My name is Maura Kelly Triebenbacher, and I firmly believe that everyone deserves an opportunity to reach their full potential. I grew up in a family that valued education. As a daughter of Irish Catholic parents, growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and attending Saint Philomena School and Archbishop Prendergast High School in Delaware County, my parents instilled in my siblings and me the Christian values and the importance of being educated. I believe when education is an opportunity, people can excel and succeed.

I have worked in parochial, private, and public education as a regular education teacher, a special education teacher, a principal, a learning specialist, and an adjunct college professor. I have held various leadership roles within each of these positions. Most recently, I served as principal in a K-12 college preparatory, independent school that serves students with learning differences in Charlotte, North Carolina. I have earned my Bachelor's Degree in English and Education from LaSalle University and my Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Immaculata University. I have postgraduate special education credits, and certifications in Special Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education in English and Principal Certification. To further my learning and expertise, I am a doctoral candidate of Interdisciplinary Leadership at Creighton University. I hope to defend my dissertation in late Spring 2020.

I started my journey as a fifth-grade teacher in an inner-city school in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Although learning was difficult for my students, I instilled in them the love of knowledge and the power of being educated while building upon our faith. The classroom became a place where students flourished because I promised safety, trust, and respect. It was evident immediately that increasing reading fluency, developing comprehension skills, and the expectations of a well-written paragraph are essential skills to obtain but must be paralleled with character development and self-awareness. I worked diligently making learning interesting and exciting for students, motivating them to develop their thirst for knowledge and recognize our gifts from God.

Aquinas Academy has a rich history as a faith community and school. I was immediately embraced by the community and sense a peaceful familiarity with the families and the faculty followed. Aquinas Academy is committed to delivering quality instruction and providing an environment that breeds life-long learning. Every student, parent, community member, and faculty member contributes to a strong sense of community and belongingness. The Aquinas Academy community lives the mission through daily actions dedicated to academic excellence and the development of Christ-centered values and principles. As principal, I plan to build upon the school's success in two ways: first, I will continue to develop a community that is bonded in our Faith and provide opportunities for all members of the community to serve God and others, and secondly, I plan to encourage an academic model that goes beyond the what of the curriculum and teaches student how to learn to foster a deeper understanding of content, develops critical thinking and synthesis skills, and advance metacognition.