St. Ed’s names new principal

A longtime educator in Elgin public schools has been named principal at St. Edward Central Catholic School, where he has served as assistant principal and dean of students for the past five years.

Rich Thomas will take over day-to-day operations at the high school beginning July 1 when the school’s principal and superintendent, the Rev. David Peck, assumes new duties for the Diocese of Rockford. Peck will become the new pastor of St. Rita Catholic Church in Rockford.

“The school community is very thankful for Rev. Peck’s service. We feel the school and the mission have moved forward,” said the Rev. Edward Seisser, St. Edward’s school council president. “We are very happy that Mr. Thomas is becoming the head of our school, and the school board and the whole community is excited for the opportunity. We look forward to great things in our future.”

Seisser said the changes are part of a rotation as Peck returns to the pulpit. In the late 1990s, Peck was a pastor at St. Patrick Parish in Rochelle.

Thomas, who never became a priest, was a social studies teacher in Elgin Area District U-46 high schools, as well as dean of students and assistant principal. He also for a time in the mid-1980s worked on Wall Street, said David Greer, director of development at St Edward.

“We felt that with his service and the way he has handles his responsibilities, this would be a smooth transition from assistant principal to principal,” Greer said.

Thomas retired from teaching at Elgin High School in 2004 before joining the St. Edward administration about two years later, Seisser said.

Thomas did not return a phone call seeking comment.