Donna Guerrera
Director of St. Paul Christian School
I am a native of Connecticut and grew up in a loving family as the oldest, with my two sisters and brother. My parents are first generation Americans, my mother’s parents being from Italy and my father’s parents from Ireland. They encouraged my siblings and I to work hard and to be the first of our families to attend college.
My husband Rich and I met in college. He was pursuing a degree in Chemistry at the University of Bridgeport and I in Business Management with a minor in Education at Southern Connecticut State University. After graduation, we began our careers and it was then that we were invited to a Full Gospel Businessmen’s meeting where we gave our lives to the Lord. We began to follow Jesus with all our hearts – everything was so new, exciting and joyful! We got married the following year and started serving in ministry right away. Youth ministry was where God called us to serve, teaching, leading mission trips and leading teens to the Lord.
As our ministry grew so did our family. God blessed us with three children, Jacqueline, Gina and Michael. When they were young, I stayed home to raise them. When Michael started school, I went back to work at my children’s elementary school as a Special Education Teaching Assistant. I realized then that this was what I wanted to do, teach children. For the next few years, I took more education classes and learned all that I could from the veteran teachers.
Then the Lord began to lead us in a new direction. Rich became team leader of the youth ministry and I became a team leader of children’s ministry, along with leading a small group in our home. God also led me to begin a new position at St. Paul Christian School. I knew as soon as I arrived, that this was not an ordinary school, it was special. I knew that God had brought me here for a purpose. St. Paul Christian School is a place where children are surrounded by the love of God and cherished and challenged by their teachers to grow and learn.
My husband Rich and I have been married for 34 years and our children are now grown. We now have an adorable grandson too! Each of our children have worked summers at SPCS and the school holds a special place in their hearts. After many years of being a part of this amazing school I feel so blessed to now be the Director. I believe that God has called me, and my family to SPCS to be a part of fulfilling His will for the school.