Progress Spring 2024

A Publication for our Lancer Community

Opening Doors

Why is being welcoming so integral to our community? The answer lies with who St. André Bessette, C.S.C., was. Read more on page 9.

Spring 2024 Contents

Publisher

Jason D. Curtis

Executive Editor

Jamie Ceccato Perkins ’97

Editorial Staff

Michele Tjin

Kalix Marketing/Sarah Achenbach

Design

Kalix Marketing/Jason Quick

Support Staff

Bernard Nemis

Diane Wilson

Contributing Photographers

Rishabh Anand ’26

Ana Gallaga ’25

Ryan Huang ’27

Marina Kan ’25

MaxPreps/Jim Malone

Abhijit Nambiar ’24

Now and Forever Studios

Michele Tjin

Kylie Tran ’25

Progress is published twice a year by the Institutional Advancement Department for the alumni, parents and friends of Saint Francis High School.

Email us: progress@sfhs.com

Saint Francis Lancers Saint Francis High School

Catching ASB members in planning mode. By Marina Kan ’25

#Lancerlife

Standing in the Welcome Center, President Jason Curtis explains why being welcoming is such an important role in our Holy Cross community. Take a look!

9 OPENING DOORS

Find out how we create connections at Saint Francis when we welcome one another into our lives.

17 WELCOME CENTER AND DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

See how our Welcome Center is taking shape.

21 ALUMNI

Read class news and updates.

30 HOLY CROSS EDUCATOR

Instructional coach Rachel Sabol opens doors for our teachers.

Eighteen members of the Class of 2024 were named 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists. They were selected by their PSAT scores from 2022, which are among the highest in California.

Lancernews

Holy Cross Exchange

Saint Francis students forged Holy Cross connections with 15 French students and their two teachers who visited from Saint-Michel de Picpus, a Holy Cross school in Paris. Staying with Lancer families, the French students experienced what it’s like to attend an American high school, while hosts like Swara Shah ’26 and Marina Kan ’25 enjoyed the exchange of culture, from learning French slang to seeing their home and school from their guests’ perspective. The Holy Cross connection continued when the visiting group went to Moreau Catholic High School, our sister school in Hayward, for a day. A Saint Francis contingent of students, educators and parents reunited with Saint-Michel de Picpus when they visited Paris during spring break.

Aishani Aatresh ’20 Receives Rhodes

Scholarship

Aishani Aatresh ’20, a senior at Harvard University studying her self-designed major of complex biosocial systems, has been named a Rhodes Scholar, one of academia’s highest honors. This fall, she will attend the University of Oxford in England to pursue a master’s degree in nature, society and environmental governance.

Her comparative research focuses on pandemic preparedness and climate change preparedness and understanding the shared rights and responsibilities of individuals and institutions in addressing these two global problems.

“It’s not just about pandemics or climate change, but about how we want to live in this world and assert what it means to be a human in the 21st century,” she explains. “If we do a better job of committing to do so in a humble and principled way, with that kind of attention, there is the possibility for renewal.”

The Saint Francis community and her involvement in TEDx, LancerHacks and Lancer Productions helped to inspire her research. “Everything I did was some version of community building through intellectual activities,” she says.

2024 National Merit Semifinalists

Back top row, from left: Rajesh Veera, Ayush Singh, Justin Wang, Kasper Halevy, Ishan Pachauri; third row, from left: Kayva Peela, Niva Shirsekar, Anirudh Kannan, Alexander Xia; second row, from left: Ridhima Seth, Annmary Antony, Medha Mahanta, Lian Elsa Linton, Sandeep Bajamahal, Nikhil Dewitt; front row, from left: Paree Merchant, Valerie Wong, Kylie Chen

Connecting Generations at Villa Siena

Arnav Bhardwaj ’25 hated seeing how lonely his grandparents were during the COVID lockdowns. That memory inspired him to organize a program pairing Saint Francis students with residents of Villa Siena Senior Living Community, located next to campus, to meet weekly.

“The residents are really wholesome, and when they express their gratitude and how excited they are for the next meeting, that keeps me working hard because it shows how much it impacts them,” Arnav says.

Called The Senior Story Project, Arnav’s program began when he was in middle school. He arranged virtual visits between a few of his friends and their grandparents to help combat the isolation he saw among the elderly in his community during the pandemic.

Now, nearly four years later, the program has expanded, with Arnav working with Villa Siena staff to organize regular meetings, which have progressed from virtual to small in-person groups and now, one-onone conversations. Each pair meets every Wednesday at Villa Siena to talk about their lives.

Working now on managing program logistics and pairing up students and seniors, Arnav remembers the stories he shared with his senior partners. Many seniors shared what it was like to immigrate to this country while, in turn, asking their teen counterparts what it’s like to grow up in this age.

“The elderly can be reserved and self-conscious and feel like they don’t have anything interesting to tell,” Arnav says, “but they genuinely enjoy talking and have so much to share.”

Arnav credits his group of regular volunteers whose weekly presence makes the program work and whose youthful energy rubs off on the seniors. He wants to continue serving the elderly in his community because he continues to see many of them isolated at home. He is working with agencies in Mountain View to see if more seniors could benefit from having weekly visits with teens.

“It’s been amazing to see how close some of the students have gotten with their seniors and how much they have to talk about,” Arnav says. “They form an amazing connection, and that is what The Senior Story Project is all about.”

Youth Philanthropy Club Raises $40,000 for Giving Tuesday Budding philanthropists make an impact

Rishabh Anand ’26 wants his fellow classmates to know that there is no age minimum needed to make a difference in their world. He started the Youth Philanthropy Club at Saint Francis to educate students about the power of giving to bring change. He discovered that not all students understand how Saint Francis relies on financial contributions to build new facilities and provide resources and programs that benefit all students and educators.

Last fall, for Giving Tuesday, an international day of fostering generosity, Youth Philanthropy

Club members emailed and called parents to encourage them to give to the Saint Francis Fund, the annual fund that provides spiritual formation, innovation and transformative leadership opportunities for students. Their efforts led to $40,000 in donations on Giving Tuesday — and to increased excitement by club members for the impact they can have.

“Philanthropy at its core is making connections with people and tapping those connections to benefit others. I really like that,” says Dahlia Oliveri ’27, a Board member.

Looking ahead, the club wants to partner with school clubs and outside groups to organize student-led efforts for further impact. This spring they worked with Campus Ministry and Martha’s Kitchen in San Jose to organize a canned food drive.

“We’re helping people discover that they can help communities no matter what their age is,” Rishabh says. “If we organize together, we can create a huge impact in the community even at the high school level.”

Arnav, with a staff member at Villa Siena, enjoys connecting residents of the senior living community with teens to help combat their loneliness.

Members of Youth Philanthropy Club

LANCER profile

Charlie Withers ’24

Member

Associated Student Body (ASB)

Legacy Leader and Class Council Mentor

Captain

varsity basketball, junior and senior years; junior varsity, sophomore; freshman team

Member

President’s Circle, junior and senior years

Member

Junior Student Council

“Mr. Curtis always talks about how we want Saint Francis to be a place for everyone to be comfortable. We’re changing the student leadership election processes and ASB structure to create more opportunities for leaders on campus.”

I chose my ASB title of Legacy Leader and Class Council Mentor after I was elected to one of four ASB elected positions. I help create an environment of community within student leadership and mentor all class councils. I chose the role because I felt really welcomed my freshman year by the then Business Club [now Entrepreneurship Club]. Over Zoom, the seniors created this environment that made me excited to be a part of Saint Francis. I was on the club’s Board at the end of freshman year, which got me interested in leadership. On student council, I connect with ASB members to get their opinions, so they feel that they’re contributing to our environment. It’s also my job to talk with new leaders about expectations for their first year and how to continue the ASB legacy on campus.

I’m a hands-on leader and enjoy the social aspect of leadership and mentoring others. Saint Francis has done a great job of providing me with that. I’ve learned a lot from my teachers and from leaders who came before me. With President’s Circle headed by Mr.

Curtis, we explore the differences between leadership, mentorship and management and how, although you need management in leadership, mentorship is the best way because you can create leaders of the next generation. Being kind to people goes with inspiring them and leading by example.

My Holy Cross experience and education 100 percent changed the way I’ve thought about welcoming people on campus. Mr. Curtis always talks about how we want Saint Francis to be a place for everyone to be comfortable. We’re changing the student leadership election processes and ASB structure to create more opportunities for leaders on campus.

I want to start a company of my own someday. My dad’s an entrepreneur, so I’ve been around it a ton, but the values and lessons I’ve learned from being a student leader have made me want to be a leader in [business], too.

Charlie, right, leads a lunch activity during Holy Cross Spirit Week

From the Heart, to the Stage

From being ambidextrous to financial literacy, this year’s TEDx speakers covered a range of topics. This student-run event continues to be a popular platform for Lancers to share their personal stories and the lessons they’ve learned.

For those involved, one of the best things about TEDx is that it represents a diverse scope of interests: speakers who have different backgrounds and Board members with a variety of skills who work behind the scenes in areas such as publicity, tech and hospitality.

“We have athletes, people in robotics, any and every background you can think of, TEDx has seen it, and it’s a really good place for all of them to meet,” said Durga Moorthy ’24.

Durga and her fellow TEDx co-directors Ritika Arora ’24 and Olivia Vinckier ’24 were all speakers in the past, and they coached students this year on how to tell a compelling story. Here are their tips on how anybody can open themselves to share their personal story, whether on the TEDx stage or not.

• Know what your point is. When telling a story, it’s easy to stray from your main idea. An elevator pitch helps to nail it down to a central point.

• Make it relatable. Find a way to frame your unique experience so that it can apply to anyone and keep them interested in what you have to say.

• Use humor. Especially if dealing with difficult topics, humor can lighten the tone. There is humor everywhere; it’s how you look at things.

• Be mindful of your body language. How you deliver your story is just as important as the story itself. Durga practiced delivering her speech holding two glasses of water so she wouldn’t move her hands so much.

• Be conversational. No one wants to feel like they’re listening to an instructional video. So imagine you’re talking to a friend and taking them through the steps of your journey. That’s where inspiration resides.

LancerAthletics

Fall and Winter Sports Championships

Girls and boys cross country teams won CCS championships, with the girls team advancing to finish third at the state championships.

Wrestlers Diego Barajas ’24, April Gao ’26, Sa’o Loia ’24, Katherine Love ’27, Bryce Luna ’24, Matthew Luna ’25 and Maggie Tobacco ’26 qualified for the state championship meet.

Girls soccer team won CCS championship.

Launching a Robot and a Community

This year, the Lancer robotics team, Team 2367, built an approximately 100-pound machine to grab disc-shaped game pieces and launch or place them in specific goal areas to score points. The team worked after school and on weekends building, rebuilding, debugging and problem solving.

“You always have to have a mental record of things that have gone wrong in the past and solutions that you had to fix it,” says club president Ruhi Yusuf ’24, who has engineered a team reset to create a season focused on trust and ownership.

“It’s easy to take a task for yourself and complete it because you know you can, but taking the risk to give it to someone else to figure out the task for themselves helps in team spirit,” she says.

To enhance team unity, Ruhi organized a display window showcasing projects and added more shifts in the robotics lab to accommodate athletes. She also encouraged parents to be more involved, which has broadened students’ skills in communication and branding and created a robust mentoring environment.

NCAA Lancer Student-Athletes

Through February, we recognized 25 of our Lancer studentathletes who committed to play college athletics. Additional students will be recognized in the spring.

Winter

Katherine Adkison, volleyball, Wheaton College

Gabrielle Chen, field hockey, Wellesley College

Allison Dauer, basketball, University of Rochester

George Jelley, rugby, Western Washington University

Fall

Sam Baumuller, golf, Regis University

Jason Benson Jr., baseball, Eastern Oregon University

Jamie Cappelletti, stunt, University of Kentucky

Erin Curtis, volleyball, UNC Chapel Hill

Luke DeVine, baseball, Santa Clara University

Lillian Kaelber, track & field/cross country, Brown University

Shannon Keighran, softball, Boise State University

Charlotte Kohler, soccer, Stanford University

Allison Mitloff, softball, Stevens Institute of Technology

Kate Munnerlyn, softball, Texas A&M University

Sophie Murdock, soccer, Stanford University

Carter O’Shea, soccer, Southern Oregon University

Zane Patel, squash, University of Pennsylvania

Becca Quinn, softball, Idaho State University

Liam Roedling, swimming, University of the Pacific

Emily Tan, tennis, Boston University

Roman Trinidad, baseball, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Jamie Wade, track & field, Boise State University

Keira Wall, water polo, University of California, Santa Barbara

Whitney Wallace, volleyball, Oklahoma University

Taylor Williams, volleyball, Duke University

Ruhi, left, leads a team meeting with robotics team members.

Puka Shell Necklace

Banner Brigade

“I’m on the Board of Banner Brigade. We make posters for seniors, anything to do with welcoming students to campus, even visiting teams. I usually use a giant highlighter because they’re so much more colorful, brighter. I love to wear bright colors. If your daily life is surrounded by bright things, you yourself will be bright as well.”

WHAT’S IN MY

Dry Shampoo

“Whenever I’m working, studying or doing anything that needs focus, I always put my hair up. I don’t want any distractions. I play volleyball with Rage Westside Volleyball Club, which means I always have dry shampoo with me. Growing up I did not like my hair because there was such a media bias toward curly or straight blond hair. Now I take pride in my hair to show people that I come from this genetic background.”

Backpack?

“My mom got me this when I became a student activities teacher’s assistant. She told me how proud of me she was for gaining more responsibility. This necklace reminds me that I was scared of the world when I was younger, but now I am very open to more adventures. It represents my family’s pride and how they’ve watched me grow into who I am today.”

Student Activities

Teacher’s Assistant

“After school, I assist Ms. Savinovich and Mr. Lucas in the Student Activities Office with anything they need, like creating slides for student council meetings or creating posts for the Saint Francis Student Activities Instagram

When Kendall Serrano ’26, above standing, first told her family that she would be shooting the cannon as part of the Lancer Cannon Crew, they thought she was being shot out of a cannon. It’s a common misconception about the big noise from the cannon at Lancer football games. While perusing tables during Club Fair her first year, Kendall saw the actual (much smaller) cannon and was smitten. Her exuberant school spirit and infectious positivity match perfectly with her love of community and all things Saint Francis. How does she describe the Lancer spirit? “United, bold and loud — we’re always trying to come up with new ways of demonstrating what it’s like to be a Lancer.”

Member, Sophomore Council

“Sophomore Council is responsible for the sophomorefreshman event and other events. We make sure our class stays hyped during rallies and assist the junior class with the Homecoming rally and dance.”

Graphic Design Crew

“We come up with logos for many clubs on campus and design posters for events. My process is to think about it first, then just put it on paper. I like to form shapes first and then go in with the details. This reflects how I think about my life, because you have to get the general idea first, then the details. My brown sketchbook contains a lot of little doodles or drawings.”

Opening Doors

St. André Bessette, C.S.C., the first saint of the Congregation of Holy Cross, understood the transformative power behind the humble act of opening a door.

He spent his life opening the front door at Collège NotreDame in Côte-des-Neiges in Quebec, greeting fellow Brothers and visitors and tending to their needs. The doors he opened through his kind smile, generous spirit and prayers changed lives.

Known as Brother André and, later, the “Miracle Man of Montreal,” he worked at the school as doorkeeper, porter, sacristan, laundry worker and messenger. Given his frail health and lack of education — as an orphan, he could only write and read his name when he was presented to the Congregation of Holy Cross in Montreal in 1870 — the Congregation felt that these jobs best suited him.

With a deep, joyous faith and boundless compassion, he shaped the humble task of making others feel welcomed into something far greater than himself. Brother André even cut hair for five cents apiece, using the $200 he saved to construct a simple shrine for his beloved St. Joseph

in 1904. Five years later, he was assigned as the full-time caretaker for the Oratory of St. Joseph.

His ministry to the sick became legend. Word spread of how people were healed after praying with him, and the Congregation requested that he receive the sick at the town’s trolley station. Brother André is credited with thousands of miraculous healings for which gave glory to St. Joseph.

To understand the transformative impact of his simple gestures, you need only look at the end of his life. Upon his death on Jan. 6, 1937, 1 million people filed past his coffin. On Oct. 17, 2010, his sainthood was formally declared.

His spirit is alive at Saint Francis in how we open the doors of our campus home to new students and families, returning alumni and visitors alike. Brother André’s ever helpful, always kind example infuses how we welcome and nurture each other to create the miracle of community.

Oratory of St. Joseph

The idea of “opening doors” to new possibilities at Saint Francis is part of our DNA as a Holy Cross school. When St. André Bessette, C.S.C., served as the humble doorkeeper at Collège Notre-Dame in Quebec he did far more than physically hold the door for those who came to him. He provided what we often refer to as the “ministry of presence”: a warm smile, a listening ear, an intentional connection. We recognize that some of the most powerful moments of formation for our students come from these moments of simple encounter with our educators and with one another.

As both a student here in the 1990s and as an educator today, one thing that has always been consistent is the invitation to take part in new and exciting opportunities. What we are especially intentional about today, though, is recognizing that opening doors requires far more than an invitation and a welcome to our community; at its core, it requires us to be a community that is constantly seeking to create an experience of belonging for those who enter those doors AND one that asks community members to engage in the experience that is taking place.

Each of our students is called to be a Holy Cross leader and is taught that part of being a student here means they have a leadership responsibility to become Christ to others in their midst. Just as we commit to providing experiences of welcome and belonging for our students and families, we ask that they, too, fully engage in providing those experiences for one another and those we welcome to our campus. Throughout this issue of Progress you will read about students, educators and families who have done just that — said “yes” to our invitation to engage and as a result have created transformative experiences for our community and our world.

Innovation@SF

When Dan Li was invited to a parent meeting about a new partnership initiative at Saint Francis, he decided he was in. He wanted to leverage his background as an investment banker to provide an experiential learning experience for students to dive into the world of finance.

During the fall 2023 semester, Dan, managing principal of Verajoy Capital LLC, led a project in macroeconomics principles, teaching students how to write an investment thesis to make the case for why their investment opportunity would deliver a profitable return. For eight weeks, he expanded on what students learned in their economics class and applied concepts to real-world situations. At the end, students made presentations at a pitch competition, where the judging panel included parents and alumni who worked in finance. One group gave an analysis of an investment in a phosphate mining company in Norway; another defended their proposal to invest in residential real estate in Japan.

The students’ breadth of knowledge was deep that evening, and Dan was proud of how much he had helped them stretch their thinking. “This [experience] gives me an opportunity to participate in the personal and pre-professional growth of students,” says Dan, whose son Will graduated in 2023. “The opportunity to add value to the Saint Francis student body gets me out of bed every morning.”

This spring, Dan is leading another cohort through the same project, and now transformed by his experience, he hopes his example will inspire more mentors to partner with Saint Francis. “If parents jointly but separately address the wide range of interests students have with their area of expertise, that would mean a lot to students,” he says.

—Katie Teekell ’00, principal, Saint Francis High School

From top left, clockwise Shiven Patel ’25, Reyhaan Gehani ’24, Tyler Mihojevich ’24, Semira Arora ’25 and Kameswari Mantha ’24

When it came time to decide on a high school, Dahlia Oliveri ’27 wanted a different school than where her older siblings attended. She’s glad she’s found a home at Saint Francis.

She loves attending football games, performing in her drama class and finding her community of friends. From discovering an abundance of opportunities to feeling cared for by her teachers and her freshman counselor, Dahlia says she and her family have been received with open arms from the beginning. “I feel Saint Francis is a better version of what high school is like in the movies,” she says.

Her mother Lillian felt embraced even before Dahlia became an official Lancer. Visiting Saint Francis when Dahlia was in the eighth grade, Lillian was impressed by how their student tour guide was focused on making sure they had a good experience. Ditto with the drink station with coffee and tea, set up on the

Welcoming Beginnings Building Alumni Networks

As Joe Fernandez ’02 sees it, real estate touches everybody. Everyone has questions when buying a home or trying to better understand the market. For the last 15 years, he’s been helping his clients secure home loans. Knowing of other alumni in real estate, he wondered, “Why not gather these Lancer resources to better serve the community?”

Alumni Director Greg Calcagno ’83 recently expanded the Alumni Council to meet the diverse interests and talents of the alumni community. He encouraged all alumni to be creative and explore ways they can be more involved with the alumni community.

Joe, a community impact manager at U.S. Bank and before that a mortgage sales supervisor, was the first to heed the call. He created a real estate group for Saint Francis alumni on LinkedIn, and though it’s in the early stages, he already has ideas of how this group can add value. He envisions providing resources to those interested in understanding real estate, being a bridge to students, and even addressing the issue of housing affordability in the Bay Area, particularly for educators.

“We want to create a vast network of real estate experts and create a positive impact with the Saint Francis community built on trust,” Joe says. “People can feel confident to tap into

day of the placement test at Saint Francis, so that parents could be comfortable while waiting for their child to finish.

Lillian also appreciated the special welcome days for freshmen before school started and the dinner for families during Back to School Night.

“Having a meal together — if you’re talking about welcoming and opening a door, that’s how you do it,” she says.

Dahlia and her family tell their friends about what Saint Francis has meant to them so far and look forward to what their journey as a Lancer family will bring them. “I’m just excited for Dahlia to have a healthy and positive high school experience,” Lillian adds.

our experience whether they want to get into real estate or students who want to understand more about finance.”

Joe hopes that this model of coalescing around shared interests makes it easier for other alumni to form their own groups and re-engage with Saint Francis. He offers examples of a robotics alumni group to help students looking for their first job or a group based around yoga as a powerful platform to address mental health.

The alumni community is legendary and spirited, and its strength should be something that is leveraged, Joe adds.

“We never want students to forget their alumni community because it’s unique. It’s a tight-knit group, and we’re in a unique position that honestly other high schools can’t do. It would be a shame not to do something.”

Greg is excited to see Joe’s efforts take root and hopes that other groups can follow his leadership. “Engaged alumni who have positive experiences are powerful ambassadors for our vision,” he says. “By engaging their family and friends with Saint Francis and getting involved with our students and fellow alumni to share their knowledge and expertise, they can help us be a leader in Catholic education.”

Want to get involved? There are many possibilities! Contact Greg Calcagno at gregcalcagno@sfhs.com.

To join Joe’s real estate group, email Joe at Jjfernandez84@gmail.com.

Tom, Dahlia ’27 and Lillian Oliveri

Campus Connections

Feels Like Family

Ben McEvoy, art teacher

Clay Reynolds, bus driver and member of Facilities Department

Mr. McEvoy: “Both our wives were friends in high school. I started dating my wife first, and a couple of years later, he shows up. I asked him, ‘Do you like toys and Star Wars?’ and then we started hanging out. We’ve known each other for at least 15 years. I have a tendency to push down anything that’s troubling me, but I know I can depend on him when I need to talk or process something.”

Mr. Reynolds: “Mostly we collect action figures, Star Wars and Ninja Turtles — the stuff we grew up with but couldn’t get as kids so now we buy everything we wanted. We hang out a lot without our wives. They’re not our glue. We’re the glue. Anything I need help with, he helps me out. Ben’s the reason why I work at Saint Francis. He tries to get everyone to work here so we can all have the same days off.”

Our educators deeply care about each other and show up for one another in big and small ways. Here, a few of them share why their Saint Francis friendships are so special.

Stitched Together

Sean Gross, Spanish and religious studies teacher

Sadie Queally-Sammut, band director Vanessa Staton, math teacher

Ms. Queally-Sammut: “The first day I met him, Sean volunteered to come to a band competition, and I remember being skeptical. He was like, ‘No, no, I used to be in marching band.’ Turns out both Vanessa and Sean played bassoon. Vanessa and I had an instant connection over fun outfits and crafts, and over time, I learned that Sean also crocheted. We came to Saint Francis as part of the biggest cohort of educators ever. It’s been an uplifting friendship. As millennials and Gen Z, we are close enough in age to students that we understand trends like Chat GPT, Stanley cups and memes. We send memes to one another — it’s a love language.”

Dr. Gross: “We look forward to in-service days because it’s an opportunity to see each other. We all teach in different buildings. We’re kindred spirits and enjoy being in each other’s company.”

Ms. Staton: “I came from a really small school where there were only 20 people on staff. We were all friends by circumstance. The friendships I’ve made here feel extra special because I go out of my way to spend time with people.”

Clay Reynolds, left, and Ben McEvoy

From left, Sadie Queally-Sammut, Vanessa Staton and Sean Gross

Authentic Culture

Great food and music have always been draws for student groups. For Tagata Pasifika, Saint Francis’ affinity group for Polynesian students, using food and hymns to bring people together is central to Pacific Islander identity and pride. “One of our biggest values is welcoming and treating everybody like family,” says Akanesi Alves ’24, Tagata Pasifika member.

At a recent interfaith multicultural prayer service, the club performed a hymn. “We all grew up hearing hymns at family events,” Tangi Netane ’24 explains. “We were able to learn the hymn in a few days, and it was a testament to how we came together to do good things.”

Whether it’s organizing cultural movie nights, singing or feeding opponents after rugby matches — the sport draws many from Tagata Pasifika — the club makes sure everyone feels right at home. “We’re trying to create spaces where you can belong to our family,” says Keala Keanaaina, one of the affinity group’s moderators.

Building Communities and Belonging

Grant Lucas ’16 quickly found a home at Saint Francis playing trumpet with the Lancer Band, swimming and making others laugh with a sketch comedy group. Now as the associate activities director for clubs and event management, he creates opportunities for Lancers to feel just as welcomed.

“Being able to support students and make their ideas come to life is such a joy,” says Mr. Lucas, who also teaches math and Independent Inquiry and co-teaches a leadership class where students plan and execute events. With 100-plus student-run clubs, Lancers are empowered to take ownership of their activities.

“The way to create above-andbeyond experiences is through building communities with like-minded students who come together and explore those fields,” adds Mr. Lucas, who joined Saint Francis through the Holy Cross Alumni Intern program, which provides college graduates handson, educational career experience at Saint Francis.

Mr. Lucas’ Tips for Student Engagement

1. Don’t see a club? Start one. To give new clubs the best chance to thrive, all new clubs have a trial period to demonstrate potential, club leadership and sustainability.

2. Innovate! During Lent, when Catholics abstain from eating meat on Fridays, the Vegantarian Club and the school’s Hospitality Department worked together to organize a “vegan snack shack” with vegan food samples.

3. Partner with existing groups. When a student asked if she could organize a charity drive, Mr. Lucas encouraged her to partner with other clubs with similar interests to amplify goals and participation.

4. Seek advice and teamwork from unexpected sources. When students are generating ideas for club activities, Mr. Lucas reminds them that Facilities, Business and other school offices are more than happy to answer questions and support their endeavors.

Members of Tagata Pasifika singing a hymn at the interfaith multicultural prayer service

Grant Lucas ’16, an associate activities director, performs at a rally.

Strengthening Muscles, Lifting Spirits

When Brooklyn O’Brien ’25 and Alexis Sweeney ’24 both tore their ACL, not once but twice, their injuries took them out of soccer, a sport they love. Post-surgery physical therapy was grueling and intense physically and mentally.

“Nobody really knows how hard the [recovery process is] unless they’ve been through it,” Brooklyn says. “We received a lot of support, which made us aware that not everyone has that so it’s become our responsibility to take care of people going through similar situations.”

They teamed up this year to start the Injury Prevention Club, which provides a space at school to encourage fellow Lancers who are also injured and undergoing physical therapy and to help them navigate not being able to play sports.

Brooklyn and Alexis have invited physical therapists to talk to club members about ways they can take steps to prevent injuries. The pair also want to create a forum where students can talk to their peers about their experiences with injuries and uplift one another.

Though they have been leading the club for just a short time, they already see how much they enjoy educating students and advocating for their teammates. This season, they asked their coach to incorporate techniques to prevent injuries into the soccer team’s warm-ups. Undergoing two years of rehab has only deepened their love for the sport.

Their work has paid off. This winter, with Alexis and Brooklyn on the pitch, the Lancer team won the CCS soccer championship, a fitting exclamation mark after long seasons of getting back in shape.

Wrapping Educators in Holy Cross Values

Just like companies have distinct cultures — think IBM or the Apple way — Saint Francis also has a unique way of doing things, which we call our Holy Cross charism. For the past six years, Dan Quinn ’87 has worked to ensure that new employees to Saint Francis are welcomed and educated in what it means to work in a Holy Cross community.

As associate campus minister for mission, Mr. Quinn has developed a three-year formation program. The first year introduces the language and history of Holy Cross and how a shared mission and charism exist among Holy Cross schools. The second year explores the major figures of the order, namely Blessed Basil Moreau and St. André Bessette C.S.C. The third year looks at Jesus as our model for life and work.

Understanding our identity “informs how we treat each other, how we educate in the classroom and how we do our jobs,” Mr. Quinn says.

When Jon Ramirez, a guidance and college counselor, arrived at Saint Francis three years ago, he was familiar with the school because he grew up on the Peninsula, but the extent to which he was reminded of his vocation and embraced by the community was a revelation. He recalled how veteran educators cared for him when he was new by inviting him to sit next to them at meetings, checking in and asking if he needed anything and regularly inspiring him through their words of encouragement.

“Through Holy Cross formation, I have been positively influenced to continue to do more and serve our students. It reminded me why I got into teaching and coaching: to give back, lead a life of service and never ask why when called upon,” Mr. Ramirez says.

In discussing family and hospitality in the Holy Cross tradition, new educators share a meal.

The Injury Prevention Club members stretch and strengthen their muscles.

Engagement

happens when you open a door.

We welcome you to engage with our Saint Francis community. For alumni, parents and friends, connecting with Saint Francis happens in a myriad of different ways. Each interaction, each door deepens your engagement, transforming our students and educators — and you — in the process. The lists below are but a sampling of the ways you can open doors for others.

Attend Open House

Attend parent dinner and meet educators at Back to School Night

Laugh at Shakespeare’s Dropouts improv show

Cheer at football games

Attend our fall play

Attend a band concert

Mentor freshman parents through Lancer Family Connection

Share testimony at liturgy

Support the Saint Francis Fund

Reunite with classmates at alumni grand reunion

Attend a Common Ground speaker series event

Join a parent coffee talk

Attend our spring musical

Play the piano in the Sobrato Commons

Visit the Advent Experience and attend Christmas At Our House

Hear student talks at TEDxSaintFrancisHS

Lead Ignite Youth Group meeting

Buy a brick to support Light the Way: Advancing Saint Francis

Gather for the President’s Celebration

Enjoy a day on the links at the Saint Francis Golf Classic Volunteer at a Lancer Family Connection parent event

Moderate a studentrun club like Robotics Volunteer at interview night

Become a team parent

Support and attend Glitter & Gold

Personally invite someone else to join you on campus

Develop leadership opportunities for students

Display a classic car at the Lancer Car Show

Serve at Senior Retreat Lead an innovation project as industry expert

Build partnerships with Silicon Valley organizations

Share talents and gifts with students

Share the news about Saint Francis as a Lancer student or parent ambassador Reflect and share your personal experience

It is not the place that makes people holy; rather, it is the people that make the place holy.

From Blessed Basil Moreau’s Conference, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross

Donate blood at blood drive

WELCOME CENTER:

WHERE

OUR COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER

IN THE FALL OF 2024, WE WILL OPEN THE DOORS TO THE WELCOME CENTER, A NEW HUB FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO GATHER AND COLLABORATE IN EXCITING WAYS.

When you walk through the FRONT DOOR INTO THE LOBBY, you will be immersed in the Holy Cross charism and a 70-year history of dedication to educating the hearts and minds of our students.

Collaboration is essential to igniting new ideas and educational excellence, fostering relationships and inter-departmental conversations on best serving students. In the EDUCATOR COLLABORATIVE SPACE, you might experience invigorating conversations around AI or our instructional coaches and counselors partnering on the ever-changing needs of learners.

Earlier this spring, educators devoted time during an in-service day to create a COLLABORATIVE ART piece that will be installed in the Welcome Center. When hung, the art, which depicts the Bay tree painted in a pointillism style, will remind educators of the joy, inspiration and partnership they find in one another.

In the DINING COMMONS, you will engage with students, educators, families and industry and community partners in fellowship. This vibrant, flexible and comfortable space embodies our commitment to hospitality while transforming how we teach, learn and celebrate.

When you join us in BROTHERS OF THE HOLY CROSS EDUCATOR DINING ROOM, you will be enveloped in their spirit of unity and faith. Our educators will share a meal, stories and reflections as we celebrate our close-knit community.

Student interns will learn the power of welcome alongside our hospitality leaders in a PROFESSIONAL KITCHEN. From event design to teaching demonstrations, you will enjoy healthy food, delectable treats and diverse offerings for student lunches, sports team meetings and more.

EGGERS INNOVATION CENTER A catalyst to transform learning

Encouraged by an extraordinary investment from Silicon Valley in 2017, our school leadership implemented an exciting strategic plan, including a significant construction project to address longtime campus needs. These plans built upon a strong legacy at Saint Francis, where Holy Cross education has long formed compassionate and visionary leaders in service to our community.

Our once-in-a-lifetime $100 million campaign was launched in 2019 to give students and educators the modern facilities and resources they need to be leaders of impact formed in an excellent educational community. The campaign comprises capital improvements, student support and educator excellence and is slated to wrap up in 2025.

We are humbled by the $71M+ in transformative and meaningful gifts received from Lancer families and members of our greater community. In 2019-20, initial gifts to Light the Way to fund Student Support and Educator Excellence ensured our educators’ and students’ stability during the pandemic by preserving jobs and increasing tuition assistance by 20%.

In 2021-22, contributions made breaking ground for the Eggers Innovation Center possible. With 29 classrooms, science labs, spaces for robotics and innovation partnerships, a theater and multiple flexible collaboration spaces, this new building has brought our students and educators together in ways we never could have imagined.

Our new educator, Addison Raak ‘17, has taken Lancer Robotics to the next level! The team placed #5 at the Silicon Valley Regional in 2024, moving up from #59 in 2023. Mr. Raak is developing the school’s first Robotics course to launch in 2024-25. He has already turned the INNOVATION LAB and adjoining space into pure energy pumping with innovation. Along with a rapidly growing group of younger students that Lancers mentor, Mr. Raak invites educators across campus to collaborate and teach in state-of-the-art classrooms.

The GATHERING STAIRS have created a central space where you might find students playing ukulele and catching up with one another.

The three GLASS ROOMS foster an inclusive environment where students and educators create pop-up, immersive experiences to celebrate diversity and cultural backgrounds. These exhibits often detail the creative work and collaboration ehind our programs, such as TEDxSaintFrancisHS affinity groups.

ADVANCING SAINT FRANCIS BRIC BY BRICK

Saint Francis is founded on the core beliefs of the Congregation of Holy Cross and is grounded in our BRIC values of Bringing hope, Respecting others, inspiring Integrity and Celebrating family. As the cornerstones of our community, we embody these values through our spiritual, intellectual and social programs.

We invite you and every family formed by our BRIC values and Holy Cross education to contribute to this historic campaign.

GIVE & BRIC THE DRIVEWAY BY JUNE 8, 2024

When you give $1,000 or more, you will receive a commemorative brick engraved and placed in the heart of our campus. Inscribe the brick with your family name, loved one(s) or in memory or honor of a person or group.

In summer 2024, we will close the driveway through the Quad. This new walking pathway will connect our Lancer students, educators and families with the Holy Cross religious Brothers and Sisters who have blessed us by serving our school community for so many years. Together, we are the past, present and future of Saint Francis! Give by June 8.

Capital Improvements

Empower students to collaborate, create and explore

Advancing Saint Francis

BRIC by Brick

Student Support

Foster belonging, equitable access and an engaging educational experience

Educator Excellence

Inspire learning with an enhanced curriculum and industry partnerships

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LIGHT THE WAY CAMPAIGN AND THE SAINT FRANCIS FUND?

The Light the Way campaign is a historic, multiyear, $100M capital campaign transforming our campus to meet the needs of our current and future learners.

The Saint Francis Fund is our annual fund, which makes spiritual formation, innovation and transformative leadership opportunities and programs possible. We need to raise over $1.5M each year to meet the evolving needs of our students through experiences and growth to live a life filled with meaning and a dedication to service.

While the Light the Way campaign funds the construction of the Eggers Innovation Center and our new Welcome Center, the Saint Francis Fund ensures support for the student programs that bring these buildings to life with the next generation of citizens engaged in learning and leadership.

Dear ALUMNI

Instagram: @saintfrancisalumni

Facebook:

Saint Francis High School (Mountain View) Alumni

Twitter: @SFHSalumni

LinkedIn: Saint Francis High School Alumni

SFHS.com/alumni

It’s been another wonderful year of growth, innovation and community at Saint Francis. As the summer approaches, we have much to reflect on and even more to look forward to. One of the most notable changes on the horizon is, of course, the opening of our exciting new Welcome Center in May. This building represents years of commitment from parents, alumni and friends of Saint Francis, all of whom contributed to the building of the new face of Saint Francis that will be the first thing visitors see when they arrive on campus. We can’t wait to share this space with you, our forever Lancers.

to see our alumni getting engaged with and connecting to our school community.

JOIN US FOR OUR DAY OF GIVING ON MAY 14!

MAKE A GIFT AT LANCERSGIVE.SFHS.COM.

Luckily for this year’s reunion classes, ’64, ’74, ’84, ’94, ’04 and ’14, we will be holding our Grand Reunion celebration on the same weekend as the official opening of the Welcome Center: Sept. 6-8, 2024. It’s sure to be a lively event where our reunion classes and all alumni can join us on Friday night for a football game, and open house and Grand Reunion on Saturday.

We are proud to share that our Alumni Council continues to grow and meets in four different groups to discuss alumni formation, alumnito-alumni networking, alumni-to-student connections and alumni strategic partnering. Two of the most exciting things to emerge from our Alumni Council this past school year are our real estate alumni LinkedIn group (page 12) and launching BRIC by BRICK (page 20) to inspire contributions to the Light the Way: Advancing Saint Francis campaign.

The real estate alumni LinkedIn group met to discuss ways they can share their knowledge of the business to help other alumni and current educators. Their meeting attracted real estate professionals and an alumnus looking for advice on their property. Meaningful connection is what we value in Alumni Relations. We love

Another excellent example of alumni partnership is found in the January bocce tournament. Thanks to the Alumni Council Social Committee, the event was a rousing success, bringing together alumni from many different classes, their friends and families and current educators. It was amazing to see people’s joy when they got to spend time with their Lancer community. As our forever Lancers, you are an essential part of the Saint Francis family; we welcome you to campus and to all of our events.

Join us on May 14 for #LancersGive Day of Giving to support our students and educators. You can choose to donate to the Light the Way campaign or our annual Saint Francis Fund. Every contribution helps!

Thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do for Saint Francis. We wish you a wonderful and restful summer and hope to see you back on campus soon.

Greg Calcagno ’83

Alumni Director gregcalcagno@sfhs.com

Kate Lincoln ’16

Alumni Giving Manager katelincoln@sfhs.com

Class

Notes

Stay Connected, Lancers! Visit sfhs.com/alumniconnect to:

• Update your contact info to learn about SFHS alumni activities and opportunities

• Submit Class Notes and share your latest news

Mike Fitzsimmons ’61 of the Washington, D.C., metro area is retired from United Airlines and works part time for the NFL Washington Commanders security. He also teaches technology subjects as a volunteer at his county senior center.

Mary Jeanne Oliva HC ’68 has enjoyed a career working in academia, mostly in student services and administration. She worked at Santa Clara University (24 years), Palmer College of Chiropractic West (eight years) and Stanford University (the last 18 years). Now she and her husband have retired to Oregon.

She has joined the local branch of American Association of University Women and enjoys her hobbies of bonsai, baking and knitting.

Mike Lenartz ’79 got married and moved to Europe 10 years ago. He has lived in France and Romania since.

Matthew Comfort ’86 was commissioned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve Dental Corps on June 30, 2022, assigned to the “Triple 4” (4th Marine Logistics Group, 4th Dental Battalion, 4th Dental Company, Detachment 3) and completed a five-week intensive training program at the Naval Station in Newport, RI. His recently appointed positions include assistant officer in charge of northern strike annual training and officer in charge of Detachment 3.

Molly Bell ’94 starred in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” last December.

Jordan Lane ’95 and Amy Labetich Lane ’94 were in Maui with their family during the fires in August

2023. Jordan has chronicled their gripping adventure in a book available on Amazon, titled Talk Story – Maui: Tuesday, August 8th to Friday, August 11th, 2023, Lahaina – Ka’anapali

John Gall ’96, a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in baseball, has been elected president of USA Baseball. His baseball career includes playing at Stanford and on USA Baseball’s collegiate national team, as well as several seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Florida Marlins.

Christina Ortega ’97 retired from the Navy after 22 years of service. She celebrated her retirement with friends, loved ones and mentors. She currently lives in Mountain View with her husband, Burt, and daughter, Eliana.

Regina Asborno Shepherd ’97 and her husband Ben celebrated the birth of their son Zachary in October. Regina is deputy director at the New York Transit Museum and currently resides in Brooklyn.

Continued on page 23

Christina Ortega ’97

Alumni from past Lancer track and cross country teams returned to campus in December for some friendly competition against team members.

Class Notes

Josh Solera ’02 ran the California International Marathon last December with fellow classmates Jen Ziswasser Shulman ’02, Tari Gaffney ’02 and Julian Gallegos ’02

Dominique Reynaga Voelker ’04 and her husband Brandon Voelker ’04 recently had their second child, Avery. She joins big brother Brady, 3. The family lives in the Bay Area.

Kinjal Vasaveda ’13 is a general surgery intern at Yale New Haven Hospital. Her professional interests include machine learning applications in sports medicine, hip arthroscopy and perioperative pain management.

Casey Douglas ’14 and Paige Lueker were married Oct. 1, 2023, at Viansa Winery in Sonoma.

After a few years in tech, Leonie Grundler ’14 founded a board game publishing company (Lioness Games) in January 2023 and launched her first board game, Biome, on Kickstarter in January 2024. Check it out at biomethegame.com.

Kate Lincoln ’16 and Colin Carroll were married on Oct. 5, 2023, at The Ranch at Silver Creek in San Jose. Class of 2016 Lancers attending their wedding included Sebastien Garbe, Grant Lucas, Nicholas Holman, Sarah Goulart, Matthew Gschwind, Christina Kozlovsky, Nevada Shannahan and Stephen Holman

Vrinda Vasaveda ’16 works at Freenome, helping to develop blood tests that can diagnose colorectal cancer.

Little Lancers

Alumni, if you are the proud parent of a Little Lancer, please email LittleLancer@sfhs.com to receive a Lancer gift for your baby. Please include your address and the names of all family members.

Samuel, son of Saiyin ’04 and Emily Kwan-Lai ’04

Alice, daughter of Nicholas ’09 and Rachel Hart

Casey Douglas ’14 and Paige Lueker

Kinjal Vasaveda ’13

Jordan Schuring ’19 graduated from Idaho State University in May 2023 with a BS in mathematics. She played Division I softball at Boise State University from 2019-2021, California Baptist University from 2021-2022 and Idaho State from 2022-2023. In 2023, she helped lead her team to the Big Sky championship. She was named Top Newcomer for the Big Sky Conference, All-Conference, NCAA Big Sky All-Tournament Team and Top Performing Athlete for Idaho

State University. Jordan recently returned to ISU to receive her conference championship ring and carry the trophy on the field with her team. She ended her NCAA pitching career with an ERA of 2.69.

Jessica Yoshioka ’19 graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering and works for Avangrid in Portland, Ore., a renewable energy company. She is also a professional NBA Portland Trail Blazers dancer.

In Memory

Michelle Pelka Cagney ’84, sister of Valarie Pelka Friery ‘88

Jon Joseph Campisi, husband of Colleen, father of Kelly Campisi Farwell ‘87 (James) and Jon Campisi II ‘91 (Kristina), grandfather of Stella Farwell ‘25, Jon Campisi ‘25 and Giacomo Farwell ‘27

Susana Colombetti, mother of Carlos ‘77 and Cecilia ‘81, grandmother of Shaun ’98 and Daniel van der Veen ’00

Patricia Marren Colver ’85, daughter of Marian and Bernie Marren, sister of John Marren ‘81 (Lynda Grillo Marren ’81) and Robert Marren ‘82 (Amy)

Luz Acpal Cortes, mother of Vida Cortes Covington ‘97

Randall Curry, father of Neal ’86

Lydia Dearcot ’79, sister of Carol Dearcot Castillo ’84

Frank Dirksen ’61, brother of Charles ‘60 (RIP)

Leo Giannecchini, father of Juli Delfino ’84 and Gregory ’81

Linda Graham, wife of Howard, mother of Christina ’06 and John ‘10

Norene Hogle, mother of Bradley ‘79 and Douglas ‘80

Michael Jordan ’70

Greg Kassel ’63, brother of Randall ’66, Claudia Kassel Gonzales HC ’69, Kenneth ’75, Timothy ’87, uncle of Theresa ’93, Chris ’95, Greg Gonzales ’90

Griff Kruckenberg ‘94, brother of Victor ‘92 and Brian ‘93

Grant E. Linhart, husband of Maribel Simionato Linhart ’73

Pat McGlennon, father of Katie McGlennon Ehrlich ’02 and Shawna McGlennon Owen ’97 (Bryan Owen ‘95)

Tim O’Rourke ’77, husband of Janet Sevely O’Rourke ’77, father of

Meaghan ’13, brother of Kathleen O’Rourke Walker HC ‘66, Brian ’70 (RIP), Kevin ’73, Terry ’80 (RIP)

Robert Osorio, father of Dave ’65 (Lani) and Jeff ’74 (Penny), grandfather of Stacey Osorio Wilson ’93, Bryan ’96 and James ’10

Scott Oswold ‘94, brother of Stephanie Oswold Mrus ‘91, Jen Oswold Tibbils ‘93 (Lang ‘91), Jacqueline Oswold ‘97 (RIP), uncle of Dominic Tibbils ‘19, Jillian Tibbils ‘21, Michaela Tibbils ‘23

Peter P. Palomo ’72, brother of Vincent ’60, Roberta Palomo Loeffler (RIP) HC ‘62 (Tom Loeffler ‘61), Gertrude Palomo Mazur HC ’67, John ’72, Joe ’74, Fran Palomo Loop ’75, Thomas ’77 (Janice Jordan Palomo ‘78), and uncle to TJ Palomo ‘05, Anthony Palomo ’10, Maria Palomo Williford ‘05

Steve Phillips, husband of Melissa, father of Samantha ‘22 and Max ’26

Alan Puccini ‘60, brother of Doug ‘67

Gary Richards, husband of Jan, father of Anne Richards TornatorePili ‘02; former Board member

Flora G. Sana, mother of Dianna Sana Aquino ‘76, grandmother of Matthew Aquino ‘07 and Marissa Aquino ‘10

Michael Smith, father of Maria ‘81 (Ronald Renati ‘81 RIP), Therese Smith Coutermarsh ‘82 (Joseph), Patrick ‘83 (Michele Perrier Smith ‘81), Michelle Smith Carroll ‘85, Monica ‘87

Roger Smith, father of Blake Smith Holiday ‘88, Derek Smith ‘91 and Liz Smith ‘98

Peggy Hollywood Sturm ‘78, sister of Anne Hollywood ‘91

Rebekah Thomas ’03, daughter of Dirk ‘73, sister of Emily ’06

Harry Turenchalk ‘62

Wilford M. Wilson, grandfather of Christina Pasetta ‘05

Jessica Yoshioka ’19

Jordan Schuring ’19

Kate Lincoln ’16

Three Alumni in College Football National Championship

There are more than 125 Division I football teams in the NCAA. So what are the odds that both finalists will have players from the same high school?

That’s what happened this year when Saint Francis alum Nico Andrighetto ’22 of the University of Michigan squared off against the University of Washington’s Anay Nagarajan ’21 and John Frazier ’22 on Jan. 8 in the College Football Playoff championship game.

Ahead of the game, there was some friendly trash talk among the three former Lancer players, but mostly they were amazed that not only were they able to experience this game, but they were able to do it together.

Nico admitted he probably has a better memory of the game than Anay and John do, since Michigan prevailed, 34-13, at NRG Stadium in Houston. Still, he paid tribute to his Lancer teammates.

“I know that they had a great time, too,” he says. “The University of Washington had a story unlike any other program. They were always counted out, and they kept proving people wrong, just like I remember John and Anay doing throughout their football careers and recruiting processes. These two work harder than any other two people that I know, and it was so special to see them at the game and share this experience with them.”

From left: Anay Nagarajan ’21 (University of Washington), Nico Andrighetto ’22 (University of Michigan), John Frazier ’22 (University of Washington)

Welcome Home LANCERS

How we welcome one another is a big part of the Holy Cross mission and of Saint Francis High School. Several talented Lancer artists created unique postcards that will be used to welcome the Class of 2028 to their new home as they start the 2024-25 school year.

Jules Allard ’24

Isabella Montesi ’25

Erin Murphy Stroth ’25

Vanessa Ko ’24

5 Questions with Carolina Scipioni, Stewardship Director

CAROLINA SCIPIONI RECENTLY JOINED OUR ADVANCEMENT TEAM. HERE, SHE TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF STEWARDSHIP AND HER EXCITEMENT FOR HER ROLE.

1.How did your journey into stewardship begin?

My parents instilled in me the significance of four essential words: please, thank you, and sorry. More than just polite phrases, these are the building blocks of human connection. At the heart of these connections lies stewardship: the responsible care of the things entrusted to us, whether it’s marriage, friendships, talents, or, as it applies to my current role, financial support in partnership to fulfill our mission.

2. Why is stewardship vital to you?

Philanthropy is etymologically defined as “love for humanity.” If we genuinely believe this, which I do, we understand that when someone contributes to Saint Francis, they demonstrate that they share our values and want to help us realize our goals. The way we, as a nonprofit educational organization, respond to this philanthropic support is what we call stewardship. Stewardship is essential because it’s the art of responding with the same level of care to someone’s meaningful gift and expression of “love” for our educators’ work.

3.How does stewardship benefit our community?

It’s important to recognize that stewardship efforts have been integral to Saint Francis

since its inception in 1955. The stories shared by those who knew the Brothers of Holy Cross cite one thing: The Brothers understood the significance of recognizing our interconnectedness with those who supported the school and embraced them as members of the Holy Cross family. As we honor their traditions, stewardship is one fundamental pillar that nurtures these invaluable relationships to continue advancing our mission.

4.What about the future of Saint Francis excites you the most?

Every graduating class signifies an opportunity to improve the world. There is nothing more exciting than the prospect of sending young leaders with virtues to do good, influence others and support the next generation of Lancers to succeed as they did.

5.What else would you like to share with the Saint Francis community?

We are at a pivotal moment of growth at Saint Francis. Our current generation has been called to lead. The Light the Way: Advancing Saint Francis campaign is a historic effort to advance the Brothers’ legacy and educate the hearts and minds of the next generation of leaders. I invite you to engage in meaningful conversations about the school’s future and explore new ways of collaboration. If you’re grateful for the education you or your loved ones received at Saint Francis, let’s discuss how you can support our campaign and help light the way for others.

Engage at Saint Francis by contacting Carolina at carolinascipioni@sfhs.com.

What does our Institutional Advancement team do?

Our school mission is to educate the whole person in the Holy Cross tradition, which incorporates spiritual, intellectual and social engagement. Through philanthropy, our Institutional Advancement team is committed to make opportunities of engagement possible for students, educators, alumni, parents and every member of our Lancer community.

Our team encompasses fundraising, community engagement, marketing and communications, stewardship, alumni relations and special events. In partnership with the president, the cornerstone of our vocation is nurturing lifelong relationships to build the resources Saint Francis needs to create leaders of impact rooted in faith and service.

#LANCERLIFE

OUR POVERELLO YEARBOOK TEAM WON THE AMERICAN SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION’S FIRST-PLACE AWARD IN THE PARISH AND PAROCHIAL HIGH SCHOOL CATEGORY. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR POVERELLO STAFF FOR THIS INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT! HERE IS SOME OF THEIR WORK.

1 Interfaith Multicultural Prayer Service by Abhijit Nambiar ’24

2 International Showcase by Marina Kan ’25

3 Jumping rope by the Bay tree by Ana Gallaga ’25

4 Scene from “Freaky Friday” by Kylie Tran ’25

5 Girls volleyball team celebrates by Ryan Huang ’27

6 Robotics after school by Abhijit Nambiar ’24

7 Shakespeare’s Dropouts improv comedy by Rishabh Anand ’26

4

EDUCATING HEARTS, SERVING THE WORLD

From the beginning, Lancers have always given of themselves to do good works in the community. Here’s a look through the decades of our students opening doors to provide care and compassion to those on the margins.

1975

A new club that year, the Key Club, collected toys at Christmas and organized a blood drive.

1980

Mr. Osorio’s homeroom won the food drive.

1986

Ms. Gatto, left, chats with a resident at Agnews Developmental Center.

1998

Girls from Saint Francis and boys from Holy Cross High School in San Antonio traveled to Nuevo Leon, Mexico, on an immersion trip to help in a soup kitchen and visit the elderly.

2010  Students fill boxes with canned goods during the Thanksgiving Food Drive.

HOLY CROSS EDUCATOR

Instructional coach Rachel Sabol opens doors for our teachers to be even better at what they do.

HOW DO YOU WORK WITH TEACHERS AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH?

I primarily support educators through classroom observations and then conversations to debrief how a lesson went. We discuss goals for a lesson and, after observing how they implement various instructional strategies, we talk about the class and set new goals. We also make sure we are fostering a positive learning environment as a school by surveying our students on class climate. We ask questions about what’s working for them and what challenges they have. This information helps us to better understand the student experience and how we can best serve our students. Since my background is in STEM [science, technology, engineering and math], I primarily work with our STEM educators, but I also support teachers in other departments.

WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES DO YOU PROVIDE FOR TEACHERS?

One example would be frameworks for designing lessons. There are different models for how you can structure a class. We explore new ways to present information that best fits the goals of the lesson. I can also connect teachers with external professional development or connect teachers for peer observations or to talk through virtual tools. Maybe another school is doing something really well, and we want to see how they do it. Lesley [Shortal ’98, our other instructional coach] and I can facilitate those experiences.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT WORKING WITH TEACHERS?

Educators are really great people. They care a lot for their students and fellow educators. I enjoy getting to know everybody and

understanding how they got into teaching, especially what inspires them because that inspires me.

SAINT FRANCIS EDUCATORS ARE USING DATA MORE OFTEN TO MAKE DECISIONS. HOW DOES THIS IMPACT STUDENTS?

Education has not traditionally been considered a data-driven field, but as things have changed over time, people have come to recognize the value of using classroom data to make informed decisions. One impactful initiative is our pilot program introducing personalized learning tools for students in our math courses. After reviewing student data with our math educators, it became apparent that some students still were grappling with skill gaps from distance learning. As a response, we implemented IXL, a learning tool that tailors instruction to a student’s individual needs.

WHY IS THIS ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL COACH ESSENTIAL?

Having an in-house instructional coach for all teachers at a school like Saint Francis is not very common. I think it’s cool that Saint Francis prioritizes coaching because no matter where you are in your journey as a teacher, educators want to figure out how they can teach better. Classrooms are changing, the world is changing, and we need to change to better serve our students. It’s important to have an instructional coach who can provide perspective as teachers move through that process, no matter where they are in their careers.

Saint Francis High School

Saint Francis High School

Institutional Advancement

Institutional Advancement

1885 Miramonte Ave

1885 Miramonte Ave.

Mountain View CA 94040-4098

Mountain View, CA 94040-4098