Faith in the future

Sean McCarthy

La Salle Academy knows that an education can last a lifetime. Steeped in 150 years of educational excellence, La Salle is taking on the future with a fresh vision for the young lives it guides and shapes.

This Providence high school is welcoming three new administrators for its’ approaching school year as it builds a modern academic institution with the timeless teachings of the Catholic faith.

Beginning this fall, La Salle’s administrative lineup will feature two new appointees, Principal Tim Welsh and Vice Principal of Student Life Joanna Doyle, who will be joining Michael Pereira, who is starting his second year as Vice Principal of Academics.

There is excitement about the future at La Salle, and according to these three educators, there is a lot that makes La Salle special.

“What’s really most special about La Salle is the people – the students and the staff,” Welsh says. “The students are incredible young men and women. They’re focused, they’re dedicated, and they’re part of a community that understands that while it’s important to learn the ABC’s and 123’s, it’s more important to learn to be a good person. We want to help build a person that changes the world for the better and has a moral baseline that will serve them well throughout their life, in whatever their endeavors are.”

“Our young people are amazing,” Doyle says. “They are the heart and spirit of the school. At freshman orientation we tell the incoming students that La Salle chose them, and over the next four years it is their job to choose La Salle. They choose La Salle every day with their contributions in the classroom, their performances on stages, fields, and courts, their service to the community and the kindness they show each other. They share their gifts and talents with their Lasallian family every day and continue to grow the legacy of faith, service, and community.”

Welsh and Pereira are both alums of La Salle, classes of 1994 and 2005, respectively. Welsh was Vice President of Institutional Advancement at La Salle for 12 years before becoming Head of School at Matignon School in Cambridge, Massachusetts for the past nine years. Pereira was a math teacher and Assistant Boys Soccer Coach for past 11 years, and Doyle has been Class Dean for the last seven years, and prior to that was Spanish teacher for nine years.

They choose La Salle every day with their contributions in the classroom, their performances on stages, fields, and courts, their service to the community and the kindness they show each other.

STUDENTS OF THE WORLD

“La Salle pulls students and teachers from all over Rhode Island, southern Massachusetts, and eastern Connecticut, and builds a community all its own,” Doyle says. “We are a large enough school that every student can continue or develop a passion. With over

From l-r: Joanna Doyle, Vice Principal of student life, Tim Welsh, Principal of La Salle Academy Center and Michael Pereira, Vice Principal of Academics.

60 clubs and activities and 45 athletic teams in 18 different sports, there is something for everyone. And if we don’t have the club you want, there are dedicated teachers that will help you start it.”

“I’m really excited about the opportunities that exist for us to add to our academic program and to continue to provide students with the skills they need to strive in the 21st century,” Welsh says. “It’s been a hallmark of La Salle since its inception in 1871 and I’m very excited to work and serve with the staff and students to continue that.”

“We are always adding to and improving our facilities for our students,” Pereira says. “Whether it be adding more innovative and collaborative learning spaces to encourage creativity and collaboration among students, or by enhancing the technology available to our students and teachers for learning, we are always looking for ways to improve the experience of our community.”

According to Welsh, La Salle’s future is “limitless,” along with the futures of its graduates.

“La Salle is one of the best high schools in New England, and we’re going to provide opportunities and experiences that make it even better for our students. The future will be focusing more on experiential, deeper learning – taking what students learn in the classroom and allowing them to create their own knowledge in the real world. We want to allow them to transform their world and their communities, to go beyond just reciting knowledge.”

“We have a new team of leadership that is ready to carry the torch and move La Salle forward,” Doyle says. “Even though we are new to our positions we respect the legacy and tradition that La Salle was built on and hope to make changes that will improve our school and the lives of our students.”

“At a time when the social and emotional wellbeing of all students is being challenged, as with our mission, La Salle Academy is devoted to the holistic growth of its students and the larger community,” Pereira says. “It is our goal to continue meeting the needs of our students and to provide the environment for them to foster their own potential, to see themselves reach heights they never knew were possible.”

La Salle Academy is located at 612 Academy Avenue in Providence. Visit lasalle-academy.org for more information. La Salle will host its annual Open House for students grades 6-12 on October 23.