Meet the New Principal of Salpointe Catholic High School: Ardemis Martin

By Mary Lim 

Ardemis Martin welcomed the students of Salpointe Catholic High School at the start of their 2022-2023 school year as their new Principal. She joins the Salpointe community with 16 years of experience in education under her belt, and is excited to use her experience, wisdom, and knowledge to complement the guidance that she receives from God to walk with the students, parents, faculty, and staff through a successful school year. She brings with her six years of experience as a science teacher at St. Cyril of Alexandria Catholic School, one year as a teacher at Legacy Traditional School, three years as an instructional coach, 1.5 years as assistant principal and athletic director, and 4.5 years as principal of Legacy Traditional School. 

Martin’s favorite part about working in Catholic education is that she has the ability to share her faith openly during the school day. High school is a time of significant growth, identity searching, and spiritual questioning for youth. Throughout her days as principal at Salpointe, “Lord, lead me” is her constant prayer as she encounters the students where they are at to help them and their support system navigate this time in their lives. 

At Salpointe, it is their mission to “foster faith, encourage the pursuit of excellence, develop servant leaders, affirm the dignity of individuals, and promote global social justice.” (Salpointe Mission Statement) Martin relies on God and her Catholic faith to lead this mission to fruition for every student who they are entrusted with. 

“May our God, through the intercession of Elijah the Prophet and Mary the mother of Jesus Christ, continue to transform us as we are called to conversion of heart, mind, body, and soul.” (Salpointe's Carmelite Charism) This is the prayer for Salpointe as they strive for conversion of heart every day so as to grow ever closer to the heart of God, and this is the prayer that Martin has adopted as well, as the new principal of Salpointe Catholic High School. 

When she is not working, Martin enjoys swimming and spending time with her family. Please join us in praying for Ardemis Martin as she embarks on this new season of her vocation as the principal of Salpointe Catholic High School! 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Salpointe Catholic High School is named after the first Bishop of Arizona, Most Rev. Jean Baptiste Salpointe (1825-1898). In 1866, Fr. Salpointe was appointed the Vicar General for the Arizona Missions. His faithful work in Arizona led to the fast development of the settlements and the Catholic presence in the Southwest. When he retired, he wrote a history of the Catholic Church in the Southwest, "Soldiers of the Cross." He died on Friday, July 15, 1898 and was buried in a tomb under the altar of St. Augustine Cathedral. 

Read more about Archbishop Salpointe and the history of Salpointe School here 
 

At the time that Salpointe was first being built, Fr. Daniel Gercke was the Bishop. Bishop Gercke was thinking about asking a religious order to operate Salpointe. In the spring of 1953, Msgr. Francis Green, pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish at the time, made a formal request that the Carmelites come to Tucson. The original faculty included three Carmelites. On September 8, 1955, Bishop Gercke transferred ownership of the land and school to the Carmelites for “$10.00 and other valuable considerations.” (The Carmelite Connection) 

Read more about the Carmelite Order here

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