St. Francis Xavier School benefits from the guidance and supervision of its Pastor, Father William Sheridan, and its Principal, Colleen Barrett.
FR. WILLIAM SHERIDAN, PASTOR
Father Sheridan has cared for the spiritual needs of the St. Francis Xavier parish community as its Pastor for over a decade. Father Sheridan works in collaboration with the Principal, faculty and staff of St. Francis Xavier School to ensure that it remains a viable and academically sound Catholic institution. He visits classrooms regularly and also participates in religious education programming in the Middle School.
A native Chicagoan, Fr. Sheridan was ordained in May of 1972. He was associate pastor at St. Anne’s in Barrington from 1972 to 1977, on the faculty of Niles College Seminary from 1977 to 1994, and served as Associate Pastor at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago from 1994 to 2001.
COLLEEN BARRETT, PRINCIPAL
St. Francis Xavier welcomed Colleen Barrett as Principal in 2013. Ms. Barrett spent eight years with SFX as a member of the faculty, including two as its Assistant Principal, before assuming her current role as Principal. She was instrumental in inspiring, guiding and managing the growth of the school’s enrollment in recent years.
Ms. Barrett is uniquely positioned to uphold the strong values and academic rigor of the school due to her intimate understanding of its structure and culture. The Principal draws upon her experience as a beloved teacher as well as her extensive academic background. Ms. Barrett holds advanced degrees in Education, Reading and School Leadership. She has made significant contributions to the current Archdiocesan curriculum and played a key role in the school’s recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2012. Ms. Barrett is also part of a select group of educators invited to participate in the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Leadership Academy.
CHRISTINE ELLIOTT, DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
Ms. Christine Elliott is the Director of Middle School for St. Francis Xavier. Over the past several years, Ms. Elliott has been instrumental in the refinement and focusing of curriculum, particularly in the area of Humanities and Grammar Convention. Her keen understanding of pre-adolescent students preparing for the rigors of high school informs how she leads, teaches and motivates students to realize their full potential and to develop their many gifts. Ms. Elliott holds an advanced degree in Elementary Education and draws upon many years of expertise as a teacher and administrator; most recently as Head of Middle School at the Schools of the Sacred Heart in Chicago. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees at Woodlands Academy in Lake Forest, IL.
CHRISTINE ZEMAN, DIRECTOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Ms. Christine Zeman is an alumnus of St. Francis Xavier School, and a proud recipient of the school’s Distinguished Graduate Award. Ms. Zeman serves as Director of Early Childhood Programming in addition to her role as a Kindergarten teacher – a job she has held for over two decades. Ms. Zeman boasts an intimate knowledge of the school’s history and culture. She collaborates with teachers across all preschool grades to ensure that students are appropriately challenged, learning benchmarks are consistently met and that transitions from one grade to the next happen seamlessly. While 1st grade faculty members are housed within the Elementary School, they also participate in Early Childhood meetings and discussions, under the direction of Ms. Zeman, to inform curriculum that properly prepares our youngest Crusaders for success on the Elementary level.
THE HSO
The Home School Organization, or HSO, was created as a joint effort between parents and staff to provide students the best physical, mental, social and spiritual education possible. As such, all school parents are eligible to become members. The HSO is challenged to provide a significant source of fundraising throughout the school year, helping to underwrite school operations, programming, activities and teacher bonuses. The HSO also makes tremendous contributions to our sense of community and enrichment.
2018-2019 HSO Leadership
President, Anna Marie Close
Secretary, Megan Horton
Treasurer, Kelly Carlton
Communications, Amy DeVore
THE SCHOOL BOARD
The School Board serves as an advisory body to both the Pastor and the Principal, primarily in matters of finance, enrollment and strategic planning. The board is made up of both school parents and parishioners and members serve a three year term, rotating areas of responsibility based on interest and experience.
2018-2019 SFX School Board
President, Nancy Ryczek
Mary Anderson
Erik Brown
Paul DeCrane
Katie Hayes
Tim Horton
Rich Kirkendall
Kevin Woolf
