MCSD academic chief to be Pacelli principal

Veronica "Ronie" Collins, the Muscogee County School District's chief academic officer, has been hired as the high school principal of St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School - her alma mater and her church.

She is scheduled to start her new job July 1.

"Ms. Collins is the unanimous choice for the job after an extensive search conducted by St. Anne Catholic Church, in conjunction with the Diocese of Savannah's Office of Catholic Schools," the Rev. Jeremiah McCarthy, the church's pastor, said in a news release.

Collins sees divine intervention in this opportunity.

"I do not believe in coincidences; I believe in God-incidences," she told the Ledger-Enquirer. "The timing of the opening at St. Anne-Pacelli at the same time that I was able to retire was just a God-incidence for me. My Catholic faith is the heart and soul of who I am. I attended and graduated from St. Anne-Pacelli and have many wonderful memories of teachers and leaders that helped develop me as an independent person with a total dependence upon God."

Even better, Collins returns to the school where her mother, Cecily Jennings, taught.

"She, by far, was the most influential individual in my life," she said. " Not only do I have the honor of retiring from a system in which I am so very proud to have had a full career, I now have a new place to honor the God who blessed me with it all in the first place. "

In March, McCarthy announced that principal Kristin Turner would be returning to her former position as counselor at the end of this school year.

"I am grateful for Mrs. Turner's dedication and commitment to our students in her role as high school principal over the last seven years," McCarthy said in the release. "I know she will continue to inspire students to achieve academic excellence."

After graduating from Pacelli in 1979, Collins earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Columbus State University, where she was inducted into the College of Education Hall of Fame, and a specialist's degree from Troy State University. She has worked for 30 years in MCSD, including positions as principal of Britt David Magnet Academy and Johnson Elementary School, assistant principal at Britt David and St. Marys Road Magnet Academy, and teacher at Britt David and Davis Elementary School, where she was the school's Teacher of the Year in 1984. Under her leadership, Britt David won several state awards for its academic performance.

"This is an exciting time for our school community to welcome back one of our own graduates," McCarthy said in the release. "Ms. Collins' vast experience in education - both in the schools she has served and in administration - will be a wonderful asset to her at St. Anne-Pacelli."

MCSD superintendent David Lewis would rather Collins stay in the system but he understands why she is leaving.

"While I certainly regret losing someone of Ms. Collins' caliber and expertise, I know from speaking with her that the opportunity to serve her church community and the school from which she graduated is very important to her," Lewis said. "She will be greatly missed, but I wish her all the best in her new role. St. Anne-Pacelli is fortunate to have the benefit of her personal and professional talents."

Reacting to Collins' pending departure, Muscogee County School Board chairman Rob Varner of District 5 said, "What a loss for our district. Ronie has been such great leader and such a a joy and a pleasure to work with. We hate to lose her, but, golly, Pacelli really gets a true professional and such a great person."

Beyond her school-level accolades, Lewis said, Collins made a positive impact on MCSD during her three years as academic chief. "Her implementation of standards-based classrooms and data teams have greatly improved the effectiveness on instruction," he said.

Varner noted Collins also taught the board and the public well.

"She's always been very clear in her ability to explain and answer questions," he said. "Whenever she made presentations, they were always well done and thought out. There was never any ambiguity."

Collins' appointment to academic chief came amid controversy in a different administration. During the March 2012 board meeting, then-superintendent Susan Andrews' recommendation to promote Collins over now-retired elementary education director Karon Greyer barely passed with a 5-4 vote.

In a 2014 interview, Andrews said the opposing board members "thought bringing a principal to the central office in that position was premature. But Karon told me she might be retiring, and the job needed someone longer term."

Varner, who voted for Collins, said Tuesday that her tenure shows it was a good decision.

"I think Dr. Andrews knew what she was doing, not that there wasn't anybody else who couldn't have handled it," he said. "But that's why it's sometimes dangerous for board members, who oftentimes might not know the candidates and don't work day in and day out with the candidate. We have to trust the judgment of the superintendent."

Collins said, "I am truly grateful to Dr. Andrews for her trust and confidence in me. I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure in this district position and will certainly miss my work in public education."

MCSD will advertise the vacancy for chief academic officer, Lewis said, and interview candidates "over the next few weeks."

Mark Rice, 706-576-6272. Follow him on Twitter@MarkRiceLE.

This story was originally published May 19, 2015 at 2:43 PM with the headline "MCSD academic chief to be Pacelli principal."