By Dakota Pesce
As Bishop Machebeuf prepares for the 2022-2023 academic year, the high school is also welcoming Erich Hoffer as President and Harold Siegel as Principal. Mr. Hoffer and Mr. Siegel bring a combined four decades of educational experience to Bishop Machebeuf. Both have been teachers, coaches, and administrators and they are looking forward to leading Bishop Machebeuf by way of joyful, servant leadership.
Mr. Hoffer is transitioning to Bishop Machebeuf from his three year tenure as Principal of Christ the King Roman Catholic School here in Denver. Before coming to Colorado, he spent 17 years at Saint Stanislaus in New Orleans in various roles as a teacher, coach, and administrator. He is a proud graduate of St. John’s University and the University of Notre Dame.
When asked what he is passionate about, Mr. Hoffer responded, “‘Ancora imparo’, often attributed to the Renaissance genius Michaelangelo, loosely translates as ‘I’m still learning’ and this phrase is something I take to heart. If I am passionate about anything, it’s discovering new things and finding out more about this wonderful world God made for us.” Mr. Hoffer is particularly excited about strengthening Machebeuf’s current relationships and partnerships as well as forming new ones to bring more people into the Machebeuf community.
As President of Bishop Machebeuf, Mr. Hoffer’s goal is “to be a joyful servant leader who promotes and helps continually form our community towards faithful excellence – excellence in our spiritual lives, academics, activities, and our relationships with others.” Bishop Machebeuf is grateful to have Mr. Hoffer join the school leadership and is looking forward to all the good that is to come.
Mr. Siegel is transitioning from his role as Assistant Principal of Academics at Bishop Machebeuf into his new role as Principal. At Machebeuf, he has also taught Humanities and Latin and been the Boys’ Varsity Soccer coach. This year, along with his role as Principal, Mr. Siegel will still be present in the classroom and will continue coaching boys’ soccer. Mr. Siegel considers himself a “champion of Catholic Liberal Education” and says he is enthusiastic about promoting an “excellent academic program supported by joyful student life and an athletic program which inculcates virtue and selfless service.”
Mr. Siegel strives to instill a love of learning in his students. That love of learning for him means, “seeking the truth, doing the good, and loving the beautiful.” He said, “I hope that every student who leaves Machebeuf will have encountered Jesus Christ and will be prepared for their individual vocation and for the universal call to sanctity. Nurtured in a spiritual and academic family at our school, I pray that our students will be able to confidently evangelize our world with their words and their actions.”
To start the 2022-2023 school year, Machebeuf is bringing back the tradition of having a BBQ on the first day of school. This year Machebeuf is enriching that tradition. They will be using the First-Day-of-School BBQ to celebrate the anniversary of Bishop Joseph Machebeuf’s ordination and are inviting the whole community: students, families, friends, alumni, parishes, schools, the Lowry neighborhood, and the greater Denver community.
Please join Machebeuf in kicking off the school year and celebrating the ordination anniversary of Bishop Joseph Machebeuf. RSVP is encouraged. Please use the following link: https://tinyurl.com/MachebeufDay22
Mr. Hoffer and Mr. Siegel are ready to lead Bishop Machebeuf in continuing to grow as a community of faith and continuing to form a faculty of friends. The school is certainly in good hands!
To learn more about the exciting future of Bishop Machebeuf High School, check out the 10-part series we did earlier this year!
