St. Mary School in Centralia and St. John the Baptist in Smithon will welcome new principals as they begin the school year in coming weeks.

Jason Swann will lead St. Mary. From St. John the Baptist in West Frankfort, Swann said he will register as a parishioner at St. Mary because he feels “it is extremely important for me to be involved and a part of the parish along with the school as an institution.”

During his first year at St. Mary, Swann hopes to continue the tradition of Catholic education in Centralia while strengthening its role as a partner in the community.

“Our purpose is to reflect and teach children Catholic values. This is the church and community’s Catholic school and I want them to understand that we exist to promote the Catholic faith, educate their students and serve the community,” Swann said.

Previously, he spent 11 years at Rend Lake College as a recruiter and a dean. He has two sons.
Roy Monti is becoming at home at St. John the Baptist School in Smithton.

A member of St. Mark Parish in St. Louis, Monti is familiar with the Illinois side of the Mississippi River.
He spent three of his high school years at the former St. Henry Seminary in Belleville.

Graduating from St. Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City, Kan., not many Catholic schools had full-time physical education positions, he said.

When he finished his master’s in administration, “many more opportunities opened up” in Catholic education, “something that is very important to me because I believe our faith builds so much character,” Monti said.