Igniting Minds and Spirits

During my 25 years as an administrator at Jesuit High in Portland, the most important part of my job was hiring and evaluating teachers. A high-quality teacher improves not only academic performance, but also enhances students’ sense of purpose, agency, and even their mental health. 

When students enter the classroom of a great teacher, their brains light up and they are ready to grow. In the five weeks that the founding faculty of Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle have been on campus, we can already tell that CRJS Principal Nadia Guy has hired a stellar team of educators. 

As a Jesuit, Cristo Rey school, our mission is delivered most directly in the classroom and the Corporate Work Study (CWS) program. And what an impressive crew these teachers are, as you can see from their bios in our July newsletter! 

But impressive credentials tell only part of the story. Great teachers are not only book-smart; they have to be organized, compassionate and passionate, and most of all, they have to really love kids. Especially at Cristo Rey Jesuit, where our theme this year is that “every student is valued, seen, and loved.” Our teachers greet each student by name as they enter the classroom. At the opening bell, in every class, students are already at work on their “do-now” assignment. 

Walking campus during our Montserrat Summer Bridge program, I could feel that hum and buzz of activity that are hallmarks of classrooms alive with learning. By the time of our closing “Tie Ceremony” on August 21, every student agreed that they had grown immensely in just three short weeks—thanks to this gifted and committed faculty.  

The US is currently facing a critical shortage of teachers, with fewer young people entering the field and many veterans leaving the classroom. That makes it all the more stunning that we received 300 applications for our seven open positions. We ascribe that to the unique opportunity that CRJS offers: the chance to serve on a founding faculty, working for an outstanding pincipal in a meaningful ministry offering a transformative education to students whose huge potential might otherwise never be tapped.

As you can guess, thanks to Dr. Guy’s thorough hiring process, we ended up with a team of all-stars. 

As science teacher Dr. Yaiyr Astudillo-Scalia puts it, “The faculty and administrative team at CRJS is comprised of amazing people. My colleagues have expertise in their subject areas, as well as in spirituality, social-emotional learning, leadership, and teaching. I feel that we each hold a piece of a wonderful puzzle, and we all fit together perfectly.” 

Academic Dean Nolan Grady, an alum of Jesuit schools and veteran of Cristo Rey Philadelphia as well as four years of teaching in Chile, explains, “As a faculty, our motto has become ‘the best teams practice.’ We brought this belief to life in Chicago at the Cristo Rey Network’s new teacher orientation program, planning and practicing our lessons in preparation for Montserrat. This teaching team is committed to animating the belief that the best teams practice, because our students deserve the best team.” 

Witnessing great teaching is a miraculous experience, as we see young people grow and grapple with ideas and stretch and soar right before our very eyes. When you put together a great team of teachers, coached by superb administrators like Mr. Grady and Dr. Guy, amazing growth happens every day. We can’t wait to see where this faculty leads our young scholars. But we are already on the way to somewhere very special. We are grateful you are along for the ride.

Paul Hogan
President