Struck comes to St. Bede

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PERU — St. Bede Academy is getting a new superintendent. Last week, Abbot Claude Peifer, superior of the monastic community of St. Bede Abbey, announced Ted Struck of Morris will become the new superintendent, effective July 1.

Struck will succeed the Rev. Philip Davey, who has served as superintendent for the past 10 years.

“Like most private secondary schools today, St. Bede has been experiencing challenges in keeping up with the rapid changes both locally and in the wider society in recent years,” Peifer said in a press release. “While I am grateful to Father Philip for the hard work and leadership that he has provided, not many are able to remain in such a high-pressure job for more than a decade. We are fortunate to have obtained the services of an administrator with the ability and experience of Dr. Struck.”

Peifer said the scarcity of religious vocations in recent years has required Catholic schools to depend more upon lay teachers and administrators.

“One of the principal challenges at present is to balance our budget while keeping the school affordable and at the same time maintaining its enrollment and its academic standards,” Peifer said. “We are also intent upon strengthening the Catholic identity of the school, and are pleased that Dr. Struck is equally committed to all these objectives.”

Struck is a 1971 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University. He then earned a master’s degree at Chicago State University and became a doctor of education in 1993 at Loyola University.

Struck served as teacher and then principal in Joliet, then as superintendent in Braceville, Morris and Palos Heights. Since his retirement in 2004, Struck spent one year as interim superintendent at Alsip, and has been interim superintendent at Dimmick for the past two years.

Davey, a member of the Benedictine community, will remain available for further assignment in the abbey or academy after the transition.

“While my time as superintendent has not been without challenges, I have found my service to the Academy to be very rewarding,” Davey said. “I have enjoyed watching our students grow in faith, wisdom and knowledge. I want to express my deepest gratitude to Abbot Claude, to our principal, Mrs. Mershon, to the members of the Academy Board of Directors, and to our faculty, staff, students, parents and alumni for their prayers and generous support of St. Bede Academy.”

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