g n i m o C e m Ho Andy Poterucha '01, Principal, St. Francis of Assisi School For Mr. Andy Poterucha '01, it’s about paying it forward and passing along to his students the same lessons instilled in him during his school years at RCS. Fall sports picture day during Mr. Poterucha’s senior year, 2001 Mr. Poterucha visiting with students at St. Francis of Assisi School
Their passion for Rochester Catholic Schools permeates in the classrooms, at student activities, on athletic fields, and across all five RCS campuses. And for this group, it all started back when they themselves walked the hallways, not as faculty and staff but as RCS Eagles. Ten percent of RCS educators got their start in the Rochester Catholic Schools system. Read on to learn what brought them back to the place they say helped shape them into who they are today.
most rewarding and happiest memories of his life at that time. Upon graduating, Mr. Poterucha worked in the finance field but says his love for coaching, helping youth, and his strong connection to RCS were leading him elsewhere. When he met his wife, Cassandra, her parents were both teachers, which allowed him to ask questions and learn more about teaching as a potential vocation. This led him to the decision that it was something he was truly meant to do. He then pursued his Masters in Instruction and his K-12 Principal Licensure at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. He found his way back to RCS in 2013, when he was hired as a Physical Education and Science teacher at Holy Spirit Catholic School. He later became principal of St. Francis of Assisi School - where his RCS journey had initially started. Talk about a story coming full circle! Mr. Poterucha says when he looks back and thinks about why he chose to return to RCS, it was truly because of the educators that helped shape his life. “I want to make an impact on young people’s lives like these educators impacted my life. I want them to be able to show and be proud of who God made them to be!” he said. Mr. Poterucha has five children, all of whom will be attending Holy Spirit Catholic School this fall.
Mr. Poterucha has been connected to the RCS system since he attended St. Francis of Assisi School and St. John’s Elementary School, now the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Middle School, and graduated from LHS in 2001. While in college at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, he also coached high school basketball and track at LHS, which provided him with some of the
“I feel the presence of God in my life more than ever and am very grateful for my own children to experience all that RCS has to offer.” It’s an RCS family legacy that will live on for generations to come!
Summer 2022 | Aquila
5
