All Saints Academy Principal Jill Tasker and her daughter, Claire, who is starting her first year in education as a fifth-grade teacher at Holy Childhood in Mascoutah (Submitted photo).
By David Wilhelm
Messenger Editor
Claire Tasker was a first-grader at New Baden Elementary School in 2011 when she provided an early hint that she might become a teacher, even though she seemed more interested in a career as a lawyer or a chef.
“She came home one day from school and told me there was a little boy in her class that was always screaming,” said Claire’s mother, Jill Tasker, the second-year principal at All Saints Academy in Breese. “I went in to talk to her teacher for some other reason, and I said, ‘By the way, Claire keeps mentioning that there’s a boy who is always screaming in class.’”
Jill learned that the boy had autism. She explained the situation to Claire, pointing out that he needed “extra love and support.” Her words led to a friendship between Claire and the boy that still remains.
“The teacher called me the next day and said, ‘I don’t know what you said to Claire, but she has taken this little boy under her wing,’” Jill said. “She could talk to him in a way that made him (relax). They still chat and see each other out and about. I knew from that moment on, Claire was destined to be a teacher. She has a heart meant for children.”
Claire said her friendship with the boy helped her learn about herself.
“From first grade to eighth grade, we were close friends,” Claire said. “I was always there to help him, and he helped me, too, showing me what it took to have patience.
“I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for children. Even when I was a kid, I had that soft spot. It didn’t matter to me that he had autism; he was still one of my best friends. Having a relationship with Christ helped me. He was a child of God, and God made him in His image. We were there together and learning together.”
Claire, 21, a graduate of Mater Dei Catholic High School in Breese and the University of Missouri, is beginning her first year as a teacher at Holy Childhood Grade School in Mascoutah. She will be teaching fifth grade and can’t wait to get started.
“I’m excited for my first year,” Claire said. “I’m young, so I bring some new ideas to the table. I’m creative and hope to bring my relationship with God into the way I teach.”
Claire said her mother was a “huge influence” on her decision to become a teacher. She said being involved in Faith Formation as a senior at Mater Dei “made me say, ‘Yes, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.’”
Claire’s principal at Holy Childhood is Tim Keefe, in his fifth year at the school. Jill, of course, knows Keefe and believes her daughter will thrive at the atmosphere he has helped create at Holy Childhood.
“Claire wanted to come home (after college),” Jill said. “She went to Holy Childhood and met Mr. Keefe and a couple of the teachers. She was impressed with them and felt comfortable. She said, ‘Mom, I don’t need to think about it. I know I want to work there.’
“Mr. Keefe has been more than happy to reach out and help Claire through this. I appreciate that he is giving her a chance, and I’m proud that she has chosen Catholic education. Catholic education is something I’ve grown passionate about.”
Keefe has his own daughter, Caroline, who also is entering her first year as a teacher in the diocese. Caroline, 22, a graduate of Nerinx Hall High School in St. Louis and the University of Notre Dame, will teach science, chemistry and religion to fifth- through eighth-graders at Blessed Sacrament in Belleville.
Caroline’s stay in education could be brief. She is in a gap year as she applies to medical schools. She will begin med school in 2027.
“I’ve always had my eyes on medical school, but I think having my dad in the education field … Education has always felt like a part of my life,” Caroline said. “In college, I worked as a tutor for three years in the local community. That solidified my appreciation for education. I saw my dad do it my whole childhood, and then I got to be a part of that in college. That was neat for me. My college experience as a tutor steered me more toward using education in my gap year.”
Tim said it’s a natural progression for Caroline.
“The trend now is instead of going straight to medical school, many medical schools are recommending — or at least thinking — it’s a good move to have a gap year,” he said. “In that year, if you’re interested in going to medical school, you get hours, you shadow, you do something productive. She’s been working at two hospitals this summer. A lot of being a doctor is teaching, relating and forming relationships. That’s what teaching is.”
The Keefes live in Columbia. Caroline attended Immaculate Conception School from kindergarten through fifth grade, then experienced a public-school setting when the family moved to Charleston. The family moved back into the diocese after Caroline’s sophomore year, and she enrolled at Nerinx Hall.
“I’m so lucky having gone to Notre Dame and being able to go to ICS and Nerinx. I feel like a lot of my learning has been centered on the Catholic faith. … Catholic education tells us what to do with what we know and allows us to use it for things like the greater good and serving others, which I appreciate.”
Caroline isn’t yet sure where she will attend medical school.
“I’ve always appreciated pediatrics and family medicine,” she said. “I’m interested in working as a pediatrician, but that’s subject to change.”
