After 37 years of service to Catholic education, Vandy president retires

David Boudreaux, who has served in Catholic school education in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux for 37 years, retired at the end of the 2019-20 school year. Boudreaux most recently served as president of Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma since the 2014-15 school year.

The Thibodaux native is a graduate of E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in administration and supervision from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.

He began his career teaching music and then religion at Vandebilt. In 1985, he took the position of band director at Houma Jr. High School. He returned to Vandebilt in 1990 and served as music teacher, multimedia teacher, vice principal of discipline, and academic assistant principal. In 2000, he was named principal of E.D. White; and in 2006 he became that school’s first president, a position he held for eight years.

Boudreaux first thought about becoming an educator after his home burnt down during his junior year at E.D. White. “My family didn’t have the economic resources to house us or replace our belongings, but the school community rallied to help. Teachers, administrators and students did what they could to assist us. I remember thinking that maybe I could pass that help forward in some way.”

If he hadn’t become an educator, Boudreaux says he probably would have become an architect because he was always drawing or designing something.

“The best part of being a teacher was getting to know and working with students,” says Boudreaux. As a band director, he was able to share the gift of music with his students; as a religion teacher, he hopes he shared the Gospel message in a way that was relevant to his students; and in his multimedia production classes, he and his students were able to work with cool gadgets and create interesting programs.

“The two aspects of being an administrator that I found most enjoyable were working with teachers to implement new programs and incorporate emerging technologies,” says Boudreaux. He feels fortunate to have been part of how far education has come with regard to computers and technology over the past four decades.

“One of the highlights of being an administrator at E.D. White and Vandebilt was the opportunity to take part in the Coindre Leadership Program by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart,” says the educator. “These experiences really helped me in my personal faith journey as well as gave me insight into how to maintain a strong Catholic identity in the schools.”

Boudreaux says there are many enjoyable aspects of serving a school as its president, but the only drawback is that you don’t have as much daily contact with students. However, you do have an opportunity to supply those who minister to the students with the materials and facilities they need by partnering with the schools’ benefactors to do great things for the students.

The greatest challenge in the field of Catholic education is offering the highest quality faith-based education at a cost that most families can afford while also paying just wages to school employees, explains Boudreaux. He is grateful to Bishop Fabre for tackling this challenge head-on in the new diocesan strategic plan for Catholic schools.

During his 37 years of service to Catholic education in the diocese, Boudreaux was privileged to work with all four bishops and says he appreciated their guidance and the opportunity he was given to serve them.

“I also want to thank all of the talented educators that I had the opportunity to work with over the years; their dedication has been inspiring,” says Boudreaux. “And finally, I want to thank my students for allowing me to be part of their lives for a brief time. I hope that I have helped them in some way on their journey.”
Boudreaux is married to Mary Avet and they have three children: Steven, 33; Chris, 29; and Alicia, 25; and two grandchildren: Hannah, four; and Natalie, two. He and his wife are parishioners of St. Bernadette Church parish in Houma.

Boudreaux says they have plans to do some remodeling and painting at their home, as well as traveling in the future. What he is most looking forward to, however, is the ability to spend more time with his children and grandchildren.

“I am also looking forward to getting back to a few of my hobbies such as working on old cars,” Boudreaux says. He is also hoping to get back to doing a little artwork, which is something he enjoys, but hasn’t had time for over the years.

“I am humbled to be a small part of the rich histories of E.D. White and Vandebilt,” says Boudreaux. “Both schools have heritages dating back more than 150 years. It is reassuring that both schools have dedicated leaders, talented faculties and caring staffs who will continue to offer education rooted in Catholic values for years to come.”