New Principal Looking Forward to Working with the BCS Community

July 13, 2023

Butler Catholic School is excited to welcome our new principal, Mr. John Hazur! As we approach the 2023-24 school year, we’re learning lots about Mr. H, his interests, and his hopes and plans for BCS.

Mr. Hazur has spent the last 12 years in Catholic education as a teacher in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, teaching students in fourth through eighth grade. His first job was at St. Joseph School in Verona—where he was a student years before.

“My sixth grade teacher retired, and I took over for her,” Mr. Hazur explained. “It was an amazing experience!”

Growing up with strong academic role models is part of the reason he wanted to go into education. In fact, Mr. Hazur says the example his grandfather set is the main reason he decided to pursue his teaching degree through Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his principal certification and master’s through California University of Pennsylvania (now part of PennWest).

“He was a teacher and principal for 42 years,” Mr. Hazur recalled. “He’s the reason I wanted to become a teacher and eventually an administrator.”

Considering the fact his personal family history has had such a significant impact on his life, it’s no wonder Mr. Hazur has a soft spot for the subject as a whole. History is both his favorite thing to teach and learn, especially when it comes to the Civil War.

“What’s happened in our past is very interesting to me,” Mr. Hazur said. “I love learning about it!”

Mr. Hazur also loves learning antique car maintenance and refurbishment, a hobby he’s picked up from his father. Between antique car shows and special events like the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, he’s something of an amateur mechanic and restorer.

“I dabble with classic car maintenance. I especially enjoy time with my father, working on his green ’68 Mustang,” Mr. Hazur added.

His recreational time is also filled with visiting parks with his family, spending time at his uncle’s cabin in Cook Forest State Park, watching the Steelers, and baseball. Also, enjoying a good donut.

“Oakmont Bakery is my favorite,” Mr. Hazur said.

Mr. Hazur lives in the Verona area with his wife—whom he met at St. Joseph School—and daughter, who are just as excited as he is to become part of the Butler community. Learning about the staff, students, and parents of BCS is helping him get to know the school and area better.

“I’ve heard so many amazing things about this group!” Mr. Hazur said. “I’m looking forward to becoming a part of the BCS family.”

As the new principal, Mr. Hazur believes leading BCS requires balancing what’s working in Catholic education with new ideas to direct the school toward future success. While getting the lay of the land, he’s looking for ways to foster interactions between staff and families, and integrate extracurricular opportunities with day-to-day operations.

“I believe an effective leader in any school must find a balance between instructional leadership, routine administration, and human relations,” Mr. Hazur elaborated. “My goal is to help BCS prepare for future generations, building on the strong foundations of Catholic education.”

Aware that being the principal means directing BCS toward the ever-expanding horizon of education, Mr. Hazur plans to administer through prayer, hard work, and reflection.

“I want to be a leader of visibility,” he said. “I want to understand all perspectives before making decisions that I determine to be in the best interest of the school and the parties involved.”

Doing that, he said, depends on collaborating with school staff, students, and families to make BCS a beacon of Catholic education in the region.

The BCS community will have the chance to ‘pop in’ and meet Mr. Hazur in person during a special popcorn and popsicle event August 3 in the school gym. In the meantime, Mr. Hazur can be reached via email at [email protected]!