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| Principal Jeff Allen “photobombs” a picture of some students at St. Bernard School in Watertown at the start of the 2014 to 2015 school year. It was the first day of his last year as principal at St. Bernard School, where he has served as principal for 34 years. (Photo by Maria Gracia) |
WATERTOWN — You might have seen him doing playground duty . . . or dressed as the Cookie Monster . . . or directing a musical production . . . or working with the Camera Club.
As a Catholic school principal, Jeff Allen hasn’t sat in his office all day. “I spend a lot of time with kids,” said Allen in an interview as he retires from 40 years spent in Catholic education.
For the past 34 years, he has been principal at St. Bernard School in Watertown. Prior to that, he taught at St. Coletta School in Jefferson for six years.
A retirement party will be held on Sunday, June 7, from 12 noon to 3 p.m. in the St. Bernard School gymnasium, 111 S. Montgomery St. All are invited to attend and wish Allen well as he begins a new phase of his life.
Much of Allen’s life has been dedicated to Catholic education. The oldest of seven children born to Shirley and Don Allen, Jeff Allen attended St. Agnes Grade School in Butler.
He graduated from Brookfield East High School and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he majored in special education.
Started at St. Coletta
After graduation, he started teaching at St. Coletta School, which served students with developmental disabilities.
Sr. Sheila Haskett, the school administrator, encouraged Allen to consider a career in school administration. He attended UW-Whitewater while he was teaching and earned a master’s degree in school administration.