving as district superintendent of schools in the northeast and southeast quadrants of Monroe County.
In 1993 Sister Carroll became a diocesan assistant superintendent. Her areas of responsibility have included administrative policies and procedures; working with principals and teachers on state and federal programs; educational-technology programs; and representing the schools office on the diocesan Public Policy Committee. In recent years she has devoted considerable time as diocesan Catholic-school coordinator of the Creating a Safe Environment for Children and Youth programs, based on the U.S. bishops’ 2002 "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People."
On May 11 Sister Carroll received the annual John Peter Medaille Award, named after one of the founders of the Sisters of St. Joseph, at the annual Monroe County Catholic schools dinner.
"It was a surprise," she said of the honor.
Earlier, in November 2006, Sister Carroll was presented with the Making It Happen Educator Award at the New York State Computers and Technology in Education conference for her efforts in expanding the use of educational technology. She also has chaired the state’s Interdiocesan Educational Technology Coordinators Committee.
Sister Carroll observed that computers and their interactive capabilities have redefined how education is approached. In yesteryear, she explained, "You had the material and taught it to the kids." Now, children are challenged to sift through the endless information available on the Internet in a way that’s safe and morally based.
Sister Carroll cited such concerns as Internet predators, cyberbullying and the temptation to illegally download material. Another of her priorities is empowering parents "who are challenged every step of the way by things they may not agree with" in giving their children moral guidance for their activities on the Internet.
Sister Katherine Ann Rappl, RSM, principal of St. Rita School in Webster, said she has greatly valued Sister Carroll’s steady presence.
"I found that I could call Sister Pat any time and she would have an answer, or she would work until she found the right or best answer. Sister Pat is unique — she empowered many principals and teachers to develop 21st-century skills, and to be all that they could be," Sister Rappl remarked. "I will miss her."
