By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
Photographer: Via Instagram @saintbrendanhigh
Ivette Alvarez becomes the eighth principal of St. Brendan High School. She has worked at the school for almost 29 years.
MIAMI | Ivette Alvarez has been appointed by Archbishop Thomas Wenski to serve as the eighth principal of St. Brendan High School.
Jim Rigg, archdiocesan superintendent of schools, made the announcement during a Mass at the high school Feb. 2, 2022, that also coincided with Catholic Schools Week.
Alvarez had been serving as interim principal since January 2021, when her predecessor, Jose Rodelgo-Bueno, went on medical leave. Rigg said she was “the unanimous choice of the Principal Search Committee following a national search.”
Alvarez began her career at St. Brendan as a teacher and softball coach in 1993. She worked as director of Guidance and Counseling from 2006 to 2012, when she was named Dean of Students while continuing as director of Guidance and Counseling. She has a bachelor’s degree in education from Florida International University and a master’s from St. Thomas University.
Almost 29 years after arriving at St. Brendan, she said her hope is to continue her life’s work and guide the young men and women of the high school towards discovering God’s will for their lives.
“This school has given me so much,” she told the students and staff in her first official address as principal during the Feb. 2 Mass. “When I first started working here, I was searching, praying for God to shine the light on a path. What I discovered was my vocation. I felt then as I feel now that God is calling me to serve him through my service at St. Brendan High School. This service has allowed me to develop friendships that will last a lifetime. You may not always realize it while it is happening, but I hope that you listen to God’s call. I hope that you are able to discover your true passion, and that it allows you to live your faith in the world.”
