Jacksonville, Fla. – Longtime educator and administrator Brian Wheeler, has been named principal of San José Catholic School in Jacksonville. He replaces Jan Magiera who is retiring at the end of this school year. His appointment is effective July 1.

Born in El Paso, Texas, Wheeler has an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Paul Smith’s College in New York, a bachelor’s in art education from the University of South Alabama, and currently he is completing a master’s in educational leadership through the University of Dayton, Ohio.

He started his educational career as a teacher in both parochial schools in the United States and in South America’s Ecuador, where he served as dean of students and founding principal of a school for the Archdiocese of Quito. He returned to the U.S. after nearly 15 years in Quito, as an educator and most recently as principal of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in California.

“I am very pleased to have the opportunity to work with the faculty, students and parents of San José Catholic School,” said Wheeler. “My recent conversations on campus left me impressed with the dedicated faculty, supportive community and great school spirit. I look forward to a positive and productive school year and to leading the continued development of an exceptional school.”

“I am delighted that Mr. Wheeler has accepted the position as the new principal at San José Catholic School” said Father Greg Fay, pastor of San José Catholic Church. “This is the result of a highly participatory [search] effort and I cannot imagine a better outcome for our school. I’m very much looking forward to having Mr. Wheeler on board.”