Dear St. Francis High School Community,

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and your new year is already off to a great start.

We have bittersweet news to share today: President Phil Kerr recently shared with us that he plans to retire at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. First and foremost, we want to recognize and thank Phil for his outstanding dedication and contributions.

Originally, Phil stepped up to serve as president for 18 months, as he had recently retired from a 40-year successful career in health care. To provide stability and consistency in leadership during a critical period, Phil extended his original contract, and we have since reaped the benefits of his leadership across four school years.

With Phil’s retirement, we are seeking our next President. A President Search Committee was recently formed by the Board of Directors, which is our governing body, and has been diligently working to begin the search process.

You can view the job description on our website here. We encourage our school community to share the posting with any prospective candidates who they think would be a good fit for our school.

The leadership transition is carefully designed to be as smooth as possible. In his retirement, Phil has agreed to continue contributing his historical knowledge and insight by serving as an advisor to the new President while at the same time beginning a new term on the Board of Directors.

“Phil’s commitment to St. Francis has been extraordinary over the past four decades, impacting the school at every level,” said Michael O’Connell, Board Chair. “The St. Francis Board of Directors has big shoes to fill in the coming months. The search committee is up to the challenge and has been diligently developing a robust recruitment process while completing initial candidate screenings. We are confident that, with the support of the St. Francis community and Phil’s guidance, we will successfully onboard a new president and continue advancing St. Francis as one of the top Catholic high schools in the Chicagoland area.”

We sincerely appreciate your prayers during this important time, as we ask God to provide wisdom, strength, and guidance to all involved. We will keep our school community updated as the process unfolds over the course of the next several months.

With deep gratitude and in the spirit of St. Francis,

The St. Francis High School Board of Directors and President Search Committee

A Legacy of Commitment — Thank you, President Kerr!

We have celebrated many successes and milestones during Phil’s tenure, which began in January 2023. The school was seeking a leader with a deep and unwavering commitment to our school and Phil answered the call.

Phil’s history with SFHS spans more than 40 years: he is the husband of Maribeth Treis ’77 Kerr, alumni parent of three, and served as a Board Director for 7 years and Chair of the Board (2010-2013).

As president, Phil has led the school through a revitalization due to his strategic vision and fundraising skills. His efforts resulted in major, tangible improvements that will positively impact our community for decades to come, including:

• Safety and Infrastructure: Implementation of advanced safety and security measures; Replacement of the school’s aging HVAC infrastructure.
• Campus Renewal and Aesthetics: Revitalization of the North Hallway classrooms, offices, and the corridor itself; installation of a new, lighted façade facing Roosevelt Road; and the securing and beautification of the school breezeway.
• Long-Term Impact and Access: Approval of a traffic light at the east exit of the school to improve traffic flow, onset of a new onsite parking lot project, and increase of tuition assistance from $600,000 to $1.45 million.

From President Phil Kerr

“These last four school years at St. Francis have been some of the most personally fulfilling of my professional career. I have been truly blessed and honored to be a part of this leadership team and legacy. I have had a front row seat to witness the National Blue Ribbon Award, winning of the Daily Herald Cup for most outstanding athletic program in the area, State Championships in volleyball, football, and band, orchestra, and choir; state runner-up in cross country; the continuation of nearly 30 years of Top 10 State Math team awards; and countless All-State honored individuals. I will miss faculty lunches with our Illinois Top 10 ranked teachers and coaches and the unwavering commitment of our incredibly dedicated Advancement team. While I will miss sharing the halls with all these high-achieving students, I know our work is not done here. I will remain committed to any role I am asked to serve in this amazing community. I look forward to seeing my grandchildren wear Spartan blue in the future. “Once a Spartan, Always a Spartan!”