Rachael (Manzo) Rosas Named Principal of New Holy Cross Junior High 

San Joaquin Memorial is pleased to announce Rachael Manzo has been named Principal of the newly established Holy Cross Junior High, located on the SJM campus.

“We are so excited to have Ms. Rachael Manzo lead our new junior high program,” said Michael Burke, President of San Joaquin Memorial and Fresno Catholic School System. “In her career she has been successful in everything she has undertaken, and we expect that trend to continue.”

Burke added,”When you have a chance to meet Ms. Manzo and have a discussion about Catholic education, her passion and commitment just exudes. She is the kind of person that we want to lead our young people at Holy Cross Junior High; passionate, dedicated, intelligent, faith-filled, and committed to the success of the program.”

“Her enthusiasm and commitment to Catholic education will be a great asset to Holy Cross Junior High,” said Joan Bouchard, Superintendent of Fresno Catholic Schools.  “Ms. Manzo is passionate about what she does and cares about each individual student’s needs. Congratulations to Rachael as she leads the Diocese of Fresno’s first stand-alone junior high program!”

Ms. Manzo is very excited for the opportunity to lead the new junior high. “I am thrilled to develop best practices for educating this age range while also making learning fun and interactive,” she said. “We have such a great opportunity to give students experiences they have never had before in order to prepare them for high school and beyond.”

“I am looking forward to cheering at sporting events and rallies and attending masses and retreats with our students!,” Ms. Manzo exclaimed.  “I am eager to meet them and hear their ideas about their new school!.”

In her first year as principal, she hopes to develop strong relationships with students, families, faculty, and staff. “I believe this is vital to establishing a safe environment for all.  I look forward to building a strong curricular foundation so students excel and I am excited to watch our students’ faith deepen,” said Ms. Manzo. “In the first year I will work hard to be transparent and communicative with all stakeholders.  It is important to have structures in place so families feel secure sending their children to the junior high.”

A native of Santa Barbara, CA, Ms. Manzo was raised in the Catholic tradition and attended Catholic, parochial elementary school and Catholic high school.  “God has played a central role in my growth as an educator,” Ms. Manzo said. “When we teach students and lead communities in faith, we in turn establish a world filled with young people sharing their God-given talents.”

Ms. Manzo believes students who are junior high age need a nurturing environment where they feel loved and safe.  “I believe students need opportunities to learn at a deeper level through experiences inside and outside of the classroom.  Junior high students are at a critical age where so much is happening around them through friends, social media, family, and extracurriculars,” she explained. “Due to this, junior high students need a stable environment to learn.  They need faculty who genuinely care about them and are models in the faith.  I believe students of any age need high expectations so they have a goal to reach.”

Ms. Manzo has worked in Catholic education for 11 years in both high school and elementary settings. Most recently, she has served as principal of two Catholic elementary schools in the Diocese of Fresno — Mary Immaculate Queen School in Lemoore and St. Rose McCarthy in Hanford.

“While managing two schools and the various needs of two campuses, I embrace hard work, dedication, and have the drive to create a safe, loving environment for our students,” shared Ms. Manzo. “I have grown in my capacity to lead and enrich the lives of students whether it be in faith or academics.  Being a principal of two schools has taught me to look at the bigger picture and hone in on what Catholic education truly is.”

Ms. Manzo was born and raised in Santa Barbara. She is the middle of six children, three girls and three boys. “My parents owned a landscaping business and worked hard to raise us in the Catholic faith.  I attended Catholic schools in the area for kindergarten through high school,” she said. “My own teachers were amazing mentors which led me to wanting to be a teacher.”

After high school, Ms. Manzo attended California Lutheran University where she received her Bachelors in Liberal Arts and multiple subject credential.  She returned to her alma mater Bishop Garcia Diego High School where she worked for seven years and then returned to California Lutheran University for her Masters in Educational Leadership.

In her free time, Ms. Manzo enjoys cooking, hosting friends, walking the dogs, and gathering with family whenever possible. “I love movies and coffee so when time permits, I definitely fit those in!,” she added.  “I am currently planning my wedding in January so that has taken up most of my free time.”

Holy Cross Junior High is named in honor of the Holy Cross sisters who taught and resided on campus from the opening day of SJM in 1945 through the early 1980’s.  Mr. Burke said, “We are eternally grateful for the years of unselfish service the sisters gave to educating students at Memorial, and we believe naming the junior high after them is a fitting way to pay tribute.”

Holy Cross Junior High is part of the newly developing Fresno Catholic School System which includes four campuses — St. Helen’s, St. Anthony’s, San Joaquin Memorial and Holy Cross.  The System and Junior High will be fully operational and running for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year.

For more information on the Fresno Catholic School System visit www.fresnocatholic.org