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A Publication for The Schools of Saint Mary Alumni, Parents & Friends. Copyright The Schools of Saint Mary 2015.
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MagnificatALUMNI
A Publication for The Schools of Saint Mary Alumni, Parents & Friends
Volume 9 | No 1 Summer 2015
CELEBRATING 17 YEARS OF SERVICEMsgr. John J. McCann retires
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLDebuts at Mock Trial
PERFORMING ARTSat The Schools of Saint Mary
CELEBRATING 17 YEARS OF SERVICEMsgr. John J. McCann retires
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLDebuts at Mock Trial
PERFORMING ARTSat The Schools of Saint Mary
On the Cover: Reverend Monsignor John J. McCann joins students from The Schools of Saint Mary. Under Monsignor McCann’s leadership, The Schools of Saint Mary was established to more closely align the Elementary and High Schools and advance the mission of the Parish. PHOTO BY EILEEN SYMMONS
On the Web!Please visit www.stmary.ws and click on the Our Schools tab for the athletic schedules, school news, and events for the Alumni Association and The Schools of Saint Mary, or call the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 516.627.2711 ext 1162.
Church of Saint Mary, ManhassetSaint Mary's Elementary School, ManhassetSaint Mary’s High School, ManhassetSt. Mary’s High School Alumni, Manhasset, New York
Saturday, September 19Class of 1953 Reunion 2:00 PM The View Grill - Glen Cove Golf Course
Thursday, September 2423rd Annual Don Monti Memorial Golf ClassicPlandome Country Club
Saturday, October 24Class of 1975 ReunionPort Washington Yacht Club
Saturday, November 7Class of 1965 ReunionManhasset Bay Yacht Club
Sunday, November 8Alumni Memorial Mass10:30 AMChurch of Saint Mary
Thursday, November 12Ladies’ Night Out | Elementary School
Saturday, November 14Class of 1995 ReunionThe Inn at New Hyde Park
Saturday, April 16, 2016Take-A-Break | Elementary School
Thursday, April 21, 2016Ladies’ Night Out | High SchoolThe Inn at New Hyde Park
Winter/Spring 2016Class of 2000-2005 Reunion
For more information on activities and events, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 516.627.4605 or E-mail [email protected]
cale
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ALUMNI Magnificat | 3
MagnificatALUMNI
EDITORIALEditor in Chief | Kristin Lynch Graham ’88
Creative Director | Eileen Symmons ’82, ’86
Contributing Author | Mary E. Gorry
ADMINISTRATIONPastor | Rev. Father Robert A. Romeo
President | Grace M. Cavallo
Elementary School Principal | Celeste M. Checchia, Ph D
High School Principal | Jonathan D. Kramer ’92
Director of Developmentand Alumni Relations | Kristin Lynch Graham ’88
Director of Communications | Eileen Symmons ’82, ’86
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOARD
President | Thomas Keating P ’11, ’14, ’16
Vice President | Joseph Cuomo P ’14, ’17
Secretary | Carol Dunning P ’10, ’12, ’16
John Broderick ’76, ’80, P ’09, ’11, ’14
Frank Caliendo, MD P ’14, ’17, ’23
Andrew Didora P ’21, ’23
Maureen Miller P ’14, ’15, ’18
Amy Murphy P ’19, ’21, ’23
HIGH SCHOOL BOARD
Chairperson | Joseph Mattone P ’15, ’17, ’19
Daniel Amoruso ’76
Patricia Hennelly Anglin ’69
Kathleen Cawley ’78
Marc de Venoge P ’06, ’09, ’11, ’14
Dionne Dixon Allen P ’14, ’16
Carol Dunning P ’14, ’16
Tom Hoban ’76, P ’11
Matthew LoCurto ’86
Franco Sagliocca P ’11, ’14
Larry Siedlick ’68
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS
Co President | Patty Hennelly Anglin ’69
Co President | George Shaughness ’68
Vice President | Thomas Smyth ’86
Treasurer | Robert Pennachio ’86
BOARD
Robert Anastasia ’71
Judi Annibale Betts ’59
Robert Dunphy ’93
Christine Gawrych ’72
Maureen Johnson ’69
James F. Smyth ’91
6Celebrating 17 Years of Service
8Elementary School Debuts at Mock Trial
10Performing Arts at The Schools of Saint Mary
12A Tribute to Sports Night
14Commencement 2015
18Nancy Mason Award
19Alumni Profiles
23College Mentoring Panel
24Athletic News
27Grandparents Day
28Faculty Retirements
inside this issue
PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS
Project Rebuild
St. Vincent de Paul Society Toy Drive
Earth Day Clean Up
Giving Day
Senior Faculty Basketball
Game Fundraiser
from the president
Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends:
Each school year is unique because it has a definitive conclusion, and the recurring opportunity for new beginnings. As we prepare to begin the 2015-16 school year at St. Mary’s, I am proud to share with you some of our highlights from last year, and plans for the coming year. The upcoming year is particularly significant for the Elementary School as it celebrates the 90th anniversary of its founding in 1926.
We continue to celebrate The Schools of Saint Mary, and the collaboration between the Elementary and High Schools. For the first time, the Alumni Magnificat is designed to reflect both Schools and their achievements representatively, as well as highlight the many synergies between them. This year, we were delighted to see many alumni, who are graduates of both Schools, choose to support both their Elementary and High School alma maters. Your support directly impacts our ability to offer outstanding Catholic education to over 900 students. I am continually grateful for your generosity.
You can be so proud of our students. Like many students nationwide, they achieve great things academically. The thing that distinguishes St. Mary’s students – at every grade level – is how they integrate their Catholic faith into their lives. Our students have life-giving opportunities such as Project Rebuild, Earth Day, Giving Day, and St. Vincent de Paul collections to help them be ambassadors of Christ. They embrace these formal opportunities with enthusiasm, but they also find daily opportunities in their care and concern for their classmates, respect for their teachers and families, and work ethic to bring God’s love into the world.
I look forward to sharing the new school year with our students, our newest alumni in the Class of 2015, and all of you. Together, we are St. Mary’s!
God bless you and those you love.
Sincerely,
Grace M. CavalloPresident
ALUMNI Magnificat | 5
The Schools of Saint Mary | SAINT MARY’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL N-8SAINT MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL 9-12
Phot
o by E
ileen
Sym
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Eile
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Celebrating 17 Years of ServiceThis past June, Reverend Monsignor John
J. McCann celebrated his 50th Jubilee
and retired from his position as pastor
of the Church of Saint Mary. With much
unwanted fanfare, Msgr. McCann humbly
accepted the fact that his parishioners,
friends, fellow clergy, religious, and family
wanted to make arrangements to mark
this joyous milestone and bittersweet
celebration all within the same weekend.
On Friday, May 29 over 300 guests
gathered at North Hills Country Club to
say congratulations and thank you to
Msgr. McCann.
Then on Sunday, May 31, Msgr. celebrated
the Golden Jubilee of his ordination
at the 12:30 pm Mass. The Mass was
concelebrated by the Most Reverend
William F. Murphy, bishop of the Diocese
of Rockville Centre and St. Mary’s High
School alumnus, Bishop Robert J. Coyle of
the Archdiocese for the Military Services,
who serves as Episcopal Vicar for the
Eastern Half of the
United States, along
with several priests
who have served with
Msgr. McCann at
St. Mary’s including
Fr. Anthony Refalo,
Fr. Vincent Ritchie,
Fr. Christopher
Costigan, Fr. Raphael
Soadwah, and Fr.
Peter Dugandzic.
Fr. Nicholas Zientarski
delivered an inspiring
homily and spoke
eloquently of Msgr.
McCann’s devotion to
God and his ministry to his parishioners
throughout his 50 years as a priest.
Following the Mass, a reception was held
under a tent on the church grounds,
which gave more parishioners and friends
the opportunity to greet Msgr. McCann
with well wishes and thanks for his service
to St. Mary’s.
Msgr. McCann was sent to Manhasset in
1998 and installed as the 11th pastor of
the Church of Saint Mary that November.
He uniquely held the position of pastor
and member of the Class of 1957 and
was responsible for shepherding over
3,000 families totaling more than 11,000
parishioners. During his time at St. Mary’s,
Monsignor’s steadfast commitment to
Catholic education enabled the growth of
a state-of-the-art infrastructure bringing
The Schools of St. Mary to the forefront of
technology in Catholic schools on Long
Island.
Monsignor had a vision for the two
Schools under his leadership. He wanted
to align the Elementary and High Schools
to create The Schools of Saint Mary, an
N-12 Catholic school with a continuum
of learning and a world of possibilities
driven by the overall mission to partner
with parents in the faith formation of
their children. He appointed the first
president of The
Schools of Saint Mary
and embarked on
a mission with Mrs.
Grace M. Cavallo
to create a shared
purpose and a
commitment to
achieve excellence in
all areas of campus
and student life
to develop strong
faith-filled leaders of
tomorrow.
The ultimate goal of
the model was to
share the resources
school news
Msgr. John J. McCann celebrated the annual Catholic Schools Week Mass with Elementary School students.
www.inspiredthinkers.org | 6
Welcome, Father Bob!The Saint Mary's community welcomed Reverend Father Robert A. Romeo to
campus on June 24 as he assumed leadership as pastor of the Church of Saint
Mary and The Schools of Saint Mary. Born in Plainview and raised in Dix Hills,
Fr. Bob attended Commack High School South, Cathedral College, and St. Joseph's
College in Patchogue before attending Immaculate Conception Seminary in
Huntington. He was ordained by Bishop John R. McGann in 1987 and assigned
to St. Christopher's Parish in Baldwin. Since his first parish, Fr. Bob has served in
many capacities, including associate pastor of St. Peter's in Port Washington, and
his most recent assignment at St. Boniface Martyr Parish in Sea Cliff where he was
pastor for eight years before being appointed to St. Mary's this spring. Prior to his
arrival, parish staff members had the opportunity to meet Fr. Bob and learned how
passionate he is about serving God and His church. We look forward to beginning
a new liturgical and academic year with Fr. Bob in September.
Pictured right: Father Robert A. Romeo with his English Labrador, Max, a rescue from North Shore Animal League.
of the two institutions more effectively
for the benefit of all students, from the
early childhood learner to the high
school senior, which was successfully
demonstrated both in and out of the
classroom. The Scholar Service Institute
(SSI) students facilitated learning centers
as part of the Kindergarten Space Day
Program, while the Advanced Placement
(AP) Spanish students also participated
in the continuum of learning by creating
stories written in Spanish, which were
then presented to 2nd grade Spanish
classes. The High School students became
teachers, reading, translating and creating
follow up lessons. Members of the High
School Mock Trial team assisted with the
mentoring of the Elementary School's
inaugural team, who made their debut at
St. John's University this spring.
With 927 students enrolled in grades
N-12, and another 1,000 participating in
the Faith Formation Program, the campus
continued to thrive under his leadership
by bringing Catholic values, unparalleled
academics, athletic, social and spiritual
opportunities to our youth.
The Schools of Saint Mary is grateful to
Msgr. McCann for all that he did to help
cultivate and sustain our wonderful
Schools.
Msgr. John J. McCann attested to the vibrant history of The Schools of Saint Mary during the Elected Officials Open House held earlier this year.
Mr. Jonathan D. Kramer, Most Rev. William F. Murphy, Msgr. John J. McCann, Mrs. Grace M. Cavallo, and Msgr. Robert O. Morrissey during the Bishop's annual visit to the High School.
PHO
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SYMM
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school news
Seven Saint Mary’s Elementary School
students competed against teams from
13 other schools from the surrounding
areas in the 13th annual Catholic Middle
School Mock Trial Program at Saint
John’s University on Saturday, May 16.
Eighth-graders Sarah Narcisse and Chris
Zissimatos, seventh-graders Charlie
Strecker and Edmund Tartaro, and sixth-
graders Nina Kellner, Justine Cuomo
and Terence Scheurer spent the past
few months practicing after school for
two hours every Tuesday and Thursday,
honing their skills in logic and rhetoric,
learning how to present an opening
statement and closing argument, how
to examine and cross-examine a witness,
and everything else that goes into
preparing for and participating as the
defense, prosecution and witnesses in an
actual court trial. During their practices,
the students were mentored and
coached by several lawyer parents who
readily volunteered their time – Terence
C. Scheurer, Elizabeth Conti Scheurer,
Roseann Driscoll, Joseph Cuomo,
and Marjorie Alacqua along with three
members of the St. Mary’s High School
Mock Trial team – Alex O’Leary, Chris
Marrone, and Kristy Rampersaud. Before
the competition, Mr. O’Leary noted, “I feel
confident that the Elementary School
team will do very
well based upon
what I witnessed
during their
meetings.”
This is the first year
the Middle School
has participated
in Mock Trial.
The students all
varied between
describing the club
as being “cool,” “fun”
and “exciting,” with
many agreeing that
being part of the
team was better than they had expected.
“It’s almost like a play – there’s a script and
we all have parts”, said Miss Cuomo. With
everything they learned in preparation
for the trial, “I feel like a real lawyer,” added
team member, Mr. Scheurer.
At the end of their trial, the St. Mary’s
client was found not guilty on one charge
and guilty on another, but sentenced to
only community service with no jail time.
Mrs. Hoffman, club moderator and sixth-
grade teacher, noted that after all the hard
work the students put in and with the
help of their professional and High School
mentors, the team was more than ready
for competition. Over the course of the
past few months, “we’ve had so much fun
watching them blossom,” she said.
Elementary School Debuts at Mock Trial
www.inspiredthinkers.org | 8
Pictured left: Terence C. Scheurer, Esq. working with members of the Mock Trial Team during classroom prep leading up to the event.
Pictured below: Joseph Cuomo, Esq. helped to calm pre-event jitters at St. John's by reinforcing the hard work and effort by the students that led them to the actual trial.
“Because a simple show of optimism makes the world a better place.”
One of 13 schools in the competition, St. Mary’s made their debut in the prestigiousMoot Court Room at St. John’s.
Back row: Elizabeth Conti Scheurer, Esq, Terence C. Scheurer, Esq., Joseph Cuomo, Esq. Middle: Justine Cuomo, Mrs. Trudy Hoffman, Charlie Strecker, Edmund Tartaro, Sarah Narcisse, Nina Kellner. Front: Chris Zissimatos and Terence Scheurer. Missing from photo: Roseann Driscoll, Esq. and Marjorie Han Alacqua, Esq.
PHO
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SYMM
ON
S
school news
www.inspiredthinkers.org | 10
The Performing Arts Program at The
Schools of Saint Mary continues to thrive
after another successful year at both the
High School and Elementary School levels.
At St. Mary’s High School, the Performing
Arts Program is an active department
where students focus on cultivating their
talents in large and small group settings.
Whether in the orchestra, in chorus, in
dance, on or behind the stage, students
work alongside professionals who provide
an unparalleled learning experience. In
the classroom this past year, students
studied musical performance, classical
and contemporary masterworks, solo and
ensemble performance, voice, dance,
acting, and also learned new instruments,
all of which they incorporated into
performances throughout the school year.
Thanks to the continued involvement of
The Josephine Foundation, our students
work alongside a team of professional
production managers, costumers, set
builders, lighting and sound techs, actors
and musicians, covering every aspect of
the performing arts world.
At the Elementary School level, where
professional artists also share their
expertise through collaboration with The
Josephine Foundation, students had the
opportunities to showcase their talents
through Drama Club, band, and chorus
performances, giving them a head start
to pursue those talents and interests at
the High School level. Elementary School
students also took advantage of the
opportunity to join the after-school dance
program hosted at the High School. Here,
dancers of all ages and grade
levels honed their techniques
and learned from their fellow St.
Mary’s students.
This year, the High School
Performing Arts Program, which
has now been a part of the
St. Mary’s curriculum for two
years, presented two successful
musicals – Grease in the fall
and Broadway Blockbusters: A
Broadway Revue in the spring,
and the Elementary School
Drama Club put together a wonderful
production of Peter Pan in the spring.
“This year, the Program reached its goal
of connecting the Elementary and High
School students with the parish of St.
Mary’s,” noted Andrew J. Koslosky, director
of the High School Performing Arts
Program and Chairman of The Josephine
Foundation. The performances “provided
a solid foundation for the future of the
Performing Arts Program” at St. Mary’s.
In addition to the School performances,
in January, “at the invitation of Bishop
Murphy, the cast of Grease made its
debut on television as part of the Telecare
telethon,” he stated.
The Performing Arts Program expanded
this year to include new dance and
orchestra programs at the High School
level. “The first dance showcase in the
late spring was a huge success and we
expect this very popular class to grow
very quickly in numbers and talent
in year two”, said Mr. Koslosky. Music
teacher and orchestra director, Matthew
Elliott, had approximately 40 students
participate in the orchestra program.
“We were able to start several students
on new instruments in order to achieve
proper balance, and their enthusiasm and
diligence paid off quickly. We now have
an oboe section and will be growing our
brass section by adding French horns
next year. One student learned to play
the bassoon, having previously played
the tenor saxophone. We were able to
perform a student-composed piece as
part of the spring concert. It’s a rare and
exciting opportunity for any orchestra to
play music by a living composer, let alone
a student. The student musicians really
enjoyed that piece a lot.”
More than 20 incoming freshmen have
signed up to participate in orchestra
next year, he added, “enabling us to build
towards a vibrant and promising future.
We look forward to the continued support
of the students, parents, administration
and alumni as we begin a tradition of
musical excellence at St. Mary’s.”
Performing Arts at The Schools of Saint Mary
ALUMNI Magnificat | 13
Photos by Eileen Symmons
“The intended result of leaving a buzz in the community during the 2014-2015 season was achieved.”
–Andrew J. Koslosky
PHO
TOS BY EILEEN
SYMM
ON
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www.inspiredthinkers.org | 12
school news
“Tradition Lives in the Heart” was the
fitting theme as each team made their
final entrance as White and Blue at Saint
Mary’s High School’s 57th and last Sports
Night Friday, March 13 and Saturday,
March 14. Sports Night has been a
longstanding tradition, celebrating the
camaraderie and sisterhood that is built
through teamwork and competition.
Sports Night was conceived 57 years ago
to provide athletic, physical education,
and leadership activities for female
students at a time when sports programs
were not part of the curriculum. Since
its inception, additional athletic and
leadership opportunities have evolved
for the women of St. Mary’s, including
physical education classes, competitive
sports teams and service and co-
educational leadership activities.
The Friday Sports Night performance
was set aside as Alumnae Night, and
close to 500 female graduates, spanning
decades from the very first Sports
Night class in 1958 to the School’s most
recent graduates from 2014, descended
upon Immaculata Hall for a reception
preceding the event. It was truly a night to
remember - the excitement
and energy were palpable
as old friends reunited with
shouts of glee, as alumnae
returned for the first time
since their own Sports Night,
as former teachers caught
up with former students, as
women excitedly pointed
out their old lockers, and as
former participants returned
to watch their daughters
perform in Sports Night.
Everyone in attendance
reveled in the reunion-like atmosphere,
and happily grabbed a blue or white pom
pom and cheered for either Blue Team's
“Bluetime Stories” or White Team's “One
Last Night With White” as they made their
way over to Marist Hall for the night’s
performance. Ultimately, the White Team
came out victorious, though the girls
on both teams did an excellent job with
their themes, props, and costumes, and
performed with an amazing amount of
spirit, teamwork, and talent.
“I seriously want to cry with joy,” said
former Italian teacher Sasha Bernetti-
Worontzoff, who came back to the
Alumnae Night reception with her two
young daughters. “I love these kids
and getting to reminisce.” She noted
that when she taught at St. Mary’s that
she “was obsessed with Sports Night.”
She said she used to make time for
the students to practice when they
finished their classwork and she would
encourage the less outgoing girls to
participate wholeheartedly. “I would tell
them ‘You’re going to make friends and
you’re going to do this.’”
“Sports Night has really been instrumental
in these women’s lives,” noted St. Mary’s
assistant athletic director and Sports Night
coordinator Mary Cornell. “They were
leaders, they created something.” Because
this was the final Sports Night, she
decided to open up some of the events to
sophomores and freshmen so they could
be a part of the tradition. The Saint Mary’s
community is so proud of all the girls who
participated and worked so hard to make
this last Sports Night such a memorable
event – Blue Team and White Team will
truly live forever in the heart!
To view more images from the event, please visit www.stmary.ws/HighSchool and view the Alumni & Friends tab
Tradition Lives in the Heart: A Tribute to Sports Night
If you are interested in purchasing a video of Friday's performance, please contact Richie Matteus at 516.887.7916. Tee shirts are still available for sale. Contact The Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 516.627.4605 for details.
PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS AND DONG JUN WU
www.inspiredthinkers.org | 14
school news
High School commencements are
always full of accomplishment and the
promise of bright futures. The 2015
Commencement Exercises at Saint Mary’s
High School added
lots of selfies to that
traditional list. The class
was full of friendship
and spirit, and like most
in their generation, they
were anxious to capture
it all.
The Class of 2015 began
their Commencement
festivities with a
Baccalaureate Mass in
the Church of St. Mary.
The Class gathered to
give thanks for all they
had received over the
past four years and to
ask God to bless their future endeavors.
Anthony Bosko offered the Senior
Reflection at the end of Mass. He said
that the Catholic atmosphere of
St. Mary’s helped to shape his spirituality
and gave him and his classmates a better
understanding of their beliefs and values.
Anthony will attend Fordham University
with Jogues and Army ROTC scholarships.
Anthony was also awarded the Brother
Michael Driscoll Award.
138 graduates participated in
Commencement Exercises at the
Tilles Center on Saturday, June 6. The
valedictorian, Taylor Wilson, spoke about
the tremendous advantages offered by
the cultural diversity of his classmates.
“We had a unique lens to learn from
cultures around the world in a contained
environment. All ethnicities had an
interest in building friendships.” Taylor
also recognized with sincere gratitude
that he “will never
have to struggle” the
way his father did
when he first came
to America. “Up until
now, our education
has been a gift to us.”
He encouraged his
classmates to assume
the responsibilities
associated with the
freedom and power
that lies ahead
Taylor will attend
Swarthmore College
on a scholarship. He
was also the recipient
of the Award for
General Excellence, and the English and
Mathematics Awards for Excellence over a
four-year period.
Congratulations Class of 2015! Welcome
to the alumni family.
Commencement Weekend
Additional Awards Bestowed at CommencementThe Mother M. Annette Trophy, given to the senior girl who demonstrated qualities of character, success in studies and school sprit over her four years at St. Mary’s, was presented to Jaanki Shah. Jaanki was also the salutatorian, receiving the Salutatory Award for Excellence over a four-year period as well as the Mathematics Award for Excellence over a four-year period. Jaanki will attend NYIT on the President’s Scholarship.
The Sister Jeanne Drummond Award, given to the senior girl who demonstrates the qualities of selfless service and dedication to academic success and loyalty to St. Mary’s exemplified by Sr. Jeanne, was awarded to Kyla Portnoy. Kyla will attend the University of Miami on a Canes Achievement Award.
The Brother Nicholas Mary Trophy, given to the senior boy who has demonstrated qualities of character, success in studies, and school spirit over a four-year period, was awarded to Christian Eveillard. Christian will attend the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. www.inspiredthinkers.org | 14
A proud Norona family moment as Katie '15 joins her brother Kevin '11 as St. Mary's alumni.
PHO
TO BY EILEEN
SYMM
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school news
Adelphi UniversityAlbany College of PharmacyAlvernia UniversityAmerican UniversityAmherst CollegeAssumption CollegeBabson CollegeBaruch CollegeBinghamton UniversityBoston CollegeBoston UniversityBrandeis UniversityBriarcliffe CollegeBuffalo State CollegeCarnegie Mellon UniversityCatholic UniversityClark Atlanta UniversityColgate UniversityCollege of the Holy CrossColumbia UniversityCornell UniversityCUNY HunterCUNY LehmanCUNY QueensCurry CollegeDartmouth CollegeDelaware State UniversityDowling CollegeDrew UniversityDrexel UniversityDuke UniversityDuquesne University
Fairfield UniversityFlagler CollegeFordham UniversityGeorge Washington UniversityHamilton CollegeHartwick CollegeHofstra UniversityHoward UniversityIona CollegeIthaca CollegeJames Madison UniversityLasell CollegeLe Moyne CollegeLIU BrooklynLIU PostM.I.T.Manhattan CollegeManhattanville CollegeMercy CollegeMethodist UniversityMitchell CollegeMolloy CollegeMount Saint Mary CollegeNew England CollegeNew York Institute of TechnologyNew York UniversityNortheastern UniversityOld Dominion UniversityUniversity of Illinois at Urbana/ ChampagneUniversity of PennsylvaniaPace University
Penn StatePratt InstitutePrinceton UniversityPomona CollegePurdue UniversityRhode Island School of DesignRoger Williams UniversityRutgers UniversitySacred Heart UniversitySchool of the Art Institute of ChicagoSeton Hall UniversitySiena CollegeSt. Anselm CollegeSt. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Francis CollegeSt. John’s UniversitySt. Joseph’s CollegeStony Brook UniversitySUNY AlbanySUNY BrockportSUNY CortlandSUNY FarmingdaleSUNY GeneseoSUNY Old WestburySUNY OneontaSUNY OswegoSUNY PotsdamSUNY PurchaseSwarthmore CollegeSyracuse UniversityThe College of Mount Saint VincentThe College of New Rochelle
The College of Saint RoseThe University of ScrantonTouro CollegeUniversity of AlabamaUniversity of BridgeportUniversity of California BerkeleyUniversity of California Los AngelesUniversity of California San DiegoUniversity of ConnecticutUniversity of DallasUniversity of DelawareUniversity of HartfordUniversity of Mass. AmherstUniversity of MiamiUniversity of PittsburghUniversity of Rhode IslandUniversity of TampaUniversity of Tennessee-KnoxvilleUniversity of VermontUniversity of West VirginiaQuinnipiacVassar CollegeVillanova UniversityYork College of PA
Together with the Administration and Faculty of St. Mary’s High School, Reverend Father Robert A. Romeo, Pastor, is pleased to present the following post-secondary educational acceptances for the Class of 2015. Congratulations to our students on their remarkable achievements. We will keep you in our prayers as you continue your journey as young Catholic men and women.
College Acceptances 2015
The Class of 2015 earned over $11 million in academic scholarships to these prestigious colleges and universities.
Valedictorian, Taylor Wilson, addresses his classmates at Commencement Exercises held at the Tilles Center.
PHO
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school news
At the eighty-seventh Commencement
Exercises, held on June 12, thirty six
students joined the ranks of the Saint
Mary’s Elementary School alumni. The
presentation of diplomas followed the
Eucharistic celebration in the Church of
Saint Mary. It was the final chapter in a
week-long celebration for the Class
of 2015.
At the awards ceremony held on Thursday
evening, the class was recognized for their
academic achievements which included
recognition of the numerous scholarships
they received to Catholic High Schools. To
help prepare them for their new alumni
status, they received an alumni pin as a
reminder of their time at St. Mary’s. Lauren
Bernic, Kristen Byrne, CJ Miller and Kara
Walsh were identified as the class agents
who would help keep classmates in touch
and organize their first class reunion.
At the request of their teacher, Sarah
de Venoge, who is herself an alumna,
students were asked to write a letter to
themselves, reminding them to nurture
and grow the faith and values they had
learned at St. Mary’s during high school.
The letters will be opened at their first
reunion in four years.
As part of the celebrations, the class
participated in a class field day and had a
dance at Strathmore Vanderbilt Country
Club. Thanks to the heroic efforts of the
parents, they also received a beautiful
yearbook chronicling their time at
St. Mary’s. They were so excited to rifle
through the pages and kept alive the
tradition of signing each other’s books.
Elementary School Commencement
PHO
TOS BY EILEEN
SYMM
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S
school news
How do you thank a teacher for all
they have done for your children? It is a
question that most parents never really
know how to answer satisfactorily. One
family found a great solution. To thank
Mrs. Nancy Mason for all she had done
for their family, they created The Nancy
Mason Award at Saint Mary’s Elementary
School. The Nancy
Mason Award is a
generous one-time
financial award that
will assist a selected
student with next
year’s tuition. These
generous donors,
who wish to remain
anonymous, knew
that the best way to
honor Mrs. Mason
and her deep
commitment to
Catholic education
would be to assist a
student in receiving
the gift of a St. Mary’s
Elementary School
education.
Mrs. Mason is humbled by the award and
delighted that it will create an amazing
opportunity for the selected student to
continue to learn and grow at St. Mary’s.
She has already encouraged the recipient
to do the same for someone else when
they get older. At her core, Mrs. Mason is
always a teacher.
During her tenure at St. Mary’s Elementary
School, Mrs. Mason has touched the
lives of generations of students. “I really
do care about the kids,” she says with
a smile. Following a career in public
schools, Mrs. Mason returned to St.
Mary’s as a volunteer when her son
began Kindergarten. Over the years, her
career grew from volunteer to part-time
aide, to a full-time teacher. She officially
retired in 2010, and returned to her role
as volunteer. Today, you can find her hard
at work in the St. Mary’s library two days
a week.
Her dedication to Catholic education, and
her ability to see the God-given gifts of
each of her students, makes her career in
education a vocation. She sees potential
where others might see obstacles, and
she never fails to believe that love is the
most important lesson teachers impart
to their students. She knows that it is
the family atmosphere and religious
values that make St. Mary’s Elementary
School such a special place. “Dr. Checchia
knows the name of every person in the
building, and each child receives personal
attention,” she says.
Mrs. Mason is the
beneficiary of a St.
Mary’s education
herself as a graduate
of both St. Mary’s
Elementary and High
Schools. She is also
the daughter of one
of St. Mary’s Girls’
High School legends
– Mrs. Peg Stanton.
“I am from a family
of educators. My
mom never pushed
education, but I am
sure I was influenced
seeing what she liked
to do.”
Mrs. Mason’s former students fondly
remember how she used to personalize
their Kindergarten worksheets, and how
they were motivated to learn to read just
so they could understand the notes she
wrote to them. In a wonderful way, The
Nancy Mason Award is the ultimate thank
you note to Mrs. Mason.
Nancy Mason Award
“...the ultimate thank you note to Mrs. Mason.”
www.inspiredthinkers.org | 18
Mrs. Mason's love of Catholic education runs deep especially when it comes to the School library and witnessing the students and their desire to read.
Almost 43 years after High School
graduation, Chrissy Gawrych ‘ 72 believes
she has more Saint Mary’s friends to make.
Following her 40th reunion in 2012, the
Class of 1972 began connecting and
re-connecting in great ways. “Our 40th
reunion brought together a whole new
group. Jean Metzler tracked people
down, and about 35 people attended.”
That reunion spurred another gathering
later that year, and they have not stopped
getting together since.
When 13 classmates joined Maura Bell
Gammans at her house overlooking
the Penobscot River, Maine, they had so
much fun that “we didn’t want to go to
sleep at night.” Now the class maintains
its own Facebook group and E-mail list.
“We are in touch with about 100 people
in the class. Anytime someone is visiting
from out of town, we let the group know,
and whoever can make it gets together
to welcome them.” So far, it has led to
gatherings about every two months.
Chrissy says, “Going to Saint Mary’s Girls’
High School was like having sisters.” This
is particularly special to Chrissy since she
does not have sisters of her own. “We
have a lot in common with each other. We
weren’t all best friends in High School, but
we share the challenges of aging parents
and family changes. We offer advice and
support to each other. We also have
shared values that we developed at St.
Mary’s. The desire to always do the right
and fair thing, and the Catholic values we
learned here.” It is not surprising that some
members of the group attended Mass
together during their Maine getaway.
As a class agent and member of the
Alumni Association board, Chrissy is
also a great conduit for feedback and
information from her classmates. She
proudly shares their accomplishments
and brings forward their concerns. “We
really would like to see more pictures of
Immaculata Hall featured.”
Saint Mary’s has always been a big part
of Chrissy’s life and career. She began
working at Fieldcrest Mills for the first
eight years thanks to a referral from her
classmate Terry Corcoran Hayes. Then
looking to work closer to
home, she started her 36-
year career at Verizon. As
a central office technician,
Chrissy handles all the issues
relating to outside wire
detecting. Storms can be
the most intense times of
Chrissy’s work. She worked
20 days in a row during
Superstorm Sandy, and cross
country skied to work from Mineola to
Garden City during a winter blizzard.
The Verizon Foundation encourages
employees to volunteer their time. Chrissy
took the initiative to nominate St. Mary’s
High School as one of the company
approved organizations. Then Verizon
made a gift to St. Mary’s to recognize the
time she donated as a class agent, board
member and on various committees. It
is just another example of how Chrissy’s
creativity and thoughtfulness helps make
a difference. Chrissy plans to retire from
Verizon in the near future, but not until
she has clocked her board hours for
the year.
Chrissy Gawrych is a great example of
how when you get involved, St. Mary’s
can keep enriching your life long after
graduation.
Chrissy Gawrych ’72
alumni profiles
“...The desire to always do the right and fair thing, and the Catholic values we learned here.”
PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS AND DONG JUN WU
alumni profiles
Neil Hannan:Princeton’s 2015 Salutatorian
Neil Hannan, an alumnus of Saint Mary’s
Elementary School and a Manhasset
resident, graduated as salutatorian of the
Class of 2015 from Princeton University on
June 2.
Mr. Hannan, who graduated with a
concentration in the Classics and is
pursuing a certificate in finance, plans
to work as an investment associate at
Bridgewater Associates, a macroeconomic
hedge fund in Connecticut, following
graduation.
Mr. Hannan was a student at St. Mary’s
from fourth through eighth grade, he
stated, and “one aspect of my St. Mary’s
education that I particularly appreciate
is the excellent writing instruction that I
received in my English classes there, as it
provided a great foundation for my later
study of the humanities. Beyond English,
I remember fondly my science classes
with Mrs. Brown and my eighth grade
Math course with Mrs. Drzymalski, as both
teachers encouraged learning in their
subjects beyond the classroom.”
After St. Mary’s, Mr. Hannan continued his
Catholic education at Regis High School in
Manhattan. “I am grateful to my Catholic
education for allowing me to combine
my academic and spiritual development,”
he noted. “My experiences at St. Mary’s
and at Regis High School enabled me
to think about my Catholic faith in an
intellectually rigorous way, an approach
that I continued through my involvement
with the Catholic Aquinas Center at
Princeton,” the hub of university’s Catholic
campus ministry. “In addition, I found that
the Catholic focus of my earlier education
helped create warm and cooperative
communities at those schools, which
parallels the close community I found at
Princeton.”
Asked what words of advice
he had for St. Mary’s students,
Mr. Hannan noted that a
love of what you study will
lead you to engage in it
passionately and to do well
in it. “Make sure that you are
motivated to pursue what
you are studying,” he stated.
“You will spend a lot of time
doing work for classes in
your major, and your time
will be more enjoyable and
more successful if you don’t
have to force yourself to do
the work but rather, do so
willingly. This doesn’t mean that you will
enjoy every moment of your work, but
it’s important to know that what you’re
doing is contributing to your goals.” As
for the most recent graduates of The
Schools of Saint Mary as they embark
on their own high school and college
careers, Mr. Hannan advised, “I would
recommend that you strive for balance
as you begin college. Both academics
and extracurricular activities can be great
aspects of the college experience, but
neither should completely take over
your life. Within academics, I would also
recommend combining breadth and
depth; although it is important to find
and work hard in your primary major, you
should also try a variety of courses.”
www.inspiredthinkers.org | 20
“Make sure that you are motivated to pursue what you are studying.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
alumni profiles
ALUMNI Magnificat | 21
Young Alumni Profile: Christian Moise ’13Sometimes recent graduates feel like they
will wait to give back or get involved at
Saint Mary’s until they are older and more
accomplished. Christian Moise ’13 is a
great example of why there is no time like
the present to get involved.
Christian is completing his second year at
SUNY Old Westbury, where he is majoring
in biology. He is also taking EMT courses
at North Shore-LIJ. He plans to go to
graduate school to study physical therapy.
Christian says that he felt that St. Mary’s
more than well prepared him for college.
Mr. Mongeluzzo prepared him not just for
math, but for study and life skills as well as
time management. “The confidence and
leadership skills that I gained outside of
the classroom through sports, and extra
curricular activities were also a big part
of my education at St. Mary’s.” During his
student days, Christian was the president
of the student council, a member of the
soccer team, and worked in the parish
office. He continues his involvement with
St. Mary’s today. He is a member of the
coaching staff for the St. Mary’s soccer
teams and serves as a class agent for
his class. “It is fun to now be coaching
students who came as freshmen when I
was a student,” he says about his coaching
experience.
He is in touch with a core group of St.
Mary’s friends on a daily basis, and has
enjoyed getting to know other St. Mary’s
students on the SUNY Old Westbury
campus. He says that some of his high
school friendships have even deepened
in college.
“It is always good to give back to a
community that gave you a start,” says
Christian. It is never too early to get
involved with St. Mary’s.
“It’s always good to give back to a community that gave you a start.”
In 2016, St. Mary’s High School will once again induct outstanding community members into the Hall of Fame. Based on the criteria below, nominations are being accepted through November 15, 2015:
• Be a member of the St. Mary’s High School community (alumnus, faculty, coaches, administration, parents) living or deceased • Have achieved a level of success in a chosen field of endeavor, not necessarily one financially remunerative, that would generally or widely be deemed outstanding in terms of accomplishment, and worthy of special recognition by peers, competitors, the media, family, the Church or other groups. • Personal qualities and achievements evaluated as part of the annual award process for the Hall of Fame may include philanthropy, overcoming challenges, leadership, spirituality and public image. • A nominee’s accomplishments must derive from a legitimate business, profession, service, avocation, or other activity readily construable as beneficial to our society. • The life of a nominee must be exemplary, respectable, and consistent with both the philosophy and the standard of St. Mary’s High School. • If an alumnus, the nominee must have graduated from St. Mary’s at least ten years before nomination.
Nominations can be sent to the St. Mary’s Alumni Association Office of Development & Alumni Relations, 51 Clapham Avenue, Manhasset NY 11030 or via email to [email protected]. A selection committee will review and select candidates. An induction ceremony will take place this spring.
Hall of Fame Nominations
faculty spotlight
Saint Mary’s Elementary School math
teacher Anthony Calzetta is
definitely making a difference
in the lives of his students. Mr.
Calzetta was recently chosen by
Nizette Dugue, a 2014 graduate
of the Elementary School and
a current freshman at Bishop
Kearney High School in Brooklyn,
as a teacher who had a positive
influence in her life as part of
Bishop Kearney’s "You Make
A Difference Day". Students
submitted essays honoring
middle school teachers who had
enriched their lives and inspired
their educational aspirations.
Mr. Calzetta and the other award
nominees were honored at a
ceremony and reception on
April 16.
“I never liked math, but I
improved greatly based on Mr.
Calzetta’s help,” said Miss Dugue
as to why she chose to honor
him. “I developed a love of and
better understanding of math.”
She noted that Mr. Calzetta
would tell her, “All you need is confidence;
with that, you can do well.” “I would do just
as he told me,” Miss Dugue said. “He really
made a difference.”
Miss Dugue is an example of how Mr.
Calzetta tries to live out his personal
mission as an educator: “Students will rise
to your expectations,” he noted, “but we
need to believe in them.” He explained
the importance of being honest with his
students about the work they are doing.
“If I know they can do better, I let them
know. If they had a good day, I let them
know. If I feel they are not working hard
enough, I let them know.” He added that
he doesn’t just teach them the equations,
but the skills to learn math – such as how
to study or what to do if they get stuck on
a problem.
When his students make the decision to
become engaged and put in the work
in order to do well, Mr. Calzetta said
he makes sure he’s there to help them
along the way. “I embrace questions and
want my students to become confident
in the subject. I make myself available
every single
day to give
extra help.
My students
can E-mail
me questions
and I will do
everything in my power for these
students to be successful.”
He noted that he wants his
students to love math as
much as he does and to see its
importance in the world. “I bring
that enthusiasm, that passion,
and I try to insert it in every
lesson.” So when he learned that
his former student Miss Dugue
had chosen to honor him at
"You Make A Difference Day", it
meant a lot. “To me, this honor
meant more to me than any
academic achievement I have
received,” he said. “This trumps
the two degrees I have received,
any honor society or passing any
certification test. This was the
highest honor in my mind.”
Making a Difference
www.inspiredthinkers.org | 22
“To me, this honor meant more to me than any academic achievement I have received.”
Nizette Dugue '14 with Mr. Anthony Calzetta at "You Make A Difference Day" at Bishop Kearney HS
Mr. Anthony Calzetta explains finding factors of quadratic trinomials to his students
Alumni Return for Mentoring Panel Don’t become worried if your career
path is not a straight line, find something
that not only makes you money but also
makes you happy, and stay grounded
in your faith – this was just some of the
advice Saint Mary’s High School’s junior
class received during the annual Alumni
Mentoring Panel program on Thursday,
March 26.
Five alumni from different career fields
– New York City Councilman Daniel Dromm ’73; Laura Driscoll Perocier ’88, who works for MetLife in finance/
insurance and retirement planning;
Dr. Michele Rennard ’92, a dentist who
just opened her
own practice;
Lieutenant Corporal Robert Duffy ’93, of the
U.S. Army;
and Thomas Capobianco ’10, who will
begin full-
time work in
accounting
in the fall – gave advice and answered
questions submitted by students
regarding college and careers: how they
chose a college and a major, how they
started in their careers, what they might
have changed about their journeys, what
the pros and cons have been of their
chosen professions, and how faith has
played a part over the course of their
adult lives so far.
This is the sixth year St. Mary’s has offered
the program to its eleventh-grade
students. Student feedback has helped
the program to evolve over the years
to include the representation of more
diverse careers, more women, and more
recent college graduates. “It has been
life-altering for some of our students” who
did not consider a career path until they
heard from alumni at past panels, noted
Grace M. Cavallo, President of The Schools
of Saint Mary.
Dr. Rennard said St. Mary’s had always
informally encouraged students to look
to the alumni community for mentoring
opportunities. Even before St. Mary’s
offered these panels, she was directed by
teachers at the school who knew of her
interest in pursuing something related
to health and medicine to look to alumni
for career advice and assistance – by
implementing this program, though, the
School has extended those mentoring
opportunities to more students. “I really
do have St. Mary’s to thank for my career,”
she said.
“Be proactive” when considering schools
and careers, Lieutenant Corporal Duffy
advised. “No one will care more about
your career than you do.” While some of
the alumni, such as Dr. Rennard, knew
while still at St. Mary’s what they wanted
to eventually do for a living, others, such
as Mr. Capobianco, noted that they kind
of fell into a career they ended up loving,
or explored a few options before finding
something they were passionate about.
When asked about faith lessons he or
she had learned over the course of their
educations and careers, each panelist had
some advice. “Don’t worry so much,” said
Councilman Dromm. “You have to make
decisions in life but put it in the hands
of God and it will work out. You never
really know where life’s journey is going
to lead you
but getting
a Catholic
education
really
laid the
foundation
for me.”
“The whole
message of
Christianity
is a message
of hope,”
Mrs. Perocier noted. “You have a purpose
in life, there’s a reason you’re here. Jesus
loves you. Jesus is there for you.”
“Each year the alumni who have come
to be part of the panel have offered
such great advice to the students,” noted
Kristin Graham, director of development
and alumni relations. “This year was no
exception. The common themes of hard
work, integrity and following one’s passion
are always inspiring and motivational.”
alumni news
ALUMNI Magnificat | 23
athletic news
Student-Athlete Profile: JP Kilcullen ’15JP Kilcullen, a resident of Stewart Manor,
has been playing golf since he was
about 10 years old at Lido Golf Club. He
is a member of the Metropolitan Junior
PGA, and has been a member of the St.
Mary’s golf and hockey teams for all four
years. This year, as a senior, he won male -
athlete of the year for all sports.
JP finished 3rd in the CHSAA State
individual boys golf championship with
a score of 75, which was a heartbreaking
one off the lead. He then went on to
be one of the CHSAA representatives at
Bethpage Black on June 7.
Golf team coach, Mr. Richard Krams, says
of him, “He is a great kid who is really
dedicated to golf. He plays all summer
long, and caddies at numerous country
clubs. I have enjoyed coaching him, and
learned a lot from him. I know his golf
game will thrive during his college years.”
JP will attend Methodist University in
North Carolina so he can play golf all year
long.
Hobey Baker Award Winners The Hobey Baker High School Character
Award was established in 2003 to honor
high school hockey players around the
country who exemplify the ideal that
"Character Builds Excellence." Each year,
a single senior hockey player from each
participating high school is selected
by his or her coach to be honored by
teammates, and celebrated by the
school and community for outstanding
individual performance on and off the ice.
Joseph Trimarchi, who has been coaching
the Gaels for the past six years, uses the
following criteria when making selections:
• Integrity and positive attitude
• Coachability
• Outstanding sportsmanship
• Community spirit
Congratulations to Paul Menexas ’16 the 2014-15 Hobey Baker Award winner!
Past Saint Mary’s High School recipients
include:
Matt Gilroy ’03
Michael Anzalone ’12
Nick Hutchinson ’13
Caleb Williamson ’13
Michael Powers ’14
Paul Menexas ’16
Lady Gaels Repeat ChampionsSaint Mary’s Lady Gaels beat Saint Anthony’s 54-45 to win the
NSCHSGAA Class AA girls’ varsity basketball final at Farmingdale
State College Wednesday, March 4. Senior Liz Limonta led St. Mary’s
to their second consecutive championship with 10 points and 20
rebounds and was named playoff MVP. St. Mary’s senior Jordan
Agustus (12 points) was named Player of the Year and four other St.
Mary’s players were recognized with All League honors – Limonta,
Mei-Lyn Bautista (14 points), Charlotte Renker (10 points) and
McKayla Hernandez (6 points). St. Mary’s ended the season 20-6.
www.inspiredthinkers.org | 24
90th ANNIVERSARY
Founded in 1926, Saint Mary’s Elementary School will celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2016.
Plans are underway for an all inclusive alumni celebration in Spring 2016
to mark the occasion.
TO BE A PART OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE, CONTACT
THE OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS
AT 516.627.4605
At a press conference held Wednesday, November 12, four athletes from the Saint Mary’s High School Class of 2015 made their commitments to play women’s basketball in college next season. Jordan Agustus, (Bronx) will attend St. John’s University, Mei-Lyn Bautista (Whitestone) will attend George Washington University, McKayla Hernandez, (Glen Cove) will attend Binghamton University, and Charlotte Renker (Mineola) will attend Assumption College. As their families and teammates looked on proudly from the girls’ basketball team’s home court in Immaculata Hall gym, all four young women thanked their parents and coaches for their support and encouragement over the years. “Saint Mary’s has been great academically and athletically,” said Miss Renker in her speech, acknowledging the school community that helped her and her teammates flourish both on and off the court. “I also want to thank Coach (Tom) Flynn and the Saint Mary’s administration for the opportunity they gave me at a great high school.” Congratulations to these Lady Gaels on their accomplishments!
Lady Gaels Make College Commits
Seniors Mei-Lyn Bautista, Charlotte Renker, Jordan Agustus and McKayla Hernandez. PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS
The Schools of Saint Mary is so blessed to
have an exceptional parent community who
consistently supports the administration
in advancing our mission. They repeatedly
go above and beyond on behalf of their
children’s School.
Parents are often our best ambassadors.
They have personal and current insights on
school life, and proudly share their family’s
experience with others who are interested in
learning more about St. Mary’s.
The Schools of Saint Mary is particularly
grateful to those parents who assume
leadership roles by getting involved with
the Parent Teacher Organization at the
Elementary School and the Gaels Parents’ Association at the High School. Each leadership organization serves the unique constituents
they represent and work tirelessly on fundraising and community building efforts.
The Elementary School looks forward to welcoming their new leadership team: Elaine Caliendo, PTO President and Adrianna Calosso Breen, PTO Vice President. The PTO is grateful to Amy Murphy who served as the PTO President for the past two years.
The Gaels Parents’ Association
wishes to acknowledge the
exceptional efforts of Catherine Abbatangelo, Tricia Ahern,
and Cassandra Toppi. They
have graduated their last child
at St. Mary’s High School, but
will forever be a part of our
community.
Thank you to all the parents
who work so hard to make The
Schools of Saint Mary such a
special place for children to
learn and grow!
PHOTOS BY MEAGHAN REYES AND EILEEN SYMMONS
Parents Make a Difference
parent appreciation
www.inspiredthinkers.org | 26
Members of the Elementary School's Parent Teacher Organization 2014-2015
Members of the High School's Gaels Parents' Association 2014-2015
Life is Grand Saint Mary’s Elementary School welcomed
grandparents of students from all grade
levels to see the children’s Catholic
education in action at the School’s annual
Grandparents Day celebration on Friday,
May 8.
The students’ visitors were first treated
to refreshments and a musical
performance by some of the classes
and the select chorus in the School
gym. Mrs. Grace M. Cavallo, President
of The Schools of Saint Mary, and Dr.
Celeste Checchia, Principal of St. Mary’s
Elementary School, welcomed everyone
and thanked them for spending their
morning at St. Mary’s. “I’m so proud to be
a grandparent, and I know that all of you
are too,” said Dr. Checchia. The special
guests then got to spend time with their
grandchildren in their classrooms, where
they heard about all the wonderful things
the students have been learning over
the course of the school year and got to
participate in lessons together with the
children.
Many grandparents wrote lovely notes
and sent E-mails to say what a special
day it had been for them and their
grandchildren.
parent appreciation
PHOTOS BY MARY GORRY
ALUMNI Magnificat | 28
This year, two faculty members are retiring
from Saint Mary’s High School. Before Linda
Lipani and Kathy Smith officially conclude
their time at St. Mary’s, we asked them
about some of their favorite memories and
prideful moments.
Linda Lipani has been at St. Mary’s for 14
years. She began teaching Spanish, and
within three years was teaching Italian as
well. She was named Chairperson of the
Modern Language Department in 2010.
She also moderated several clubs during
the years, including the Spanish Club, the
Dance Club, Zumba and the Debate Club.
As Chairperson, she was able to institute
some changes in the department
including a name change from “Foreign
Language” to “Modern Language.” The
department participated in the Spring
MusArt event with a display highlighting
the language students’ accomplishments
in their learning of the Spanish and
Italian cultures. The Modern Language
Honor Society began in 2013, where top
achieving students in Language studies
are recognized for their academics and
service at a school awards ceremony each
May. With the introduction of the freshman
honors program, the Spanish 3 Honors
level class was restructured to incorporate
a Pre-AP curriculum, enabling students to
achieve more success on the AP exam.
She has taught thousands of students,
instilling in them a love of language as
well as a better understanding of cultures
from around the world. “My goal in every
class was not only to teach the students
a language, but also to teach them to
respect themselves by what they say
and the work they produce,” noted
Mrs. Lipani. “I strived to have them
leave my classes every year as better
people than when they came in. I
always treated every student exactly
as I would have wanted by own child
taught and treated.”
It is difficult for her to identify one
favorite memory, but when pressed
she cites when her senior class did
a study of what it takes to write and
create a child’s storybook in English
and Spanish. “Over a couple of months,
the students worked cooperatively to
write and illustrate storybooks, all of
which incorporated a lesson for the young
reader. It was a charitable endeavor since
the books were going to be donated to
an elementary school’s library that was
destroyed during Hurricane Sandy, and
the students paid for the printing of the
books themselves. We then delivered
them personally to the kindergarten
classes on a day in which our students
met the children, interacting with them
and reading their books to them in
English and Spanish. Our students had a
wonderful time, while learning so much.”
“I believe St. Mary’s is a special place to work
because of the people that work here,” she
stated. “I have been blessed to work with
some of the most caring, dedicated faculty
and staff I have ever met. We really do care
about the students and give them our
all. I believe we are an inspiring group of
people whose mission is educating the
whole person while keeping our faith
always foremost.”
Mrs. Lipani’s plans for the immediate
future are to take care of her grandson,
Luca, while her daughter returns to work.
“I am looking forward to revisiting those
exciting years raising a young child. I hope
to be able to continue to serve St. Mary’s
in whatever role might work for the school
and my schedule. St. Mary’s will always be
a part of me.”
Kathy Smith always knew she wanted to
be a teacher. “Teaching is not what I do.
It is who I am,” she says proudly. After 33
years, Ms. Smith is ready to retire from the
Faculty Retirements
Mrs. Lipani always made class time engaging for her Modern Language students at St. Mary's.
Ms. Smith and Ms. Tomlinson having fun at the School Halloween party.
continued on pg 30>
faculty spotlight
SAVE THE DATE
Don’t Miss theClass of 1953 ReunionSaturday, September 19, 20152:00 PM | The View Grill - Glen Cove Course
Class of 1995 ReunionSaturday, November 14, 2015The Inn at New Hyde Park | 7:00 PMOnline registration will be posted at www.stmary.ws/HighSchool
Class of 1975 ReunionSaturday, October 24, 2015Port Washington Yacht Club
Class of 196550th Reunion WeekendNovember 6-8, 2015
• Friday, November 6, 2015 Informal Gathering 7:00 PM Edison’s (formerly Publican’s) | Plandome Road, Manhasset PAY AS YOU GO. NO RSVP REQUIRED.
• Saturday, November 7, 2015 Cocktails, Dinner & Dancing 6:00 PM Manhasset Bay Yacht Club | Port Washington $110 PER PERSON
• Sunday, November 8, 2015 Alumni Memorial Mass at 10:30 AM followed by brunch Church of St. Mary | 1300 Northern Boulevard
To register, watch for printed invitations in the mail or visit http://stmary.ws/HighSchool/alumni-friends/upcoming-events/Fun ideas? Memorabilia to share? Be sure to contact class committee members:Kathleen Cirina: [email protected] “Pinky” Gulmi Kennell: [email protected] Nunziata: [email protected] Ras: [email protected] Troy: [email protected]
Class of 2000-2005 Reunion Winter/Spring 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ALL REUNION EVENTS, PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS AT 516.627.2711 x1162.
PHO
TO BY EILEEN
SYMM
ON
S
Last year, Sr. Teresa Raftery, IHM generously offered to be a correspondent for the alumni office, providing updates on some of the most beloved and inquired about teachers and mentors from the Sisters, Servants
of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Connections
Continued from page 28
science faculty, but she will always be a
teacher at heart.
During her time at Saint Mary’s, she has
worked for five principals and seen lots
of institutional change. Sitting in her lab
marking papers she reflects, “When I close
the door and can just focus on teaching
my students, that is still fun and rewarding.”
After a storied career, she justifiably has a
few areas of great pride.
She is proud that the Science Department
led the technology movement at St.
Mary’s, using online resources since the
early 1990s. She and her colleague, Tony
Mangiacapre, wrote a grant proposal for
Computers on Wheels (COWS as they were
affectionately referred to) before Ipads
were even a dream. “Learning is important
to me. Anything that facilitates learning is
a good thing, and technology definitely
helps facilitate learning.”
She is also very proud of the success of
her former students, and is quick to point
out that success does not just mean career
success. “When I meet former students
they almost always comment on their
children and family first. That makes me
think that the Catholic values we teach is
maybe the best work we do at St. Mary’s.”
She beams with a parent’s pride about
her students who have returned to teach
at Saint Mary’s. She says she has loved
watching and mentoring them. Anne
Tomlinson, now a member of the science
faculty, was also Ms. Smith’s student. She
says that she was inspired by Ms. Smith
and the effect she had on her students. “I
try to follow a lot of her teaching strategies:
introduce it simply, find the things
students can relate to, and then build on
those blocks,” said Ms. Tomlinson. “I also try
to remember her care for the individual
and not just the classwork.”
Did you know that Ms. Smith was also
the volleyball coach for 17 seasons? She
is proud that she could teach and coach
both the girls and boys Varsity volleyball
teams.
In her next chapter, Ms. Smith is returning
to Virginia, where she once lived, and where
she has family. She has young cousins
(ages 2 and 5) in Northern Virginia who
will become her new teaching audience.
If you would like to send a message to
Ms. Smith, she can be reached directly at
Saint Mary’s High School thanks Mrs.
Lipani and Ms. Smith for their long-serving
dedication to their students and their
commitment to Catholic education. May
your retirement be blessed with much
health and happiness.
If you would like an update any of the IHM Sisters, please send an inquiry:
Via E-mail: [email protected]
Via Mail: The Schools of Saint Mary Office of Development and Alumni Relations 1300 Northern Boulevard Manhasset, NY 11030
We will share them with Sr. Teresa for her input and get back to you with an update.
Saint Mary’s at World Trade Center Memorial FoundationThomas Jordan ’71 generously donated to the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation in 2009 to obtain a memorial cobblestone in memory and honor of all those Saint Mary’s alumni who were tragically lost on September 11, 2001. The cobblestone number is 86 and is located at Tree Row “T” under tree number 105.
The kiosk inscription reads as follows:In memory of the following graduates of my high school,
St. Mary’s High School, Manhasset, Long Island, NY: Kevin Cosgrove, Class of 1973; Robert Baierwalter 1975; Tim Coughlin 1976; Peter Owens 1977; Tim Kelly 1981; Thomas Burke 1981; NYC Fireman Tom Holohan 1983;
Tony Perez 1986; Richard Lynch 1988; NYC Fireman Michael Kiefer 1994, and also in memory of Franciscan Father Maychal Judge who taught at
my alma mater, St. Bonaventure University, Olean, N.Y. circa 1971 who were all tragically lost at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Please visit the site and remember these alumni along with Mr. Jordan for creating this thoughtful memorial.
www.inspiredthinkers.org | 30
In MemoriamThe St. Mary’s community expresses its sympathies and prayers to the families, friends, and classmates of the following deceased alumni whose deaths were reported to the Office of Development and Alumni Relations between June 18, 2014 – June 19, 2015
PAUL BRADY ’82
FRANCES CARBAIN ’72
PATRICE CUCCIOLI ’72
MARIA CONTINO, FORMER FACULTY
PATRICE DALY ’72
JOHN DOOLEY ’61
DENNIS FEARN ’71
WILLIAM FINNERTY ’69
JULIET IZZO ’72
EUGENE MARTIN ’54
MICHAEL MATINALE ’78
PAUL McCARTHY ’55
JANET BARTH McHALE ’69
KEVIN MELLIFONT ’68
MARY ANN TUCKER MENOCHE ’65
JOHN MOYLAN ’58
PETER NUZZI ’71
LIAM OLSEN ’07
BRIAN OUSEY ’73
CHRISTIAN PLATT ‘54
MARY PRUNTY, FORMER FACULTY
PHIL RYBECKY ‘09
JOSEPH STAHL ‘68
DENISE STARACE ‘72
To report an alumni passing, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations via E-mail at [email protected].
All deceased alumni are remembered at the annual Alumni Memorial Mass.
✟Please join us to remember beloved classmates, friend
and family members.
ALUMNI Memorial Mass
10:30 am
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Church of Saint Mary
PHOTO BY EILEEN SYMMONS
1300 Northern BoulevardManhasset, New York 11030
Non Profit OrgUS Postage
PAIDPermit No. 8Hanover, NH
Saint Mary’s High School invites you to the
23rd Annual Don Monti Memorial Golf Classic & Fall Alumni Dinner
Honoring Bill Milleras this year’s Timothy J. Coughlin Award RecipientThursday, September 24, 2015Plandome Country Club
For more information, reservations or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.stmary.ws/HighSchool or contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 516.627.2711 ext 1162.S
ave
the D
ate
!
23rd Ann
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Don Monti Memorial G
olf Classic
The Schools of Saint Mary | SAINT MARY’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL N-8SAINT MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL 9-12