As you come to know Cathedral School for Boys, I hope you will see what I have had the privilege of seeing every day: a school of remarkable purpose, warmth, and ambition. This is a community that believes deeply in boys, not only in what they can achieve, but in who they are becoming.

I am honored to serve as Interim Head of School during this important year in Cathedral School’s history. Transitions naturally invite reflection, gratitude, and renewed focus, and I step into this role with deep appreciation for the strength of the school, the dedication of our faculty and staff, and the trust of the families who call Cathedral home.

For me, Cathedral School has always been defined by the boys themselves. I see it in the Kindergarten student finding his place in a new classroom, in the Upper School student learning to use his voice with confidence, in the Grade 8 student preparing to carry Cathedral’s values into high school and beyond. At every age, our students are known, challenged, supported, and encouraged to grow into young men of scholarship, leadership, and strong moral character.

 

That work is at the heart of our Mission:

 

 

Those words are not simply a statement on a page. They describe the daily life of the school. They are present in the care our teachers bring to their classrooms, in the friendships boys build across grade levels, in the courage students develop through public speaking, performance, service, athletics, and leadership, and in the expectation that learning should lead to purpose.

 

Cathedral School is intentionally small and deeply personal. Boys are known here by adults who understand their strengths, their questions, their humor, their challenges, and their potential. They are encouraged to think critically, to work hard, to collaborate generously, and to take responsibility for the communities of which they are a part. Academic excellence matters here, and so does kindness. Confidence matters here, and so does humility. Achievement matters here, and so does the character with which that achievement is pursued.

 

At a time when children are growing up in a world that asks much of them, Cathedral School offers something both timeless and urgently needed: an education grounded in relationships, rigor, character, and purpose. We believe boys thrive when they are challenged and cared for, when they are given room to ask questions and make mistakes, and when they are surrounded by adults who see not only who they are today, but who they are capable of becoming.

 

As we look ahead, our task is one of stewardship and momentum. We will continue to advance the School’s strategic priorities, strengthen the programs that make Cathedral distinctive, and prepare thoughtfully for the next chapter in the School’s leadership. This interim year is not a pause. It is a year to continue the important work already underway and to remain focused on the boys at the center of everything we do. When our new head of school, Duncan Lyon, joins Cathedral in 2027, he will inherit a school that is thriving; grounded in its mission and well-positioned for the future.

 

I am grateful to be part of this community and proud to help lead Cathedral School during this moment of transition and possibility. Whether you are a prospective family learning about us for the first time, a current parent, an alumnus, or a friend of the School, I invite you to experience Cathedral School through the lives of our students. They are curious, capable, joyful, thoughtful, and full of promise.

 

They are the reason we do this work.

 

Warmly,

 

Kate Juergens

Interim Head of School

Kate Juergens has been part of Cathedral School for Boys since 2006. During her tenure, she has served as a Grade 1 and Kindergarten lead teacher, director of Lower School, director of curriculum, and director of enrollment management, followed by concurrent service as chief advancement officer and assistant head of school. She now serves as interim head of school.

 

Kate holds a B.A. in French from Bucknell University, a teaching credential from San Francisco State University, and an M.A. in curriculum and instruction from the University of the Pacific. An avid runner and baker, Kate also enjoys live music, traveling with her family, and finding joy and laughter each day at Cathedral.