Fenwick gained a new principal this year, Mr. Mark Rasar. The Wick had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Rasar and learn a few fun facts about the new leader of our high school.
Mr. Rasar is from Peoria, Illinois. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history at Southern Illinois University and his education certification from North Park University. He started his school career as a teacher at Lincoln Park High School. This will be his first year working at a private school.
Mr. Rasar said that he enjoys starting his morning by listening to the daily Gospel on the drive to school, and after that, he listens to his YouTube music super mix which “usually features anything from Coldplay to the Beastie Boys to Bruce Springsteen.” He says that the reason for his switch to private school was a switch to Fenwick. The community was drawing him in for many reasons including his faith and the values and goals of Fenwick. Mr. Rasar believes that even though public and private operate similarly, Fenwick offers an opportunity for encountering Christ, growing in faith, and achieving high standards.
Principal Rasar’s role model in faith is his mother. He said that she would say the rosary daily with her kids and take them to Mass often, allowing them to foster a relationship with their faith community. This led to his reasoning for more Masses this year. He says, “As a Catholic school we need to make sure that our Catholic identity is first and foremost, and we need to have a foundation in our faith.” He believes that our Masses unite the Fenwick community, students, faculty, and staff.
Mr. Rasar also added his thoughts on Fenwick and its plan for the future. He knows that as the world changes, we are not always sure what it will look like. When asked about our future college admission plans, he said that he wants to make sure Fenwick is adjusted for the changing world, even if we don’t know the specifics. Preparing our students for whatever happens is his goal. He also let us know his thoughts on increasing the longevity of teachers at Fenwick. He said, “What we can do here is give teachers the resources they need, let them know they are valued and supported, and hold high expectations.” He believes that teachers are first and foremost teaching students, not classes. Their goal is to educate young minds. It isn’t just a task like building a car; it is a process of shaping someone.
Mr. Rasar says that he has most enjoyed seeing students learn and communicate. He has noticed outstanding leadership amongst Fenwick students, especially the young women. He believes that they will go on to leadership positions worldwide and spread that confidence everywhere. Throughout his time in schools, he coached many teams, sports, Junior Statesmen of America, and Academic Decathlon, but if he had to pick one, he would love to coach the Fenwick basketball team. Mr. Rasar also wishes to support the expressive arts community at Fenwick. He says that the most important step is “to make sure they have everything they need. They need to be able to get different costumes and props, and take away any barriers in order to allow the performances to thrive.” He also encourages students to show up for these performances and support their classmates.
Finally, we asked Mr. Rasar what he can uniquely bring to the Fenwick community, to which he answered “I think I bring an outside perspective on what can move a school that is already in a cycle of excellence to the future of what excellence can become. Sometimes people forget that excellence is something that is always being strived for; it’s not a destination. It is a constant reflection on yourself and progress as an institution.”
To wrap up, we asked Principal Rasar some fun questions. His favorite television shows range from Cheers to The West Wing to Seinfeld to Friends. He wants to let us know that he is a Packers fan, that he has a collection of shoes (especially Jordan’s), and that he uses no hair products. Lastly, he said that the Fenwick student body should get excited for more fun community events. “You all come from 68 different zip codes so when you’re here we want you all to be connected. The time outside of academics is so crucial to making Fenwick what Fenwick is, athletics, clubs, performing arts, and more. All of those things are enjoyed by 85-90% of the students at Fenwick.” He wants to especially point out that the class of 2024 should aim to have a joyful senior year after the losses of their 8th grade and freshman years.
We hope you all learned something new and have a conversation starter to discuss with Mr. Rasar if you see him around, whether that be your favorite music, TV show, or sports team. Fenwick extends a warm welcome to Mr. Rasar!
