On Monday, August 18, the McCaskey East campus became home to something far greater than a renovated library.. With the naming and dedication of the Frank Albrecht Integrated Media Center, our school community chose to honor the life, spirit, and impact of a man who defined what it means to care for students.
For more than four decades, Brother Frank Albrecht was a steady hand and a joyful spirit at McCaskey High School. He greeted thousands of students at the front doors with his signature smile, creating a sense of belonging before the first bell ever rang. Inside the school, his work as a peer mediation advisor offered students a safe place to find their voices, work through conflicts, and learn that empathy can resolve far more than anger ever could. Students often describe mediation under Brother Frank’s guidance as life-changing, not because he gave them answers, but because he listened deeply and encouraged them to discover their own path forward.
As the advisor to the Reach Club, Brother Frank addressed mental health in ways that were ahead of their time. He created space for students to talk openly about their struggles, to support one another, and to understand that caring for themselves was essential to their success. Many alumni still point to those lessons as the foundation for how they care for themselves and others today.
Perhaps the most consistent thread in every story about Brother Frank is his philosophy. He never insisted that students fit a mold or follow a single path. Instead, he reminded them that life is about growth, and that each day brings another chance to be better than the day before. Students remember his words, his encouragement, and his ability to see the best in them, even when they struggled to see it themselves.
Brother Frank’s legacy is not confined to the walls of McCaskey. In the community, he worked to guide young people toward education and opportunity, often meeting them where they were and showing them that their future could be different from the struggles they faced. Colleagues remember him as the person they could always turn to for help with students who needed extra care. Families recall his kindness, his laughter, and his ability to lift others in ways that felt both personal and lasting.
His passing from ALS nearly a year ago left a deep absence, but it also reminded us how much his work endures. As his daughter shared during the ceremony, his legacy is not contained in a program or a single initiative, but in the countless acts of kindness, guidance, and encouragement he offered across four decades. His impact lives on in every student who carries those lessons forward into their own lives, families, and communities.
The newly named Frank Albrecht Integrated Media Center will be a hub of collaboration, where students will collaborate and grow together. It reflects Brother Frank’s belief that education extends beyond academics, it is about equipping young people with the skills and confidence to navigate life with compassion and courage.
As students walk into this space, they will see Brother Frank’s name and be reminded that this is a place of welcome. For alumni, staff, and family members, it is a lasting tribute to a man who poured his heart into making McCaskey not just a school, but a community.
We are grateful to the Albrecht family, alumni, and all who joined us to celebrate this dedication. Most of all, we are grateful to Brother Frank, whose life reminds us that the truest measure of an educator is not found in titles or accolades, but in the lives touched and the futures made brighter.
Brother Frank will always be part of the McCaskey story. His name on the Integrated Media Center ensures that future generations will know not only who he was, but what he stood for that the belief that every young person deserves to be seen, heard, and supported. For more photos, visit us on Facebook.
