New Administration at La Salle Takes the School to New Heights

This September, La Salle goes into high gear. And with a stellar Administration as the driving force. There are many brand new faces as the leadership of La Salle this year and they come to their positions and to La Salle with much expertise and practical knowledge of how best to serve the young men of La Salle, and what it means to be Lasallian.

At the top of this list as La Salle’s Vice President of Academic/Student Affairs and Principal is Ms. Kerry Conroy, a woman that is Lasallian through and through. Beginning as a Lasallian Volunteer and serving as the campus minister, tutor, and freshmen religion teacher, Ms. Conroy returned to La Salle shortly after her years of service to serve the Lasallian young men once again as a guidance counselor. Soon after that, Ms. Conroy was promoted to Director of Guidance and most recently served as La Salle’s Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs. Committed to Catholic education in the Lasallian tradition, Ms. Conroy was named Principal of La Salle Academy in June 2016.

Mr. Daniel Perez comes to La Salle with over ten years of experience in Private, Catholic, non-profit schools that serve predominantly underserved families. He brings administrative and collaborative leadership skills to the team and shares the goal and vision of La Salle Academy: to provide opportunities that allow them to reach their true potential. Before coming to La Salle, Mr. Perez served as Principal of St. Aloysius School after serving as Principal of Nativity Mission Center, both New York City elementary schools that serve a similar population to that of La Salle Academy. As a Latino educator who was born and raised in the Lower East Side (blocks away from La Salle), Mr. Perez is well-prepared to serve La Salle’s students and families. His commitment to service is only enhanced by his position as President of the Nativity Mission Center Alumni Association. La Salle is blessed to welcome Mr. Perez to the Lasallian family as the new Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs.

In 2008, Mr. Jerome Pannell was hired to lead the JV Basketball Program. He was quickly promoted to Assistant Varsity Coach a year later and has served as a substitute in multiple roles within the school. He served as Dean of Students from October 2011 to January 2012 and has been Varsity Head Coach since June of 2014. During Coach Pennell’s time at La Salle, he has also been the Director of Staffing at Two Dots Productions where he has was the centerpiece for all staffing operations, serving as the gatekeeper to all staff bookings. He has nearly 10 years of experience with on-site event management including activations at the US Open Tennis, BCS National Championship, the PGA Championship and others. Coach Pannell has several years of experience as a religion teacher and youth director at a Catholic grade school in Harlem, where he was born and raised. He wears many hats at La Salle this academic year including the Director of Campus Ministry, Athletic Director, and Associate Dean.

Rounding out this stellar administrative team is a veteran Lasallian and Assistant
Principal for Student Affairs, Mr. Raymond Polanco. A La Salle Academy Alumnus of the class of 1989, Mr. Polanco has an unmatched passion for La Salle and the success of each student, serving at La Salle Academy for over 20 years. Born and raised in New York City, Mr. Polanco shares many of the experiences of our students. He brings extensive education experience as well as a vast amount of institutional knowledge to the administrative team.

La Salle Academy is in the hands of some of the best high school administrators the school has ever seen. La Salle is in its third year of its “comeback” story, and these men and women are prepared to lead the school to great heights beginning this academic year. La Salle is grateful for this cohesive administrative team.