Mr. Oscar Uribe, Cotter’s new principal, has a lot on his plate. In the past eighteen months he has moved to Minnesota, taught Spanish, been an RA at the dorm, coached boys varsity soccer and continued to raise his children. Now he has the added task of being Cotter’s leader.
The Uribes moved from Austin, Texas, where he was an assistant principal at a public school. Mr. Uribe says he loves Winona’s scenic beauty and that he get anywhere in town in ten minutes. “I’m enjoying Winona in some ways more than Austin. The outdoor activities are accessible and the people are outgoing and welcoming.” Mr Uribe’s wife Amy is a Spanish teacher at Winona State.
The Uribes and their two children, Max and Issa, have been living in the Residents Center the past year and a half. “I like to have the chance to interact with our resident students and see the other sides of their personalities, away from the classroom. Getting to know the kids as people and not just students is one benefit of living in the dorms.”
Mr. Uribe likes Cotter’s atmosphere and smaller size, he has enjoyed getting to know all the students and faculty. Mr. Uribe has continued to teach one section of Spanish and is the boys varsity soccer coach. While these duties take time, he says they keep him connected to the students in an important way.
Cotter High School today is already a great place, Mr. Uribe plans to make it even better. Mr. Uribe helped planned the new homeroom structure, which is known as Connect & Serve. He says this is a great way for the kids here at school to get involved. Mr. Uribe chose Ms. Marisa Corcoran to take a leadership role with the Connect & Serve.
Mr. Uribe sees the relatively small local enrollment in Catholic schools as Cotter’s greatest challenge. Mr. Uribe also thinks Cotter is a great school than can become better. “I want to keep our kids striving to learn more and always working towards their next success.”