Thomas More University appoints Randy Dennis as Head of School for Covington Latin School

Laura Keener

Editor

Thomas More University announced this week the completion of the Covington Latin School leadership team. Randy Dennis is appointed Head of School for Covington Latin School and will assume the role on July 1, 2025.

Mr. Dennis joins Covington Latin School at an exciting time, with the 2025-26 academic year to be the first under a new affiliation with Thomas More University. As Head of School, Dennis will work collaboratively to leverage the advantages of this new partnership and lead strategic planning initiatives that maintain and advance Covington Latin School’s mission to provide a rigorous Catholic, classical education for the region’s most gifted learners.

“I am thrilled to welcome Randy Dennis as Head of School for Covington Latin School,” says Thomas More University President Joseph L. Chillo, LP.D. “As an experienced and visionary educational leader, Dennis is uniquely suited to lead Covington Latin into a new era.

Mr. Dennis most recently served as principal of St. Lawrence Catholic School in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. He successfully led the merge of St. Lawrence with St. Mary School (Aurora, Indiana), while overseeing a period of record growth in enrollment and demonstrating a strong ability to unite faculty, staff, students and families under a shared mission and vision. He holds a Bachelor of Science in secondary education from Indiana University and a Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction from University of St. Mary.

Earlier this month three people were appointed to the CLS leadership team: Samantha Darpel Rice, Dean of Studies; James Stebbins, Dean of Students and Madison Light, director of Campus Ministry. They join Amy Darpel, director for Advancement and Zack Ryle, director for Enrollment Management and Marketing, both of whom are currently serving in their respective roles.

“We love the energy and the excitement that people are bringing,” said Dr. Joseph Chillo, president, TMU, not only from the leadership team but also from parents, students, teachers, alumni and supporters.

“The leadership team that’s there in the building has just been really youthful excitement and, more importantly, the focus on mission is critically important at a time when we’re trying to redefine Catholic education with this model that we’re working on.”

Over the last year, leaders at Thomas More University and the Diocese of Covington have been transitioning Covington Latin School to TMU as a University affiliated school. On June 1, TMU will begin oversight of the affiliation and begin to run the CLS based on the model. While there will be no changes to curriculum for the upcoming 2025–2026 school year, Dr. Chillo said that plans are already in the works “in terms of what academic pathways are going to like” for the 2026–2025 academic year. Covington Latin School’s name, motto, accelerated program and classical Catholic education will not change.

“That’s the foundation. We are firm believers that there’s lots of similarities between a classical education and the Catholic intellectual tradition, which serves as a grounding for our university,” said Dr. Chillo. “Being able to integrate both the acceleration format along with the Catholic education component are tremendous assets and benefits that will lead into these new academic pathways that will allow students at Covington Latin to earn college credits at Thomas More and then us those college credits regardless of where they want to go to college after their time at Covington Latin.”

About the TMU/CLS affiliation, Dr. Chillo said, “I think this partnership, this affiliation, is really allowing us to utilize the best talents of both places to advance that educational experience for the students and the families who will be here.”

Bishop John Iffert welcomes the new head of school and expressed gratitude for the TMU/CLS transition team.

“I welcome Mr. Dennis to the Diocese of Covington as he accepts the position as Head of School for Covington Latin,” said Bishop Iffert. “In our meeting I found Mr. Dennis to be an energetic and mission-oriented leader. He is an accomplished educator who has effectively led Catholic schools through a period of transition. I thank Dr. Chillo, Kendra McGuire, our diocesan superintendent of Schools, and the TMU and CLS transition team for their expertise in leading this unique and innovative model in Catholic education for Northern Kentucky. My prayers and blessings to all as we continue to provide our children the highest quality academic education, grounded in Catholic teaching and modeled after Jesus Christ.”