Philosophy of Education
By Denis Coakley, Principal, St. Peter R.C. School

As a professional Roman Catholic educator, it is my belief that all decisions made in the education of a student should be made after careful, prayerful and conscientious reflection on the question “What is in the best interest of the student?”  After such reflection, we shall discover ways to achieve excellence from our entire school family.  However, excellence can only be achieved if a school leader demands and enables such excellence.

A school administrator must demand excellence.  The learning community must trumpet the highest expectations to our students, and must do so in a manner that makes our students demand the greatest level of achievement of which they are capable.  We must demand excellence from our faculty and staff.  Catholic education is more than a job or a career; it is a calling and a mission.  It is a privilege. 

A school administrator must enable excellence.  Every student must be recognized as a beloved child of God with inherent dignity.  We now know that not every child learns in the same way.  Therefore, proactive steps within our abilities to meet the educational needs of each individual child must be paramount.  We need to treat each student with justice, fairness, love and challenges.  A school administrator must therefore do everything in his or her power, with respect for and adherence to the laws of God, church and civil authorities, to help each student maximize his or her potential.  This requires great effort and patience, sacrifice and a willingness to put the needs of others before one’s own.

A school administrator must recruit, support, foster and enable the strongest faculty and staff that he or she can.  Our teachers will have a tremendous impact on the lives of our children.  The faculty and staff must know that our students learn from everything our faculty and staff do, say, imply, and omit, whether in the class or out of it.  We shall seek out the most qualified, dedicated, and creative men and women, teachers and staff who will inspire the minds and touch the hearts of our students.  We shall create an environment wherein our faculty and staff enthusiastically re-commit themselves to the service of God and His children every day, wherein those faculty and staff members receive support and appreciation, professional development and the resources to aid them in achieving excellence.

While respecting time-honored traditions, we shall never settle for the status quo.  Continual critical assessment – “How can we do things better?” – must be the norm.  There is no room for complacency.  Whether with our students, our faculty and staff, or ourselves, growth and progress must be the goal.

Educators must partner with parents and guardians.  This is true for several reasons.  First and foremost, the parents and guardians know their children best.  They are our greatest resources in finding the best way to reach our students’ hearts and minds.  We must respect the rights and prerogatives of parents and guardians, and do all we can to support the high standards that our families have for their children.  Likewise, we enlist their aide in supporting our highest expectations and standards.

Finally, we together as a school family, as a church – students, parents, faculty, staff, administration, board members, alumni, benefactors and the entire people of God – achieve excellence and celebrate accomplishment.

Mission Statement 

It is my mission and goal as a Roman Catholic educator to maximize the learning potential for each and every student in a manner that fosters and
promotes our core gospel values, mastery level achievement in all areas of
academics, and the healthy development of each child into a person of
character, faith, purpose and accomplishment.

To these ends I shall create a learning environment that is sensitive to the spiritual, academic, physical, psychological, emotional and social needs of each child.

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