Cristo Rey Baton Rouge Franciscan High School Principal Claire Willis announced that she will be stepping down in her role, effective at the end of the current academic year.
“It is difficult to put into context Claire’s contribution to the growth and evolution of our school,” said Eric Engemann, president of Cristo Rey. “Simply put, Claire’s tireless effort combined with her innovative and strategic vision for ensuring success for our students and developing our faculty has been an incredible blessing for our school. We would not be where we are today without her.”
Willis began her tenure as principal of Cristo Rey in June 2017 at the beginning of the school’s second academic year. Since that time, she has led the academic mission of the school, transforming the school culture and building systems to ensure student success not only at Cristo Rey but beyond as students enter into college.
Most notably, her tenure included the realization of the inaugural graduating class at Cristo Rey, the Class of 2020, as that group of seniors earned their diplomas on May 23, 2020 and departed Cristo Rey with a 100% college acceptance rate.
Willis is also a fixture in the Cristo Rey Network of schools, serving as a mentor and advisor to fellow principals, serving on search committees and Mission Effective Review teams and developing systems and processes that have been adapted throughout the network.
In a letter to the Cristo Rey Baton Rouge community, Willis said, “I am blessed beyond measure to have had the opportunity to serve as your principal the past four years. I am grateful for the support I have received from those who have invested in my growth and development, and from those who believed in the mission and vision enough to keep doing hard things. I am humbled by your trust in me. I plan to stay connected to the Cristo Rey community, so this will not be a farewell! Let us finish out this challenging year together, facing the future with hope and promise.”