Introducing Our New Principal

Monday, July 22, 2024

Dear Cathedral Community,

I am thrilled to announce that Ms. Jessica Aybar has been appointed to serve as
Principal of Cathedral High School, effective August 12, 2024.

Ms. Aybar comes to Cathedral High School from St. Athanasius School in the Bronx
where she served as Executive Principal and had previously served as principal,
academic dean, and teacher. Ms. Aybar holds a Master of Arts in Educational
Leadership from the University of Notre Dame and a Bachelor of Arts in History from
Queens College. She was born and raised in the Bronx and is a graduate of Cardinal
Spellman High School; and today, Ms. Aybar, her husband, and their three boys are
parishioners at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Shrub Oak, NY.

Several of the many outstanding traits that set Ms. Aybar apart during the principal
search include her keen focus on mission, extensive experience with faculty
development, dynamic personality, and can-do mindset. These qualities, together with
her warmth, thoughtful questioning throughout the school visit, and deep roots in New
York City led our Search Committee and Board of Trustees to unanimously support Ms.
Aybar as the next principal of Cathedral High School.

During her interview process, Ms. Aybar shared: "What makes a school truly Catholic is: Christ at the center, high expectations for academics and behavior, and a positive, diverse, and motivating school culture. Catholic schools give their students the unique opportunity to learn and prepare for both college and Heaven!

Ms. Aybar’s extensive experience in Catholic schools positions her as a strong academic leader who will inspire our students to reach new personal and intellectual heights, work closely with faculty to continue to elevate academic standards, and honor Cathedral’s long legacy of achievement among young women. Her passion for cultivating the gifts of others will help us grow student life and extracurricular opportunities in an environment in which Christ is at the center of everything we do.

Please join me in extending a very warm welcome to Ms. Aybar!

Finally, I am deeply grateful for our Search Committee, who dedicated substantial time
and energy to this important process. My sincere gratitude is due to my fellow members:
Ms. Stacy Gee (Chair of the Search Committee, Trustee of Cathedral High School and
Chair of Finance Committee), Ms. Linda Dougherty (Associate Superintendent,
Archdiocese of New York), Ms. Annie Ortiz (Alumna from the Class of 2000 and P’25),
and Mr. Dominic Uwasomba (P’84 and ’88 and a science teacher at Cathedral for the
last 40 years)..

We look forward to Ms. Aybar’s academic leadership in this new chapter for our beloved
school!

Sincerely yours,

Juliette M. Picciano
President