On Wednesday, parents enjoy a continental breakfast before the presentations begin.

Jumping right into the hustle and bustle of the fresh school year, new parents got a taste of life at Jesuit at a series of Breakfasts with the President. The receptions took place in St. Ignatius Hall on from Tuesday to Thursday, Aug. 27 – 29.

In addition to enjoying a delicious breakfast spread, new parents had the opportunity to socialize with other parents and hear about all the good things happening at their sons’ new school. Fr. Christopher Fronk, S.J., welcomed parents by thanking them for entrusting Jesuit with the education of their sons. He spoke about the ongoing updates to the facilities and shared his vision for where Jesuit it heading as the Minds & Hearts Enlightened Capital Campaign comes to a close at the end of this year. Tom Bagwill, Jesuit director of institutional advancement, then introduced the lineup of speakers.

Jesuit President Fr. Christopher Fronk, S.J. with Gerald Duhon ’85 and Jeremy Mancheski ’90

Jeremy Mancheski ’90, the Parents’ Giving Drive chairman, and other PAG captains thanked the new parents for allowing their sons to share in the tradition of Jesuit High School. Mancheski emphasized the importance of their dedication and support to other Jesuit traditions saying, “Like so many traditions at Jesuit, the Parents’ Annual Giving Drive is rooted in excellence, but born of necessity.” Parents provide valuable support to the school’s commitment to affordability and socioeconomic diversity.

View the Photo Gallery of the Breakfasts with the President

Jeremy Reuther ’01, Jesuit’s communication director, then guided the parents through the school’s website, showing them how to quickly navigate to links, calendars, and event information. Sharon Hewlett, Jesuit’s director of information technology, gave a tutorial of Canvas, the school’s online platform that allows students and parents to track homework assignments, quiz and test dates, and academic progress. Pre-freshman guidance counselor Andrew Schiro told parents that he will be meeting with their sons at least once a quarter and more often for those who need extra attention. He relayed important tips for navigating high school, informed parents that their sons should spend about two hours nightly doing homework, and encouraged them to have their sons turn off cell phones when studying. He gave advice on how to get their sons to participate in all the different activities Jesuit has to offer like sports, intramural sports, co-curriculars, and clubs. He also underscored the importance of the 8th grade gym night, the pre-freshmen retreat, and the pre-freshman summer trip to San Antonio that are great for creating meaningful and long-lasting memories.

All the speakers took time after the presentations to answer any questions the new parents had.