By Nicole Davis
Roncalli High School Principal Chuck Weisenbach said he’s feeling humbled, honored, excited and little bit nervous since receiving the news that he was chosen to serve as the school’s next president. He will begin this new role on July 1.
“At this point in my career, I really am trying to be focused daily on understanding what God’s will is for me and having the courage to live that out daily,” Weisenbach said. “That really is my goal as president.”
Weisenbach is a 1979 graduate of Roncalli. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Butler University and a Master’s in Education also from Butler University. He has worked for Roncalli for 37 years as a coach, assistant principal and 26 of those years as principal. Under his leadership as principal, Roncalli High School has been recognized by the United States Department of Education as a Blue-Ribbon School of Excellence three times.
Weisenbach succeeds interim President Father Bob Robeson and President Dr. Joe Hollowell who retired in June 2020 and had served a 25-year term as president.
Weisenbach, counselors and teachers pose at the main entrance of Roncalli High School, giving out senior boxes. (Submitted photos)
“Chuck Weisenbach is an incredibly talented person who is always thinking ahead,” stated Father Robeson in a press release. “He is not afraid to challenge himself and those he serves. He is a great spokesman and leader for the Roncalli High School community”
Having worked closely with these presidents for the past 26 years, Weisenbach said he has a fair grasp as to what the job entails.
“Our former president, Dr. Hollowell, would tell you our strategic plan becomes the goals of the president,” Weisenbach said. “Our community will go into strategic planning this fall. That’s a community-wide effort. That strategic plan sets out what will be my goals for the next three to five years.”
As principal, Weisenbach worked to develop a close working relationship with the community, each of the 14 parishes in the South Deanery, and each of the departments’ chairpeople.
“I think going back over the years, developing such a strong partnership with that group has allowed us to build our academic programming to where it is today,” he said. “I would credit those department chairs for really developing a strong programming for all of our kids. Our school serves a wide range of children and I think we’ve been able to establish academic programing to meet the needs of all of our kids.”
He intends to implement that same strategy into his new role as president has already begun reaching out to staff and looking at financials to prepare for the transition.
One of his, and the school’s, first tasks is to form a search team for the new principal. Weisenbach said ideally, they’d love to have selected a new principal by April 1, no later than May 1.
graduation mass of 2020.
Getting to know Chuck Weisenback…
What do you enjoy doing in your free time? We’ve been beyond blessed to have a lake home in Greensburg, Ind., for the las 15 to 16 years. Come summer, spring and fall we enjoy having our family, friends and guests with us there. That brings my wife and I our greatest joy. We have three children, a three-year-old granddaughter and a second grandchild on the way. We do spend as much time as we can with them. I also love going to Roncalli events. We go to plays, musicals, games. If we’re not at a Roncalli event, we’re with our family and friends.
Favorite book: I do try to read a lot. There’s a book called Make the Big Time Where You Are that I read over 25 year ago. Everyone has their own idea what the big time is. The book says you can make the big time right where you are. That book always impacted me. And the author said if you tell people have a great day, you are telling people the day will be great or it won’t. (Because of that statement) here at Roncalli when I do the announcements, I always end it by saying ‘lets make today a great day.’
Favorite movie: Apollo 13 was a big one for me. My father-in-law was flight surgeon for Apollo 13. Him having lived it and telling inside stories, he would tell you the movie was conveyed very well.
Favorite sport: I was head basketball coach for years before I got into administration. When I became principal, I was introduced to all of these other sports, and I really enjoy watching all of them.
