St. Francis School Faculty & Staff

Sarah Stewart

Fourth Grade

My name is Sarah Stewart and I am a 4th grade teacher at St. Francis School. Many people say that they always knew that they wanted to become a teacher. I, however, took a little more time to discover my passion in life. At the age of 5, I had aspirations to replace Wonder Woman as the next female superhero. At 7, I was very interested in becoming a clown for the circus. Then I got a little more serious during my teenage years and wanted to work as a game producer for The Price is Right. My parents always supported me along the way, but were thrilled when I went to college to study Elementary Education!

I am a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with specializations in Spanish and English as a Second Language. I began my teaching career in Northeast Austin teaching 3rd grade. During my 4 years as a public school teacher, I was able to take part in many exciting teaching “adventures”. First, I spent 3 months in Germany studying Puppet Theater which I later implemented into my classroom. In addition, I was selected as a representative to the Fulbright Teacher Exchange program in Japan. I spent 3 unforgettable weeks collaborating with teachers in Tokyo. I have wonderful memories from my first several years of teaching!

In 2003, I became part of the St. Francis Community and said goodbye to TAKS! Everyday I am grateful for the opportunity to teach in the St. Francis environment. The students are creative, clever, and curious. I also greatly appreciate being able to mold the curriculum based on my individual students' interests and needs. Some of my favorite units during the school year include: Poetry, Forensic Science, Ballroom Dancing, and Movie-Making. My philosophy of education is quite simple. My goal as an educator is to create independent thinkers who have a broad appreciation and understanding of the world.

On a personal note, I am originally from the Midwest, but became an Austinite 11 years ago when I married my husband, Chris. We have a son, Max, who will turn 4 this year. We live just 3 blocks away from St. Francis School and Max and I enjoy walking or biking to school each day. My interests include traveling, gardening, yoga, art, and eating chocolate.