From the time Caroline Carlin arrived on the campus of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) just one year ago, she had a plan to promote educational excellence as the Academic Dean. Caroline embraces a healthy tension between collaboration and challenge. As Caroline completes her doctorate degree, she has had widespread exposure to 21st-century pedagogy that compels her to take a new look at the world in which our children take part.
When working with students and parents Caroline displays an absolute commitment to and practice of ethical action. At the core of everything she does is respect for her fellow teachers and students and a fierce sense of the value of the individual. Those who work with Caroline have a sense of shared responsibility. As a result, things get done and done very well.
Her philosophy of education and leadership is rooted in the belief that to teach a child requires a holistic understanding of that child and a concern for their well-being. This paired with the belief that children will reach the bar that you set for them makes for a challenging yet loving environment that inspires students to reach their highest potential. Students who are challenged and loved can figure out their needs and wants and are best equipped to contribute to the society where they will live.
“Growing up Catholic and attending Catholic schools was the single most transformative experience in my life” states Ms. Carlin. “During this challenging time, I rely on the principles and values instilled in me by my teachers in Catholic school such a perseverance, compassion, and an unwavering drive to help others”.
As educators, in order to help our students to reach their highest potential, we must seek to embed opportunities to know them more deeply both in our curriculum as well as to seize opportunities to support our students in their extracurricular endeavors. It is not enough to tell our students we support them and care about them; we must show them. It is our duty to “love not with words or speech but in action and truth.”
About Our Lady of Perpetual Help:
Our Lady of Perpetual Help School is approved by the Tennessee Department of Education, certified by Diocese of Knoxville, and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and has grown from 60 students in 1937 to over 250 in 2020. The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary began the tradition of educational excellence in 1937 which is continued by lay faculty and staff today. The mission of our Lady of Perpetual Help School is to provide a Catholic education that fosters a relationship with God and enables students to become confident, lifelong learners.
