Riordan to go coed this fall
Riordan High School is San Francisco’s oldest all-boys school, founded in 1949.
January 29, 2021
Originally published on Jan. 29, 2020
Republished on Jan. 29, 2021 for the one-year anniversary of the announcement, with comments from two of the reporters who covered the story from the beginning.
After weeks of discussions and meetings, Archbishop Riordan High School will become a co-educational institution starting in the fall of 2020, according to President Andrew Currier in a letter to parents and members of the community.
Riordan is San Francisco’s oldest all-boys school, and was established in 1949.
After one final meeting with the faculty and staff, then the Board of Trustees on Tuesday evening, the administration confirmed the decision that was under speculation in recent weeks. When the meeting came to a close at roughly 8:45 p.m., it was confirmed by Currier that the board voted 14-4 in favor of the change coming to Riordan.
The board recently agreed to keep exploring the possibility of the school going coed and vowed to receive as much feedback and information as possible.
Throughout the process, students, teachers, alumni, and parents were all asked for feedback in the form of online surveys used to help decide whether to admit female students.
After much thoughtful discussion and consideration of the information presented, the Board voted 14-4* in favor to admit young women for the 2020-2021 school year. — Steven Herrera '76
The move comes after Riordan’s sister school, Mercy High School, announced they will be shutting down after this current school year due to lingering financial and enrollment issues. Now that Riordan will accept girls, a new alternative is presented to Mercy students from the classes of 2021, 2022, 2023, and even the incoming freshman class of 2024. It won’t just be Mercy students, either. Riordan plans on accepting all females, in general, to expand their “brotherhood” slogan to more of a family approach and feel.
Mercy wasn’t the only concern in the decision-making process, as many San Francisco feeder schools have seen their numbers drop over the past couple of years. As a result, the long-term financial plan was taken into account in terms of projecting future statistics.
A year after the new field started construction, the campus will be set for a second consecutive, busy summer. The staff will work to create an atmosphere comfortable for female students, like restrooms, locker rooms, and additional sports facilities being added for the athletics program. The boarding program is also expected to make the leap to convert in the future.
As of now, Riordan has vowed to keep many core classes single-sex only, with enrichment and elective classes to merge together.
Please read the board’s official statement here: https://www.riordanhs.org/about/our-people/board-of-trustees
Here was our story on a possible decision from this weekend:
The Crusader will update you as we learn more information.
Reflections from the reporters who broke the news, and then covered the subsequent stories:
“I remember it being like pure confusion with everyone looking all around for details, and nobody had them except us. It was one of the biggest stories in school history and I’m glad we were able to break it.”
-Steven Rissotto ’20, former Editor-in-Chief of The Crusader
“I remember camping out late the night before, then waiting for the announcement to come the next day. The adrenaline and stress was something I will never forget, with that day being probably one of my most memorable during my tenure at Riordan.”
-Antonio Maffei ’20, former Social Media Editor of The Crusader
CARY SIMMONS • May 7, 2020 at 1:04 am
Omg I just don’t know. Me.personally, I was too immature to handle the distraction of girls but it’s good to get with the times. I probably wouldn’t have missed my prom if Ruirdan was coed in 1981 lol
Roland Moreira • Jan 30, 2020 at 8:18 pm
Archbishop Riordan High School becoming co-ed will benefit the students greatly by sharing expanding every students’ learning experience from both a female and male psychological perspective to learning more academically, socially expanding friendships at events, and physically through extracurricular activities by playing sports.
Joe • Jan 30, 2020 at 8:46 am
The Board has nothing to do with the decision, and the surveys and “discussions” meant nothing. It’s an archdiocese decision, and they do what they want.
Mary Schembri • Jan 30, 2020 at 7:59 am
My 3 brothers went to Riordan. ‘60, ‘64, ‘68. They were all very active there(mostly football) and my parents were active in the Chaminade Guild and the Boosters Club and served on the Board. In 1963 I was in the 6th grade at St Emydius. My parents and other parents talked at length with the Principal, Brother Maurice Miller (The Shark)
About admitting girls in 1965. I went to Mercy and am glad that the two schools will finally merge. Congratulations on a difficult decision, but I think, the right one.
Anthony • Jan 30, 2020 at 2:17 am
Recent alumni here, absolute awful decision made by the board. The intention clearly was for financial purpose and to capitalize on Mercy’s closure. If they were to test this out for a four year trial run to help Mercy and to test the waters as a coed school, i’d be far more supportive. Riordan pushed so hard with the single sex education and the huge benefits that came with it. This really breaks my heart, Riordan gave me an experience and brothers i’ll never forget. I’ll always love what the school gave to me, but this hurts. Shameful. Absolutely shameful.
Jake cochrane • Jan 29, 2020 at 11:05 pm
Thanks for abiding by our non-co-ed traditions. Now how how guys supposed to be their genuine selves.
Jeremy rimando • Jan 29, 2020 at 10:56 pm
Why can’t Sacred Heart and Saint Ignatius take them? They have the facilities to accommodate this influx of students.
Thomas J Carr • Jan 29, 2020 at 10:02 pm
Being a graduate of class of 90 I salute this change .We have always been known for brotherhood works in our communities and other places.Our Sister school was in trouble, and families not knowing were they would send there children.It will be a different type of bound now ,but it will be still based on what we stand for and that family and togetherness .Welcome our Sisters, and we will Brothers to them as they will be Sisters to us .
Kevin Carroll • Jan 29, 2020 at 7:48 pm
Kudos to the Archbishop Riordan administration, faculty, students, alumni, and Board of Trustees for this laudable decision. The change will not be easy, and it will be costly, but the long-term benefits to all involved will be incalculable. Sharing the unique Riordan charism with young women will only strengthen the already solid community which exists at the school.
KC
S.I. Class of 1972
Kenneth Chiatello • Jan 29, 2020 at 4:51 pm
As an alumnus (Class of ’64), I applaud the thought and consideration that went into this decision. I know how hard it is to break with tradition and truly appreciate the severity. I am happy that our Mercy Sisters and others will have the opportunity to continue their education in a religious institution of this caliber.
Roman • Jan 29, 2020 at 4:19 pm
Fantastic article! Great job covering a breaking story.