A Tradition Passed Down
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Since 1929, Frank Elementary (originally Guadalupe School) has been a pillar of the Town of Guadalupe. For thousands of students, being a Panther is more than just a title, and it’s not just about getting an education. It’s about continuing a legacy.
“The Frank community is steeped in traditions, and there is a special connection with the school,” current school principal Martha Jacobo-Smith said. “Generations have attended Frank School, and many hold tight to those memories.”
Fifth grade teacher Angie Claucherty with her fourth grade teacher, and now principal, Martha Jacobo Smith.
Sometimes, the Panther pride students gain in their youth even inspires them to return to their roots as adults. Both current Office Assistant Alyssa LeDuc and fifth grade teacher Angie Claucherty attended Frank for elementary school. Claucherty was even a student of her now principal Jacobo-Smith in fourth grade, while LeDuc’s family history is intertwined with Frank.
“Frank specifically is home to my family and I,” LeDuc shared. “Myself, three of my uncles, my sister, mother, two of my cousins, and now my son have all walked through Frank's doors as students.” For her, attending Frank is about being part of something larger, something that unites generations.
Jacobo-Smith, who has spent nearly 20 years at Frank throughout her career, believes that the school’s familial roots are woven into the fabric of the community and create a more powerful learning environment.
“I currently have sixteen of my former students whose children now attend Frank, with many more having attended in prior years,” she said. “There is a special opportunity to connect on a more familiar level when discussing attendance or other concerns.”
Similar to Frank Elementary’s deep roots in the Guadalupe community, Tempe Elementary Schools has also made a lasting impact on the greater-Tempe community, a legacy that Jacobo-Smith recognizes ahead of the district’s 150th anniversary.
“The legacy is that small schools and neighborhood schools are very important to all families,” she said. “Our district is firm and resolute in its mission to educate all children and to be a consistent force in the lives of current and future children.”
Frank Principal Martha Jacobo-Smith with current Frank students holding a picture of their parents when the parents were Martha's fourth grade students.
Learn more about Tempe Elementary School’s legacy of excellence at our 150th Anniversary event on Saturday, April 5 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Sanchez Administration Building on Rural and Southern. More details to come at tempeschools.org/ourlegacy.
About Tempe Elementary Schools
Tempe Elementary School comprises 22 small, neighborhood elementary and middle schools in Tempe, Arizona. We Tempe Elementary is committed to providing a welcoming, achieving, eye-opening, and future-ready preschool to 8th grade education to free the boundless potential in each child - so they are fully prepared to embrace the opportunities of tomorrow and excel for a lifetime. Learn more about Tempe Elementary Schools.