Ascension Academy's 'Ms. Jean' retires: 'This is my home'

Jean Cerisier, Ms. Jean to the students of Ascension Academy, prepares a class for the end of the year carnival. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson

By Azhae’la Hanson, Reporter
Jean Cerisier, affectionately known as ‘Ms. Jean,’ will bid farewell to Ascension Academy, concluding an illustrious teaching and coaching career spanning more than three decades.

When Cerisier first started at the North Minneapolis school, she was quite familiar with its halls. She was a student of Ascension herself when she was in grade school, and a parishioner of the school's Catholic church.

She recalled going through old photos and found a class photo of her in kindergarten. She looked at the image and saw the familiar uniforms that still dawn the halls.

“I thought, oh my God, I’ve been here all of my life,” she said. Her final day is June 10.

When she first stepped into the school's gym as the physical education teacher three decades ago, she inherited the job from her mother. She was the school's gym teacher.

Cerisier’s mother was remembered for bringing the fun in physical fitness. She introduced the school to donkey basketball, made students personal fitness plans, and taught her daughter that everyone had to be successful in some way.

The torch was passed from mother to daughter.

“I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her,” Cerisier said. “Because I learned so much from her.”

Since then, Cerisier accumulated many titles at the school, serving as a coach, athletic director, dean of students, and assistant principal for the past two years.

Cerisier coordinated the church’s hot Thanksgiving dinner delivery and personally dropped off meals to countless households in North Minneapolis.

She also broke barriers as the first female referee in a boys' high school basketball game in Minnesota. Cerisier also holds the distinction of officiating in the inaugural Minnesota State High School League girls' state basketball tournament.

“Ms. Jean, without question, has been the most effective person in this role as assistant principal in these short two years, than anyone that has been in that role for the last several decades. Myself included,” Principal Benito Matias said. “She just has such a presence and is so well known, is so well liked within the community, that she's able to engage with staff, with parents, with scholars in ways that really only someone who has 40 plus years of history here can and is just no substitute for time.”

Cerisier always keeps an eye on her students. She waits by the window to make sure students are getting on the right bus. Moments later, she hurried outside to tell a student they got on the wrong bus. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson

Instead of dress shoes, she walks the halls sporting her reliable tennis shoes. She's always on the move, and typically, with a kid in hand. Cerisier takes kids on walks around the school when they’re having a bad day, when she wants students to get more familiar with their surroundings, or for fun, letting the kindergarteners take a ride on the elevator.

Throughout the years, her dedication and acts of kindness became synonymous with her name.

Student Olivia Carter has known Cerisier since she was in kindergarten. She is completing eighth grade and will move on to high school next year.

“I'm glad that she's doing what she wants to do, but it's still sad,” Olivia said. “She's been here for so long and she's helped a lot of people. She's helped me and she's done a lot for the school. If I need a break, or if I'm struggling with all my anxiety, my panic attacks, she helps me.”

Cerisier plans to retire to California with her family where she’ll “sleep in” until 7 a.m. instead of the usual 5 a.m. She will golf as much as she can.

“I'll miss the people that I've worked with, a few of them I've worked with forever,” she said. “I'll miss the kids and wonder where they’ll end up. I'll miss just working with all these guys. I’m here Monday through Friday, and when I coached sports, I was here Monday through Sunday. I live here, you know?

“This is my home, and I’m going to really miss it.”