Educator
Retirees
Years at Saint Francis:
26
19
Years at Saint Francis:
Mary Jo Carroll
“I have many favorite memories but one that has made an impact in our Saint Francis community is the establishment of the International Showcase. It started as an idea from my club board members 18 years ago. Little by little, it developed into a two-day event at the Performing Arts Center. The International Showcase gave an opportunity to our diverse student body to display and share their artistic skills and culture to our entire Saint Francis community.”
“Throughout my 58 years in education, I’ve experienced many changes in trends, focus, methodology and technology. But the basic tenet of education remains: students + teacher + caring environment = learning. Our gifts and talents as educators enlighten and enable students, and theirs do the same for us. What an awesome and beautiful responsibility we have toward those who have been entrusted to us. I have learned from my fellow educators as models and advisors, by word and deed, and I am so grateful.”
PROGRESS Spring 2021
Years at Saint Francis:
33
Sofia Blanc
Spanish teacher, World Languages department chair, moderator for International Club and senior class
I
n June 2021, eight Saint Francis educators will retire. We thank these incredible men and women for the 258 collective years of selfless service they have given to the Saint Francis High School family, embodying the Holy Cross mission and shaping hundreds of lives.
Religious Studies and English teacher, drama assistant
Years at Saint Francis:
43
Sal Chavez
Mission outreach, Religious Studies teacher and department chair, soccer coach “My job was living out my faith every day in a number of different ways. Before I arrived, I was actually looking for a position to support students of color in San Francisco, but I realized that I could do this at SFHS: to help attract students of color to campus in my small way and to help students who are not of color widen their understanding of the world and appreciate other communities.”
23
Olivia Ciampa
Spanish teacher, yearbook moderator, lunch prefect “These past 23 years have been the most rewarding years professionally and socially. Everyone has been key to my development as an educator, colleagues as well as students. The time literally flew by. I am very grateful.”
