CENTENNIAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Sitting under a clear blue sky and upon bright green turf, two hundred and thirty-one Saint Vincent de Paul students joyfully cheered “cut it, cut it, cut it!”. This chant was the culmination of years of perseverance, generosity, and dedication as parents, community leaders, alumni, and donors gathered to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of the Wall Court. After a blessing by Father Art Albano, speakers Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani, District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherril, and leadership donors from the Wall Family spoke about the visionaries that made this dream a reality.

In 2015, the leadership at Saint Vincent de Paul School began envisioning the future and what was needed to continue their legacy and ensure that the school and students would thrive. Since that time, many improvements were made to the campus: adding middle school sheer walls, installing a recording studio, purchasing new flexible furniture, remodeling the café, refreshing the carpets and paint, creating an Innovation Center, revitalizing the gymnasium and installing new seismically retrofitted roofs on all campus buildings.

While these projects were completed, one dream remained: celebrating the school’s Centennial with a major campus improvement. For decades, dating back as early as the 1950’s, there had always been the dream of providing a green space for the children of SVDP to play. For the past 100 years, students and staff have carefully placed barriers on Green Street each day so recess could be held in the middle of the street. As the school approached our Centennial Celebration in 2024, the dream for a protected outdoor play area began to move from the vision to reality.

Thanks to high levels of engagement and support from alumni and current families, the Centennial Capital Campaign raised nearly ten million dollars to build the elevated sport court with a gated modern parking garage underneath. A leadership gift from the Wall Family, along with many generous donors, ensured that the children of SVDP now have a secure turf field as a place to play and learn. Surrounded by wood benches and greenery, the field will engage and energize students by providing an urban outdoor multipurpose space.

After breaking ground in June 2025, the project moved forward under the direction of Principal Marguerite Pini, designer Missy Brandon, Archdiocese Project Lead Steve Bowers, and The Build Group.

What was once a dream stretching back generations is now a vibrant reality. The Wall Court provides a safe and inspiring place for students to play, learn, and gather—ensuring that the spirit of community and opportunity at Saint Vincent de Paul will continue to thrive for the next hundred years.

CENTENNIAL CAMPAIGN

Saint Vincent de Paul School celebrates nearly 100 years of service to the San Francisco community. Here’s to the next 100 years. Be part of the legacy.

Our Centennial Campaign is the first campaign in the history of SVDP. Our goal is $10 million. This will allow us to build the outdoor sport court, upgrade the gym roof and plan for future projects that will prepare our campus for the next 100 years. We encourage all alumni and friends to consider a leadership gift to support this major endeavor. Please help us in expanding our outdoor space, getting our kids off Green Street, and creating a unique learning environment not often found in the city.

We look forward to connecting with all alumni and friends. Thank you again for making a positive impact on our community. If you would like to learn more about a pledge or donation opportunity, please reach out to one of our team members.

Celine Watters Curran ‘69
advancement@svdpsf.com

Brenda Barkley
bbarkley@svdpsf.com