Karen Eshoo named St. Joseph's principal Karen Eshoo named St. Joseph's principal (January 08, 2003)

** Daughter of congresswoman graduated from St. Joseph's and Sacred Heart Prep.

By Marjorie Mader

Almanac Staff Writer

Karen Eshoo, interim head of the middle school at St. Joseph's School in Atherton, was named last week as principal of St. Joseph's School, the 1-8 grade school on the Sacred Heart campus. Her tenure begins July 1.

For Ms. Eshoo, Sacred Heart Schools and its 62-acre campus is like a second home. She started preschool at St. Joseph's School, continued there through eighth grade, and graduated from Sacred Heart Preparatory School in 1987.

The daughter of Congresswoman Anna Eshoo of Atherton and attorney George P. Eshoo of Menlo Park, Ms. Eshoo returned to Sacred Heart Prep as a teacher after completing graduate work at Stanford University in 1996.

In the fall of 2000, she moved to the other side of the campus to teach in the middle school at St. Joseph's.

With the resignation of St. Joseph's Principal John Miller of Portola Valley in 2001, Ms. Eshoo was appointed interim head of the middle school.

At that time, a committee was established to evaluate the possible restructuring of the grade school administration. The committee -- made up of school trustees, faculty, administrators, parents, students and staff members -- determined that the grade school would function best in the long term with a principal as a leader.

Ms. Eshoo was selected as the new principal of grades 1-8 after a search committee interviewed several candidates.

As part of Sacred Heart's modified administrative structure, Cee Salberg will be principal of St. Joseph's Montessori and preschool. Richard Dioli will continue as principal of Sacred Heart Prep. Each of the principals will be part of the schools' administrative committee, headed by Dr. Joseph J. Cincaglini, director of Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton.

Ms. Eshoo graduated from the University of San Diego in1991 and majored in philosophy. She taught religion for three years at St. Anthony's High School in Long Beach before returning to the Bay Area and graduate work at Stanford University. She completed work for both a master's degree in history and education in 1996 and returned to Sacred Heart Prep to teach English, religion and history.

Ms. Eshoo is married to Jim Hughes, chair of the English department at Sacred Heart Prep.

E-mail Marjorie Mader at mmader@AlmanacNews.com