Carmel Catholic gets new principal

The familiar, fatherly figure of the Rev. Robert Carroll will soon be missing from the hallways of Carmel Catholic High School.

Carroll, who has served as principal of the Mundelein co-ed private school since 1994, is leaving for other religious and academic pursuits at the end of this academic year.

"It's sad," said sophomore Emily Weismann, 15, of Lake Zurich. "I think he's really great as a principal and as a priest. He applies his homilies to us and knows the high school dynamics."

Associate principal Lynne Strutzel, who has worked more than 29 years in various capacities at Carmel, will take Carroll's place as of July 1.

While members of the school community of more than 1,440 students have known for a while Carroll is leaving, Thursday was the first public announcement. They described him as a competent administrator, worldly and an all-around nice guy.

"To me, he was someone that would put smiles on peoples' faces … always talked to his students and knew his school really well," said freshman Jasmine Minor, 14, of Mundelein.

Carroll declined to be interviewed for this story.

That humility is characteristic of Carroll, said Albert Salvi, a Wauconda-area attorney whose family members have been long-time patrons of the school.

"He is a saint," said Salvi, who has two kids in freshman and senior year at Carmel. "He never wanted to be the center of attention. He is a wonderful man and he did a great job at Carmel. We are sorry to see him go, but he deserves a little time on the golf courses of America. His legacy is that Carmel is one of the top-notch high schools in the country."

Under Carroll's leadership, Carmel earned three of its four U.S. Department of Education No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon awards -- 1985, 1996, 2002 and 2007.

Only five high schools in the nation have earned as many blue ribbons, and Carroll has been considered among the top principals in the country.

Carroll also was principal of Chicago's Mount Carmel High School when it was awarded the first blue ribbon for a private school in the 1983-1984 academic year.

"He's an excellent teacher," said Mary Iannucilli, assistant superintendent for high schools for the Archdiocese of Chicago's Office of Catholic Schools, who has known Carroll for 10 years. "I think what he's done is develop a beautiful faith community. When you walk into that building, what you feel is an energy and a synergy that is alive in terms of feeling a community. It's palpable."

Carmel junior Ryan Kloss, 17, of Libertyville said that sense of kinship is what endears Carroll to students.

"He's going to be missed by most of the students and faculty," Kloss said. "I think he really connected to the students and many of the people he came across."

A farewell celebration honoring Carroll is planned for May 18. A Mass is scheduled for noon in the Patrick A. Salvi Arena, followed by a 1 to 3 p.m. reception in the school's lounge/cafeteria.