Interim principal, vice principal named

For The Catholic Week
MONTGOMERY — Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School announced that Eileen Aaron will serve as interim principal for the Middle and High School Campus for the 2020-21 academic year. She will be joined by Laura Reilly as vice principal of academic affairs. Together they will serve as the Middle and High School Campus leadership team that includes current Middle School Assistant Principal Julie Wood.

Aaron is a familiar face to Montgomery Catholic. She is mother to three graduates and two current students, resource teacher at the middle and high school and loving wife to math department faculty member Rick Aaron.
“To say the Aaron family is dedicated to Montgomery Catholic is an understatement,” said incoming Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School President Justin Castanza. “I am thrilled that Eileen will be leading our school. She brings incredible professionalism, unwavering passion and inspiring faith.”
Aaron received her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in English

from John Carroll University in Cleveland and a graduate degree in School Psychology from the University of Akron. Throughout her career she has served as a licensed specialist in School Psychology and counselor at Montgomery’s COPE Pregnancy Center. Aaron has worked as a resource teacher at Montgomery Catholic since 2016.
“My husband and I love the culture and mission of Montgomery Catholic and I am honored to serve in this capacity,” Aaron said. “I’m excited about the leadership team we have established and the faculty and staff we have in place. I am confident that if we continue to seek the will of God we will continue to do great things at Montgomery Catholic.”
New to the faculty and administration, but not new to the Montgomery Catholic family, is Vice Principal for Academic Affairs Laura Reilly. A Montgomery native and Montgomery Catholic graduate, Reilly will be returning home after spending more than 10 years living abroad where she served as a teacher and administrator in international schools worldwide.
“It is both an honor and a privilege to be named Middle and High School Vice Principal,” Reilly said. “I look forward to coming home to Montgomery and joining a school community infused with faith and values.”
Reilly received undergraduate degrees in History and Secondary Education at the College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C. She has completed graduate work at The Citadel, Charleston Southern University, Clemson University and Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey. In addition to earning teaching certifications in History, AP US History and IB Psychology, Reilly is also a National Board Certified Social Studies instructor for grades six through 12 and holds a Leadership Certificate from Harvard EdX – Leaders in Learning. Reilly’s career has taken her from the Charleston County School of the Arts in South Carolina to international schools in Malaysia, Israel, Turkey and Uganda, where she served in a variety of roles, including classroom instructor, principal, school director and head of school. Her most recent position has been as High School Principal at the American Institute of Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico.
“Laura will be a tremendous addition to our vibrant community of educators,” Castanza said. “Her vivacious personality will be contagious for our faculty and students, and she brings a level of professional experience that will propel our program to even greater heights. I am excited to see Eileen and Laura take on the leadership of our middle and high school to continue our mission to instill faith, virtue, and wisdom in our students.”
“Creating outstanding learning experiences, a culture of faith, virtue and wisdom, personal development, and preparing students to be leaders for our rapidly changing world reflect my educational philosophy and speak to the heart of who I am as an educator,” added Reilly. “I look forward to serving the Montgomery Catholic community, getting to know each of you and joining such a dynamic and welcoming team. The purpose of education is to develop greatness in human beings, and together we will guide our students and allow them the opportunities to reach their individual potential.”
Aaron and Reilly will assume their roles following the transition of Castanza, who is currently the Middle and High School Principal, into the role of Montgomery Catholic President. Castanza will succeed Anne Ceasar, who is retiring in July after serving for 16 years.