6 minute read
THE PLAYBOOK
from SLUH Magazine
by SLUH
THE
Principal Fr. Ian Gibbons, SJ Leads SLUH through Pandemic with Quiet Courage, Steadfast Spirit
BY BEN DUMONT ’92
Fr. Ian Gibbons, SJ spent the week of March 8, 2020, on jury duty. Each day he arrived at the courthouse, the streets of St. Louis became more deserted. The city – like the rest of the world – was gradually unraveling as it grappled with the daunting, accelerating reality of COVID-19.
St. Louis metropolitan area schools began shutting down the following week. “We had no time to prepare,” Fr. Gibbons recalls.
As an educator, Fr. Gibbons was familiar with crises. He had endured the Columbine High School massacre at Regis Jesuit in Denver, terrorist attacks at Regis High School in New York City, as well as earthquakes and other emergencies on international student trips. But none of these experiences prepared him to lead during the Coronavirus pandemic.
“We had no playbook for managing such an unknown,” he says.
DID YOU KNOW?
You may know Fr. Ian Gibbons, SJ is the 21st Principal at Backer Memorial (Oakland Avenue location). But did you also know he spent more than a year in the Belize missions, published a paper on zero-inflation economic policies with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and served as an NFL Catholic Chaplain while at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City?
HERE ARE SOME OTHER FUN FACTS ABOUT THE ST. LOUIS AREA NATIVE:
COLLEGE:
Earned a B.S. in economics and an MBA from Southern Illinois University; master's degrees from Saint Louis University (American Studies), Boston College (Masters of Divinity) and University of San Francisco (Catholic Education Leadership)
ORDINATION:
2006
SUBJECTS TAUGHT:
Economics, history, Scripture, world religions and business accounting
OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE:
Served as Assistant Principal at Regis High School in New York; Special Assistant to the President at Strake Jesuit College Prep in Houston; Pastoral, Service and Faculty Formation Director at Rockhurst High School; assisted with student affairs at Regis Jesuit in Denver; and created English programs at Fényi Gyula Jezsuita in Miskolc, Hungary
FAMILY:
His mother is British, and he has two older sisters (one of them lives and works in Iceland) and a younger brother
FR. GIBBONS FAVORITES
PRAYER:
Prayer for Generosity
QUOTE:
“Wonder is a kind of desire for knowledge.” — Thomas Aquinas
BOOK:
Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
MOVIE:
Gravity
BAND/SINGER:
Sigur Rós (Icelandic band)
SPORTS TEAM: St. Louis Cardinals
HOBBY:
Visiting museums and sites related to history
FOOD:
Vietnamese
HERO:
St. Thomas More
He did, however, have support. “Our depth of leadership at SLUH is exceptional. We assembled a team of highly dedicated faculty and staff who developed a virtual program with training and structural components, as well as a plan for reopening.”
His team quickly realized the need for adaptability and flexibility, so they developed several plans addressing varying circumstances, with the ability to shift at regular intervals.
He faced challenges as families struggled with fear, anxiety and frustration. He endured noble failures, notably instituting Faber Day, a flexible, remote day that was part of the school schedule and proved less effective than anticipated. “We had to make honest assessments and adjust as needed,” says Gibbons, whose stoic exterior is balanced by a glowing spirit.
Despite the pressure of sustaining a 204-year tradition amid a global health crisis, Gibbons remained resilient and steadfast. “We were not distracted by what others were saying or doing, or people second-guessing us, because our response was based on science, best practices and our Jesuit mission. It was a sound approach that worked.”
This approach was matched with a quiet confidence. “I often reflected on the many crises SLUH has experienced,” says Gibbons, “including the Spanish Influenza, the Civil War and both World Wars. I thought if our predecessors could get through those events, we can do this.”
According to Jim Linhares, Assistant Principal for Mission, "In the last two pandemic years, Fr. Gibbons has carried the added burdens of school leadership with a degree of diligence, persistence and generosity that amazes me every day.”
FORMATIVE YEARS
Gibbons moves about slowly and methodically, walking the halls with a laborious, unbalanced gait – a chronic impairment stemming from an old injury. But he never complains. He perseveres, recalling Fr. Frank Guentner, SJ, one of his role models growing up. Fr. Guentner was a priest at his parish, St. Mary’s in Edwardsville, Illinois, who showed him the importance of broadening his lens beyond himself.
“Fr. Guentner was a perfect exemplar of what it meant to be a Jesuit,” says Gibbons. “He had such a joy for life, a joy for mission and a deep abiding faith in something much bigger than oneself.”
This perspective of oneself, as part of something broader and more meaningful and holy, grew within Gibbons at a young age. While a student at Edwardsville High School, he first felt called toward the priesthood. The call became stronger when he was finishing his MBA at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. In 1995, just before pursuing a career in finance, he entered the Society of Jesus.
Although Gibbons did not anticipate becoming an educator as part of his vocation, his experience as a regent at Regis Jesuit in Denver opened his mind to the possibility. “It was transformative to see the power of influence at the formative ages of 14 to 18,” he says. “I realized I was being called to work in secondary education.”
In addition to providing direction, Gibbons’ Jesuit formation strengthened his faith and character. “As a novice, I learned to become more vulnerable and empathetic. I developed a deep sense of faith in letting go and asking God for help.”
Years later, with the onset of COVID-19, his deep faith and focus on discernment would prove invaluable.
FROM SURVIVE TO THRIVE
In the fall of 2020, the energy of the SLUH track team was different than most years on its trip to the state finals.
“That was a key moment being able to travel for the first time since the spring,” says Gibbons, who joined the team on their trip. “There was incredible joy and great pride in SLUH on the bus ride. It was such a grace-filled moment, in some ways so small yet emblematic of everything we'd been fighting for.”
It was among many victories that reconnected the SLUH community that school year, including a return to in-person classes, club activities, retreats, dances and athletic games.
In the spirit of the magis, however, Gibbons wanted more for SLUH. Getting “back to normal” was not enough. He envisioned emerging from the pandemic a stronger SLUH, one positioned not merely to survive, but thrive.
He formed a Strategic Summit, composed of an internal group of creative thinkers, to prepare SLUH for the next five years. This group is now prioritizing, assessing and providing direction for strategic issues related to academics, co-curriculars and student life.
“While so many institutions are preparing to exit the pandemic with a return to what was, SLUH is focusing on what will be,” says Gibbons. “We are building the wells for our third century.”
“We're in a very high demand time of strategic change,” says Linhares, “both with our Go Forth initiatives as well as our Strategic Summit.
“Fr. Gibbons is deeply invested in all of these processes. But he doesn't let the sheer volume of projects and problems distract him from the disciplined work of keeping one eye on the future and the other eye on what is most important today. That's a spiritual gift as well as a successful management approach."
Reflecting on the past two years, Gibbons quips, “The next pandemic will have a full playbook.
“It all comes down to being able to see and hope for something much better. We can get there with a mindset of courage, clearheadedness and, most importantly, faith in our mission. In many ways, that is the playbook.”
- FR. IAN GIBBONS
