Jean-Baptiste de La Salle (1651-1719) was a French priest, educational reformer, and founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He was a pioneer in founding training colleges for teachers, reform schools for delinquents, technical schools, and secondary schools for modern languages, arts, and sciences. On May 24, 1900 de La Salle was canonized as a Saint of the Catholoic Church and on May 15, 1950 he was declared the Patron Saint of Christian teachers and all those who work in the field of education. His feast day is April 7 (Memorial).
For more information see the discussion of St. John Baptist de la Salle on My Catholic Life and LaSalle.org.