By Anne Marie Amacher
DAVENPORT —Assumption High School alumna, teacher and former coach Bridget Murphy has been named principal of the Davenport Catholic high school.
Murphy said she applied for the position because she has been a “member of the Assumption family all my life. I remember even in grade school looking forward to officially being a Knight. As an alumna and longtime member of the Assumption faculty, I feel called to continue the tradition of excellence at Assumption through this leadership role.”
After graduating from Assumption, she earned her undergraduate degree in mathematics and psychology with a minor in theology from St. Ambrose University in Davenport. She also has a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Idaho and K-12 principal licensure from the University of Iowa.
“I knew when I became a teacher that my passion was in Catholic education,” Murphy said. “My experience as a student at Assumption definitely helped shaped the person I am today, and I returned to Assumption as a teacher in an effort to help future generations benefit from all that Assumption has to offer.”
Her student teaching and first year of teaching were at Central High School in Davenport. Since then she has been at Assumption.
Besides teaching mathematics from Algebra I to AP Calculus and College Statistics for the past 11 years, Murphy has been an assistant varsity basketball coach and softball coach. She has advised the Assumption Yearbook for the past 10 years and the school newspaper for the past nine years. She also has taught college courses for Scott Community College at the high school.
“My vision of Assumption is that of a school with a sincere basis in faith, a truly collaborative team and a commitment to continual progress. All of these components involve regular personal communication and the building of relationships, and I intend to keep both of these efforts at the top of my list,” she said.
Andy Craig, president of Assumption High School, said the school board believes Murphy has a strong Catholic faith and a vision for Assumption High School that meshes with the school’s ideas of character education, faith and values.
Being an alumna and teacher certainly was an asset, he noted, as Murphy has a good perspective of where Assumption would like to go in the future. “She’s been in our classrooms and is viewed as a great teacher. The board believes she has the ability to be a great leader.
“We are very comfortable with our decision and very excited to have her as principal,” Craig said. “She has strong spirituality, is very involved in education and has lots of life experience being a coach and mom.”
Murphy and husband Kevin have six children and are members of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Davenport. She also is a member of the Life & Family Trust Board at the Women’s Choice Center in Bettendorf.
