St. Catherine’s Center for Children announces new Principal of R & E May School

Albany—Longtime Albany educator Jerry Spicer  has been hired as the new principal of St. Catherine’s Center for Children’s R & E May School. The R & E May School is a special education elementary school for students with behavioral and educational needs that cannot be met in a traditional school setting.  Spicer will serve as school principal and overall director of the agency’s day treatment program.

Spicer is a graduate of Christian Brothers Academy and Siena College. He completed graduate and professional studies at both The College of Saint Rose and the University of Albany. Spicer worked in the Albany City School District for more than 30 years, ultimately retiring as a principal of the Philip J. Schuyler Achievement Academy. Most recently, he was Assistant Director for Youthbuild Albany under Mayor Gerald Jennings.

“St. Catherine’s is proud to announce the selection of Jerry Spicer as new principal and director of our day treatment program,” said Executive Director William T. Gettman, Jr. “Jerry is a proud product of the Capital Region’s educational system, and we look forward to working with him. I can’t think of a more qualified principal to lead our R & E May School!”

St. Catherine’s Center for Children was established by the Daughters of Charity in Albany in 1886 as a home for sick orphans. Today, the agency is a haven for hope, offering a comprehensive range of human services for Capital Region children and families coping with issues of abuse, neglect, mental illness, homelessness, and trauma. In addition to the R & E May School Day Treatment Program, St. Catherine’s offers residential services for children ages 5 to 13, a therapeutic foster care program, community-based prevention services designed to strengthen vulnerable families, and a shelter for homeless families with related services. Last year, St. Catherine’s services reached more than 1,000 children and about 500 families in the Capital Region. For more information about St. Catherine’s Center for Children, visit www.st-cath.org or call Brian Bell at 453-6716.