When Amy Gallie began her tenure as Trinity High School principal in August 2020, it was a scary time in the world.
Not only did Gallie have to handle starting a new position after several years as principal of the American School Foundation in Mexico City, but there were also the logistics of the COVID-19 pandemic to navigate.
“It was pretty terrible for all of us,” said Gallie, who will finish at Trinity on June 30. “What I’m proud of for Trinity is we were able to stay open. In 2020-21, about 30 percent were remote learners and 70 percent of the girls were in the school.
“It was a lot of work to get our building ready, moving desks six feet apart, and technology that had to be set up to teach the students in the room as well as the students at home.”
It was a lot of work, no doubt, but something Trinity president Dr. Tina Taylor-Ritzler appreciated, since she had a sophomore and a senior at school that fall.
“I remember the first day of school, dropping them off … what is going to happen?” Taylor-Ritzler said. “She did an outstanding job keeping everyone safe during the pandemic. There was never a point school had to close. I am so grateful my daughters had in-person uninterrupted instruction.”
But all things must pass, and Gallie, who’s finishing her 12th year as a high school principal in Mexico City and then Trinity, is looking forward to her next steps.
She wants to pursue other professional opportunities in a different sphere, not in a school.
“Both of my daughters graduated from Trinity, so this is a good life moment, and I’m an empty nester so it’s time to try something new,” she said, adding she is bilingual in Spanish and a certified executive coach.
Taylor-Ritzler said Trinity launched the search for a new principal the week before Thanksgiving break. It is working with two talent recruitment consultants, one Catholic and the other focused globally. Trinity assembled a search and selection committee, including teachers and staff, academic leaders and a member of its board of directors.
The recruitment cycle will close before the end of the month, she added. From there, 10 semifinalists will be chosen for virtual meetings, with two to three finalists brought in for a “day in the life,” where candidates will sit in on classes, meet with students and interface with faculty and staff.
It appears the job is a popular one.
“We have a robust pool of applicants already,” Taylor-Ritzler said. “They come from far and wide, other countries, other states and down the street.”
What is she seeking in a principal?
“I’m looking for a visionary partner,” she said. “I’m a community and organizational psychologist, and process matters a lot, and how we lead is critical to the success of the organization.”
Gallie is assisting the search process as an advisor; when her successor is chosen, she will aid in that person’s transition, which includes school operations, like the bell schedule that was instituted this year.
“Trinity has had the same schedule for 30-ish years,” Gallie said. “We wanted things to be better. We wanted to look at the way we teach classes that involve skills, like math and world languages. The way our block schedule worked in the past, students did not take these classes over the course of a year. They would take them in two blocks over a semester.
“Now math and world languages are taught every other day. They start in August and finish in June. I feel like this is a much better approach to keep continuity going over time and not have gaps in their learning.”
As she ventures out, Gallie also said that as an International Baccalaureate school, Trinity’s future is bright.
“I think the opportunity for an all-girls school is something all girls need,” she said. “Giving a place where they feel comfortable to make academic mistakes and fail forward is particularly important for girls.”
