On weekday mornings, the corner of 16th and Dolores streets bustles as parents escort their children to Holy Family Day Home, a Mission landmark that has offered early childhood education since 1912.
Another landmark is Jose Oscar Hernandez, the school’s security guard for seven years.
Usually wearing a San Francisco Giants or Golden State Warriors cap, he stands near the entrance, greeting families as they head inside.
Hernandez has become familiar not just to the Holy Family community, but to joggers, neighbors walking dogs, and people heading to Dolores Park or Whole Foods.
“I’ve met a lot of people in the neighborhood, probably within a mile radius of here, and they’ve all been really nice throughout the years,” he said.
Small interactions often reveal bigger stories; news of engagements, pregnancies, jobs. One elderly man recently confided that his wife had died, assuring Hernandez he was still getting outside for walks.
“You just kind of get to know them,” Hernandez said.
“When you’re passing by and you have someone that’s greeting you with ‘Good morning’ or ‘Have a good day,’ it’s a positive thing, and it’s what Jose does every day,” said Diana Parada, who works at the front desk at Holy Family Day Home.
Hernandez knows the name of everyone he interacts with — plus their dogs — she said. “He’s just such a joy to have around.”
An accidental career in security
Hernandez, 45, grew up in the Mission and has lived in Bayview for the past ten years. He calls San Francisco home, no matter the neighborhood.
“This is my soil, so I’m loyal. I can’t help it. I just love this place,” he said.
After graduating from Galileo Academy of Science & Technology in 1998, he went to work washing dishes at a Mel’s Drive-In, followed by a string of part-time customer service jobs.
His mother offered blunt advice: “You need to find something permanent, Jose.”
Soon after, he saw the Giants were hiring full-time security staff. At age 20, just months before his mother died, he landed the job.
Over the next 15 years, Hernandez worked in a supervisory role, overseeing the team’s camera rooms and coordinating security for events. Later, he became a scheduling manager for a private security company, assigning guards to client sites.
One of those clients was Holy Family Day Home. Occasionally, he covered shifts and school staff liked him.
“Back in the day, the guards I sent would pretty much just stand around and make sure everything was okay. They didn’t really interact with the families going to the school the way I do,” he said.
The school hired him just before the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped daily routines.
“The way everything had to be, that was challenging, but we all got through it,” he said.
Security and beyond
Emilie Struthers, the school’s community outreach manager, said Hernandez supports Holy Family in a variety of ways, from preventing unauthorized access and monitoring drop-offs and pick-ups to managing deliveries and providing a welcoming presence.
During downtime — typically late morning to early afternoon — he’ll head inside for hands-on projects, such as building furniture and setting up for events.
“If someone needs something, I’m like, ‘All right, let’s make it happen. Even if I don’t know how to do it, just explain it to me real quick, and I’ll help,’” he said.
Parada described him as the staff’s go-to person.
“He’s super reliable. He has your back,” she said. “Every time I need something, or one of the teachers needs something, he’s always there to support us.”
Otherwise, he stays at his post, AirPods in, listening to music or podcasts while watching the activity in the neighborhood. If anyone lingers near the school building’s perimeter, he gently moves them along.
“Every day, one or two people [who seem to be] on drugs come by. For the most part, as soon as you tell them, ‘Hey, there’s a school here. You can’t be hanging out,’ they leave,” he said.
“If you show people a little time, respect, or just compassion, they’re more open to being like, ‘My bad. I’m sorry. I’ll take off.’ You learn from your own mistakes about how to interact with others and get them to do what you want without escalating the situation.”
Parada has seen him shift into a more serious mode when situations require it.
“When it comes to having to step up and defend the property, or do something about it, it’s like he’s another person. I feel like that’s a good thing when it’s needed,” she said.
The ripple of small gestures
Outside of work, Hernandez values quiet time with family: Barbecuing, playing dominos, and visiting his daughter, who turns 21 this May and lives in Fremont.
“I had her when I was 25,” he said. “She really turned my life upside down, but for the better. She’s shaped me into who I am now: Family-oriented.”
The children at Holy Family Day Home also shape his days, and he theirs.
When Hernandez takes the rare day off or temporarily leaves his post at the front entrance to do a perimeter check around the building, they take note.
“The kids will come in and say, ‘Where’s Jose? Why is he not here? Who’s going to watch the front door?’ They notice when he’s not here, and they miss him,” Parada said.
He also has a knack for lifting kids’ spirits.
“Jose interacts with them, and they stop crying or they just start laughing. He has such a big presence with the kids,” she said.
For Hernandez, watching shy newcomers grow into expressive graduates who give hugs and promise to visit is one of the job’s greatest rewards.
It’s what keeps him rooted at the corner of 16th and Dolores, greeting everyone who passes by.
“That’s probably the best feeling, right there,” he said. “It really makes you feel good that they remember you and are thankful that you were there.”
Jose has been the highlight of my morning dog walks since he came to the neighborhood. He has a certain zen about him that makes everyone’s day more calm and positive. I’m so grateful to know him; the school and community are lucky to have him here. Nice to see him recognized!
Jose is such a bright presence in our neighborhood–loved by all. He’s been the highlight of my morning dog walks since he started at Holy Family — always such a pleasure to chat with. It’s nice to see him getting the recognition he deserves.
This article shows that it doesn’t take much to uplift someone’s day. A simple hello or smile goes a long way . I appreciate reading stories like this, and appreciate Jose.