RUJAK NAMED MADONNA PRINCIPAL

Madonna High School is pleased to announce that Mr. Philip Rujak has been selected to be the new principal. For more than 40 years, Mr. Rujak has been involved with Madonna because he has “a deep love for Madonna and its success.” As of July 1, he will serve as the principal of Madonna High School, which beginning in the 2022-2023 school year will serve grades 7-12.

Mr. Rujak holds degrees in Educational Leadership and Administration, Business Administration, and Secondary and Adult Education. Many know him in his coaching capacity at Madonna or in the community working for Hancock County Schools in various teaching and administrative roles at Oak Glen High School and Weir High School. He is eager to begin his new role at Madonna that will call upon all of his combined education and work experience with an intentional focus on “God’s guidance.”

During his interview process Mr. Rujak noted, “A spiritual and faith-based education provides our students with the morals that are so lacking in today’s society and guides them to be virtuous young men and women rooted with good Catholic values, so that they may indeed be the Followers of Christ and Leaders in the World that we expect them to be. I believe my calling is in education and this is the perfect opportunity at the perfect time.”

Mr. Rujak will work with Weirton Catholic Schools President Jamie Lesho, who will oversee all three campuses – Madonna, St. Paul, and St. Joseph the Worker Schools – in addition to his role as principal of St. Paul School; and Recheal Fuscardo, principal of St. Joseph the Worker School and interim Dean of Students of the 7-8^th grade middle school within Madonna High School.

Mr. Rujak, Mr. Lesho, and Mrs. Fuscardo have a great love for Catholic education and the Weirton community. Pastors Rev. Dennis Schuelkens and Rev. Binu Sebastian of St. Joseph the Worker/Sacred Heart of Mary, and St. Paul parishes respectively, look forward to working with the leadership team and their advisory boards to uphold the traditions of the schools and strategically plan to strengthen their mission to provide an elite Catholic education that encourages all students through faith, character, and academics to be leaders now.