Bishop William K. Weigand has appointed Marion L. Bishop of Fair Oaks to serve as the first president of St. Francis Catholic High School in east Sacramento, effective with the 2001-2002 school year.

Her primary responsibilities will be to provide spiritual leadership through the promotion of Catholic values throughout the entire St. Francis community and to collaborate with administrators, staff, students and parents in development, marketing, recruitment and public relations efforts. The all-female diocesan high school has an enrollment of more than 780 students.

Marion Bishop

The appointment of the first president comes with a commitment by the Diocese of Sacramento to a president-principal model for St. Francis, “to encourage, distinguish and expand the spectrum of leadership functions so vital for the school’s continuing growth and success in the 21st century,” according to Thomas Butler, superintendent of schools. He said the new president’s appointment came following an extensive, formal search process.

Marion Bishop previously worked for the Diocese of Sacramento from 1995 to 2000, as public relations and development coordinator for Catholic schools and as director of the diocese’s SUCCEED (Sacramento Urban Catholic Children’s Equal Educational Development) program for inner city schools in Sacramento.

During that time she directed a program assisting many elementary schools in the diocese in establishing and implementing local development programs.

She also worked as a writing consultant for the state’s Department of Transportation from 1983 to 1994 and as an instructor at California State University, Sacramento, from 1979 to 1983.

She was a teacher in Catholic schools from 1962 to 1976, including Morning Star, St. Michael’s and Holy Name schools in San Francisco, Presentation School in Sacramento and St. Mel School in Fair Oaks.

She holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in English from California State University, Sacramento, and has professional certification in the areas of recruitment and retention, development and financial management for Catholic schools.

During the 1980s, Marion Bishop served as vice president and president of the Diocesan Catholic Parent Council and as chairwoman of the Diocesan School Board for four of her six years of service. She also served as chairwoman of the parents’ association at St. Francis Catholic High School, president of the parents club at St. Mel School and chairwoman of Jesuit High School’s major fund-raiser, Christmas Tree Lane.

Butler said Marion Bishop will work closely with Kay Gaines, St. Francis principal, who will continue to direct the school’s curriculum and administrative operations. He said additional administrative team members and Father John Folmer, diocesan priest chaplain, complete the new leadership model for the school.

Butler added that the new president will work with administration, faculty, student body, parent and alumni groups, as well as the broader community, to move forward with the development of the school’s long-range plan for expansion and growth.

Copyright © 2001 Diocese of Sacramento - All Rights Reserved

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