Br. Ray Bulliard, FSC
Brother Ray Bulliard, FSC has stepped down as president of Saint Paul’s School, Covington, LA (SPS). The announcement was made on February 13 by SPS Board or Trustees chair Dan Richard Dorsey.
Former SPS principal Trevor Watkins, AFSC has been appointed interim school president.
Brother Raymond Bulliard, FSC, President of St. Paul’s School, was diagnosed with cancer in December, 2022 and took a leave of absence to begin treatment. On February 7, 2023, District of San Francisco New Orleans (SFNO) Brother Visitor Nick Gonzalez, FSC, informed the SPS Board of Trustees that he was withdrawing Brother Ray from his duties in order for him to better focus on his health.
In his announcement, Dorsey stated, “It is impossible to overstate what Brother Ray has done for St. Paul’s and how important he has been to the school since the 1970’s. After taking over the leadership of St. Paul’s in 1987, he truly brought about a renaissance at the school. By virtually any metric that could be used, St. Paul’s School in 2023 greatly surpasses the institution he took over in 1987. He created a climate and culture at St. Paul’s where the Lasallian tradition permeates all aspects of school life.”
Watkins, who under the school’s succession plan had become acting president upon Brother Ray’s leave, was appointed interim president by the SPS Board of Trustees on February 10. Watkins, a 1979 SPS graduate, joined its faculty in 1983 and served as Principal 2001-2022.
In a letter to the school community, Watkins wrote, “We are humbled and thankful to the Board of Trustees for its confidence in the current administrative team. We pledge to continue Brother’s work and to ensure that the school continues to function exceptionally well. For many years, Brother Ray has galvanized current and future administrations by deliberately planning succession. His foresight will serve us well in the coming months as we continue his legacy.”
According to Dorsey, the SPS Board of Trustees, with the help and assistance of the Office of Education of the De La Salle Institute, has begun its search process to identify a permanent school president.
“We thank Brother Ray,” Dorsey concluded, “for his decades of outstanding service and for all that he has done for St. Paul’s. We ask for your continued prayers for Brother Ray and for his full recovery. We look forward to the day when he will be able to return to serve the St. Paul’s community in another capacity.”
