Vicksburg Catholic School, comprising St. Aloysius High School and St. Francis Xavier Elementary School, will have a new administrative team in the coming school year.

Former Chief Administrator Jennifer Henry has stepped down to return to a staff position. The duties she has performed will be split between St. Aloysius principal Michele Townsend and newly appointed St. Francis principal Mary Arledge.

“We’re excited to have our first year of new leadership on our 150th anniversary of Catholic education,” Townsend said as the two outlined details of the plan. “We’re ready to continue and make this an even stronger school.”

Previously, Henry had responsibility over both schools, serving as principal of the elementary school while also overseeing Townsend’s role as high school principal. In addition, she managed physical operations including the cafeteria and maintenance of the buildings, controlled the budget and worked with the schools’ advisory council.

“Instead of that, we’ve eliminated the chief administrator position and split those responsibilities between Mary and me,” Townsend said. Each will have responsibility for her school’s teachers and students, and both will work with the VCS advisory council.

The decision was made by the diocese and approved by Monsignor Patrick Farrell, pastor of St. Paul parish, and Sister Deborah Hughes, S.S.J., superintendent of Catholic schools.

Arledge has been acting principal at St. Francis since Henry took a leave of absence in November because of an illness in her family.

The appointment was fortuitous for Arledge, who was enrolled at the time in an educational leadership program, via summer school and online courses, to train for administration.

“My internship turned into an acting principalship and was excellent on-the-job training,” Arledge said. “The teachers were very supportive. We are very much like a large family and everybody is very supportive of each other.”

Arledge, originally from New Orleans, had taught first grade at St. Francis for 11 years. Townsend is a city native who graduated from Vicksburg High School in 1992, joined VCS as a guidance counselor in 1999 and became principal in 2005.

“Jennifer and I had been researching this for a number of years,” said Townsend. “The chief administrator position is so overwhelming — to do all that plus successfully be the principal of the school plus successfully have a home life.”

Arledge said from the outside little will appear to have changed. “We’ll run pretty much as it has been,” she said.

Henry is looking forward to “returning to her first love” as a high school theology teacher and Director of Mission Integration for VCS, Townsend said.

“Our Vicksburg community is blessed and fortunate to have Ms. Townsend and Ms. Arledge leading our school in these challenging times,” Henry wrote in a letter to parents. “We have much to look forward to as they lead (VCS) into its 150th year and beyond.”