David Stofa’s last official title in a Catholic school was “student,” dating back to his days at St. John’s College High School in Washington.
It took a few decades, but that has changed.
Stofa is now the principal at Most Blessed Sacrament School in Ocean Pines, Md. He began in July after a 32-year career in Maryland public schools, nearly all of those spent on the Eastern Shore. He is thrilled to continue in Worcester County.
“I’m absolutely in heaven here,” Stofa said recently.
Stofa grew up in Silver Spring, Md., where he attended St. Bernadette School. He played football at Salisbury State University, and after a few years teaching in Prince Georges County, he returned to the Eastern Shore after getting married. For the past three decades, he had been a teacher, principal and district administrator at the elementary and high school levels. His last job before going to Most Blessed Sacrament was principal at North Dorchester High School for five years.
He likes that everything at Most Blessed Sacrament is rooted in prayer.
“Throughout my career in public education and especially as a principal, when you’re talking to students, there was always a piece missing that I couldn’t bring into the conversation. That piece is the religious and spiritual aspect of it,” he said.
The spiritual aspect, he continued, especially attending Mass, “really rounds out that student’s education. We’re hitting the mind, body and soul. We’re able to use our spirit of faith as part of the educational process, as part of the maturation process.”
Stofa said he was pleasantly surprised last summer when he arrived. He didn’t have to do much hiring. He met with each teacher before the school year began, and their passion for the students and the school’s Catholic identity stood out to him. When the students and parents arrived, they were very welcoming.
His goal at the beginning was to make this more of an observation year, but through the course of events, he realized some action was necessary. The school formed a committee dedicated to safety and security. Most Blessed Sacrament once shared a guidance counselor with St. Francis de Sales School in Salisbury, but the school now has a full-time counselor. He also brought in a full-time reading specialist.
“I think our teachers are really growing and really appreciating the changes that have been put into place,” Stofa said. “I’m not coming in here trying to change the world, but you kind of quickly could see what teachers were asking for.”
He has built relationships with the pastors of the eight parishes that sponsor Most Blessed Sacrament. One was actually a rekindling. Stofa and his wife, Tammy, were married in Caroline County by Father Paul Jennings, now the pastor at St. Luke’s-St. Andrew’s in Ocean City. Father Joseph Cocucci, the pastor at neighboring St. John Neumann Parish, is a regular visitor to the school.
The school has an enrollment of 233 students, Stofa said, a number they would like to build to at least 250. He hopes to meet with lots of interested families when Most Blessed Sacrament has its open house on Jan. 29.
“We’re excited to show off what we do. We’re very proud of what we do,” he said.
Stofa commutes to Ocean Pines each day from Easton, where the family still lives. They are members of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish. If he has to stay late at school, Stofa makes the short trip to Ocean City, where his mother-in-law lives.
He and his wife have three sons, ages 23, 21 and 19. The couple were both athletes at Salisbury State; Tammy Stofa was a field hockey player. They like to get up early to work out, and they spend time with his in-laws. They also like to visit his father in Key West, Fla.
Stofa wants the Most Blessed Sacrament community to know that his commitment to the school is long-term.
“I absolutely adore this place, and I’ve got no plans to go anywhere,” he said. “This has been what I’ve needed.”
