Saint Paul’s School has announced the 2024-25 school year principal and assistant principal: Mr. Lee Pierre and Mr. Matt Pinero, respectively.

Mr. Pierre will take over for Mr. Joe Dickens, who accepted a position as Saint Paul’s president, and Mr. Matt Pinero will assume the role of Mr. Pierre.

Saint Paul’s rarely undergoes changes at the higher end of the administration. For the principal and assistant principal positions to be changed is a major deal.

Mr. Pinero has proudly served at Saint Paul’s for a decade. Over the past ten years at Saint Paul’s, Mr. Pinero has taught eighth-grade English and English Honors. Mr. Pinero’s determination to make Saint Paul’s a better Lasallian school has been highly appreciated.

Mr. Pinero has had a strong connection with Saint Paul’s School since he was in high school. He has wrestled and been around the sport his entire life. When he was hired, Saint Paul’s Head Wrestling Coach position was open, and he was honored to take over the program.

“I came to Saint Paul’s to be a teacher and wrestling coach. I had spent some time on the campus when I was a member of the Louisiana National Team in high school, and I always thought it would be a great place to work,” Mr. Pinero said.

Obtaining an interview offer was fairly easy for Mr. Pinero, given that he had connections with friends who were already working at Saint Paul’s at the time. “I knew and had good relationships with Coach Craig Ketelsen and Mrs. Shellie Campo, and they helped me get an opportunity to interview.”

Mr. Pinero has been an excellent teacher at Saint Paul’s. He enjoys teaching and, most importantly, cares about his students and their comprehension of his lessons. “The thing I’ve enjoyed the most about being an English teacher is building relationships with the students. I work very hard to make the lessons as fun and interactive as possible, and when students tell me that they enjoy the class, it reinforces that the work I do is appreciated.”

Many teachers are a part of extracurricular activities at Saint Paul’s outside of teaching. Mr. Pinero has been Saint Paul’s Head Wrestling Coach for the past six years. Being a Coach allows him to develop relationships with students outside of the classroom, some of which last a lifetime.

Now, Mr. Pinero is stepping down from the position of Head Wrestling Coach as he moves up to assistant principal. “Being the head wrestling coach at Saint Paul’s impacted me tremendously as a person. It forced me to grow as a leader because I had to juggle many different responsibilities and manage a large number of people. It taught me the value of hard work and reinforced the idea that hard work will pay off. There’s also nothing more rewarding than helping someone else achieve their goals. I developed lifelong bonds with my athletes, and I cherish those relationships.”

Becoming assistant principal gives Mr. Pinero a chance to take initiative and put forth his ideas towards continuing to make Saint Paul’s an excellent Lasallian School. “My main goal is to ensure that Saint Paul’s continues to grow and function well while still maintaining the strong legacy and traditions that Brother Ray put in place.”

One of the most interesting things about Saint Paul’s is that the administrators take on teaching positions while maintaining the school’s administrative needs. Mr. Pinero will continue to teach a few of his English classes while being assistant principal. He was the Curriculum Coordinator this past year.

In the past three years, Saint Paul’s has undertaken many administrative changes. Mr. Trevor Watkins ’79 was Principal for eight years, (2014-2022). Afterward, Mr. Dickens was promoted to Principal for the 2022-2024 school year. Mr. Watkins came out of retirement and became Interim President after Brother Ray was forced to step down from the position of President after 45 years.

Mr. Dickens will become the 18th President of Saint Paul’s. Mr. Pierre and Mr. Pinero will work alongside him, continuing to run the administration for Saint Paul’s.

Many people know early on in their lives whether or not they want to become a teacher. For those who choose teaching, picking the right school can be a challenge. One of the most interesting things about Saint Paul’s is the alumni presence; many alumni feel such a strong connection towards the school and Lasallian community that they come back to serve and be a part of the brotherhood once again. For the 2023-2024 school year, Saint Paul’s is proud to have 22 alumni on the faculty and staff.

Mr. Pierre has been a part of the Saint Paul’s community since 1999. For the past five years, Mr. Pierre has served as the assistant principal at Saint Paul’s. Mr. Pierre has taught chemistry to juniors, physical science, Biology I, Biology II, and Earth Science throughout his astonishing career at Saint Paul’s.

Mr. Pierre’s roles at Saint Paul’s have ranged from a variety of different positions, all of which he enjoyed; however, one of his favorite job aspects is his interactions with his students. Mr. Pierre has served as science department chair, junior-level moderator, curriculum coordinator, and senior retreat moderator.

The senior retreat is such a special experience, which one can only know once he has personally experienced it. Mr. Pierre strives to keep the retreat special and leave an impact on the seniors and their brotherhood.

Before becoming a part of administration, Mr. Pierre helped coach three different sports. He served as the defensive line coach and defensive coordinator for football then coached powerlifting and wrestling.

Mr. Pierre knows what it means to be a Lasallian. Working at a Lasallian school will leave a significant impact on anyone who spends his or her time in the school community. “Being a teacher at Saint Paul’s has impacted me in many ways. It has allowed me to grow both personally and professionally and has given me the opportunity to work with some amazing students and colleagues. I have learned a lot from them and feel grateful for the relationships that I have built over the years,” Mr. Pierre said.

The Saint Paul’s community builds strong friendships throughout the faculty. Mr. Pierre is honored to have worked and continues to work alongside his colleagues, most of whom are his friends.

Becoming the principal of a school can be a burden on someone; maintaining a school and making sure everything across a campus flows smoothly can be a difficult task. Everyone has their ideas and plans for making a school a unique place, but it is Mr. Pierre’s job to brainstorm and select the best ones.

Mr. Pierre already has ideas for continuing Saint Paul’s traditions. “As principal, I plan to continue building on the school’s tradition of excellence and provide our students with the best possible education. I am committed to supporting our faculty and staff and ensuring that our school continues to thrive. Additionally, I want Saint Paul’s to remain one of the top Lasallian Catholic schools for students of all backgrounds and interests.”

Being an administrator while teaching a class can be enjoyable but sometimes stressful. Seeing the Saint Paul’s principal continue to teach a class while also running the school may inspire parents to send their kids to Saint Paul’s. Mr. Pierre enjoys teaching and cares about the education of his students, so he will continue to teach a Chemistry class at Saint Paul’s.

Saint Paul’s School looks forward to Mr. Pierre and Mr. Pinero’s new roles as the school’s leaders. Traditions will remain, and new ideas will be created. Their time and occupations at Saint Paul’s will continue to be recognized through their excellent work and leadership skills.