When William Roberts retired from education in 2004, he tried real estate. It didn’t take too long for him to realize he missed his calling.

“I tried other things but I knew that at heart, I’m a life-long educator. Real estate…it just wasn’t satisfying.”

So Roberts decided to re-up but not, this time, in public schools. “Along with getting back into education, there was a desire to get into Catholic education,” said the Manahawkin resident and member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Brant Beach.

After learning that St. Rose School was advertising for a principal, Roberts soon had an interview and a job in education once again.

As the new school year approached, Roberts spoke of his aims and goals for St. Rose School.

Established in 1921 to serve the children of the Belmar area, these days St. Rose School has an average enrollment of 400 boys and girls from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

The diverse population includes students from Belmar and 25 sending districts, and reflects all ability levels, a definite plus for Roberts who spent much of his pre-retirement career in education working with developmentally disabled and handicapped children.

Roberts, who will work on increasing enrollment at the school, says expanding what St. Rose already offers to special needs children is one way to do that.

His vision for this year includes setting up a resource room where the special needs students can receive instruction from a special education teacher. “This will support and facilitate their progress,” he said.

Before too long, he’d like to set up classes for children with autism. “I’ve had a lot of experience in this area and I’m hoping to find people who will come in and work with children in Catholic schools.”

Roberts, who is the father of five children between the ages of 25 and 34, lives with his wife of 35 years, Jean, a teacher in the Stafford Township School system.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of Staten Island and a master’s degree in special education from Rutgers. He attended Rowan University (then Glassboro) for administrative certification.

Roberts logged six years in the New York State Department of Education and then he and his family moved to southern Ocean County where he taught sixth grade in the Stafford Township school system. He spent eight years in administration for the Stafford district, the last six as principal of the Stafford Intermediate School.

His aim of bringing more special needs children on board at St. Rose speaks to “what I think is the Catholic mission of including everybody. What better way to show that we are welcoming to all children,” said Roberts. “To me, it just makes sense.”

JoAnn Tier, diocesan school superintendent and secretary of Catholic education, said Roberts’ approach is a reflection of the fact that “Catholic educators understand the mission in providing a quality Catholic education for all children.

“With the appropriate resources and necessary training, Catholic educators are working to accommodate the needs of children who learn differently or require additional support.”

Roberts said expanding the student base in this manner does a “tremendous amount” to build understanding that will serve teachers and students well in the coming years. “It gives them a chance to interact and it causes them to go deeper into their own abilities,” Roberts said. “It creates a higher level of understanding.”