One of the things that drew Marie-Pier Ingraham to Good Shepherd School in Perryville, Md., was the friendly faces she encountered as she went through the process of becoming its new principal. Even during the summer, Good Shepherd is a whirlwind of activity.
“A lot of families have popped in,” she said recently. “I’ve spoken at a lot of the Masses. It’s been nice to get to know some of them.”
Ingraham, 36, takes over at Good Shepherd after spending the last eight years at St. Ann School in Wilmington. There, she taught fourth grade for a time before moving on to advanced math and a role as the math specialist.
She knows she made the right move going to Good Shepherd.
“It was such a homely, lovely little community. It’s very faith-filled. From the moment that I walked on campus, everybody was super-friendly, welcoming. Everybody wants to help with everything,” she said.
Ingraham sees a positive in the school’s small enrollment. It allows the teachers and administration to individualize a student’s education in a way that is not always possible at bigger institutions. She wants to help the students grow in their faith and be well-rounded individuals.
She also would like to see Good Shepherd grow in the community, noting that there are families in the Perryville area that are struggling.
“I see it as an opportunity for the school to strengthen the service aspect and help members of the community,” she said.
She has already seen what the school means to the community. Good Shepherd recently held a fundraiser at a local brewpub, and the restaurant was filled with current and former families, including a number of new families. Parents were in the building this summer helping to paint classrooms. That told her that the community is willing to work to make sure Good Shepherd continues to be a mainstay in the area.
She’ll do a lot of observing this year, but there will be some adjustments based on feedback from faculty and families. One thing coming this year is a guidance program.
Ingraham was born in Montreal, Quebec, and came to the United States before fourth grade when her father was transferred. They settled in Lancaster, Pa. She spoke only French and remembers having to learn English “on the fly. I had to adjust to learning the fourth-grade curriculum and learning a new language. It gives me a better appreciation of kids who struggle and being able to connect with them.”
She and her husband, Herb, have two sons, who will attend Christ the Teacher Catholic School, and two dogs. They are members of St. Ann’s but used to belong to St. Margaret of Scotland Parish. Their parish might be changing again soon, she said.
Ingraham tries to get to Canada to see extended family, and she and her immediate family like to travel “and try new things. My husband and I love to try new food. Whenever we go out to eat, we try to find the weirdest thing on the menu sometimes.
“Our goal is to take our kids to all 50 states,” she continued. “My oldest loves animals, so we’re trying to find a zoo or aquarium in each state, so that’s how we’ll cover the majority of the states. We might have to get creative.”
