St. Patrick Hires Byrd for Social Studies Department

St. Patrick announced today that it had hired Joel Byrd, M.Ed. as part of the social studies department. Byrd will also be an assistant coach in the school’s football and baseball programs.

Byrd has been in education for the past 25 years, and for the past 18 years, he has spent time educating students at D’Iberville High School, where he served as the Social Studies Department Chairperson since 2006.

Byrd graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi in 1992 and earned two master’s degrees in 1995 and 2007.

“We are thrilled to have Mr. Byrd join our team at St. Patrick. He is a well-respected educator, and he will be an excellent addition to our faculty. Please join us in giving a strong Fighting Irish welcome to Mr. Byrd,” said Principal Dr. Matt Buckley.

When asked about joining the St. Patrick family, Byrd was excited.

“I am very excited to become a part of St. Patrick staff and the St. Patrick family. I bring a lot of experience from public school and my 25-year career as a teacher, and I hope to take the best of my experiences to St. Patrick. My goal is always to encourage my students and athletes to be a better person every day. If we could all be a better person each day – there is nothing that can stop us from being a person that everyone can be proud of. I also encourage my students and athletes to learn something new each day. We are never too young or old to learn from one another. Learning is a lifelong process, and it is a process that we must develop in order to grow and mature,” said Byrd.

Byrd is married to his wife of 25-years, Rita, and they have two adult children.

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St. Patrick Catholic High School is a faith-based, college preparatory high school in Biloxi, Mississippi, and named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education in 2019. Established in 2007, St. Patrick is the premier secondary educational institution in South Mississippi and strives each day to Educate Scholars, Train Disciples, and Support Champions. St. Patrick is proud to report a 100% college matriculation rate, ACT and SAT scores that far exceed the state and national averages, and a rich history of Catholic education founded in the traditional roots of our legacy schools of St. John High School, Mercy Cross High School, Notre Dame High School, and Sacred Heart Academy.