Terry Tyrrell (Photo courtesy:St. Francis Xavier Catholic School System)
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A few months after a series of shake-ups in the St. Francis Xavier Catholic School System’s upper echelon, the system has named a new president.
Terry Tyrrell will serve as the president of Xavier Catholic Schools, a news release Thursday announced. He most recently served as the president at Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Tyrrell replaces Katie Heim, who was serving as the system’s interim president under a temporary contract through Dec. 31, 2024. She announced in early December she would resign early from her role, amid controversy over the firings of the principal and superintendent.
In mid-November, Mike Mauthe was terminated from his job as Xavier High School principal following an investigation by the Green Bay Diocese Safe Environment Office, which was launched after it received a complaint against Mauthe.
Shortly after Mauthe’s firing, Xavier Catholic School System superintendent, John Ravizza, was also terminated. A statement from Heim said Razza was “identified as having violated policy by failing to meet reporting requirements in connection with the ongoing investigation of Mr. Mike Mauthe.”
One day after Heim’s resignation, a member of the St. Francis Xavier School System’s Board of Trustees also resigned.
Tyrrell has over 27 years of experience in Catholic education, in roles ranging from president and principal to teacher and coach. He says he is excited to lead Xavier into the future.
“I am blessed to have this opportunity and look forward to engaging with Xavier’s incredible faculty, staff, parents, families, supporters, and, of course, students,” Tyrrell said in the release.
Their care and commitment to Catholic faith-based education make Xavier an exceptional Catholic school system and played a significant role in my decision to accept the president position. I am excited about the future and look forward to working together as a school community to provide the highest level of faith-based education for our students.
According to system officials, Tyrrell’s selection followed “an extensive and thorough search process.”
He will officially start as president July 1.
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