Local pastors meet with new St. John principals
Published 12:10 am Saturday, May 5, 2018
- School Board member Russ Wise, from left, the Rev. Nick Peppo and incoming LaPlace Elementary Principal Zina Jones speak after the Pastoral Luncheon Meeting.
Local pastors got a chance to meet new school leaders during the St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District’s Pastoral Luncheon Meeting.
The St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District conducts the Pastoral Luncheon Meetings every three months as a way to bring educators and the religious community together and to create community partnerships to benefit students.
![](https://www.lobservateur.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2018/05/pastors1.jpg)
Incoming East St. John High School Principal Christopher Mayes introduces himself to local pastors during the St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District’s Pastoral Luncheon Meeting.
Seventeen local pastors came out for the luncheon on May 2.
“We can’t do what we do without you,” School Board President Albert “Ali” Burl III told the pastors. “It really does take the entire community.”
New principals for the 2018-19 school year Zina Jones of LaPlace Elementary School, Monica Brown of John L. Ory Communication Arts Magnet School and Christopher Mayes of East St. John High School introduced themselves and spoke about their visions for their schools. Incoming East St. John High School Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Brandon Brown also spoke about his determination to ensure athletes succeed off the field as well as on it.
“Our goal is to graduate every athlete,” he said. “If we are successful in doing that, we will be successful on Friday nights.”
Terran Perry, principal of the new STEM Magnet High School Program coming to the public school district for the 2018-19 school year, provided an update on the progress of the new program and shared his plans to create an environment for 22nd Century learners.
“We can’t look to the 21st Century,” he said. “We have to prepare students for the world they are going to enter when they graduate high school.”