Before Gina Ashley became the principal of Divine Mercy Catholic School in Faribault, she dedicated 23 years to teaching.
“I’ve been in Catholic education for 37 years. I spent 23 years in the classroom, mostly teaching preschool, third grade, and fourth grade, though I also taught a little kindergarten and first grade. Moving between grades kept me engaged and prevented complacency,” she recalls.
Ashley’s transition to leadership was unexpected. Thirteen years ago, then-pastor Father Kevin Finnegan invited her and another veteran teacher to a meeting, where he proposed a co-principal leadership model to the pair. Both would continue teaching part-time, and both accepted the new arrangement.
While one year was enough for her principal counterpart, who went back to the classroom the next year, Ashley was surprised to discover her passion for leadership.
“I didn’t want to go back to a revolving door of principals, and I realized I liked the job, so I applied for the position,” she says. “Despite not having my master’s or specialist degree at the time, I was hired after a rigorous interview process. In the next five years, I earned my advanced degrees.”
A community committed to success
As principal of Divine Mercy, Ashley’s leadership is characterized by her interpersonal skills and dedication to the community.
“Getting along with people has always been easy for me. My experience as a teacher and preschool director helped me navigate relationships with teachers, parents and my pastor. Knowing the community well after 23 years here was a significant advantage,” she notes.
One of Ashley’s primary motivations is her deep commitment to the school’s success.
“When I took on the role, the school was experiencing declining enrollment,” Ashley says. I wanted to leave this place better than I found it. I’m happy to say that enrollment has steadily increased and remains stable.”
Also of note is Ashley’s leadership in the construction of a new school building, which she describes as a “100-year project,” referring to the old school building, which was constructed in 1925.
Ashley’s connection to the community and her ability to build relationships have been vital to her success.
“Knowing the community well helped me help others understand the dynamics within it,” she says. “Every school is like a family, and families are messy. Conflict can’t be avoided, but it’s a lot easier to manage conflict when people trust one another. I’d built a lot of trust in my 23 years at the school before becoming principal, which helped me navigate a lot of tough situations.”
Balancing her professional and personal life has been a challenge, but Ashley has managed it with the support of her family.
“My whole family has sacrificed for Divine Mercy, and I see that in them, and I am thankful that they did,” she says. “Despite the demands, I made it a priority to be present at my children’s events. My daughters also became involved in the school, working as teacher assistants and in summer programs.”
Working for the Lord
For those discerning Catholic school leadership, Ashley offers the following advice: “If they feel any inkling of a call to Catholic school leadership, they owe it to themselves and to God to actively investigate it. Being the leader of Divine Mercy for the last 13 years has been a rare privilege. I would hate for someone to miss out on a similar life-changing opportunity.
“When we think about our lives and what we want to accomplish, doesn’t it always boil down to wanting to do something good and beautiful for the Lord? For the world? Isn’t that what we’re looking for? The certainty that we’ve made a difference? Catholic school leaders are given the opportunity to change lives and make a difference every single day.”