Maryknoll principal
leaves with legacy of
school growth

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By Pat Gee
pgee@starbulletin.com

After 14 years as Maryknoll High School's principal, Andrew Corcoran was comfortable with the thought that he had brought the school as far as he could take it.

"But comfortable is not what we're meant to be; we're meant to be challenged with new opportunities," he said, adding it was "time for someone else to take Maryknoll to the next level."

Corcoran recently resigned and becomes head of the Chinese American International School in San Francisco as of today.

Corcoran says it was difficult for him to even think of leaving Maryknoll after 27 years on the staff, where he started as a math and history teacher. He graduated from the school in 1964.

He says his most significant legacy was a major curriculum change. Six years ago, Maryknoll started following a trimester block schedule. It meant that there would be fewer subjects offered during a 12-week period (three periods throughout the school year) so teachers could better prepare and make the subjects more meaningful to students.

The change meant smaller classes and more time for students to concentrate on one subject because they wouldn't have so many different subjects to study, he said.

Students are required to "show that they know and understand" a subject in depth and not just "regurgitate answers on a test," Corcoran said. The teachers had to make the subject relevant enough for students to use in real life, keeping in mind that "no two students are alike."

Darcie Kawamura, a former Maryknoll student who now teaches history and French, praised Corcoran as a visionary, mentor and a fair administrator.

He said Corcoran encouraged and supported teachers trying out innovative teaching methods.

Corcoran said he tried to stay out of the teachers' way and be a cheerleader instead of insisting on them doing things his way. He also allowed them the freedom to make mistakes.

Yvonne Morris, director of development and communication at Maryknoll, said Corcoran's second biggest contribution was his formation of a modified immersion program, which enabled students to learn foreign languages by living with a family in a foreign country and attending school with the children for two to three weeks.

But Corcoran believes his biggest contribution to the school was making sure "Maryknoll remains Maryknoll," that it followed the tenets of "promoting social justice around the world, respecting other cultures, believing we have special gifts and we're obligated to share them."

Morris said Corcoran required all freshmen to read the book "Hearts of Fire," which explained "who we are and why." He also started a mission in Majuro, an atoll in the Marshall Islands, in which students rough it for a few weeks as they learn the importance of service to the community, she said.

Corcoran's new position is "not going to be comfortable, but it's going to be exciting," he said. His passion has always been to learn about China's language and culture and being director of the bilingual elementary school will give him the opportunity. He had been learning to speak Chinese the last three years, long before he even heard about the job in January.