ST. MARTINS, Mo. -- With unending energy and a vision for educating children, Principal Eddie Mulholland brings encouragement and motivation to the educators and disciples at St. Martin Catholic School.
In this school, they are not "teachers" and "students," he emphasized.
That's but one of the many innovations Mulholland brought to the rural, parochial school when he took the job two years ago.
After reading Jon Gordon's "The Energy Bus," he asked the educators and parishioners to read it, too. He's also enlisted local motivational speaker Gary Wilbers to speak twice a year on values and vision.
"Every educator has a mission statement and goals for the year," Mulholland said.
He sees his role as a facilitator and looks for the doers to bring projects to reality.
For example, a barren pile of dirt in the courtyard was transformed by the Girl Scouts and science class into a garden with a large cross overlooking it.
"I shared a vision; I didn't dig a lot of holes," Mulholland said.
St. Martin also has seen a dramatic growth in its technology offerings. Tapping into parents and parishioners who work in the IT field, Mulholland built a technology committee.
Soon, donations of funds and equipment turned a storage room into a 30-machine computer lab. And a 30-laptop rolling lab wasn't far behind. Now, the school hopes to go wireless by January.
The next project will be to enclose the breezeway between the two classroom buildings, to better accommodate disciples with special needs.
The band program has been restored, and he sings high praise for the library, only 4 years old.
"The credit goes to the doers," Mulholland said.
A high school, SEC and Big 12 soccer referee for more than 25 years, Mulholland applies his same positive approach when critiquing newer officials as the MSHSAA Soccer Observer. In 2008, he was named MSHSAA's soccer State Official of the Year. And he retired two years ago after 20 years officiating basketball.
"I always recognize the good," he said.
Mulholland frequently reminds everyone of the school's mission of prayer, leadership, love, service and kindness through Catholic education.
"Give nothing other than your best," Mulholland also is known to say.
A diligent and conscientious educator, he visits each classroom about three times a day.
It's not to look over someone's shoulder but to build rapport with the children and see if the educators need anything, even a cup of coffee, said Lynda Pestka, pre-kindergarten aide.
"I'm not in my office a lot," he agreed.
Mulholland also encourages each educator to take a half day and observe another teacher anywhere in Mid-Missouri, while he covers their class.
He has tapped into the parishioners to be involved. The Jaguar Club brings about 40 volunteers to the school each day either to greet disciples in the morning, help serve lunch or to send students home at the end of the day.
Parishioner Sandie Cope's retirement from the IT industry looks much different than she expected due to Mulholland's influence.
"His attitude is always positive, so when he approaches you, you can't say "no' to that," Cope said.
Cope has been at the school nearly every day this school year, helping improve their technology infrastructure.
"He's full of energy, but he's moving in the right direction," Cope said. "He's really making a difference."
One key to Mulholland's success is listening to educators and parents, said Dawn Holt, treasurer of the Home and School Association.
"He's given a new outlook on our school," Holt said. "He has new ideas and new ways of doing things," like using "educators" and "disciples."
"He's very aware of being a good role model of how God wants him to be to the children," Holt continued.
Similarly, Mulholland has several people in his life that he looks to as role models. One of them is Joseph Gulino, former school administrator, author and an educational leadership consultant.
"We view education in the same way," Gulino said. "It's all about the students, making each day better."
An important part of that approach is listening to the wisdom of the past and seeking constant feedback and input from the entire school community.
Mulholland grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and Bishop Ford High School.
An exceptional runner, he attended Marymount College in Salina, Kansas, where he met his wife, Anne Vanderfeltz, who was from Jefferson City.
Mulholland started his career as a middle school science teacher. He has taught at both St. Stanislaus Catholic and St. Joseph Cathedral schools.
It was the Rev. Ed Schmidt, St. Martin's long-time parish priest, who drew Mulholland to the west side.
"He's the disciple who wears Jesus' sandals," Mulholland said of Schmidt.
In return, the pastor said he has found Mulholland to be full of enthusiasm, love and faith.
"He can't hardly talk a sentence without mentioning Jesus," Schmidt said. "That's a pretty important detail to me."
Schmidt also is pleased at how extended members of the parish are involved with the school.
"That's helpful for our disciples; it's good for them to experience people who care," Schmidt said.