The Madeleine Choir School has a new principal this year

Friday, Aug. 31, 2018

SALT LAKE CITY—Megan Randazzo, the new principal at The Madeleine Choir School, is eager to bring her years  of professional development learning in the public school system to the school.

“I’m excited to be back as an employee of the Catholic school system again,” Randazzo said. “Without my experience in public schools, I wouldn’t have as much to offer.”

A former teacher at the school, Randazzo grew up locally, attending J.E. Cosgriff Memorial Catholic School and then Judge Memorial Catholic High School before obtaining a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Carroll College in Helena, Mont.

Randazzo taught at the choir school for six years before pursuing a master’s degree in special education. She went on to work for Canyons School District as an instructional coach so she could use her special education background and work more at a school-wide level, she said.  

Over the past six years in that role she has developed skills in curriculum, instruction, academic and behavioral support for students, as well as in the areas of adult learning and professional development for teachers. She also designed and facilitated online courses for teachers for the State Board of Education and taught a reading endorsement course sponsored by Utah Valley University and Canyons School District.

This past year Randazzo has been working as a consultant for the Madeline School to help teachers with their professional development goals. When the position of principal became available she thought her educational background might help the school meet the students’ diverse needs, and decided to apply for the job.

“It has been a very busy summer,” said Randazzo, who started her new job June 12. “One of our big focuses has been on building the Catholic identity into our social and emotional learning and behavior management programs. … We want the students, families and teachers to be building skills grounded in kindness, respect and empathy for others.”

One of Randazzo’s goals is to use more fully student assessments to ensure each student is receiving the instruction he/she needs to excel. She has hired a second intervention specialist to help in that endeavor.

Randazzo also plans to implement a consequence hierarchy approach – her staff will teach students in advance the outcome of negative actions in the classroom while encouraging appropriate behavior in positive ways. Teachers are also being instructed in social and emotional strategies to help provide a consistent educational experience for the students.

“I look forward to bringing and guiding those enhancements to the school,” she said. “I have amazing teachers that bring a variety of experience and skills that will help us.”

Her biggest goal, Randazzo said, is to bring quality professional development to the school’s 31 teachers and specialists.

Since Randazzo was a teacher at the school, the student population has doubled in size to around 400. The choir program has also grown, and Randazzo is committed to ensuring different levels of music opportunity for the students who participate in the program in grades five to eight.  She plans to continue to help provide opportunities for students who do not sing to serve as altar servers, lectors and in other roles at the cathedral.

“Catholic schools offer something very unique in their Catholic identity and the values that we teach,” Randazzo said. “We just have to continue to make our educational programming as up-to-date and meaningful as possible.”

Randazzo and her husband Jimmy, a data analyst at Intermountain Healthcare, attend St. Ambrose Parish, where she has been a Eucharistic minister. They have two children: Ruby, 4, and James, 2.

“Megan is a product of Catholic education here in Utah,” School Superintendent Mark Longe said. “She is bringing back her wonderful skills as an administrator and teaching coach. We look forward to having her back in our system.”