Meet Mr. Ernie
It’s hard not to smile when someone like Ernie Peña walks through your doors. His beaming presence is felt instantly – before you’ve even exchanged so much as a “Hello.” Joyous, passionate, and kindhearted, Mr. Ernie, as he is commonly known, expresses nothing but love to everyone he encounters.
Peña has now worked for St. Pius X Catholic School for 29 years. His previous jobs weren’t in education, but after joining the church, he knew it was where he wanted to be. He felt at home. As the Plant and Maintenance Supervisor, he wears a multitude of hats. From making sure the campus is in tip-top shape to serving his famous pancakes once a month in the Blue Jay Café, Peña’s contributions to the lives of the students and fellow faculty are multifaceted.
He credits his wife Grace as the inspiration behind his work at St. Pius. Grace, who has been with the school for 28 years, has also held various roles, all aimed toward bettering the campus. She now manages the cafeteria and provides healthy and delicious meals for the students and staff. “We both wear many hats in our jobs and continue to push to inspire each other daily,” Peña says.
Although Peña isn’t directly in the classrooms, he has made a point to advocate continuously for his students in any way he can. In his role, the safety of the school, church, and entire grounds of St. Pius is of upmost importance to him. “My responsibility to the children and to the staff is great, and I take that very seriously,” Peña says. “I treat the students as if they were my own. My children and grandchildren have attended St. Pius, and I have an obligation to protect the staff and our leaders of tomorrow.”
Now, in a COVID-19 world, Peña’s job is more important than ever. He’s making sure all necessary precautions are considered, adapted, and implemented. Peña is responsible for installing things like touch-free faucets and paper towel dispensers, as well as extra sanitizing stations throughout the campus. Enacting new cleanliness and disinfecting procedures to ensure the health and safety of students and faculty is part of his mission.
If you ask Peña about his proudest moments or accomplishments in relation to the school, he’ll talk about the impact he has been able to make on students throughout the years. He’ll also talk about how instilling the lesson of respect in his students, both respect for others and themselves, is a passion he feels lucky to do.
When it comes to why he does what he does, the answer is rooted in the students. “The children bring me an unexplainable amount of joy and have always had the ability to remind me why I do what I do,” he says. However, the responsibility of working with children – our leaders of tomorrow – is not lost on him. In fact, he says it is one of the most essential roles one can play in this world. “Although I am not in the classroom, I am constantly walking the grounds of our church and school,” he says. “Even if I don’t know it, some students may look up to me as a role model, and it’s important that my influence on them is a positive one.”
After spending a small amount of time with Peña, it is clear to see why past students and families of St. Pius always remember Mr. Ernie, even long after they’ve left the school. It has everything to do with the fact that in all he does, a loving spirit can be found.
