Dr. Michael St. Pierre has been the Superintendent of Schools within the Diocese of Allentown since July of 2023. Prior to assuming his current role, he was the Executive Director of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association. Before that, he was President of Morris Catholic High School in New Jersey. Now that he has been serving as Superintendent for over a year, Genevieve O'Connor, Communications Specialist, has asked Dr. St. Pierre a few questions about himself and Catholic Education in the Diocese of Allentown as it stands today.
Q: Now that we are several months into the semester, what do you see as the most promising signs for a successful 2024-2025 school year in our diocese?
A: The 2024-2025 academic year is off to a great start with four new principals serving in our schools. Additionally, we have three new high school Deans of Students and our own Office of Education is gradually expanding in order to meet the needs of our schools.
Behind the scenes, we are preparing several exciting new promotional campaigns both online and via print media. A commercial is being shot later this month which will highlight the gift of Catholic education, spanning three different schools: an elementary school, a secondary school, and a special learning center. Our new podcast, Ready, Willing and Able has already gotten fantastic reviews and parents are loving it. They know that we care about them and that we are truly forming young people in a collaborative way.
Q: Those all sound like wonderful signs of growth—and I think growth is indeed a very promising indicator of success. On that note, how do you define a successful school year?
A: A successful school year is one in which firstly, the Catholic faith is modeled and then taught. This is the core of why we exist as Catholic schools, offering formation beyond the transmission of information.
Secondly, a successful school year is one which utilizes the liberal arts, a trusted Catholic resource, to deepen intellectual inquiry. To the degree that a child falls in love with learning, they draw closer to God.
Q: A mission of modeling the Faith and cultivating Liberal Arts does sound like a twofold path to success--for any individual as well as for a school! With that mission in mind, if every Catholic School Principal were to wake up every morning and remember one thing, what do you hope it would be?
A: I’m invited to serve the students that are in front of me because the Lord Himself has entrusted them to my care.
The call to serve as a Catholic school leader is weighty, and a lot rests on the shoulders of our principals. With that said, each one of us must see Christ in the students we serve, no matter their capability or age. The verse 1 Peter 5:2 hangs over my desk, and it seems an appropriate text for each school leader: “God’s flock is in your midst. Give it a shepherd’s care.”
Q: I think that image of the principal as a shepherd is very apt. As Catholics, we are all called to make disciples of Jesus, helping and guiding our neighbors to the best of our ability. Principals, as leaders in their schools, surely have a particular call to imitate Christ in that way. Now, my last question is about your experience as Superintendent this past year. What would you say is the best part of your job?
A: I’m very, very blessed to be able to do what I do. I get to serve remarkable principals and teachers. I get to help trouble-shoot difficult situations. I get to work alongside creative people who love the Lord and the Church. While there isn’t necessarily a “best part,” I find great fulfillment in collaborating on innovative programs that enhance student learning and in celebrating our students’ successes together. I’m very grateful to use the skills that God has given to me to serve those entrusted to my care. Catholic education is part of who I am as a husband, father and leader. If I can make it better here in Allentown, God will do the rest.