“Be diligent in serving the poor. Love the poor, honor them, my children, as you would honor Christ Himself.”
St. Louise de Marillac
Catholic Schools Week: Formed in Faith and Learning
By Sebastian Isaacs, Communications Intern
Formed by the Sisters of Charity at St. Lawrence Elementary School, Terri (Cassidy) Holden now serves as superintendent of the Yellow Springs School District.
Terri (Cassidy) Holden’s introduction to the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati came through her Catholic parents, who she says “had a particular love” for the Community. Though her family supported public education and her older sister did not attend Catholic school, Terri’s parents chose to send her to St. Lawrence Elementary School and Seton High School so she could be educated within her faith by strong women who upheld it.
Terri describes herself as a “conscientious, type A, and anxious student” who loved school and threw herself into athletics during her time at St. Lawrence. There, she fondly remembers being taught by Sisters Helen Julia Hahn, Thelma Schlomer, and Patrick Ann O’Connor. In addition to teaching, Sisters Thelma and Patrick coached school athletics, offering guidance and encouragement both in and beyond the classroom.
As Terri moved on to high school, she continued to be shaped by Sister-teachers whose commitment to faith, simplicity, and social justice left a lasting impression. Their example helped form Terri into someone who places great importance on justice and understands faith as something lived out through one’s work and values.
For the past 35 years, Terri has taught and administered in schools throughout the Cincinnati area. Her career began in business, but after realizing it was not her calling, she earned a master’s degree in education from the College of Mount St. Joseph (now Mount St. Joseph University).
After many years teaching English at the former Bloom Middle School in Cincinnati, St. Henry District High School in Erlanger, Kentucky, and West Clermont High School in Batavia, Ohio, Terri returned to the University of Cincinnati—where she had earned her bachelor’s degree—to complete a doctorate in literacy.
Her administrative career included serving as assistant principal at West Clermont High School, followed by leadership roles at Mason and Sycamore High Schools. She went on to serve as principal at Norwood High School and then Winton Woods High School, later working in the Winton Woods district office as Director of Teaching. For the past seven years, she has served as superintendent of the Yellow Springs School District.
“As educators, [the Sisters] placed importance on learning and thinking critically,” Terri says. She has mirrored her Sister-teachers from St. Lawrence by holding high expectations for students and fostering a deep “belief in a better world.”
The “strong, smart, capable women” who educated Terri continue to influence her life, even as she prepares to retire in the coming year. Reflecting on her Catholic school experience, she says those memories are “still so strong for me,” and she hopes the Sisters’ work continues to inspire future generations.
Looking back on her accomplished career, Terri reflects, “The terrible and beautiful thing about education is that you teach so many different students, and you never know if you have an impact.”
She wants her Sister-teachers to know that they did.
thelma teaching 1
S. Thelma Schlomer entered the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati while teaching at St. Lawrence Elementary School in 1971 and had a lasting impact on Terri Holden as both an educator and woman of faith.
helen julia hahn teaching 2
S. Helen Julia Hahn was among the Sister-teachers who positively influenced Terri Holden during her years at St. Lawrence Elementary School.
GRADUATION2
Reflecting on her career in education, Terri Holden expresses gratitude for the Sister-teachers who helped shape her path as an educator.
Contact Us
The post Celebrating Catholic Schools Week: Formed in Faith and Learning first appeared on Sisters of Charity.