The future of Catholic education in Lawrence . . . is here!
The Trustees of Lawrence Catholic Academy announced the appointment of Sr. Lucy Veilleux as the first Principal of the Academy.
Sr. Lucy is currently the Principal of St. Patrick School in Lawrence. She earned both Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry and Master of Education in Administration degrees from Boston College, where she was awarded the Catholic Educator Award Scholarship. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and Education from Merrimack College, where she earned the Christian Leadership Award.
“Sr. Lucy is a religious woman and a person of faith. She is dedicated to developing Catholic identity, strong moral values, academic skills and potential for every child. We are blessed to have someone with her excellent leadership skills, academic preparation and practical experience to lead our new Academy,” said Mary Grassa O’Neill, Ed.D., Secretary of Education/Superintendent, Archdiocese of Boston.
In her tenure at St. Patrick School, Sr. Lucy has improved student test scores and raised standards for teachers, students, and the school community. She has introduced a successful program for three year olds, enhanced fundraising efforts, and actively encouraged parent and family involvement in the life of the school. Sr. Lucy has also served as St. Patrick School’s Assistant Principal and as a teacher at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Methuen and St. James School in Biddeford, Maine. While pursuing her graduate degrees at Boston College, she served an internship and as technology coordinator at Our Lady of Good Counsel School.
“I am very excited that the collaborative process involving parents, teachers and other educators resulted in a fine result. Sr. Lucy will be an impassioned leader solidifying Lawrence Catholic Academy as a relevant institution for excellence in Catholic education," said Reverend Marc Bishop, Pastor, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish quoted.
An educator for over 15 years, Sr. Lucy is dedicated to the academic and spiritual development of each and every child. Her passion is working with families of a broad range of cultures and economic statuses. Raised in a family whose first language was not English, Sr. Lucy has a unique sensitivity to the life situations of many of the children and families of Lawrence today.
Reverend Paul O’Brien, Pastor, St. Patrick Parish said, “We have very high ambitions for Lawrence Catholic Academy to be a superb inner city Catholic school. Sister Lucy’s appointment at the first principal of Lawrence Catholic Academy is an important step forward in our pursuit of those high ambitions.”
The search process for the Principal of Lawrence Catholic Academy involved two phases. In the first phase, parents, teachers, principals from surrounding schools, and representatives from the Catholic School Office of the Archdiocese of Boston reviewed all applications, conducted interviews, and recommended three finalists to a Selection Committee. Those involved in the first phase of the search process were:
- Stacy Andrade, St. Patrick Teacher
- Aliali Belkus, St. Patrick Parent
- Paula Delmonte, Our Lady of Good Counsel Teacher
- Chris Flieger, Deputy Director of Academic Excellence, Catholic School Office
- Ed Hardiman, Principal, St. John’s Preparatory School, Danvers
- Sr. Prescille Malo, Principal, St. Jeanne d’Arc School, Lowell
- Irene McCarthy, Special Assistant to the Superintendent, Catholic School Office
- Judy O’Shea, St. Patrick Teacher
- Sean Reardon, St. Patrick Parent
- Maryann Scanlon, Our Lady of Good Counsel Teacher
- Linda Slabczynski, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parent
In the second phase of the search process, the Selection Committee interviewed the finalists and concluded with an overwhelming endorsement of Sr. Lucy. In addition to us, members of the Selection Committee were:
- Kathy Blaine, Principal, Sacred Hearts School, Bradford
- Anne Clough, Principal, St. Joseph School, Holbrook
- Mary Reardon, Principal, Immaculate Conception School, Newburyport
- Thomas Sharkey, Community Volunteer
- John Sheehan, Associate Superintendent, Catholic School Office
- James Walsh, Associate Superintendent, Catholic School Office
Lawrence Catholic Academy is thrilled that Sr. Lucy Veilleux will serve as the leader of Lawrence Catholic Academy and look forward to collaborating with her and supporting her critically important mission.