Meet our five newest principals

By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic

MIAMI | Following are brief biographical sketches of five educators who took over as principals of archdiocesan Catholic schools this year. Three of them are graduates of South Florida Catholic schools, another attended Catholic schools in Kansas, and the fifth taught at a Catholic school in the Philippines.

Amanda Padierne Delgado, Sts. Peter and Paul, Miami

Delgado is a Cuban American, born and raised in The Roads community of Miami. She is a graduate of Sts. Peter and Paul School and Our Lady of Lourdes Academy. At the University of Florida, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in public relations and communications with a minor in sociology.

She began her career in education when she returned to Miami, teaching in both elementary and middle schools, while pursuing a master’s degree in education with a specialization in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Nova Southeastern University. During these years, she taught in diverse communities with varying educational programs throughout Miami-Dade County Public Schools. She transitioned to an Instructional Coach, supporting teachers and leaders in the areas of mathematics and science, and completed a Specialist in Education degree from Florida International University in Leadership and Policy Studies.

In 2011, she began her career as an administrator, opening a kindergarten through eighth grade charter school in Broward County as assistant principal and transitioning to principal the following year. She served in this capacity at two charter schools. Although she has always felt at home in the classroom, her position as principal is where she has been most fulfilled in her life’s work. The principalship provides her the chance to work collaboratively with teachers daily, while also remaining connected to young students’ learning and growing in the classroom.

Delgado is certified by the state of Florida in educational leadership, K-6 education and ESOL. She also has earned National Board Certification for Teaching, the highest certification a teacher may obtain.

Her goal is to continue the traditions of her alma mater, while exploring new ways to deliver on its mission of empowering and enabling students spiritually and academically to live the Gospel message and the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church while facing the challenges of the 21st century.

Kevin Molina, Archbishop McCarthy High, Southwest Ranches

Molina is a product of Catholic education, having attended St. Theresa School in Coral Gables and Christopher Columbus High School in Miami. He has a bachelor’s degree in social studies education from FIU, a master’s in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern, and certifications in social studies (grades 6-12) and educational leadership (K-12) from the Florida Department of Education.

He has spent 28 years as an educator, 23 of them in Catholic schools and 12 of those at Archbishop McCarthy. Before going to McCarthy, he taught social studies at Glades Middle, Conchita Espinosa Academy, Archbishop Carroll High School, and St. Brendan High in Miami.

He came to Archbishop McCarthy in 2011 as dean of students. In 2015, he became vice principal, and in December 2022, he was recommended by the Principal Selection Committee to succeed Richard Jean as principal this academic year, when the high school went to a president-principal model of administration, with Jean as president.

Joanna Morris, St. Mary Star of the Sea Basilica School, Key West

Having attended St. Joseph School (in Kansas) and St. Leo University (in Florida), Morris is a product of Catholic education. She grew up on a fifth-generation family farm in Mooney Creek, Kansas. She graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a minor in leadership studies.

After working in accounting, she realized her calling to be a teacher. She holds a professional teaching license in math & business (6-12) and elementary education (K-6).

When her oldest child started preschool, Morris also went back to school –teaching. She has taught in multiple subject areas, from high school math to kindergarten. She served as the director of guidance at The Basilica School in Key West for the past six years before transitioning to principal of the elementary school.

When not at school, Morris can be found in Cudjoe Key with her husband, three children, and their dog, Lucky. The family is excited to have their youngest daughter in preschool and their oldest daughter in the first graduating class of The Basilica High School.

Arlee Miguel M. Pabustan, St. Helen, Fort Lauderdale

Pabustan holds a bachelor’s degree in education earned in the Philippines, where he began his teaching career before moving to the United States. He spent 11 years as a high school history and economics teacher at Ateneo de Davao University, where he was mentored by the Jesuits. After moving to the U.S., he earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from St. Thomas University, Miami Gardens. He has been serving in the Archdiocese of Miami for 20 years, including 10 years as a middle school teacher at St. Helen, then at St. Anthony School and most recently at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Fort Lauderdale.

Pabustan has a wealth of experience in various educational settings and leadership roles. In addition to his role as an educator, he has been designated with mid-level leadership roles within the educational institutions he has served.

He is experienced in the process of school evaluation and accreditation, and previously served as a member of the school preparation committee for such visits. He now serves as an accreditor for Cognia, a global school improvement and accreditation organization.

Beyond teaching in the classroom, Pabustan has been actively involved in various aspects of the academic community. This includes spearheading school and community outreach efforts, participating in curriculum evaluation and improvement, and addressing student needs as a moderator for clubs and honor societies.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Pabustan also has been involved in charity work and non-profit organizations. He was the past president of the Kabataan Charity (K-Charity), an organization established to improve the lives of abandoned and orphaned children; and was a member of the board of the Filipino Basketball Association of South Florida.

Jacqueline Schuck, St. Bernadette, Hollywood

Born in Miami to Cuban and Puerto Rican parents, Schuck attended Our Lady of the Lakes School in Miami Lakes and Msgr. Edward Pace High in Miami Gardens. She went on to complete two undergraduate degrees, in Spanish and communications, and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction at FIU. A year after graduation, she decided it was time to further her studies and enrolled at St. Thomas University, Miami Gardens, where she earned her doctoral degree in educational leadership.

She began her career in education in 2011, teaching English and Spanish at her alma mater, Msgr. Pace. In 2015, she joined Broward County Public Schools as ESOL coordinator and coordinator of Advanced Academics, later becoming assistant principal at Piper High School.

While most of her career has been in the public school system, Schuck has been an active member of Our Lady of the Lakes Church’s music ministry and is well aware of the important role a Catholic education played in her life as she was growing up. She aspires to continue to bridge church and school and cement the importance of living a God-centered life in the students of St. Bernadette.