Marissa Bagala to leave St. Mary’s Nativity School

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Marissa Bagala is shown with a Pre-K 3 class at St. Mary’s Nativity.

Marissa Bagala thankful for years at St. Mary’s as she heads to Sts. Leo-Seton in Lafayette

Story by Janet Marcel ~ Photo by Lawrence Chatagnier

Marissa Bagala, who has been serving as principal of St. Mary’s Nativity School in Raceland since the 2005-2006 school year, will be leaving her position at the end of this school year.

Bagala, a Houma native and graduate of Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma, earned a bachelor of science in vocational home economics education from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, and a master’s degree, plus 30 hours in curriculum and instruction, from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux. She also has Catholic School Leadership certification from LMU in New Orleans.

She previously served as a kindergarten teacher at St. Bernadette Elementary and Maria Immacolata Elementary Schools in Houma, Lockport Lower Elementary School and Larose Lower Elementary School; as a fourth grade teacher at Larose Middle School; as a Pre-K4 teacher at Holy Savior Catholic School in Lockport and Cut Off Elementary School; and as assistant principal at Lockport Lower Elementary School.

She has a 26 year old son, Tristan, who is currently attending Harvard in Boston, MA.

When asked about what influenced her to become an educator, she says, “One of my earliest memories was of my father reading to me and my sister, and teaching us how to read, and also teaching us about our faith. Religion was a very big part of our lives.”

Witnessing the love and dedication the Dominican Sisters at St. Bernadette Catholic School had for their students and having them sharing their faith with her and the rest of the students also had a lasting impact on her.

Her older sister, Geralyn, who Bagala says was the perfect example of a Pre-K teacher, also impacted her decision. “Just seeing the dedication she had for teaching a

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and her love for her students … every day she would come home happy, just to be a part of their lives. My sister was the one who helped me set up my classroom at St. Bernadette, when I was a first time teacher.”

Bagala says her favorite part of teaching was seeing the children grow and gain confidence in their own abilities. “It was a joy helping them realize that God gives us all different talents and that they could use those talents to help others. I always enjoyed getting students involved in service projects and watching them learn to be compassionate toward others.”

Bagala says what she has enjoyed most about being an administrator at St. Mary’s Nativity School has been the dedication of the teachers, because for them it’s not a job, it’s a vocation. She has also enjoyed being a part of the lives of the families, the students and the parents. Just seeing the students grow spiritually and in their faith has been a blessing for her.

“One of my goals when I came here was for us all to be a family and I think I am leaving St. Mary’s as one big family,” says Bagala. “I wanted the KCs, the church parish and the school to be one. And with the help of Father Charlie (Perkins, former pastor) we were able to build that relationship. Having a wonderful relationship with Father Charlie and the love he had for the students here helped us achieve that goal.”

She says she has enjoyed working with the pastors of St. Mary’s Nativity, who have helped her to grow spiritually, as well as with other diocesan leaders and principals of the Catholic schools in the diocese. She would especially like to thank Sister Immaculata Paisant, M.S.C., former diocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools for 24 years, for giving her the opportunity to serve as principal at St. Mary’s Nativity School.

Reflecting on her decision to leave, she says she is leaving with a very heavy heart. “I feel that God has a plan for all of us, and I feel like he is calling me somewhere else. After much deliberation, much prayer and several discussions … with my spiritual advisor, my mentors, and my family, especially my son … I feel that God is calling me on a new path. It will be very difficult to leave my family and my students here, but I will always have a special place in my heart for St. Mary’s. I’m very grateful to everyone here because they’ve been there for me and for my son, in good times and in bad. And I hope to take all of the experiences and the knowledge I’ve gained here with me.”

Beginning with the 2022-23 school year, Bagala will be serving as principal at Sts. Leo-Seton Catholic School, a PK-3 through 8th grade school in Lafayette. BC

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