President’s Letter

As I’ve reflected on the first semester of the school year, I can’t help but be grateful for the Chaminade Family. We’ve known for a long time that the Family Spirit of Chaminade is something that is special to those of us that are a part of the community, and it was evident in the days and weeks leading up to and following the passing of Fr. Ralph. As faith filled people, I believe we are conditioned to find light in darker days. The way that the school community came together to support one another was nothing short of inspiring. We miss Fr. Ralph terribly. I often find myself wishing he were here for advice, counsel, and guidance. Thankfully though, he had surrounded himself with great people, and it’s been comforting having the vast experiences of others to lean on for support. I continue to be appreciative of the care of the Chaminade community.

As any strong organization would do in a significant leadership transition, we have used this time to take stock of who we are and where we want to go, grateful for the people that have gone before us, while longing to understand how best to shape the future.

At this point in the history of the school, the first time led by a lay person, on the heels of the transformative leadership by Fr. Ralph, it’s important to understand that it takes all of us to come together to ensure that we are providing the best Catholic Marianist education we can. A school like Chaminade is complex, and requires laser focus on its mission. When we all recognize our role in helping fulfill that mission, we are that much closer to making the world a more holy, and happy place.

Our top priority has and will continue to be to form the faith lives of our students, so that they recognize their God-given talents to change the world around them. We continue to work diligently to meet the kids where they are in their faith journey and to intentionally and purposefully draw them closer to God, so that they recognize their goodness, and the role God plays in their life.

The pandemic has taught us that the world is getting smaller, and our interactions with people from different cultures are becoming more common. The connectivity to different people, and the sensitivity that it requires, makes cultural understanding a necessity in preparing our students for the real world. Cultural competency towards diverse populations will continue to be a focus of our efforts.

A strong and evolving curriculum is where so much of our efforts converge, to ensure that our students receive a holistic education that gives them a solid foundation for success in college and beyond. We are proud of our PACE program, offering the most college credit opportunities of any school in St. Louis. Students are encouraged to develop their passions through a robust offering of courses. When we see opportunities to grow our programs so that students can push more into an area of interest, to hone their skills and enliven their passion, we will do so. Curriculum at Chaminade is a living, breathing organism that changes and grows with the times and the people. We will review it with a keen eye on the rapidly changing global world in which we live and put our time and resources toward making the changes and adjustments that are needed.

Ensuring that all students have access to a Chaminade education, regardless of financial means, is going to be crucial to the viability of the school for generations to come. Securing the future of the school through responsible stewardship of resources, as well as continued growth of the funds that support our students is going to be a collaborative effort for many years. Because of the generosity of the Chaminade Family, we can give countless students an education in the virtues of Esto Vir that otherwise may not have had the opportunity. I am firmly convinced that the more students impacted by Chaminade, the better the world around us will be. We need more good men in the world today.

Fr. Chaminade made clear to us our call as a Marianist school: to multiply Christians, and to use education as a means to share our faith with young people. That is, to use the classroom, the cafeteria, the basketball court, the baseball and football fields, the band rooms, the stage, the chapel, and the retreat programs as a way to connect students to God, and to people that most reflect God in their lives.

As we look inward at who we are and the mission given by those who have gone before us, we enthusiastically look toward the future and the opportunities to grow so that we can best impact the world. It is an honor and privilege to be able to serve the school and the community in helping bring this mission to life.

Esto Vir!

Todd Guidry, Ed.D. President