President's Report - Eastside Catholic School

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Bob and Eugenia Murphy
Honoring the Past and Embracing the Future
Sitting on the committee that developed the mission statement
was . . . a great experience. It was worked on so
selflessly by so many people and it evolved
beautifully. It truly reflects selfless
involvement and commitment
to the whole person.
When her husband Bob was transferred from San Francisco to Seattle in 1980, Eugenia
Murphy got busy looking for the right school for their children. She wrote to the Seattle Archdiocese to
get information about schools and programs. At the time, son Joe was finishing eighth grade and daughter
Tiffany was finishing fourth grade, so Eugenia was looking for a high school that would work well for both.
“We wanted to look at schools before deciding where to build a home,” Eugenia recalled. “When
I received information from the Archdiocese, someone had handwritten ‘there is a new independent
Catholic high school on the eastside called Eastside Catholic. You might want to look into this.’ I
considered this handwritten note a personal reference, so I looked into it. Dick Ellis was the principal at
the time, and it was the first year Eastside Catholic was open, and everyone was so warm, friendly and
inviting.”
Bob and Eugenia were both educated in Catholic schools and appreciated Eastside Catholic’s focus
on Catholic values, strong curriculum and opportunities for personal growth.
“We figured that’s what really counts in life,” said Eugenia.
The Murphys, members of St. Louise parish, were active in Eastside Catholic activities while their
children were in school and enjoyed the community spirit so much they reconnected several years later.
“It’s a wonderful community, and it’s given our kids an excellent education which was the foundation
of everything they’ve done beyond that,” said Bob.
Eugenia helped found, and is still the driving force behind, Women’s League – an organization
dedicated to providing friendship and support to women in the Eastside Catholic community. Women’s
League includes mothers of current students, alumni mothers and friends of Eastside Catholic.
“After graduation, our children move on, but we women are not ready to leave our friendships.
They go beyond the school bell. We felt there needed to be some vehicle for women to continue their
emotional, intellectual and spiritual development after their children graduated,” she said. “Also, the
school was looking for a tradition. Women’s League seemed to be an appropriate vehicle for that.”
Additionally, Eugenia served two terms on the Board of Trustees after her children graduated. She
considers that a great learning experience and a tremendous opportunity to build relationships that still
benefit Eastside Catholic. Following the years on the Board, Eugenia and Bob continued their dedication
to Eastside Catholic by serving on the Foundation Board for six years.
“I still cannot believe the truly good people who give of their time and talent to sit on the board of a
high school. It’s hard work and it’s time consuming, but they give so generously,” said Eugenia. “I served
on the policy committee and had never worked in the area of policy before, so I learned a tremendous
amount and was exposed to true fairness in setting policy.
“Sitting on the committee that developed the mission statement was also a great experience. It was
worked on so selflessly by so many people and it evolved beautifully. It truly reflects selfless involvement
and commitment to the whole person.”
Last year, Bob and Eugenia eagerly agreed to serve on the Emeriti Advisory Committee that helped
establish the Emeriti group. The group is composed of former members of the Board of Trustees and the
Foundation Board. The Murphys also graciously hosted the Emeriti kickoff event at their home.
As part of the Emeriti group, Bob and Eugenia are now looking forward to the future of Eastside
Catholic and are committed to helping the school evolve and grow. They see tremendous opportunities to
build the community of Eastside Catholic and provide a top-notch education.
“Permanence has come into crystal clear vision,” said Eugenia. “It’s in focus. We will soon be able to
reach out to so many more students and families and they’ll have the same wonderful opportunities that
our children had because of Eastside Catholic.”
Bob added, “We believe in the mission of Eastside Catholic and what it’s doing. It’s providing a
wonderful asset to the community and really is a model for other schools.”
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