Sister Sharon serves 50 years

TICONDEROGA | When you walk up Father Jogues Street on the backside of Main Street and get a view of St. Mary's Catholic Church, you might just notice your jaw has dropped in awe. The structure is a Ticonderoga gem. Almost in complete comparison to the wonder and beauty of the church, St. Mary's School, just behind the church, has its own jewel, according to the many that have spent time here. Those that entered the school or had words to give in passing, as Sister Sharon met with The Sun, provided that they feel Sister Sharon Anne Dalton is St. Mary's school. Sister Sharon celebrates her 50th year with the Sisters of St. Joseph's Order of the Ogdensburg Diocese, this year, simultaneously as the St. Mary's School celebrates its 60th year in existence. In 1986, Sister Sharon moved to Ticonderoga to be the principal of St. Mary's School. For 34 years she has remained the principal of these halls. Even when the school was nearly a complete loss on September 5, 2014, due to arson, Sister Sharon rallied her school together and continued with the help of volunteers, friends of the church, and support from their neighboring Methodist Church. Her long career in education began after entrance in the sister hood around 1968 and her graduation from Villa Marie College in Erie, PA; where she graduated with her MA in Education. Her teaching history includes: St. Anthony's in Watertown, St. John the Evangelist in Morristown, St. Andrew's in Norwood, Sacred Heart in Watertown, St. James in Gouverneur, and St. Augustine's in Peru, where she served as both principal and first grade teacher for six years. She has also served on the Watertown Catechetical Board and the Education Board of the Catholic Administrators Association of New York State. With a total of 40 years as an elementary school principal in the Diocese of Ogdensburg, her friends ask, "How did she do that?" Her answer is "By the many graces God has given me and the people He has sent to help me along the way- God bless every one of you." "Sister Sharon is the most awesome in the whole wide world," said Jennifer Facteau, a teacher with St. Mary's. As Sister Sharon chuckled from the words, Facteau's face started to gather emotion. "She really is great. The kids love her to pieces and there is just something special about St. Mary's. The kids seem to always be on the right track, we can help them feel good about themselves and there is a lot of compassion here, for one another." The Sister said she really loves the river and calls herself a "river-rat." "I really just love this area and enjoy the peace here," and in her free time from school, "I love to read and just sit and listen to the river." The school and community held a spaghetti dinner on Saturday, September 7 after the 4:30 Mass at St. Mary's Church, celebrating Sister Sharon's anniversary.

Signup for our newsletter

Sister Sharon serves 50 years

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS