Erica St. Peter, the new principal of Dresden Elementary School. St. Peter comes to Dresden from James H. Bean School in Sidney, where she served as principal for six years. (Courtesy photo)
A little over a week into her new role as the principal at Dresden Elementary School, Erica St. Peter said she is busy getting to know the school, its staff, and its students.
“It’s a brand new school, so I’ve been learning staff member’s names, learning the kids names, learning how Dresden Elementary does school,” said St. Peter.
On Feb. 24, St. Peter officially joined the Dresden Elementary School team, closing the book on a nearly three-decade chapter of her career.
For the past 28 years, St. Peter worked in the RSU 18 school district, which is comprised of Oakland, Belgrade, Sidney, China, and Rome. Her background includes working as the principal at James H. Bean School in Sidney, which she took on in 2018 after teaching at the school since 1996.
Before taking on the role of principal in Dresden, St. Peter taught second grade at China Primary School for the last couple of months. She said she shifted to working in the classroom again because she feels it’s important for administrators to have a “fresh perspective” of what teachers are asked to do on a daily basis.
St. Peter is Dresden Elementary School’s third principal in about a year. She replaces Erik Gray, who was principal from August through December 2024. Gray resigned to return to his previous position of assistant principal at Edward Little High School in Auburn. His resignation was announced by the RSU 2 Board of Directors during its meeting on Jan. 2.
Prior to Gray, the role was held by Gabrielle LaPerriere, who was principal for the 2023-2024 academic year before resigning in mid-August 2024 to take on the role of assistant principal at Wentworth School in Scarborough.
RSU 2 Superintendent Rick Amero announced via the school district’s website on Feb. 3 that St. Peter would take on the role at Dresden Elementary School.
St. Peter said she was eager when she saw the job opening, as she had missed being in an administrative role.
Taking on the role has been a slight learning curve, St. Peter said, as the size of the school and its individual class sizes are smaller than what she experienced at James H. Bean School. However, she said the small community at Dresden Elementary School is helpful when it comes to building strong relationships.
“I think that having smaller class sizes is beneficial. I think it allows for the teacher to get to know the students better … And I also think it’s good for the students because they get to know the teacher on a deeper level, they know the staff on a deeper level,” she said. “I think that really helps with relationships, and that is my primary goal, is to form positive and trusting relationships with staff, with students, with their families, with the community. In my opinion, that’s the number one priority.”
St. Peter said school was always a positive experience for her growing up, and she naturally pursued and made a career in education.
“I tease my family (and) they tease me with the fact that if I could go to school forever, I would, and, essentially, I am,” she said.
St. Peter attended Plymouth State University in New Hampshire, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and teaching. Then, she received a Master of Education degree in elementary education and teaching from the University of Maine. She also has an administrative certificate in school administration from the University of Maine at Farmington.
While she has experience teaching from elementary to postgraduate students, St. Peter said her favorite group to teach is elementary-aged children.
“They’re still engaged, you know, they want to learn. Everything to them is interesting,” she said. “I like being around kids, I’m drawn to them, and I really want to make their school experience a positive one like mine was growing up.”
St. Peter said her goal for the remainder of the school year is to focus on getting to know her new school community, including its strengths and challenges.
“What are some challenges, why are they challenges, how can we collaborate to attack those challenges and make them less? Obviously, my number one goal is student well-being, student achievement, and I truly feel that if I take care of the staff, then the staff will be better able to achieve those goals with our students,” she said.
When she’s not at school, St. Peter said she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and scrapbooking.
To contact St. Peter, call Dresden Elementary School at 737-2559 or email estpeter@kidsrsu.org.
