Tim Cairy enjoying heavenly time as Ss. Neumann-Goretti’s president

The East Passyunk Crossing location is thriving under the alum’s leadership.

“I love having the chance to serve my faith,” Tim Cairy said during a recent rare break from his duties as the president of Ss. Neumann-Goretti High School, 1736 S. 10th St., “Doing so here makes everything extra special.” 

The proud professional just passed his initial anniversary as the East Passyunk Crossing-based parochial institution’s overseer, helping to guide close to 600 students in their spiritual and educational formation. The site is marking its 20th year as a co-ed entity, with Cairy celebrating  30 years as a product of St. John Neumann High School, formerly 2600 Moore St., the all-boys’ learning destination that merged with the all-girls’ St. Maria Goretti High School at the latter’s address. Though he needed some time to adjust to the space’s environs, he had known from his first day the strength of the voice that led to such a vocation. 

“I always want to welcome students and produce graduates who will have immediate encouragement that they will be able to go off into the real world and be successful,” Cairy said, commending the faculty and staff who assist him in providing pupils with a great academic program and extracurricular opportunities to further their school integration. “I think we need to foster teenagers’ curiosity and, with that in mind, I want this school to be an integral part of the city.” 

Drawing enrollees from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, Ss. Neumann-Goretti has a diverse student body that Cairy contends is initiating, or strengthening, with respect to many learners, an understanding of the variety of cultures within the world. 

“Whatever I’m doing, I’m excited about learning,” the 48-year-old, who nearly three weeks ago swapped duties with the senior class president Jemima Oduwole and became a student again, soaking up literature studies, among other tasks, said of his loyalty to improvement. 

With seeking betterment as his creed, Cairy sought the Ss. Neumann-Goretti presidency after more than 24 years working at Widener University, through which he earned his Bachelor’s degree in history and Master’s degrees in secondary education and public administration. Having last been the postsecondary site’s executive director of student success, he did not require a baptism by fire to become immersed in seeing students succeed, and he is excitedly plotting the next school year, gushing about the implementation of a business center that will help students to broaden their financial literacy knowledge. 

“There’s just an irrepressible part of me that wants to know how I can help, how I can support people, especially those with so much ahead of them,” Cairy explained. “God willing, as an employee, I hope to see the rest of my days spent here.” 

For more information on Ss. Neumann-Goretti High School, visit https://neumanngorettihs.org/.