By Amanda Hudson, News Editor
ROCKFORD—Dr. Colleen Transier began service in the Diocese of Rockford Education Office as Assistant Superintendent of Operational Vitality on Jan. 5, bringing enthusiasm and energy to the position.
She’ll be working closely with Dr. Kim White, Superintendent of Schools, to help diocesan schools move toward Bishop David Malloy’s vision, she says, noting that schools are an extension of the mission of the Church.
“Working in partnership with pastors and school leaders, Dr. White and I will support continuous improvement initiatives in alignment with the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools” of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), Dr. Transier says.
“We are working to implement the Catholic Curricular Standards in all schools in alignment with the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) accreditation so that faith is integrated into all content areas and aspects of teaching and learning,” she adds. WCEA is the largest Catholic accrediting agency in the country.
Dr. Transier most recently worked as Assistant Professor of Teacher Education at Concordia University, Chicago. Her career has included Catholic and secular education colleges and universities, academies and schools in the Midwest as well as schools and academies in California.
“I have served for over two decades in Catholic education as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent of curriculum and assessment, and served as an assistant professor in multiple Catholic universities,” she says in summary.
Her education includes a Bachelor of Science, Education (2002) from Illinois State University; a Master of Arts, Education (2009) at California State University; and a Doctor of Education (2012) also at California State.
Dr. Transier calls it “most exciting” to again be back in Catholic schools and serving and supporting principals and education commissions (school boards) as well as devoting time and energy to marketing and enrollment work.
Catholic education, she says, has been important to her family, including her parents and brother. She has two nephews who attend Holy Angels School in Aurora.
Her own Catholic school education, especially at Montini High School in Lombard, she says, “changed my life (and) has formed me into the person I am.”
