AURORA—Anthony Wilkinson will begin serving as Rosary High School head of school on July 1. Wilkinson has more than 25 years of experience as a leader in education.

 

Austin Dempsey, chair of the Rosary governing board, made the announcement. 

 

The Dominican Sisters of Springfield staff and operate the high school.

 

Wilkinson comes to Rosary with extensive experience in school administration and a proven record of collaborative leadership. 

 

He will remain principal of Our Lady of Peace School in Darien through the 2017-18 school year. 

 

While principal at St. Joseph School in Bradley, he helped to consolidate St. Joseph with two other Catholic elementary schools and Bishop McNamara High School to form a consolidated system in Kankakee County called Bishop McNamara Catholic School.

 

As Rosary’s first head of school, Wilkinson will work with the member and governing boards, and Rosary’s administration and with the faculty and staff.

 

“Anthony Wilkinson brings a strong faith dimension to his love of education and service to the school community,” said Sister Rebecca Ann Gemma, OP, prioress general of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, and chair of the member board.

 

“I trust he will continue to build on the existing collaborative relationships among the faculty, staff, parents, and alumnae, while providing the students with opportunities to deepen their faith, engage life-long learning and develop as servant leaders,” she added.

 

“We are delighted to have Wilkinson join Rosary as we enter our 56th year of empowering young women to achieve their greatest potential,” Dempsey said. 

 

“Wilkinson’s commitment to excellence and dedication to Catholic principles will assist the faculty and staff in continuing the tradition of academic leadership and innovation for our students,” he said.

 

“Rosary already has an outstanding reputation,” Wilkinson said. “I look forward to working with teachers, staff, students, parents, and alumnae — the entire school community — to grow Rosary toward a strong future of educating Christian leaders in the Dominican tradition. 

 

“By building on the Rosary tradition of academic excellence and pursuit of a passion for lifelong learning, in and out of the classroom, young women who graduate from Rosary High School will be prepared to transform the world,” he said.

 

Wilkinson and his wife Laura have been married 20 years and have twin daughters, Abigail and Katherine, who are 15 years old. They are parishioners of St. Joseph Parish, Downers Grove.

 

As head of school, Wilkinson will take the place of Dr. Tom Choice and of Springfield Dominican Sister Megan Farrelly. 

 

Dr. Choice made a two-year commitment as Rosary’s president in 2016 and Sister Farrelly agreed to serve as principal last fall with the understanding that a new head of school would be hired for the 2018-2019 academic year. 

 

She previously served as Rosary’s principal from 1996-2004.