By Erin Pant
Ms. Lauren DeZinno has been appointed principal of Saint Peter’s School in Olney. DeZinno is a familiar face to the Saint Peter’s community, she served as acting vice principal for the 2022-2023 school year and previously taught middle school Spanish.

“It has long been my dream to serve as the institutional and spiritual leader of a community such as Saint Peter's School,” said DeZinno.

Ms. DeZinno joined Saint Peter’s faculty in 2018 and in addition to teaching has been involved in many school programs and extra-curricular activities, including the drama program.
 
“Saint Peter’s is a very special place,” said DeZinno. “The Saint Peter's School community is truly committed to educating the whole child. The parents, families, faculty, and staff members are united in our mission to nurture the minds and hearts of our students.”

DeZinno, a graduate of the Archdiocese of Washington school system, is looking forward to “everything” during her first year as principal.

“My experiences attending the Archdiocese of Washington's exemplary Catholic schools helped shape who I am. I hope our students will have similarly wonderful, faith-filled experiences during their time at Saint Peter's School,” said DeZinno.
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DeZinno earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Delaware and received her Master of Arts degree from Notre Dame of Maryland University, where she majored in Leadership in Teaching.
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“When I earned my master's degree in leadership in teaching in 2019, I began to think about pursuing a career in administration. After much thought and even more prayer, I decided to pursue it more seriously and applied for the principal position when the opportunity arose,” said DeZinno.  
 
DeZinno recently took part in the Leadership Academy sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Schools Office. Prior to Saint Peter’s, DeZinno held teaching positions at The Academy of the Holy Cross and St. Jude’s Regional Catholic School.  

 The youngest students at Saint Peter’s had an opportunity to participate in a new program established by our longtime PreK team of teachers. Ms. Trotta and Mrs. Smith, who both teach the PreK-3 students, and Ms. Tina Cubbage, who teaches PreK-4, hosted four weeks of Summer Blossom Camp for students entering PreK-4 or Kindergarten. Activities for the students included art projects, science experiments, music, dance, and outdoor fun.
 
Incoming students mingled with returning students so that when the first day of school comes later this month, it will seem like everyone is greeting old friends, instead of walking into a new environment.