Saint Mark’s High School President Tom Fertal is moving on and will leave the school effective June 1 for an undisclosed “dynamic new challenge in Catholic education,” according to Lou De Angelo, superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Wilmington.
Stephen DiGennaro, current principal at Saint Mark’s, will serve as interim president, according to De Angelo. DiGennaro had announced earlier this year that he was leaving his job as principal but has agreed to stay on as president until a replacement for Fertal is found.
When reached Friday, Fertal said he wanted to defer comment on his future plans until a later date.
“We join the Saint Mark’s community in its gratitude to Mr. Fertal for his almost five years of service to the high school as principal and then president,” De Angelo in a statement. “We wish him many blessings in his future endeavors.”
Fertal’s tenure at Saint Mark’s will be remembered in part for its 65 percent enrollment increase. As of Oct. 1, Saint Mark’s enrollment was 829 students. It was 501 when he arrived in 2019.
“As you have been aware, a search process for the principal of Saint Mark’s High School has been under way,” De Angelo said in a letter to members of the Saint Mark’s community. “The process is drawing to a conclusion, and I am very pleased to report that there are several extremely impressive and qualified candidates competing for the position. We will be completing second-round interviews this week. All of the candidates being considered have extensive backgrounds in school administration, and each has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing the faith journey of our students. We are blessed to have so many accomplished leaders aspiring to serve the Saint Mark’s community and hope to make an announcement very soon.”
De Angelo thanked DiGennaro for agreeing to fill in.
“Mr. DiGennaro has the full and utmost confidence of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington and the Saint Mark’s Advisory Board,” he said. “He is a proud Spartan alumnus from the class of 1989. Mr. DiGennaro has served the students of Delaware for over 30 years in multiple capacities, with 20 of those years in school administration. He is fully dedicated to fulfilling the mission of Saint Mark’s High School and has proven himself to be a dynamic leader for the Spartan community.”
Saint Mark’s is a coed school in Pike Creek and is the only local high school run under the auspices of the Diocese of Wilmington Catholic Education Department.
