Rebecca Lee
Editor-in-chief

Director of schools Gordon Sharafinski and an advisory group have chosen Mary Forsyth to replace head of school Andrea Shurley who will be leaving at the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

Forsyth — a former CSH teacher and Sacred Heart administrator for 27 years — will be interim head of school for the 2012-2013 school year.

“Not only am I looking forward to the traditions that I remember, but I’m also really anxious to find out what the new ones are,” Forsyth said.

Major changes since Forsyth’s last year at CSH include the addition of Stuart Hall High School, the building of the Siboni Arts and Science Center and the retrofitting of Stuart Hall for Boys.

Forsyth continued her Sacred Heart career as an administrator at the Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton, Calif. for three years after leaving CSH, and later taught at high schools in Phoenix and Pasadena, Cali

“I knew that I wanted somebody who was part of our educational community,” Sharafinski said, “knowing the recent history of the school and the importance of having somebody who understands the culture of Convent High School and understands the sense of the community was very important.”

Sharafinski said it was crucial to pick a new leader to fill the head of school position early on because CSH is in the peak of its admissions season and that the definite decision would give families choosing a high school for their daughter a sense of security.

“I wanted somebody who was a calm leader and somebody who was respected by the Convent High School community,” Sharafinski said.

Some faculty and staff met with Forsyth late last month and there was a unanimous vote of approval that she would be an excellent choice as interim head, according to Sharafinski.

“She meets the qualifications of an excellent educator, a Sacred Heart educator and somebody who has stayed in touch with Sacred Heart community,” Sharafinski said.

Forsyth currently serves as the western regional director of the Associated Alumnae and Alumni of the Sacred Heart, a nonprofit organization for graduates of present and former schools and colleges directly related with the Religious of the Sacred Heart.

“I’ve taught in the general social studies realm,” Forsyth said. “I’ve taught comparative classes, government and [advanced placement] classes. If you know something about history, then it’s a starting point to see what didn’t work and take another approach.”

Sharafinski said that he does not know Forsyth intimately on a professional or personal level, but that all the recommendations from teachers and faculty about her were outstanding.

“I want students to enjoy every moment of the four years because they go by very, very quickly,” Forsyth said. “That enjoyment should be part of [a student’s] goal and to realize what she wants to get out of her Convent education. It’s not just getting a great GPA and getting into a great college, it’s leaving that experience feeling that it is very important and that it was an experience that was truly enjoyed.”

Forsyth plans to be on campus several times this school year to make it an easier transition for her when she starts on July 1.

“For me, it’s like I’m coming to a full circle,” Forsyth said. “It’s been a while since I lived in San Francisco and I never thought I would be teaching at a Sacred Heart school again because [my husband and I] haven’t been living in any cities with Sacred Heart schools in them.”

Sharafinski said that he did not know Forsyth intimately on a professional or personal level, but that all the recommendations from teachers and faculty about her were outstanding.

“I want students to enjoy every moment of the four years because they go by very, very quickly,” Forsyth said. “That enjoyment should be part of [a student’s] goal and to realize what she wants to get out of her Convent education. It’s not just getting a great GPA and getting into a great college, it’s leaving that experience feeling that it is very important and that it was an experience that was truly enjoyed.”

Forsyth plans to be on campus during the school year to make it an easier transition for her when she starts on July 1.

“For me, it’s like I’m coming to a full circle,” Forsyth said. “It’s been a while since I lived in San Francisco and I never thought I would be teaching at a Sacred Heart school again because [my husband and I] haven’t been living in any cities with Sacred Heart schools in them.”