News release
Former Newhall Elementary School teacher Kerry Dashnaw is scheduled to return to campus on Tuesday for one night only, to share her experiences as a Catholic nun. She will speak at the Newhall Family Theatre, sharing her book, “Yearning to Be Free,” the story of her years in the convent that happened long before she entered the classroom.
Seeking a closer relationship with God, Dashnaw became a nun in 1971 and discovered that convent life did not match her expectations. With professional help, she worked to find her purpose again and wrote her book to share her personal journey, said a news release from the nonprofit Raising the Curtain Foundation.
Interviewed by Michael Picarella for The Signal in 2025, she said, “I was a Catholic nun for 14 years. People always go ‘Oh my goodness, wow, you must be so holy. All must have been so serene and beautiful.’ I thought, well, I really need to pull back the curtain and talk about what life was like in a Catholic, conservative convent when I was there.”
After leaving the convent, Dashnaw met and married her husband, Peter, who co-wrote the book with her. She became an educator with a career spanning more than 36 years, with 29 of those spent at Newhall Elementary School, where she saw children thrive as their creativity and imaginations were nurtured and developed, the release said.
Passionate about reading success for all students, she was twice chosen by her peers as Teacher of the Year. She believes that reinventing oneself makes our life’s journey fun and powerful.
Now retired, she creates art, teaches art classes and has recently published her third children’s book. She will read from “Yearning to Be Free,” answer audience questions, and also introduce her second book, “The Book Bridge.” Both books will be available for sale and signing.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the program will begin at 6:30. The Newhall Family Theatre is located at 24607 Walnut St., with parking available on the street and in the school’s parking lot. Light refreshments will follow the program. Admission is $15, and benefits the Raising the Curtain Foundation. Tickets are available at www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/an-evening-with-author-kerry-dashnaw-stories-of-hope-and-finding-purpose.
