Karen Haas

My name is Karen Haas and I have the exciting job of being the principal at St. John Paul II Catholic School.  I am very committed to St. John Paul II Catholic School. Before becoming principal in 2010, I taught at our school for nineteen years. During this time I celebrated the growth and many positive changes that have taken place here. It has been a wonderful experience to be a part of the growth of our school from an enrollment of approximately one hundred in 1991, to two hundred sixty-two today! The joint project between St. Paul and St. Joe Hill Parish that allowed our school to expand its facilities by adding more classrooms and a gymnasium in 1999 was a great blessing.  The addition of 7th and 8th grades to our school in 2017-18 and 2018-19, and the building of the new church on the horizon bring a lot of excitement! Being principal at an Indiana Department of Education Four Star School, and Blue Ribbon National School of Excellence is a great honor. It is my goal to lead the school to further successes.

As principal I work to guide the teachers and provide them with resources from the Archdioceses of Indianapolis Office of Catholic Schools and the Indiana Department of Education to help them best meet the needs of our students.  Along with the important religious studies and sacramental preparation at St. John Paul II Catholic School we provide a strong academic curriculum based on the Indiana Curriculum and National Common Core Standards.  Our ISTEP and IREAD3 scores are outstanding! Several grades and subject areas achieved 100% passing in 2013. Also, 100% of our students have passed the IREAD3 test every year! (The scores can be viewed on our website.) Our school was one of only 311 to be awarded the Four Star School Award by the Indiana Department of Education for our ISTEP scores being in the twenty fifth percentile in 2013. Woven throughout all subject areas and all parts of our day are the Christ centered beliefs that are so important to all of us.  I am happy to be part of the wonderful moral and academic foundation the children receive at St. Paul Catholic School that is such a strong building block for future success. 

While the academic standards are being achieved we also have a lot of fun at our school to keep it interesting and exciting for the children.  Some of the activities that have become hallmarks of St. John Paul II Catholic School are the Living Rosary, Halloween Costume Parade, All Saints Day Celebration, Santa’s Secret Shop, Christmas Programs, numerous Catholic Schools Week activities, Passion Play, May Crowning, the Sixth Grade Retreat and Camping Trip, Middle School trips to Chicago and Washington D.C. and Derby Activities

Personal information: I am a life-long resident of Sellersburg, so St. Paul and St. Joe Hill Churches have been an important part of my life. I received all of my sacraments at St. Paul.  My First Communion class picture taken on the altar steps at St. Paul is displayed in my office today.  I married my husband, Bryant, on that same altar twenty-nine years ago.  I enjoy attending Mass on both campuses, and I serve as a lector.

I received my Bachelors and Masters degrees in Elementary Education from Indiana University Southeast. While completing my thirty hours beyond my master’s degree I completed coursework at Indiana University Southeast, and a practicum experience at St. Paul Catholic School that allowed me to obtain my Elementary Administration and Supervision degree in 2002.

Outside of the time committed to St. John Paul II Catholic School I enjoy spending time with my family.  My husband Bryant is a Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard and has deployed to  Afghanistan and most recently to Jordan. His time away from our family strengthens my understanding of the blessings that a family brings.  My children Kelsey and Brad attended St. Paul Catholic School. They both enjoyed many academic, sports, and theatre opportunities at Providence High School. Kelsey is a graduate of Butler University in Indianapolis, and is now in the Physician Assitant Masters program there. Brad is a junior at IU in Bloomington.