A Man of Principal

“Teaching is the best job in the world," says Ed Joyce ’94, assistant principal at McKelvie Middle School in Bedford, N.H., amidst the adoration of the school’s entire sixth grade.

Joyce worked as a manufacturer’s rep, traveling all over New England, after graduating with a degree in financial economics and a certificate in German. He realized the training sessions were the best part of his job and decided a career change was in order. Teaching was the calling.

Joyce returned to the classroom, this time at the University of New Hampshire, to complete his M.Ed. in elementary education and certificate in science. After student teaching at McKelvie School in 1996, he was invited back the following year to teach his own sixth grade. His career change was complete.

After three years teaching sixth grade he moved to eighth grade science for a year while simultaneously serving as athletic director. He has been assistant principal for the past four years and in May was named principal of the soon-to-be-built Ross A. Lurgio Middle School just down the street. The school is scheduled to open in September 2007 and for the next two years Joyce will work with the superintendent, assistant superintendent, teachers and contractors to oversee the building process.

The Joyce family is well represented at Saint Anselm College alumni events. Ed’s brothers, Patrick ’05 and Christopher ’91, and his wife Lee (Diaz) ’94, are all graduates.