Catholic Schools

Greetings Bayou Catholic community,

Peace be with you. My name is Mark Williams, and I am excited to join you in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. I am grateful to Father Patrick (P.J.) Madden for appointing me as superintendent of Catholic Schools.

I feel very comfortable as a district and school leader, and I am pleased to be here. Having previously served as associate superintendent in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, as well as principal of Archbishop Shaw High School, God has prepared my steps as I journeyed here. Eagerly answering God’s call, I am delighted to serve the schools of our diocese.

Under the direction of Father Madden and in close collaboration with pastors, principals, and our diocesan school board, I plan to work tirelessly in the vineyard of our Lord. Matthew 9:37 tells us, “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.” With the goal of serving our schools with vigor and passion, our first 100 days will focus on joining our community together as we move forward with the task of building disciples.

Part of this collaboration will also seek to complete the process of school district re-accreditation through Cognia, an international accrediting organization. Through the analysis of student achievement data, stakeholder surveys, and a detailed analysis of the learning environment, we can interpret the results of our analysis and determine our course for the future. We will evaluate our educational process under the lens of 30 different standards to assess our effectiveness. After completing this analysis, we expect to be re-accredited by the end of the school year.

Our hearts and minds are open, and this data analysis will direct our steps as a school district in the journey of continuous improvement. This is a tedious endeavor, but with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, we will make haste along the path toward excellence.

Over the past couple of years, our community has endured many challenges. COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida have decreased instructional time in the classroom. In some cases, this has impacted students adversely. We are tasked with being extraordinary in our ministry and practice. We feel that if we, as a professional Catholic and learning community, can do the ordinary things that educators do very well, then we can be extraordinary and achieve excellent results.

For example, if we can be present for our students every day, engage in data informed planning, teach with passion and purpose, assess regularly, and provide great examples for our students, we will achieve great things this year. We are rejuvenated and ready to make a difference in this academic year.

In our quest for excellence in forming our students, let us turn to the book of Matthew for inspiration and guidance in planning. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:12-14). This passage inspires us to pray, plan and prepare in the most robust manner in the hope of guiding our students through the “narrow gate” that leads to a happy and full life.

In the vision of Father Andre Coindre, let us rescue our young people from ignorance, show them how to make a full life, and teach them a love of the faith. Never before in my lifetime has the work that we do in Catholic schools been so important. I believe that if we can remain united in our mission, vision and core values, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

Please pray for our school communities. By the time you read this, our schools will be in session. Pray that our schools meet and exceed the spiritual, academic, social-emotional and physical needs of our students. We want to firmly establish a culture of belonging for all and create win-win relationships with all of our stakeholders. Pray that we achieve this objective.

Finally, may God bless you and your family abundantly.