April 24, 2024

Jennifer Simmons to become St. Malachy's new principal

By IAN RICHARDSON
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Jennifer Simmons works with a sixth-grade science class at St. Joseph Catholic School in Des Moines. Simmons has taught at St. Joseph for 14 years. She will step into the position of principal at St. Malachy July 1.

As Jennifer Simmons is wrapping up her middle school algebra and science classes at St. Joseph's Catholic School in Des Moines, she and her husband, Chad, are also working on selling their family's house and relocating to Creston.

That’s because Simmons has been named the new principal of St. Malachy School, a position she will assume July 1. After 16 years teaching in Missouri and Iowa, she’s looking forward to the new opportunity to begin working as an administrator.

“It sounds like it’s a wonderful school, and it’s in a great community,” she said. “I’m just really excited about being a part of all of that.”

Simmons will fill the position that has been held by principal John Walsh for the past 22 years. Walsh, who is stepping down, has accepted a position as a secondary math teacher at East Union School.

The Rev. Kenneth Halbur, pastor at Holy Spirit Parish, said that to fill the position, he and the interview committee were looking for someone with a good mix of energy and organization.

“I really appreciated John. He did some wonderful things with the school,” Halbur said. “We were looking for someone who could be that strong face of St. Malachy school in the community.”

He said Simmons fit the description.

“She was a person who came in very well prepared for the position,” he said. “She was very excited, very energetic. Her energy level was one of the things that really stood out.”

For Chad Simmons, this move will be a bit of a homecoming. Chad graduated from Corning High School in 1993.

Simmons said this has kept southwest Iowa — and Creston specifically — in the back of her mind while looking for jobs. St. Malachy is also in the Diocese of Des Moines, which is how she originally heard about the position.

“I’d always kind of kept Creston on my radar,” she said. “I knew there was a Catholic school down there that was in our diocese.”

Simmons said another part of what excites her about the position is a combination of the small-town atmosphere and the school’s history.

“It is a small but mighty Catholic school,” she said. “I can’t wait to be a part of that community.”

Chad and Jennifer have two children. Their daughter, Haley, is 11, and their son, Caden, is 7.