2023 President's Report

BRIDGING BORDERS AND SACRED

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

OUR MISSION

Convent & Stuart Hall educates mind, heart and body, animating a zeal for discovery, inspiring a passion for justice and nurturing the strength to transform.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

BRIDGING BORDERS AND SACRED HEARTS IN THE PHILIPPINES

A “4-D” K–12 PROGRAM IN COGNITIVE, EMOTIONAL, SPIRITUAL, SOCIAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

TEACHING BOYS, TEACHING GIRLS: EXPLORING ANSWERS TO NEWLY POSED QUESTIONS

SACRED HEART COMMISSION ON GOALS

GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY

THE PERFORMING ARTS: A REFLECTION FROM DR. PHILLIP HARRIS

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE FUTURE OF LEARNING

EXPANDING MATHEMATICAL UNDERSTANDING IN EARLY ELEMENTARY GRADES

2023 AUTHOR IN RESIDENCE: KEVIN MAILLARD

BROADENING STUDENT HORIZONS: EXPLORING COPENHAGEN AND BERLIN

STUDENT SNAPSHOTS: INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME EXTENDED ESSAY

THE BEST SPORTING MOMENTS OF 2023

A HELPING HAND AND COMPASSIONATE HEART

A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF DIANNE FEINSTEIN ’51

IN MEMORIAM

A BARBIE PINK HALLOWEEN

FACULTY AWARDS

THE CLASS OF 2023

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR

MESSAGE from the PRESIDENT

DEAR CONVENT & STUART HALL COMMUNITY,

The 2023 calendar year reflected in this report spans significant parts of two academic years, guided by the respective themes of Curiosity (2022) and Exploration (2023). Emerging from a time of significant disruption and limited access to community engagement near and far, our sights as a school focused on a desire to examine our assumptions — about the world and about ourselves — and to branch out with new questions and explorations.

• What are we genuinely curious to learn?

• Following curiosity, how do we best formulate our question or inquiry?

• Where do we look for information and explore for real-world learning experiences?

• How do we act on behalf of our values and beliefs?

One big question leading our educational explorations is: “As we look to a world influenced by artificial intelligence, how might we augment our own intelligence and spiritual-knowing with these advances?” The term “augmented intelligence” comes from the work of psychologist and computer scientist Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider. Licklider first proposed the idea in 1960 in his seminal article “Man-Computer Symbiosis” (Volume: HFE-1, Issue: 1, March 1960).

Dr. Peter Bentley (Professor of Computer Science at University College, London) shares this reference in Issue 372 of BBC Science Focus and also notes that “Licklider went on to help create the modern computing world as we know it, from the ARPANET (which later became the internet) to graphical user interfaces. His ideas were revolutionary, for he believed that the new computer technology should be used for ‘intelligence amplification’ — not automation.” In a time when the world may fear that the best of humanity might be replaced with a form of technology, Convent & Stuart Hall, as with Licklider’s belief in “intelligence amplification,” is dedicated to designing an education and life experience that amplifies the unique genius in each person.

Exploring the ideas of dreamers, advanced thinkers and soulful human beings has informed the course taken by Sacred Heart leaders for over 200 years. Mindful of the future leaders in our charge, we ask: “What might a better world look like?” — an essential question core to the outcome of the critical thinking and critical acting encompassed in Sacred Heart education.

I hope this collection of stories engages your curiosity and sparks a desire to explore ways of testing your own assumptions and exploring “What else might be true?” (Teju Cole, Spring 2021, in conversation with Convent & Stuart Hall).

In the articles that follow, I invite you to enjoy the questions asked, the avenues taken to discover the answers and the beauty of the journey. It is fitting that this edition of The President’s Report features a special tribute to a Convent alumna, Dianne Feinstein ’51, and the life of curiosity and exploration exemplified by the journey of Senator Feinstein’s life.

SINCERELY,

DR. ANN MARIE KREJCAREK PRESIDENT | CONVENT & STUART HALL

LEFT: Dr. Krejcarek visited the Unkefer Spark Studio while second grade boys and girls worked on their collaborative “Caine’s Arcade” designs. The project challenges students to design and construct an arcade game out of cardboard.

We must always begin again and again with great confidence and an unquenchable hope, ever repeating nunc coepi — Today I begin!

— JANET ERSKINE STUART, RSCJ

BY MICHAEL SEPIDOZA CAMPOS, PhD RELIGION, THEOLOGY & SPIRITUALITY FACULTY

While most might devote February break to post-holiday recovery, 17 Convent & Stuart Hall students and six staff members traversed the Pacific to visit Sophie’s Farm in the Philippines. Named after St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, Sophie’s Farm was established by Lydia Collado, RSCJ, to serve as an agricultural cooperative and center for transformative education.

Unlike the “Sacred Heart world” that many of us are familiar with — single-sex, established and affluent institutions — Sophie’s Farm reflects the material realities of its neighbors: farmers, fisherfolks and day laborers who live at the edge of town, often on land that is not their own.

In three short days, we meandered through the local village, planted lettuce, dug into compost, shared pasalubong (gifts), won a basketball game … and listened. We learned how:

• Sr. Lydia and the RSCJ in Samar founded the Sacred Heart Institute for Transformative Education Foundation (SHIFT) more than two decades ago

• Sr. Digna Dacanay found a home on the Farm in between her work in the local and international leadership of the Society of the Sacred Heart

• Program Assistant Syd Baradi reoriented his life’s trajectory to develop the Farm’s organic projects

• SHIFT scholars Analisa De Guia and Gerard Acibar, Jr. have become full time staff of the SHIFT Foundation and Julito Domingo and many others return regularly to support the Farm’s initiatives

• Residents at nearby Doña Lucia participate in the Farm’s livelihood initiatives

Like most transformative moments, this journey began through chance encounters and the sharing of stories. While delivering a keynote at the 2017 Conference of Australian and New Zealand Sacred Heart Schools, President Ann Marie Krejcarek learned about the long-standing relationship of Australia’s RSCJ community with Sophie’s Farm. Inspired by the possibility of deepening Convent & Stuart Hall’s relationships with Sacred Heart communities in Asia, Dr. Krejcarek enjoined business officer Rena Franco to ground this hope into reality. The invitation proved serendipitous. Franco had long supported local communities in the Philippines, her native home. An initial inquiry with Sr. Lydia evolved into a friendship that allowed Convent & Stuart Hall, in turn, the privilege of supporting the Farm’s work through small fundraising efforts. From these encounters, seeds were planted for a visit between the two communities.

Six years and a pandemic after Dr. Krejcarek’s keynote in Australia, an inaugural cohort embarked on a 10-day journey that straddled Manila, the capital, Sophie’s Farm on Samar Island and Cebú in the Visayas region.

Landing in Manila allowed us to recalibrate to a new time zone and acclimate to the humidity of the tropics. We visited Intramuros, offering insight into the city’s colonial history, the complicated years of American rule and the Philippines’ transition to independence in 1946. A restful day at Villa Escudero, south of Manila, exposed us to the idylls of country life.

Traveling to Samar brought us to the edge of the archipelago, a region often forgotten for its remoteness, remembered only when annual typhoons wreak havoc on the land. With the geographical shift came changes in language, climate and pace of living. Unlike Manila’s bustling avenues, country roads meandered between town plazas, rice fields and seaside villages. The town of Catarmán hugged the coastline, with Sophie’s Farm cozily nestled between a beach and the gentle rise of a nearby mountain.

We arrived to the applause of students, staff and volunteers who lined a happily festooned driveway to the Farm. At the end stood Sr. Lydia, jumping in anticipation as we emerged from our buses. We were embraced as siblings from the same family. On the Farm, we ceased being tourists.

LEFT: Convent & Stuart Hall students pose with local students, staff and volunteers from Sophie’s Farm. ABOVE: Michael Campos, Religion, Theology & Spirituality Faculty, holds vegetables harvested from Sophie’s Farm.

In the next two days, we gradually understood the proximity of the “center” with the “periphery.” While San Francisco comprised the heart and grounding of our lives, our concerns clearly intersected those of the Sacred Heart world in Samar. Junior Sofia Kozlova spoke of the discomforts and opportunities that came with failures in communication when local youths giggled at her attempts to engage.

“I realized that they weren’t laughing at us but … at their own insecurity with the English language. By assuming [that] they intended to mock us, we put ourselves at the center of their world. In reality, we were merely [one] aspect of their worlds, not the focal point.”

- SOFIA KOZLOVA, JUNIOR

For Sofia, re-examining her positionality situated her towards a posture of empathy. In this practice, one moves away from the “center” and stands with an “other” in ways that transcend one’s own perspective and concerns. Her words captured well the ways we navigated the strangeness of the land and the realities of its people. During a morning spent at Doña Lucia, an illegal settlement that grew into a self-governing community, we saw conditions that prompted us to examine assumptions of poverty and wealth, communal responsibility and personal autonomy. In order to supplement limited incomes, many village women served as primary breadwinners (with a good number employed through the Farm’s livelihood programs). While men supported families through fishing, many also worked on the Farm’s construction projects. More than just neighbors, the community of Doña Lucia was a veritable extension of the Farm. This symbiosis allowed for the gracious sharing of goods, labor and mutual support. The boundary between strangers and neighbors — the center and the periphery — was porous.

If there was ever a moment when this “boundary crossing” became palpable for us, it was right at the village center, on a basketball court. Ubiquitous at every barrio in the Philippines, basketball brings people together. Cajoled by Dr. Krejcarek and Sr. Digna, five of our own (including Dr. Clint Hackenburg!) challenged the Doña Lucia ballers. As we languished in the humidity, local boys ran around in flip-flops to hold a consistent

lead; we eventually won (but perhaps through an act of grace). The moment moved sophomore Alex Akel to reflect on a deeper victory that comes with unexpected connections:

“No matter how different we thought we were from [each other], at the end of the day, we were all people. I played basketball in SF and I played basketball in the village… We spoke different languages but connected over a game we loved.”

- ALEX AKEL, SOPHOMORE

Even as the heat and mosquitoes confirmed how far we were from home, Alex felt the spirit of the Sacred Heart right on the court, among strangers who have become friends. We left Sophie’s Farm with the promise of return, in awe of the profound relationships that were cultivated in a little over three days.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Sophomore Alex Akel plays against the Doña Lucia ballers. Students wear traditional Filipino cultural dance costumes. Rena Franco and Dr. Krejcarek deliver various donation boxes to Sr. Lydia at Sophie’s Farm. Group poses in front of Fort Santiago in Intramuros in Manila.

Making our way to the southern end of the island, we marveled at the undulating mountain passes that connected remote villages. Among these Samarnons, the center thrived in the spirit of bayanihan (community) that bound disparate peoples onto land.

The final stretch of our journey brought us to Cebú and back to the bustle and anxieties of city life. Within the rhythm of this ancient city, we discerned glimmers of tenacious hope: among the women who danced the sinulog1 outside the Cathedral in exchange for a few pesos and a candle, in the colonial architecture that peeked behind high-rise buildings, and among high school students who performed dances of the Philippine archipelago with us. A day at Kawasan Falls, snorkeling and scuba diving at an islet near Bohol Island, and swimming with whale sharks near the town of Oslob topped off our immersion in a land and people who now felt intimate to us. In some way, this journey across an ocean brought us closer to the heart of what truly matters.

It was appropriate for us to have visited the Philippines on the eve of Lent. For Christians, the season returns us to the periphery, to the strange, to the crucifixion. Lent offers a glimpse of the resurrection, a coming home to what is real. For Franco, this was tangible throughout the visit. In sentiments that spoke our own, she expressed how the experience filled her with “love, gratitude and happiness.” She recognized the privilege that came with sharing this moment with the Convent & Stuart Hall community “to honor [her] Filipino heritage by helping in a significant way, [more] than just collecting and sending donations.” Our time on the Farm enfleshed a kind of learning that the late Ann Conroy, RSCJ, once called transformative for its capacity to “turn lives around.” In this case, our own.

Sophie’s Farm — and the Philippines — could not have been more different from Convent & Stuart Hall. But it was “home” — calling us outside ourselves in ways that taught us to appreciate the privilege of accompaniment and encounter.

A “4-D” K–12 PROGRAM IN COGNITIVE, EMOTIONAL, SPIRITUAL, SOCIAL GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

An essential principle within Sacred Heart education is to educate and nurture the whole child — mind, Heart and spirit. This article highlights Convent & Stuart Hall’s newest publication that articulates the school’s research-based program on Cognitive, Emotional, Spiritual, Social (CESS) Growth & Development.

BY RACHEL SIMPSON HEAD, CONVENT HIGH SCHOOL AND CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER

In the summer of 2021, as part of Convent & Stuart Hall’s strategic initiative to define and articulate a world-class K–12 curriculum, we undertook a review of the programmatic content and skills commonly known as Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). Our inquiry revealed that the SEL experience had become a rather haphazard — albeit well-intended — collection of worksheets and activities that lacked a coherent developmental throughline.

Alongside this curriculum review, the increase in media reports on the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the general well-being of young people further illuminated the

importance of Convent & Stuart Hall’s holistic educational approach and confirmed our ongoing dedication to students’ cognitive, emotional, spiritual and social growth and development.

Having conducted a thorough curricular audit, we convened a steering committee of educators, administrators and board members who met throughout the 2022–23 school year. The key objective was to define and articulate a research-based program that embodied the school’s core values and reflected scientifically proven content and skills that promote personal fulfillment and well-being.

ABOVE: Stuart Hall students reading outside of the Hoffman Learning Commons. RIGHT: Convent Upper Form students raising their hands in class.

A culminating feature of our work and a throughline of the publication and the CESS program is the focus on emotional literacy. We articulate the primary importance of developing in our students a responsive “emotional intelligence,” that is: “the ability to process information about your own emotions and other people’s. It’s also the ability to use this information to guide your thoughts and feelings.” (Salovey and Mayer, “Emotional Intelligence,” 1990.)

The four pillars — cognitive, emotional, spiritual, social — of Convent & Stuart Hall’s CESS program recognize the multiple dimensions of each student’s growth and development. Our program reflects in “4-D” the complexity of each student’s educational journey from age 5 to 18 and all that it entails in terms of cognitive-neurological, emotional, spiritual and social maturation.

Cesar Guerrero, Director of Admissions and Academic Guidance, participated in the steering committee and was instrumental in articulating Convent & Stuart Hall’s multidimensional approach: “From the very day a student enters our community, we know that there is not one set path for them, nor is it a path to be walked alone. These four developmental pillars (our 4-D approach) give us the opportunity and the structure to define the way our adult community can see each child and walk alongside them. This gives us confidence that we are honoring our promise to every family.”

While contemporary avenues of scientific research helped define our CESS program, it is equally rooted in the wisdom and values of the founding mothers of Sacred Heart education. Additionally, the study of religion, theology and spirituality holds a unique role in our educational offering and invites reflection as a way of knowing to undergird and fortify student experience and well-being.

Paul Pryor Lorentz, K–12 Chair of Religion, Theology & Spirituality (RTS) and High School Chair of Community Life, was a key contributor to the publication, defining the unique role that the RTS curriculum plays in the growth and development of our students: "Our RTS curriculum affirms the lived experience of spirituality for our students and allows them space to engage with big questions with interiority and contemplation. The study and celebration of world religions creates a sense of connectedness to people and traditions near and far."

We expect that the new CESS publication will be a source of information and inspiration that unifies our approach and delivery, as was the case with last year’s K–12 Research-Based Structured Literacy Program. The next step is to ensure that the tenets, goals and objectives articulated in the brochure are well understood, programmatically implemented and fully experienced by students and their families.

To this end, this year’s work with thought leaders, including Richard Reeves, Michael Reichert and Lisa Damour, is already illuminating the tenets of the Cognitive, Emotional, Spiritual, Social Growth & Development program for students, faculty and the parent community. We look forward to continuing to anchor our CESS work to the four pillars so as to provide for each student a “4-D” experience whereby they may recognize and reach the full promise, complexity and opportunity of their life and their unique purpose.

Convent & Stuart Hall’s program on Cognitive, Emotional, Spiritual, Social Growth & Development is a contemporary expansion on Mother Janet Erksine Stuart’s promise that “we must remember that each one of the children is destined for a mission in life … and that they are bound to find out what it is, that there is some special work for God which will remain undone unless they do it." Empowered with the emotional intelligence and capacity for reflection to care for themselves, for others, and for the world, our hope and belief is that each Convent & Stuart Hall graduate will be ready for their mission in life and able to adapt to challenges with resourcefulness, resilience, a deep sense of purpose and a steadfast orientation to hope.

Scan this code to learn more about our K-12 research-based program on Cognitive, Emotional, Spiritual, Social Growth & Development.

TEACHING BOYS, TEACHING GIRLS: Exploring Answers to Newly Posed Questions

BY DENNIS ESTRADA DIRECTOR OF FACULTY STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL OPTIMIZATION

In this 2023–24 school year dedicated to the theme Explore, Convent & Stuart Hall has turned its attention — and subsequently its energy — to collectively learning more about boys and girls, those individuals at the center of the institution’s raison d’être.

To assist our faculty and students in their educational journey, the school called upon a trio of author-scholars to guide them along the way. Invitations to work with the community were sent to a social scientist, a developmental clinician and a clinical psychologist — all of whom responded to the appeal.

DR. RICHARD REEVES, SOCIAL SCIENTIST

The exploration began in early September with social scientist Richard Reeves visiting Convent & Stuart Hall and presenting his research to the Stuart Hall K–12 faculties and parent community. Dr. Reeves is a Brookings Institute fellow, president of the American Institute on Boys and Men, and the author of Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It

When addressing faculty, administrators and parents, Reeves puts forth what is evident when looking through his researcher’s lens: Men and boys are struggling. They are three times more likely to commit suicide than women. They are less likely than girls to graduate high school or earn a college degree. And they are much more likely to feel socially excluded.

Dr. Reeves — with a true spirit of optimism and vision — offers real-world solutions to the aforementioned challenges. He advocates for delaying boys’ entry into school by one year to ready them for success — emotionally and academically — thereby reducing the developmental age gap between boys and girls. He highlights the importance of male role models in the classroom and proposes that there be a mass recruitment of male teachers. He also supports more vocational training opportunities for young men.

Of all the research and ideas shared, perhaps what was most revelatory and thought-provoking were his beliefs about the use of the term “toxic masculinity,” a catchall term that has at times come to refer to all and any objectionable male behavior.. According to Reeves, defining masculinity in terms of toxicity rather than in a positive way is counterproductive and only serves to alienate. He offers this alternative: “Immature” and “mature” masculinity should be the reference as opposed to “toxic” and “non-toxic” masculinity.

DR. MICHAEL REICHERT, DEVELOPMENTAL CLINICIAN

In October, the school’s exploration continued with developmental psychologist Michael Reichert coming to campus for his first two-day visit to sit in on boys’ classrooms, address faculty and parents, and meet with administrators. Dr. Reichert is the executive director of the Center for the Study of Boys

LEFT: Senior IB Biology students examine a test tube, studying catalase activity in different plants and animals. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Dr. Richard Reeves signs books following his presentation to faculty and parents. Dr. Michael Reichert presenting to the school community in the Syufy Theatre.

and Girls at the University of Pennsylvania, the supervising psychologist at the Haverford School in Haverford, Pennsylvania, and the author of the book How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Build Good Men

His international research involving teachers and students at boys’ schools in six countries — the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, South Africa and Australia — unequivocally supported this primary conclusion: Boys are relational learners and the student-teacher relationship is the very medium through which successful teaching and learning is performed.

During his presentation to faculty and parents, Reichert shared a list of the qualities of successful teachers as seen through the eyes of the boys in his study:

They demonstrate a mastery of their subject, maintain high standards, acknowledge a student’s personal interest or talent, share a common interest, accommodate a measure of opposition and reveal vulnerability.

Reichert made a second two-day visit to Convent & Stuart Hall in December, this time to meet with supervisors, elementary deans and high school grade chairs. The topic for their conversations was “relationality.” Supervisors addressed such questions as “How can supervisors support the relational practices of their teachers?” and “How might they be relational with those they supervise?” The deans and grade chairs also explored ways by which successful relationship-building with students could be achieved across the grade levels. They pondered such questions as “What strategies are presently being used to develop strong relational ties with students?” and “When relational breakdowns occur, what steps are taken to restore the relationship?”

DR. LISA DAMOUR, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

In early November, clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour hosted two webinars for parents and faculty. Dr. Damour is a fellow at Yale’s Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy and has written numerous academic papers and books related to the epidemic of stress and anxiety in girls, the developmental transitions that turn girls into grown-ups and the emotional lives of teenagers. She is the author of Untangled, Under Pressure and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers

It comes as no surprise that Dr. Damour advocates that the single most powerful force for girls’ mental health is strong relationships with caring adults. And from her perspective, the best way for adults to care for girls is to understand the distinct — and

absolutely normal — developmental tasks they are going through. For teenage girls, these tasks include parting with childhood, joining a new tribe, harnessing emotions and contending with adult authority.

In preparation for Dr. Damour’s webinars, Alexa Johnson, head of Convent Elementary, and Rachel Simpson, head of Convent High School, facilitated an Untangled book club gathering for parents and faculty in the Williams Library. The October evening was filled with lively discussion, the sharing of stories and a parental shared desire to better understand their daughters.

SMALL STEPS, SIGNIFICANT CHANGES

Convent & Stuart Hall’s scholarly study alongside Dr. Reeves, Dr. Reichert and Dr. Damour marks the first step of a year-long exploration to better understand the essence of our institution: our students. The trio of author-scholars have provided the community with an abundance of data, theories and frameworks to kindle the conversational embers for further individual and collective learning.

Teachers are voicing early indications that the time with the guest scholars has been fruitful. For Mary Blum, Latin teacher in the Upper Form, Dr. Reeves’ presentation left her with this realization: “It is one thing to understand on a personal level how important boys (my sons, my students) are to my life, and wholly another to see on a professional level how neglected they can be at a higher societal level.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Dr. Lisa Damour. Convent students collaborate on class assignment. Jeanne Keene instructs Stuart Hall kindergartner through a math lesson. Chemistry and IB Biology teacher Dina Srouji engages with students.

David Jacobson, another teacher in the Modern & Classical Languages department, explains the shift in his awareness: “Reichert’s work has made me acutely aware of how I interact with all my students, but especially the boys. He has reminded me how crucial it is for us teachers not only to mend relationships that may have become strained but to actively and consciously strive not to damage them in the first place.”

Reba Sell, Upper Form history teacher, found a practical way to implement Lisa Damour’s research: “I have used the information I learned in The Emotional Lives of Teenagers to help some parents understand why they may see a different teen at home than the one I experience in my classroom. Children need the opportunity to explore and expand to grow; pushing back on parental figures is just one of the many ways they test this process.”

Significant change and growth are always initially marked by small, intentional steps taken in the right direction. Convent & Stuart Hall has had an auspicious start to this school year dedicated to exploration and learning.

The course has been set.

And yes, the work is well begun.

SACRED HEART COMMISSION ON GOALS

BY TONY FARRELL HEAD OF STUART HALL HIGH SCHOOL

PAUL PRYOR LORENTZ

HIGH SCHOOL CHAIR OF COMMUNITY LIFE AND CHAIR, K-12 DEPARTMENT OF RELIGION, THEOLOGY & SPIRITUALITY

Our community at Convent & Stuart Hall is participating in a self-reflection process examining our identity as a Sacred Heart school. This self-study is the first phase of the Sacred Heart Commission on Goals (SHCOG). It was developed decades ago when the RSCJ began to ask: "What makes a Sacred Heart school 'Sacred Heart'?" This question led to the formation of the Goals and Criteria (the "5 Goals") and the SHCOG process,

in which every five years Sacred Heart schools in the USA and Canada engage in a process of reflection on the ways we are accountable to our mission. This year we are holding conversations that will shape our self-study, and next year we will be visited by a team from the Conference on Sacred Heart Education that will explore how we animate our work with the spirit of Sacred Heart.

SACRED HEART THEN, AND NOW:

Fear, skepticism and distrust prevailed in the destabilizing times of 1802 France when St. Madeleine Sophie Barat was founding what would become the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (RSCJ). Sophie’s new order presented a counter-cultural direction, with a focus on educating to joy, hope and faith. Our efforts in continuing Sophie’s work are no less relevant today, as we continue to face tremendous societal challenges. In a time when public discourse seems bent on finding ways to separate us, we focus on an understanding that our relationships with one another are sacred and a way in which we come to know and experience God’s love. Our identity as a Sacred Heart school charges us to cultivate an ethos of joy and hope, forming within each community member attitudes of the heart of Jesus such as gratitude, generosity, compassion and forgiveness. Regardless of one’s personal faith, we hold a deep appreciation for the measurable benefit that comes from developing a life of spirit, awe and encounters with God or however one experiences that which is divine.

This ethos, as articulated in Goal I, involves curricular and co-curricular focus. Our Religion, Theology & Spirituality (RTS) curriculum affirms the lived experience of spirituality for our students and allows them space to engage with big questions with interiority and contemplation. A key component is the study and celebration of world religions, which creates a sense of connectedness with people and traditions that may or may not match our own.

SACRED HEART THROUGH CHAPEL

Our co-curricular engagements are inclusive of students from kindergarten to twelfth grade and include chapels, Masses, retreats and other spiritually significant gatherings. Chapels offer students a space for gratitude, reflection and joyful singing. They also reflect our commitment to Cor Unum; for example, in late October students attended chapels in celebration of Dia de los Muertos and Araw Ng Mga Patay, which are commemorations with origins that date back thousands of years in indigenous cultures and pre-date the Catholic Solemnity of All Saints. Ofrenda altars were set up on the Broadway and Pine-Octavia campuses, covered with fresh-cut marigolds and photos of deceased loved ones. During the high school chapel, students participated in a beloved ritual, taking the opportunity to stand before their peers and share a memory of a loved one who has passed. Our students exhibited depth, vulnerability and trust in one another as they created and held a deeply sacred space.

The spirit of Cor Unum was also reflected in our celebration of Diwali, an ancient, five-day spiritual celebration widely celebrated by those of Hindu, Jain, Sikh and some Buddhist traditions. Known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. Students who celebrate Diwali were invited to wear traditional attire and all students had an opportunity to visit a beautiful altar in the Main Hall decorated by Mihu Bisaria (Director of Human Resources) and Bryan Lorentz (Liturgy, Interiority, Faith and Engagement), with 3D-printed lotus flowers by Jake Pearson (Making and Design Instructor). Sharanya Naik (English Department Chair and Convent Elementary Upper Form Dean) sang and played traditional Indian music alongside Bonnie Fraenza (Music Conservatory Director).

LEFT: Convent second graders exit the Mary Mardel, RSCJ Chapel following the Feast of Mater chapel. ABOVE: Stuart Hall for Boys student plays the shruti box with Sharanya Naik, 6–8 Upper Form Dean and Department Chair, during a Diwali celebration.

SACRED HEART THROUGH MASS AND RITUAL

Rituals can offer an opportunity to tap into a sense of connectedness and transcendence. As a Catholic school, we offer opportunities for our students to engage in formal ritual within the context of a Catholic Mass. At the start of each school year, we host a Mass of the Holy Spirit as a way to invoke the Holy Spirit and inform our thoughts and actions in preparation for the year ahead. This year, the September service was held at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, where students celebrated Mass led by Fr. John Whitney, S.J., Associate Pastor of St. Ignatius Parish in San Francisco. November presented another Mass experience with the aforementioned Solemnity of All Saints, a Catholic holy day of obligation. In concert with our Dia de los Muertos chapels, it is a day that recognizes “all” saints, including the ones “known only to God.” Students in grades 2–8 observed the festivities in the Herbert Gym in the morning, while high school students celebrated at St. Vincent de Paul Church. Students were encouraged to think of their many generations of ancestors — the saints of their own families — who contributed to their own stories and identities.

Each year, our second grade students who identify as Catholic have an opportunity to deepen their faith experience through preparation for the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. These engagements take place during their usual Religion, Theology & Spirituality class time under the catechetical guidance of Melissa Spear (RTS K–3). Each spring, we celebrate these momentous occasions in the Mary Mardel, RSCJ Chapel.

SACRED HEART THROUGH RETREATS

Through retreats, we provide intentionally expansive spaces for both students and adult community members to reflect on their purpose and connection to the universal. This fall, ninth graders gathered at the Seminary at Strawberry for a day-long retreat intended to build connection and community. Later this year, seniors will embark on a Holy Week retreat at the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos, while juniors will engage in service within the City of Saint Francis. For sophomores, the spirit of retreat is incorporated into the annual Costa Rica trip, which features activities that inspire awe and purpose and reinforce our sense of a global community.

Together with RSCJ, we offer an annual “Busy Person’s Retreat” for our faculty and staff in which participants set aside time in their day to create space and explore the grace therein. This year we also hosted Saul Kuperstein, a Yoruban-trained shaman, and accountant from Mexico City. Both through large convocations and small group venues, Saul has led our adult community through reflections and practices that remove spiritual obstacles and make space for divine light to infuse their thoughts, actions and intentions. Saul will be joining our faculty and staff again in a weekend retreat in early spring.

As we continue through the SHCOG process, we reflect on the avenues, teachings and experiences that anchor us to the principles of a Sacred Heart education. This snapshot of our curricular and co-curricular initiatives highlights some of the ways in which we work to cultivate an ethos in harmony with the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria, both at the school and gradewide level, and within each of the individuals that make up the community Convent & Stuart Hall.

LEFT: Convent first graders explore Diwali sand art. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Stuart Hall second grader receives First Communion in the Mary Mardel, RSCJ Chapel. Michael Campos, Paul Pryor Lorentz and Tony Farrell in a SHCOG steering committee meeting. Saul Kuperstein standing outside the Belvedere on the Broadway campus. Faculty and staff meet with Fr. John Whitney, S.J.

GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY 2023

Across two fun-filled days on February 9 and 10, 2023, over 700 grandparents and special friends of K–12 students enjoyed an immersive experience on campus, following in their students' footsteps for a taste of a day in the life at Convent & Stuart Hall.

This campus-wide event is hosted every other year. Please stay tuned for the 2025 dates.

THE PERFORMING ARTS AT CONVENT & STUART HALL

BY DR. PHILLIP HARRIS

PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT CHAIR

Dr. Phillip Harris first joined us in 2018 as the Stuart Hall for Boys elementary music teacher. His positive energy flowed through every class, and his students loved the collaborative spirit he brought, encouraging them to showcase their musical talents. At the year's end, Dr. Harris was offered a professional opportunity he couldn’t pass up and made the difficult decision to leave. But I had a feeling we would work together once again. During my tenure as Director of Performing Arts, I met and interviewed many teachers. My goal was always to find exceptional teachers who are exceptional musicians. Dr. Harris meets and surpasses both of these goals, and we are so lucky that he has returned home as the Chair of Performing Arts.

- Bonnie Fraenza, Music Conservatory Director

Stevie Wonder, one of my greatest musical inspirations, once said, “We all have the ability. The difference is in how we use it.” These words and the sentiment behind them have guided me throughout my own musical journey and in my new role as Chair of Performing Arts. I believe that performing arts programs serve as incubators for artistic innovation, pushing boundaries and challenging conventional norms. Intrinsic to this academic discipline is the public demonstration of skill and, therefore, it requires great vulnerability and courage. In this way, the performing arts invite students to embark on the daunting yet rewarding journey of discovering, cultivating and then using their abilities.

I come from a background deeply rooted in the gospel music tradition. Throughout my childhood, rhythm and blues music stood as the basis of my early musical education. It informed and grounded each of my skills: ear training, chord structure, melodic improvisation, stage presence, public speaking, basic music literacy and rhythmic precision. As I began my formal training in high school, college and graduate school, I shifted my focus to classical music. Entering my professional career, I had the chance to perform on some of the greatest stages like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Davies Hall and War Memorial Auditorium. During each of these iterations of my career and education, I have continued to develop my smorgasbord of musical tastes and influences. Those influences have shaped my teaching philosophy and pedagogy, and I continue to incorporate into my classes what I learned from gospel music, rhythm and blues, and classical.

Singing is one of the most basic human forms of communication and expression we can offer. Consequently, it can also be the most challenging because, in the age of social media, YouTube and reality shows, it is so highly criticized. The voice is the only original instrument, and it cannot be put away into a case when it is not in use. We carry it everywhere we go. Our voices are who we are. The vocal folds do not just vibrate as a result of airflow and muscle engagement, but because of expression and the necessity to communicate. Tasked with developing our high school voice program, I have worked to impart to students this same value for the human voice. In collaboration with elementary voice teacher Amy Tan, we have also established a robust program for fifth through eighth graders, laying the groundwork for a sustainable and thriving voice program that offers students new opportunities throughout their years at Convent & Stuart Hall.

When I teach, I try to focus both on the individual and on building the group as a whole. Recently, a high school student said about our vocal class, “I feel like you guys are the people I can be myself with. The friendship I have with you is different, and I like how DH [Dr. Harris] respects us.” It is my goal to be

mindful of the changing world we are in, and how I can adapt to different ways of teaching and learning while keeping my mindset firmly on uplifting my students, colleagues and the community. In short, one rule I live by is that I cannot teach the way I was taught. It is essential to my pedagogy that I be adaptable and innovative, and the expressions of gratitude from students affirm this approach in creating a truly supportive and effective learning environment.

Coming into this new role of Chair of Performing Arts, I have been honored with the responsibility of leading the department and our seven teaching artists. I am deeply appreciative of the significant contributions made by my predecessors in this role, particularly Bonnie Fraenza, the founder of our instrumental music program, and Chauncey Aceret, our current strings teacher and Stuart Hall High School alumnus. I also extend my gratitude to Dr. Ann Marie Krejcarek and Bonnie for their openness in embracing my return. It takes a special kind of leader to extend that grace to someone. I fondly remember the reaction I received three years ago from my Stuart Hall for Boys students when my departure was announced during an assembly. The ovation was overwhelming. It was in that moment that I knew I was in a special place, and I am so very thankful to be back.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE FUTURE OF LEARNING

BY KRISTA INCHAUSTI DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING & LEARNING

The technological landscape is changing in fast and unpredictable ways. Front and center in this development is the rise of “large language models,” advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems designed to understand and generate human-like language. OpenAI released ChatGPT only one year ago, and now users are able to access dozens of AI chatbots in the form of Google Bard, Jasper, Microsoft Copilot and many more. Widespread access to these large language models is raising lots of questions and, in some schools, anxieties.

Fortunately, Convent & Stuart Hall is prepared to explore the changing technological landscape with a sense of hope, excitement and possibility as articulated in the Convent & Stuart Hall AI (Artificial Intelligence) Philosophy:

In the 2023–24 school year, Convent & Stuart Hall continues to explore the new ways humanity encounters current advances in technology and information synthesis and production.

In the face of a new information horizon, we rely on the tenets of a Sacred Heart education, and uphold a commitment to developing critical inquiry and analysis as well as strategic agility and adaptability.

We view the emergence of accessible and sophisticated large language models — a form of artificial intelligence — as an invitation to empower and amplify critical human endeavors. Through epochs of time, a Sacred Heart education has embraced the unknown with an orientation toward hope and a belief in the irreplaceability and individuality of the human spirit. Empowered by deep knowing and rigorous thinking, students may use tools like AI to augment the impact they have on the world.

For some, the reaction may be to limit, control and censor access to these new technologies. At Schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco, we believe it is another opportunity to learn with these new tools without expecting perfection or success with every encounter. Integrating the study and application of ethics guides our exploration.

Amidst the emergence of AI as an everyday tool, the claim within our 2017 Strategic Plan holds true:

“Our students will be well equipped to think independently and discern the credibility and value of myriad sources of information available to them. They will act according to an internal set of values and beliefs, living in the world with courage, grace and intellect.”

Authored by: Ann Marie Krejcarek, Rachel Simpson, Krista Inchausti and Alyson Barrett

We have always encouraged our students to create their own purpose and meaning in the context of their academic learning. Toward this end, AI represents a new set of tools and a new set of possibilities for our students and teachers. Concretely, this approach will play out in many ways across our program.

Our students will continue to learn the fundamentals of digital and non-digital design in the Spark Studio on Broadway and in the new maker studio on the Pine-Octavia campus. These skills empower students to think about the problems they are trying to solve and how they can use new knowledge and tools to accomplish their goals. This is the approach we want them to take as AI becomes an even greater presence.

Our teachers are learning to leverage AI tools to increase the humanity in their instruction. AI tools are terrific for providing “in the moment” feedback to students on their written projects or creating individualized practice sets in math. This intentional and informed use of AI frees teachers to do the more “human” work of teaching — the things that create a sense of connection and relationship in the classroom.

In order to understand AI — its possibilities and its limitations — students must gain a foundational knowledge of how the technology works. At both the most basic and comprehensive levels, this requires experience with data and data representation. At Convent & Stuart Hall, we have implemented a curriculum that gets students working with data, starting in the very earliest grades. This instruction provides students with direct experience with these methodologies in order to understand the algorithmic nature of AI.

The future is impossible to predict, and we believe our institutional responsibility is to graduate students who are ready to engage with each new technology they encounter with an ethical bias toward humanity and compassion. Our educational approach to AI, one of possibility, curiosity and adaptation, aims to ensure this commitment is met.

LEFT: Convent students collaborate in the Unkefer Spark Studio. ABOVE: Convent & Stuart Hall high schoolers in class.

EXPANDING MATHEMATICAL UNDERSTANDING IN EARLY ELEMENTARY GRADES

BY LINDSAY MACGARVA MATH DEPARTMENT CHAIR

To support the ongoing development of the K–12 Mathematics curriculum, a cohort of Lower and Middle Form faculty led by Math Department Chair Lindsay MacGarva attended the 2023 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. Throughout the four-day conference in late October, teachers attended an array of sessions dedicated to best practices for math fact fluency, differentiation and assessment practices. They returned to school with a wealth of ideas for advancing an age-appropriate and rigorous math program and cultivating in students a lifelong love for mathematics.

Throughout the conference, a prominent theme emerged, which emphasized the vital role of cultivating automaticity and recall of math facts in all students. Automaticity refers to the ability to provide an automatic response to basic math problems. Establishing automaticity requires deep conceptual knowledge and allows students to develop an intuitive understanding of math facts. “Without fluency, students have a working memory overload,” says Stuart Hall for Boys first grade teacher Domonique Riojas. In contrast, “Math becomes less tedious and creates a positive math identity for students who learn their facts early on.” Faculty members learned new language, games and strategies to enhance student math facts development.

Faculty were particularly excited about the ways in which the conference incorporated artificial intelligence (AI), showcasing its potential to support many facets of teaching mathematics. “I was able to see how ChatGPT could be used in a multitude of ways

for teachers: study guides, differentiation of assignments and the creation of cross-curricular word problems,” Lindsay says. “It is something I look forward to our department members using to enhance the rigor of our program for students at any age.”

The conference provided an exciting opportunity for faculty to engage with top education experts and researchers in the field of mathematics, offering valuable exposure to cutting-edge insights and perspectives. “NCTM provided me with opportunities to learn from other educators around the country and hear about new math strategies being used to best reach learners in grades 5–8. I especially enjoyed learning about new ways to structure small group math instruction for upper form students to continue differentiation and keeping every learner at their growth edge,” says Math Strategist Nikki Hogan.

For Maria Oliveros, Convent Elementary third grade teacher, and other Lower Form teachers, this conference instilled in them a sense of support and excitement about the possibilities of the Lower Form math program. “This collaborative experience encouraged me to think about how I could adapt the newfound knowledge to my own classroom,” says Maria. “Connecting with other math teachers from our school not only strengthened our bonds but also extended the spirit of collaboration beyond the conference, enriching our collective teaching approach back at school.” This conference proved to be a transformative experience for the faculty, inspiring a renewed focus on innovative strategies for effective and engaging mathematics education.

ABOVE: Convent 6th graders solve math problems at the whiteboard. RIGHT: Kevin Maillard guides the Convent & Stuart Hall ninth grade class through a writing workshop in the Mother Williams Library.

BY ALYSON BARRETT

In October 2023, Convent & Stuart Hall hosted our first author in residence, Kevin Maillard. The residency followed Mr. Maillard’s March 2022 daylong visit during our Cor Unum week, focusing on “Native American Experiences: Past, Present and Future.”

A professor at Syracuse University, Mr. Maillard holds a JD as well as a Ph.D in Political Theory. His best selling picture book, Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story, focuses on familial relationships and the role of fry bread in Indigenous peoples’ culture and history. Mr. Maillard’s academic range and accomplishments, along with his extraordinary creative energy, positioned him as the perfect author to engage with all students in grades K–12.

FINDING STORY IN HISTORY, HERITAGE AND EVERYDAY MOMENTS

Mr. Maillard’s two-week residency consisted of workshops, office hours, classroom visits and presentations. Using the connective theme of “Leading With Story,” Mr. Maillard guided

our juniors and seniors in workshops exploring approaches to the research process, characteristics of scholarly writing and ways to enhance college applications with personal story. As a member of Syracuse University’s law school admissions committee, Mr. Maillard’s unique perspective offered our students tangible strategies for magnifying the impact of written work. In the words of senior Sofia Tobiason, Mr. Maillard’s workshop revealed that “You don’t have to write an essay about an exceptional achievement or experience to make it compelling. Anything can be made interesting!” At the outset of writing her Extended Essay for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, junior Sofia Kozlova, appreciated Mr. Maillard’s advice “that every story I write should somehow be connected to me … .”

For our upper form students, Mr. Maillard led a series of intensive writing workshops focused on the development of literary voice and creative nonfiction (Grade 6) and creative fiction (Grades 7 and 8). As Convent seventh grader Maud noted, Mr. Maillard helped students learn “How to really make a character come alive” and how to add backstory in connection with personal and family history. Applying a personal lens to history allowed students to consider their own history in novel ways, as noted by a Grade 6 student: “It was quite nice when we got to remember our ancestors.”

Along with writing workshops, Mr. Maillard delivered a series of presentations on his family’s history. With Native American and African American heritage, Mr. Maillard uses his personal story to inform his academic and legal research on the historical impact of US law on interracial families and racial purity laws as applied to Native Americans. His lectures to Convent & Stuart Hall high school students explored historical connotations of the Allotment Act of 1887 and its tangible impact on his ancestral land in Oklahoma. Learning history from Mr. Maillard’s direct experience, students considered a unique perspective and a primary source-based understanding of the ramifications of United States policy.

“You don’t have to write an essay about an exceptional achievement or experience to make it compelling. Anything can be made interesting!”

- SOFIA TOBIASON, SENIOR

ABOVE: Kevin Maillard presents to Convent & Stuart Hall seniors in the Syufy Theatre during his college essay writing workshop. RIGHT: Kevin Maillard guides the Convent & Stuart Hall ninth grade class through a writing workshop in the Mother Williams Library.

MEMORY AS INSPIRATION: OBJECTS INSPIRE STORY

Mr. Maillard’s time in class and assemblies with our Lower Form students demonstrated a masterful versatility in storytelling as he offered lessons about family, identity and memory. There were varied approaches for every age, and each sparked imagination and fun with a sense of freedom to express as these concepts were explored.

In our largest assembly with Grades 2–4, Mr. Maillard prompted students with the memory of their “special object” or a favorite childhood toy. He helped them build descriptive, analytical skills to commemorate their cherished belongings while encouraging them to be exuberant with their voices and bodies, imagining new scenarios for these objects and creating storied lives for them. These kinesthetic elements and the celebration of individual memories helped students take pride in themselves and fostered fun, healthy competition among the grade levels present. This followed an immersive writing workshop held in the Mary Mardel, RSCJ Chapel with Grade 5, in which students were invited to ruminate on an imaginary or real ancestor of theirs. Mr. Maillard helped them explore what it would be like to live in a different time period, considering major events that may have affected their lives and weighing the importance of their ancestors’ choices on their lives today.

In a K–1 assembly, Mr. Maillard presented his works, including his children’s novel, Fry Bread, and some demos from his forthcoming illustrated story, The Ones Who Came Before. He answered student questions about his life and writing, while drawing engaging, humorous connections between his life experiences and the stories that were presented. He pointed out some “Easter eggs” in the illustrations for Fry Bread; an appearance by his dog Bootie in the book was a delightfully silly hit with our youngest students.

Mr. Maillard also took time to connect with K–1 students in their classrooms and library visits. He was quick to enliven each space, sharing zany stories about his encounters with animals — bats in the apartment, squirrels in the kitchen, even a bear snorting at him through a dark window screen. His reenactments of these experiences captivated the children as they were invited to recreate the sounds and motions that took place, gleefully acting out each animal, sound and scenario.

Mr. Maillard’s immersion was a brilliant beginning point for the Convent & Stuart Hall author in residence program. Connecting such a versatile writer and scholar to our community ignited meaningful work and ideas. Along with the skills and learning that took place during Mr. Maillard’s visit, we hope that our very first author in residence also fostered joyful lasting memories among our students.

BROADENING STUDENT HORIZONS: EXPLORING COPENHAGEN AND BERLIN

BY MARTIN JORGENSEN, PhD IB GLOBAL POLITICS FACULTY

It was a bit of a coincidence that got the ball rolling. In January 2022, we received an email from a Danish high school teacher who was visiting San Francisco with a group of students and wanted to know if they could tour Convent & Stuart Hall. You can imagine my surprise when it turned out that the group of students was from my high school alma mater, Rungsted Gymnasium, in Denmark. Naturally, we eagerly agreed to host, and what began as a routine Tuesday turned out to be the beginning of a fruitful collaboration between Rungsted Gymnasium in Denmark and Convent & Stuart Hall in San Francisco.

In August 2023, Rachel McIntire, Department of Visual Art Chair, and I led a group of 20 students on a nine-day trip to Copenhagen and Berlin for the second consecutive year. The trip was conceived as a cross-curricular opportunity for 12thgrade students to explore the intersection of art, architecture, design and politics. Selecting Copenhagen and Berlin as our dual destinations aimed to expose students to the multifaceted impact of history, politics, traditions and geography on everything from how people move around in a city to how public spaces are designed and utilized. Importantly, these cities also shed light on the ways in which historical events,

ABOVE: Stuart Hall high schoolers pose while on their dual-destination trip to Copenhagen and Berlin.

both positive and negative, can become a part of society and be acknowledged in a way that memorializes the past without being confined by it.

Although the trip catered specifically to students who took both Art and Global Politics, the application process was open to all seniors. To be selected to participate, students were asked to reflect on how the experience would support their current studies and how it would fit with their intended course of study beyond high school.

“When Dr. Jorgensen introduced the possibility of the two-city trip, the thought of all of the cross-curricular opportunities filled my mind with excitement. We immediately began brainstorming how we could create a study abroad experience that highlighted the curriculum of our respective classes, Global Politics and Visual Art.”

- RACHEL MCINTIRE, DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL ART CHAIR

Rather than spend our days as one large cohort, students received new assignments each morning and were then sent off in smaller groups. Each group was tasked to move around the city, document their experiences and arrive back at a certain time. By design, the students were put in new situations in a new environment.

“This trip gave me a unique sense of independence, and I will forever cherish the exploration and navigation of two unfamiliar cities, learning things that I never would have by just sitting in a classroom.”

- GRACE GALLAGHER, SENIOR

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Students cram into a kitchen to prepare a Thanksgiving feast in Berlin. Convent students enjoy a day at the museum.

Both of the trips we have led to Copenhagen and Berlin have left a lasting impact on me, with moments that I continue to look back on and learn from. During the inaugural trip in November of 2022, Ms. McIntire and I began chatting with a young woman on the bus to Berlin. During the conversation, I mentioned that we were looking for a space where we could rent a kitchen to cook a Thanksgiving dinner. We had not been able to find one online, and with Thanksgiving three days away, we were in need of a solution rather urgently. It turned out that the young woman’s mother was a priest in Berlin, and her church in Wilmersdorf had a space available. We happily paid the rental fee and, come Thanksgiving Day, tasked the students with hosting dinner. In under four hours, the students shopped, cooked dinner and arranged entertainment. It was, for all of us, a Thanksgiving that will be present in our memories for a long time.

One noteworthy experience on the August 2023 trip unfolded when our students spent a day alongside their Danish peers from Rungsted Gymnasium, facilitating the opportunity for students to examine themselves and their lived experiences

through their interactions with one another. The day of cultural exchange was evenly split between academic challenges and fun social events. The students discussed current international issues, which resulted in a national team debate (and I am happy to say that our students won in style on both occasions). The day culminated with a shared meal and conversations that ranged from comparisons of school culture to the recognition that much of the furniture used on our campuses were designed in Denmark. The partnership with Rungsted Gymnasium continues to be reciprocal, and I sincerely appreciate the enriching experiences and connections it has brought to our students. We look forward to reciprocating the hospitality we received in August 2023 by hosting the same group of Danish students in San Francisco in March 2024.

From my perspective as a teacher, it is hard to overstate the value of being able to provide this opportunity to our students. It allows us to extend our teaching beyond the confines of the classroom, transforming lessons into moments of experiential learning. These student experiences are the essence of what makes Convent & Stuart Hall extraordinary.

STUDENT SNAPSHOTS: INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME EXTENDED ESSAY

Over the course of their junior and senior years, Convent & Stuart Hall International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme candidates write a 16-page, 4,000-word research essay on a subject of their choice.

The Extended Essay requires development of a research question and thesis based upon students’ reading and analysis of scholarly articles, primary sources, primary and secondary data, and creative work. Each year, Convent & Stuart Hall students demonstrate a stunning range of intellectual curiosity in the completion of this monumental research endeavor. This year, seniors Shelby Oerth and Xavier Callan demonstrate academic passion and accomplishment by exploring topics in design technology and film.

SHELBY OERTH, GRADE 12

IBDP SUBJECT AREA: Design Technology

RESEARCH QUESTION: To what extent do exhibition systems in art museums allow for complete accessibility to those in wheelchairs?

I conducted surveys among frequent museum visitors, including wheelchair users, to gather insights into their experiences with visibility. What I learned was that common obstacles, such as glare, sometimes get in the way of the exhibition experience. Next, I consulted a professional lighting designer with experience in museum projects. I discovered that the strategic placement of lights serves two purposes: preventing damage to the artwork and enhancing its color palette.

The challenging part is balancing preservation with accessibility. Artwork preservation often takes precedence over the viewer's experience. Lighting designers typically employ a formula that considers the average viewing distance and eye level of visitors. However, individuals in wheelchairs face difficulties as their eye level and viewing distance fall outside the average range.

My Extended Essay sheds light on the methods employed by designers to create inclusive systems that cater to all viewers while safeguarding the integrity of the artwork.

XAVIER CALLAN, GRADE 12

IBDP SUBJECT AREA: Film

RESEARCH QUESTION: To what extent did the work of F.W. Murnau as a German Expressionist director influence the lighting and camera work of Alfred Hitchcock?

My Extended Essay discusses the impact of German Expressionist cinema, as exemplified by the work of F.W. Murnau, on the later works of Alfred Hitchcock. Specifically, I analyze Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922), and draw visible parallels in its lighting and camera techniques with those of Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960).

This previous summer, I read through over a hundred sources. I reached out to various scholars asking to access their works, which led me to be in correspondence with Cristina Massaccesi, a professor at University College London. She wrote a book on Nosferatu, and, upon explanation of my assignment, she sent me a copy of the proofs for her book.

In the broader scope of the IBDP curriculum, the Extended Essay challenged me to deeply study a subject and topic — not just German Expressionism, but the academic approach of filmic analysis — of which I had no prior knowledge or opportunity to otherwise study in my prescribed subjects. I now have a greater lens to analyze film with, which has proven important as a creative individual, and as the co-founder of our school’s film club.

– Alyson Barrett, Library Chairperson and Extended Essay Coordinator

LEFT: Group poses after a frigid morning swim. ABOVE: Seniors Shelby Oerth and Xavier Callan.

THE BEST SPORTING MOMENTS OF 2023

Multiple championship titles to a jaw-dropping hole-in-one, 2023 offered numerous highlights for Convent & Stuart Hall teams and student athletes.

1

In the 2023 spring season, Dashiell Lin ’23 and Ryan Tonkovich ’26 finished 1st and 2nd at the All-City Fencing Tournament. Dashiell went on to win his second All-State Championship title!

3

Joseph Hubbard ’23 brought home the NCS Championship title in wrestling and placed in the top 24 at the CIF State Championships.

The Convent & Stuart Hall sailing team placed 1st out of 30 teams at the Sea Otter Regatta, a Pacific Coast Interscholastic Sailing Association (PCISA) competition.

2

This fall, the Stuart Hall 8-man football team went undefeated in the Coastal Mountain Conference, earning them the league champion title. The team went on to place 2nd in the NCS Tournament. Head coach Rich Robinson was also named an NCS Honor Coach.

4

5

The Convent varsity volleyball team was invited to attend the Sacred Heart Network Volleyball Tournament in Miami, Florida this past October. The team placed 2nd in the tournament and also got a chance to participate in a service project with the other network schools in attendance. The Cubs later made it to the quarterfinals of the NCS Tournament as the no. 7 seed.

In a 2023 season match against San Domenico, Stella Ramelot ’27 hit a hole-in-one on a 110-yard par three on the Fleming Nine Course at Harding Park.

7

6

Charlotte Lyon ’24 took home the NCS Championship title in the women’s 300 hurdle event and placed 12th at the CIF State Championships.

The Convent Elementary varsity soccer team defeated Burkes in a thrilling overtime game, claiming the BAIAL Championship.

9

8

Last spring, the Stuart Hall for Boys varsity volleyball team won their first ever BAIAL Championship beating French American by 2 to bring home the title. They were undefeated throughout the season and in league play, never dropping a set!

A HELPING HAND AND COMPASSIONATE HEART

BY ELIOT HARPER RELIGION, THEOLOGY & SPIRITUALITY FACULTY

MICHAEL BUCKLEY HIGH SCHOOL CHAIR OF COMMUNITY LIFE

As it gets colder and the days get shorter, the pains of those who are suffering become all the more difficult to bear.

Essential services like food, clothing and safety become the core effort of non-profits around San Francisco that seek to help those in need. These are the needs that recent student and community initiatives at Convent & Stuart Hall have sought to address, grounded in one of our foundational Sacred Heart goals, which aims to instill in students “a social awareness that impels to action.”

Starting in the 2022–23 school year, students from the upper form division of the elementary school established a tradition of collecting coats for those who are struggling to stay warm.

Partnering with St. Anthony’s, the most comprehensive safety net service center in San Francisco, the students brought in a total of 451 coats for donation this school year. This tradition is in its second year and we hope to ensure that it continues long after the pioneering group has graduated.

ABOVE: Students gather at Crissy Field for the Walk for Uganda. RIGHT: Sophomore Alex Akel collects food drive donations for delivery to Saint Benedict's Parish for the Deaf.

At the same time, our upper form and high school community collected nonperishable goods and funds to donate to Saint Benedict’s Parish for the Deaf so that food-insecure members of their community had resources for a hearty and filling Thanksgiving meal. This direct service to the community at Saint Benedict’s was paired with a more general drive for donations for St. Anthony’s food pantry, which was organized by the high school’s Students in Action chapter. SIA is one of many high school clubs that are service-oriented, including Red Cross and UNICEF, Baking for Change and the Eco Club. Additionally, like the elementary students behind the coat drive, individual high school students have led service initiatives. Two standout examples include Read Aloud Buddies and Tutor Digital, both of which connect volunteer readers or tutors with students in need in our own community or other local schools.

Some of this work is even international in nature. The high school’s Global Women’s Rights club put on its annual “Walk for Uganda” this fall. The purpose of this event is to consistently provide tuition assistance for those attending St. Charles Lwanga School, a Sacred Heart network school in Kakiri, Uganda. This year, they had over sixty participants and were able to raise just under three thousand dollars, which is enough money to fund four full-year scholarships. It is such a blessing to be part of a global partnership of schools.

“As our community begins to enjoy and celebrate the comforts of food, shelter and family, we take time to remember those who do not have these necessities and reach out to them with a helping hand and a compassionate heart.”

Finally, here at school, these efforts serve as important and necessary reflection points for our Religion, Theology & Spirituality (RTS) classes. They stand as models for how our students can understand and act upon their possibility for good, both as individuals and as a collective. As our community begins to enjoy and celebrate the comforts of food, shelter and family, we take time to remember those who do not have these necessities and reach out to them with a helping hand and a compassionate heart.

A Celebration of the Life of DIANNE FEINSTEIN ’51

BY CLAIRE CARLANDER COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE

In San Francisco and across the United States, Senator Dianne Feinstein is to many a household name. As San Francisco’s first female mayor and as the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history, her reputation and impact is self-evident. On Friday, September 29, 2023, Senator Feinstein ’51 passed away at the age of 90 at her home in Washington, D.C. The legacy she leaves behind is uniquely recognized at Convent & Stuart Hall as Senator Feinstein’s high school alma mater. In looking back on her expansive and storied life, Senator Feinstein’s time at Convent emerges as an early yet foundational chapter.

POLITICAL LEGACY

In 1978, as the first female president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Senator Feinstein was appointed as acting mayor following the tragic assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Throughout her tenure as mayor from 1978–88, Senator Feinstein worked to develop HIV/ AIDS programs and housing protections, controlled the city’s first $1 billion budget and executed gun control legislation. During a visit to the Vatican in 1982, Senator Feinstein presented Pope John Paul II with a metal cross constructed from melted-down firearms, including her own, that were turned in during a gun buyback program in San Francisco. In 1992, she was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming California’s first female senator. In her over 30 years as senator, Senator Feinstein maintained positions and policies that, while at times criticized for being too moderate, remained in steadfast alignment with her values. In an era marked by increasing political polarization, Senator Feinstein demonstrated an unwavering commitment to her internal compass of judgment and justice.

EARLY YEARS

Born on June 22, 1933, in San Francisco, Senator Feinstein’s early years were an important influence on her ambitious political trajectory. She was the oldest of three daughters born to Betty and Leon Goldman. In 1948, Senator Feinstein began her freshman year at Convent of the Sacred Heart. Her time at Broadway was marked by deep academic dedication and achievement and an early interest in politics. In a 2016 interview, Senator Feinstein’s former teacher Mary “Be” Mardel, RSCJ, shared her experience teaching Senator Feinstein. “She was a good student. She was a very hard worker and had beautiful penmanship. I used to love to correct her papers because they were so well done and so careful,” said Sr. Mardel. “I got

“The love that I got from this building and the religious within it has been unprecedented in my life. It is responsible for who I am today. To have the staying power, the determination, the faith in what I believe, and to continue on. I owe a great amount of gratitude to the Convent of the Sacred Heart. Ladies and gentlemen, this institution has made this Jewish woman what she is today: a United States senator.”

- DIANNE FEINSTEIN, ’51

LEFT: Dianne Feinstein speaking in the Flood Mansion, courtesy of the Convent & Stuart Hall archives. ABOVE: Senator Dianne Feinstein poses in front of the Flood Mansion with classmates

to know her very well, and she is still a very good friend.” In 1951, Senator Feinstein graduated from Convent and began her undergraduate education at Stanford University.

Throughout her career, Senator Feinstein maintained a close connection to the school. She was a member of the school's board of trustees, and during her tenure as senator, she welcomed many groups of Convent eighth graders into her office during their visits to Washington, D.C. “She remained an incredibly loyal friend to our program for decades,” said Rachel Simpson, Chief Academic Officer and Head of Convent High School.

On November 5, 2022, Senator Feinstein returned to Broadway to attend a memorial Mass for her former teacher Sr. Mardel, with whom she had maintained a longstanding and close friendship. During the service, Senator Feinstein shared remarks that put into words her admiration for Sr. Mardel and her enduring gratitude for her time at Broadway. “The love that I got from this building and the religious within it has been unprecedented in my life. It is responsible for who I am today. To have the staying power, the determination, the faith in what I believe, and to continue on. I owe a great amount of gratitude

to the Convent of the Sacred Heart. Ladies and gentlemen, this institution has made this Jewish woman what she is today: a United States senator.” In Senator Feinstein’s eyes, her time at Convent laid the groundwork for a lifetime of public service, setting the stage for the impactful leadership that would later define her political legacy.

SAN FRANCISCO’S “FOREVER MAYOR” REMEMBERED

In the wake of Senator Feinstein’s passing on September 29, 2023, the Convent & Stuart Hall community paid tribute to her memory through various meaningful expressions, joining in the shared grief felt by the city of San Francisco and the nation. In a message to the school community, President Ann Marie Krejcarek wrote that Senator Feinstein “always remembered and recognized the importance of her faith formation and her education, serving as a role model to students, faculty and her fellow alumnae. … We are honored to have had a place in her legacy and her heart.” Rachel Simpson shared that “Given Senator Feinstein’s role in city government and in the U.S. Senate, we had great pride in the fact that she came from here.”

ABOVE: Convent high schoolers in attendance at Senator Dianne Feinstein's memorial service at San Francisco City Hall. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Dianne Feinstein in the Cortile outside of the Flood Mansion. Dr. Ann Marie Krejcarek and Senator Dianne Feinstein at the memorial service for Mary Mardel, RSCJ held at the Flood Mansion.

“Feinstein was such a successful woman, and it is really inspirational to be studying in the same place where she went to high school,” junior Kaiya Koenigsberg said. “I know she was very close to the school, and we are all remembering her and thinking of her family.”

On October 4, 2023, Senator Feinstein laid in state at San Francisco City Hall. The following day, a memorial service was held on the front steps of the City Hall. In attendance were members of the Convent High School student council, who were honored to receive an invitation. Reflecting on her experience of the service, senior Ada Linde wrote, “In a way, it made the whole thing human for me. To remember her holistically. By the person she was. … To see her remembered and celebrated from so many angles of her life was amazing.”

Following the death of her longtime friend, Nancy Pelosi authored an opinion piece in the San Francisco Chronicle titled “What I’ll always remember about Dianne Feinstein.” She wrote, “It was clear that going to school at the Convent — and growing up in a city as beautifully diverse as San Francisco — nurtured Dianne’s gentleness, her love, her respect for and faith in the goodness of others. These were the qualities that defined her historic career in public service.”

IN MEMORIAM

We remember and honor those from our Convent & Stuart Hall community who have gone before us in the past few years.

EVELYN ANDERTON ’64’60

BARBARA FINN BENTLEY ’46’42

NANCY BOLMEIER FISHER Past Parent and Trustee

CHARLES BRADY Past Employee

CATHERINE HOWARD BRAY ’65

RYAN CHISHOLM CES’17

CHRISTINA CINTI Past Employee

MARGARET COLLIER Grandparent

DENISE CONNELL ’51

MARY COONEY ’66

MARY ANN CULLEN ’58’54

JOAN LEWIS DANFORTH ’49’45

SUZANNE DONLON Past Parent

KIMIKO DONNELLY Current Parent

LAURA ELLERMEYER Friend

PAMELA ENGEL Past Parent and Trustee

DIANNE GOLDMAN FEINSTEIN ’51

SANDRA GRAHAM ’63’59

JOAN HIGGINS Friend

KAMILLA HURLEY Past Parent

AURELIO JIMENEZ ’16

NANCY ONORATO KELLEHER ’55’51

BETSY LINK CES’53

MARY MARDEL, RSCJ Past Employee and Trustee

JOHN NOLAN SHB’67

NICOLE REYES Past Parent

AGNES ROBERTS Past Employee

ANNMARIE SCHLAGETER Past Employee

JAMES SHALALA Past Parent

CHRISTOPHER SHEA Past Parent

RIVEN STEVENSON ’07

PAMELA THORP Past Employee

SUZANNE MAHAN WARGIN ’52’56

MICHAEL WILLIAMSON Current Parent

VALERIE PASQUINI WILLSEA ’72

ANNA BAGNIEWSKA ’59 (1941–2022)

In February of 2022, alumna Anna Bagniewska passed away at the age of 79, generously leaving a gift to Convent & Stuart Hall in her will. Anna's thoughtful commitment to invest in the future of our school is a testament to her enduring connection and appreciation for the education she received here. President Ann Marie Krejcarek and Chief Advancement Officer Sarah Leffert were deeply appreciative of the opportunity to attend Anna’s memorial service, connect with her family and express their gratitude for Anna’s life-long commitment to the school.

“I think of Anna's keen sense of humor and her brilliant mind, and it makes me smile, a very happy smile. I loved her!”

– Mary “Be” Mardel, RSCJ

NOTE: This list includes updates submitted by family members and friends. We send our heartfelt condolences to families in our greater community who have lost loved ones.

AGNES ROBERTS (1938–2023)

In May of 2023, Agnes Roberts, esteemed administrator of Convent Elementary and dedicated lower form Dean, passed away at the age of 85. In her 28 years at the school, from 1981 to 2009, Agnes fostered a legacy of excellence and compassion, her influence reaching far beyond the years of her dedicated service. Her enduring impact as a beloved faculty member was honored by her family, friends and the school community, who gathered in June at Broadway for a memorial service to celebrate and reflect upon her life.

CHARLES “CHUCK” CRISS SHB ’99 (1985–2022)

In February of 2022, Stuart Hall for Boys alumnus, Charles “Chuck” Criss, passed away at the age of 36. A talented musician, loving father and cherished friend, Chuck maintained lasting relationships with many in the Convent & Stuart Hall community.

“Chuck and his younger brother Darren became fast friends of our family in high school, and ever since then, the Criss family has felt like our own. From living room concerts to block parties and playing liturgical music for Sunday morning Mass, Chuck blessed our lives with his lowkey and hilarious presence. When Freelance Whales, Chuck’s band that he formed in Brooklyn, toured through San Francisco, it was a homecoming and a reunion.

It was a beautiful and humbling experience to witness Chuck’s giftedness. I’m eternally grateful for his friendship and presence in significant moments of our lives — the birth of children, weddings, ringing in new years. I’m reminded of Chuck every day that I’m at Convent & Stuart Hall. The feeling of closeness is especially strong around Christmas time, when we gather to hear our students sing Noëls, as the sound of jingle bells and guitar float on the air, and the creativity of our students flows with abundant generosity. I imagine Chuck as a young SHB student, discovering his special work for the world. I see “Charles Criss” named in dedication of halls that our students

walk through and seats in Syufy from which I now watch my children perform. I’ll continue to brag to them about my wonderful friend who brought such beauty to our lives.”

– Paul Pryor Lorentz, High School Chair of Community Life, and Bryan Lorentz, Liturgy, Interiority, Faith and Engagement Coordinator

AURELIO JIMENEZ ’16 (1998–2023)

In November of 2023, Aurelio Jimenez, Stuart Hall High School alumnus and former After School Program staff member, passed away at the age of 25. Aurelio was a beloved friend to so many, and he maintained a strong connection to the Convent & Stuart Hall alumni and school community.

“I will never have another friend like Aurelio. Someone whose friendship was truly unconditional. A person I’ve grown up with and shared milestones. An individual I’ve reached out to with good and bad news because he had the best responses. A person who pushed me to be my best self academically and dragged me out of my room to go dancing. Someone I was never scared to bicker with because our fights always ended in laughter. Someone who willingly ran in the hot LA sun just to buy a volleyball because he knew his friends wanted to play. A kind person who made new friends so effortlessly. So welcoming and friendly. I want to keep your spirit alive by being the same."

– Sophia Hettenkofer ’17

“Aurelio and I met in Ms. MacGarva’s 9th grade algebra class. We made quick friends. However, where we truly bonded was in jazz band with Ms. Fraenza. Both of us were very passionate about music. … Aurelio had a passion for service. With the help and guidance of Mr. O’Connor (former Stuart Hall Justice teacher), he started the service group One Less Hungry. Often with the help of local Bay Area sponsors, the group would make and hand out sandwiches to the homeless in Civic Center and the Tenderloin.”

– Michael Johnson ’16

A BARBIE PINK HALLOWEEN

The Convent & Stuart Hall faculty and staff celebrated Halloween in style with their pink costumes inspired by the blockbuster movie Barbie.

“I don't have anything big planned. Just a giant blowout party with all the Barbies, and planned choreography, and a bespoke song. You should stop by.”

- BARBIE

“I AM KENOUGH.”

- KEN

FACULTY AWARDS

During the President’s New Year assembly on January 25, 2023, seven faculty and staff members were recognized for excellence in teaching and service and their professional development ambitions. President Ann Marie Krejcarek and the Faculty Staff Development Committee (FSDC) announced the 2023 faculty award recipients.

2022 AWARDS AND RECIPIENTS

Esther Rossi Excellence Award

TALBOT MOORE

Assistant Head of Elementary, K–8

The Esther Rossi Excellence Award is given each year to an employee of the school who has made outstanding contributions to our tradition of excellence, focused particularly on Goal 4 of the Goals and Criteria: the building of community as a Christian value. The award was established and continues to grow thanks to the support of members of the Rossi family, in honor of their beloved mother, grandmother, aunt and grandaunt. Esther was a devoted alumna of the Sacred Heart.

Last year's award recipient was Talbot Moore. Before presenting the award, FSDC member Natalie Ohanessian described Talbot as “the glue that holds the K–8 experience together — from managing the carpool lines to finding new ways to boost our experiential education offerings and fun ways to connect.”

The President's Excellence Award

ALYSON BARRETT

Academic Department Chair for Libraries

The President's Excellence Award was established in 2013 by Joe and Karen Niehaus, longtime supporters of Convent & Stuart Hall whose children attended the school. Additionally, Joe served on the Board of Trustees for seven years, with one term as Chair. The Niehaus family established the fund so the President could select a recipient each year who exemplifies excellence in his or her work for the school.

Last year's award recipient was Alyson Barrett. She was introduced by FSDC member Belle Akers who read quotes from colleagues describing Alyson as “a gentle professional spirit,” someone who “raises the standards for all who encounter her” and “is unflaggingly friendly, helpful and positive.”

Sister Mary Mardel Fund

NIKKI HOGAN

Grade 6 Mathematics Faculty and K–8 Math Strategist

The Sister Mary Mardel Fund for Faculty Excellence was established in 1997 by gifts to an endowed fund, in honor of the beloved Sacred Heart educator. Each year, elementary faculty apply for the award in pursuit of a specific professional development opportunity or personal enrichment. With her award, Nikki Hogan traveled to Italy to explore historical sites that incorporate occurrences of the Fibonacci sequence.

Sister Ann Conroy Award

RODERICK MOBLEY

Sciences Department Chair and Faculty, Convent Varsity Volleyball Assistant Coach

The Sister Ann Conroy Fund for Faculty Excellence was established in 2013 in honor of another longtime Sacred Heart educator. This award application process is open to all high school faculty and Central Services staff for pursuits of personal enrichment. Last year’s winner, Roderick Mobley, reunited with his old volleyball coach, John Littleman, in Italy, France and Spain to help coach a junior traveling team and brought back strategies for coaching our teams this year. He also played on a master’s division team during the trip.

THE FUSCO FAMILY AWARDS IN SUPPORT OF EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE

In November 2015, the school received a gift from the estate of Elvera "Ellie" Fusco, a beloved friend of the school and a graduate of the San Francisco College for Women at Lone Mountain. Her bequest established an endowed fund to support faculty salaries and benefits. Dr. Krejcarek, in collaboration with the estate trustees, wanted to honor Ellie's passion for education through the establishment of three awards presented each year in honor of Ellie, her sister Mildred (Millie) and their brother Lorenzo (Larry).

The Fusco Family Award in honor of Ellie Fusco is presented to a faculty or staff member who has the true "heart of an educator," someone who gives his or her all in the classroom while making sure the hearts and minds of students are activated and engaged. The award in honor of Millie is presented to a faculty or staff member whose work with students inspires passion and aspiration. The award in Larry's honor is presented to a staff person who shines in his or her work with students as a coach or service learning mentor.

The following faculty members received last year's Fusco Family Awards:

The Ellie Fusco Heart of an Educator Award

BRENDA DAVIS

Grade 5 and 6 Mathematics Faculty

The Fusco Family Award in honor of Millie Fusco

LINDSAY MACGARVA

Mathematics Department Chair and Faculty

The Fusco Family Award in honor of Larry Fusco

HONG YAO

Modern & Classical Languages Faculty

LEFT: Dr. Ann Marie Krejcarek, Roderick Mobley, Lindsay MacGarva, Nikki Hogan, Brenda Davis, Alyson Barrett, Talbot Moore.

THE ESSENCE OF CURIOSITY AND THE CLASS OF 2023

BY CESAR GUERRERO DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS AND ACADEMIC GUIDANCE

The transition from high school to college is often accompanied by a surge of emotions ranging from excitement and anticipation to apprehension and uncertainty. Navigating this transformative phase not only requires comprehensive support and guidance, but it also demands a responsibility that hinges on the expertise of our college counseling team, partnerships with university admissions colleagues and a commitment to honoring the trust of our students and their families. These stand as important pillars of our college admissions process and Academic Guidance structure. For the graduating Class of 2023, the 2022–23 school theme “Curiosity” was also a helpful guide throughout this transitional stage, as our team worked to maintain a spirit of optimism and inquiry.

The essential work of our Academic Guidance structure remains true. In the spring of their junior year, after two and a half years working with their Academic Grade Chairs, each student begins a weekly college counseling class. The class serves as a space of knowledge and support, providing students with invaluable guidance to jumpstart their academic journey. Our expertise extends beyond mere academic course selection and transcript reviews; we delve into understanding students' aspirations, strengths and areas for growth, fostering a holistic approach that honors the individual.

“The college counseling team at Convent offered their strategic wisdom and resources to me throughout the stressful college season. They remained truthful and supportive when it came to formulating a balanced list of schools, writing essays and making decisions.”

- JULIA KEARNEY ’23, POMONA COLLEGE

Our college counseling team is composed of former college admissions professionals with over 45 years of collective wisdom. This allows us to resource our families with the clearest and most accurate information. We are accessible to students in countless ways beyond the weekly college counseling classes. Our 1:1 interactions make the Convent & Stuart Hall experience unique. In order to offer personalized advice on essay writing, scholarship opportunities and financial assistance options, we have to know each student throughout their journey at Convent & Stuart Hall. Every personal trial and every learning opportunity

PHOTOS: Convent & Stuart Hall Class of 2023 graduates.

is a key to their story, and admissions officers are eager to dig deeper about the person underneath the academic record and extracurricular resume. A crucial role we play in this complex, ever-changing admissions process is helping students craft compelling personal narratives that showcase the depth of who they are and the potential that they offer to their next community. The real test of our work with a student is demonstrated when a connection is truly made. Only when students feel that we see them and know them can we challenge them and empower them to share their story.

“It was a privilege to work with the class of 2023 as they pursued such a variety of interests ranging from aviation to fashion to production design. I learned so much from them through college counseling classes, individual meetings and impromptu chats around campus.”

- ALLISON YEE, COLLEGE COUNSELOR

“I am incredibly thankful for the support provided by the college counseling staff. Their offices were always open whenever I needed guidance and they were really helpful in keeping me on track with deadlines in our weekly application workshops. I received a lot of personal help on essays and school choices, which ultimately led me to a school that fit me academically and socially.”

- ANDREW SCOTT ’23, COLBY COLLEGE

The class of 2023 proved to be curious, collaborative and courageous. As a class that experienced the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, they did not wilt with fear. Instead, they became a class that excelled and looked well beyond the conventional definitions of college.

As our graduates forge their own paths beyond high school, we know that wherever they are they can trust their Convent & Stuart Hall foundation will carry them through. Ultimately, it will be their curiosity that will give them the courage and belief that great things lie ahead of them, if they can dare to see the possibilities and opportunities that await them.

“The class of 2023 were not just national travelers, but globally engaged in their college search. As a group, they applied to schools in seven different countries and were accepted to schools in each. It was a joy to watch the class as a whole dive deep into their personal reflections and learn how to share their unique experiences with the wider world around them. To be given the opportunity to be a guide for the class of 2023 (and future classes) as they reflect about their futures and what opportunities await is a joy I find each year in this role.”

- TOM ESPONNETTE, COLLEGE COUNSELOR

PHOTOS: Convent and Stuart Hall graduates at the 2023 Commencement ceremony at the Palace of Fine Arts.

BILL BRENTANI

JEFFREY CHANG

CHRISTINE LEONG CONNORS

JILL

HAZELBAKER

FRANKS JOSIE FRECKMANN

JOE GALLO

ANDREW HOMAN

ANN MARIE

KREJCAREK President

ADRIEL LARES

JACQUES LEHOT Vice Chair

SAIRA MALIK

BOB MYERS

MARCIA O’DEA RSCJ

LESLIE O’NEILL

MEETA PATEL ’92

BRIAN PROSES ’90

NOTE: Kirsty Ellis, Nancy Morris RSCJ, Holden Spaht, Jennifer Tulley (not pictured) are former members of the Board of Trustees who completed their term of service on June 30, 2023.

TOM ROBERTS

Chair

BARBARA ROGERS

RSCJ

PAULA TONER

RSCJ

DON ST. PIERRE

PETER SWARTZ

JOHN VILLASENOR

Tribute to Holden Spaht

2019–2023 Board Chair

Just by looking at the years comprising Holden Spaht’s four-year span as Board Chair, you know that he contributed to the success of Convent & Stuart Hall during a unique time in history. With each challenge — pandemic, societal, economic or student safety — Holden was a caring, skilled and collaborative leader to whom I will be forever grateful.

Last spring at the annual Trustee Dinner, we could not resist the opportunity to be Holden’s biggest fan by honoring him in a similar fashion to his own “fan-atic” dedication to his favorite collegiate team, LSU. With “Mike the Tiger” looming over an event immersed in purple and gold, we said thank you and paid tribute to a man of integrity, honor, good humor, strength and grace. On behalf of the entire school community, we say thank you one more time!

– Dr. Ann Marie Krejcarek

RIGHT: Dr. Ann Marie Krejcarek poses with Holden Spaht at the Trustee Dinner in his honor.

MESSAGE from the BOARD CHAIR

DEAR CONVENT & STUART HALL COMMUNITY,

Stepping into the role of Board Chair over the past year has been an immensely fulfilling experience, accompanied by a profound sense of responsibility. As I reflect on the journey so far, I am inspired by the collective commitment and support displayed by this community.

I have had the privilege and responsibility of engaging in the beginning phases of the Sacred Heart Commission on Goals (SHCOG) process. Working alongside Ann Marie, Tony Farrell and fellow Board of Trustees members Paula Toner, RSCJ, and Marie O’Dea, RSCJ, along with many other members of our community involved in this process, I have witnessed a dedication that has left a lasting impression on me. This process has offered me the opportunity to deepen my understanding of the Goals and Criteria of a Sacred Heart education and more holistically and accurately align the board’s approach and conversations with those values, ensuring that every decision made resonates with the core principles that define our institution.

When I stepped into the role of Chair this fall, I knew that my predecessor Holden Spaht had weathered fairly unprecedented challenges for any institution and had done so leaving the school in a strong position despite all that the past four years held. In a memorable address to trustees past and present, Holden shared his belief that our school — its leaders and its promise, grounded in the tenets of a transformative Sacred Heart education — is the most worthy of investments.

I hope to build on that charge and believe that in our time as Trustees, the mission of the founders of the Society of the Religious of the Sacred Heart compels us to lead by example, supporting the work of Ann Marie and her leadership team and the incredibly talented and dedicated faculty to the best of our ability.

The continued relevance of a Sacred Heart education in San Francisco and globally is amplified by looking deeper at the Goals and Criteria. All that the SHCOG process reveals strengthens the resolve of the Board to invest in the excellence of Sacred Heart education in San Francisco. During our tenure as Trustees, we will focus on providing for Convent & Stuart Hall’s next 137 years by growing the endowment to attract and retain the very best educators by keeping faculty salaries, our biggest budgeted expense, competitive while also keeping tuition increases modest; meeting, exceeding and growing the Annual Fund to supplement tuition dollars and provide school leaders with the flexibility to say yes to projects and initiatives that enhance the learning environment; and evaluating and enhancing the existing physical campus to best serve students today and well into the future.

The stories of our students, faculty and alumni displayed in this President’s Report exemplify the relevance and impact of a Sacred Heart education in 2023 and beyond.

SINCERELY,

THOMAS G. ROBERTS, JR., M.D. CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES

LEFT: The Flood Mansion.

This is a publication of the President’s Office at Convent & Stuart Hall. Special thanks to our many contributors:

Editorial contributors: Claire Carlander, Dr. Ann Marie Krejcarek Sarah Leffert, Cara Patterson, Ken Savage and Rachel Simpson

Photo contributors: Michel Edens Photography, Michael Campos, Ann Marie Krejcarek, Claire Carlander, Rena Franco, Nano Visser, MugsyClicks Photography, Martin Jorgensen, Rachel McIntire, Siska Hobart, Bob Schnell, Dustin Tillman Photography, Steve Abernethy, Genaro Vavuris, Matt Woodard, Elena De Santis, Rachel Simpson, Lawrence Lauterborn, Elias Feldman, Scott Chernis and Prab Reyes

Design: Twin Variety