When Emma Bridges was in eighth grade at Holy Name School, one of her teachers, Phyllis Brown, stopped her to talk.
“I talked to God last night,” Brown told the young Bridges. “You’re going to be my replacement.”
As eighth graders do, Bridges laughed and blew it off. She hadn’t thought about doing anything in the education when she got older.
Fast forward several years to December 2014, when Bridges had just graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a major in history and a minor in education. She was waiting tables at Rockhouse at Wolf’s Tavern then, and Brown, with a group of other Holy Name teachers, came in for semester-end gathering.
Brown told Bridges then that she needed to get a knee replacement surgery and she was retiring early.
“Sure enough I replaced Mrs. Brown in (January) 2015,” Bridges said.
That began Bridges’ career at HNS, a time when she has taught middle school social studies, worked as the school development manager, been assistant to the athletic director and most recently, dean of students.
Next school year, she’ll take over as principal.
Bridges, a 2006 graduate of the school, has spent much of her life at HNS and gives credit to it for her life development.
“There’s nothing I take more pride in than this—representing Holy Name School,” she said. “I’m honored to take the position.”
One of her core tasks for next school year will be to increase the core content for HNS learners. She’ll also look for ways to improve intervention programs, which not only means finding help for struggling students but also new ways to challenge students who are doing well.
Bridges takes over for Judy Jenkins, who will move back to teach kindergarten where she spent numerous years before assuming the principal position five years ago.