SUMMER 2015
Greetings SLCS Saints, I hope this letter finds you all well and in great health! At St. Laurence, we remain committed to academic excellence in the preparation of young men and women for high school, college, and for lifelong learning. The 21st century world requires successful students to be literate, articulate, and prepared to succeed in a technological world. A St. Laurence graduate is prepared to meet these challenges. Our faith-based curriculum integrates Christian values, utilizes the most up-to-date instructional strategies, and incorporates technology into classrooms across the curriculum while focusing on the entire individual – heart, mind, body, and spirit. St. Laurence Catholic School is very proud of all our alumni and will continually update the alumni section of our website and the alumni publications with your help. We get news from time to time; but your direct e-mails would help us provide you with even greater support. We value your input and help in communicating those getting married, graduating from college, serving our country, or anything else that might serve as interest to the alumni we have active listings for in our database. Most of our efforts are seen with things we find directly from parents or Facebook. However, getting married or sharing a prayer request certainly is of value for all to read. Please e-mail Ms. Przybyla at gprzybyla@stlaurence.org with any updates you would like to share. Please know that your financial support is always appreciated. Whether you respond to the annual fund to address current program needs, decide to support or create a scholarship fund, or assist with capital needs, you are expressing a genuine concern for others and helping to strengthen the St. Laurence family.
• In September, we will have our third accreditation visit from the TCCED, and I am hopeful that they will see that our school is one that ensures excellence and prepares students well for their futures. • Our next Alumni Mass is scheduled for Friday, May 27th – mark your calendars and plan to attend! • In the 2016-2017 school year, we will celebrate our 25th anniversary as a school – stay tuned for special events! God continues to bless us with great teachers, very supportive parents, and outstanding students like each of you were when you attended the school.
In Him we trust,
Debra Haney, Principal
Here are a few items of interest: • In May, our 19th graduating class became our newest alumni! Congrats to the Class of 2015 and to the graduating seniors that came back to visit us for the Alumni Mass in May! Thank you for sharing your successes with us!
IN THIS ISSUE 2 Mission & Staff 3 Annual Fund/Save These Dates
4 8th Grade Awards/
Alumni Updates/ 6-7 Servicemen & Women
5 Faculty & Staff Spotlight
8 Alumni Update Form
Alumni Mass Photos
ST. LAURENCE CATHOLIC SCHOOL
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SUMMER 2015
CLASS OF 2015
MISSION As a pastoral instrument of the Church, St. Laurence Catholic School sees as its mission the development of the whole Christian person. We will prepare our children to relate positively with the larger society by providing a program of Christian values, strong academics, social skills, and community service. Just as the Holy Trinity permeates
STAFF Editor: Ginger Przybyla, Development Coordinator Contributors: Suzanne Byrne, Development Assistant Marie Brown Terry Boyer Sarah Glaser Germaine Guedry Debra Haney ShaLa Kiolbassa Anne Lootens Linda Schurman Lindsey Vainstein
The Saints’ Scoop is a publication of the Office of Development at St. Laurence Catholic School. St. Laurence Catholic School’s The Saints’ Scoop is published twice a year in the fall/winter and spring/summer. St. Laurence Catholic School 2630 Austin Parkway Sugar Land, TX 77479 281-980-0500
www.stlaurencecs.org
Photographers: Parents, faculty, staff and friends of SLCS
the life of the Church, the personal relationship of parent, child, and educator gives life to our school.
Find us on Facebook and “Like” our school page www.facebook.com/pages/St-Laurence-CatholicSchool/105517722831132 or follow us on Twitter @StLaurence_1992
Contents of The Saints’ Scoop may not be reprinted without permission from St. Laurence Catholic School.
EVER THOUGHT OF GIVING BACK?
Faith, Learning & Leadership ANNUAL FUND
We would like to express our gratitude to you as alumni of St. Laurence Catholic School for your involvement regarding the Faith, Learning & Leadership Annual Fund. We received many gifts of your time, talent, and/or treasures and would like to extend a “Thank You” to those who have begun a legacy of financially supporting our beautiful school through the Faith, Learning & Leadership Annual Fund. The opportunities to assist our school vary, but by supporting the Faith, Learning & Leadership Annual Fund, you in turn support the many wonderful programs that have become traditions at St. Laurence Catholic School. All donations are 100% tax deductible and will benefit many young children as they journey through our hallways, just as you did many years ago. Remember, when you are in town visiting with SLCS alumni, family and friends, please send us pictures and updates as we love to keep up with the SLCS alumni.
S AV E THESE D AT E S
SEPT.
SLCS FAITH, LEARNING & LEADERSHIP ANNUAL FUND
SEPT.
GRANDPARENT DAY
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St. Laurence Catholic School 2015-2016 Faith, Learning & Leadership Annual Appeal Fund will kick off on Wednesday, September 2nd. Remember, it’s all for our kids.
Please join the SLCS students, faculty and staff in welcoming all grandparents to our beautiful campus. The day will begin with 8:15a.m. Mass in the church followed by a presentation in the gym and classroom visits.
NOV.
SPICE LUNCHEON
NOV.
SLCS TUITION ASSISTANCE GOLF TOURNAMENT
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The annual SPICE luncheon will be held on Friday, November 6, 2015, in the SLCC Parish Hall. You will not want to miss this annual luncheon.
The annual St. Laurence Catholic School Tuition Assistance Golf Tournament will be held at Sweetwater Country Club on Monday, November 16, 2015.
ST. LAURENCE CATHOLIC SCHOOL
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SLCS 8th Grade ds Graduation Awar Valedictorian: Summer Nguyen
saluatorian: Natalie Renee Ellis
Medals of Excellence: Victoria Acosta Andre Baud Grant Bordelon Eduardo Bouchez Catherine Cashiola Anthony Cassapo
Kayla Casuga Kendall Couch Natalie Renee Ellis Nicole Fleishman Reilly Garrison Alfonso Gonzalez
Chloe Ilagan Trinity Le Loran Morello Emily Nelson Summer Nguyen Christine Olipas
ALUMNI MASS AND RECEPTION
Mary Kate Parker An Pham Lauren Ponce de Leon Sarah Rogers Jewel Thomas Hope Walker-Tamboli
FACULTY AND STAFF SPOTLIGHT
GERMAINE GUEDRY
Assistant Principal and Curriculum Coordinator How long have you taught/ worked at SLCS? 20 years (August 1995) as the Asst. Principal in Middle School
What is your favorite color? Sunshine yellow and “St. Laurence red”
Do you have a favorite Scripture? 3 John 1:4 “Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth”
What is your favorite memory of SLCS or of an event at SLCS? So many years...so many GREAT memories! I guess some of my favorite memories are from when we were the smallest school in the Archdiocese….. our first Catholic Schools Week class competitions, our first Mother/Daughter Tea and Father/Son Brunch for the graduates, our first lock-in/retreat in 1997 with Father Chacko. It is great to look back and remember all the great teachers, staff members, and families who have worked so hard to make SLCS what it is today.
Name one thing that we wouldn’t know about you. I’ve travelled a lot (Africa, Italy, Austria, England, the Netherlands, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and places within the continental US) and want to do more.
Do you have any special talents? Definitely singing...The SLCS faculty can attest to this as they have experienced it on our bus trips to the Annual Archdiocesan Schools Opening Mass
Do you have any pets? One spoiled Border Collie/Sheltie mix named “Kip” who loves to have marshmallows for a snack (three a day when I get home from school is his limit)
Where did you attend college? The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (undergraduate), Holy Cross College, University of Southeastern Louisiana, and University of Southern Mississippi (graduate courses)
What is your favorite part about serving as a Principal? Connecting with Middle School students and faculty and sharing laughter with them
What would you be doing if you were not on staff at SLCS? What is your dream job? I’d be doing social work...preferably in Hawaii in the winter and Alaska in the summer
Who is playing on your iPod? What kind of music do you listen to? Rod Stewart, Bruno Mars, Sam Smith, John Legend
What is your favorite quote and why? “Be a thinker.” I coined the quote myself to use with my own children and continue to use it through all the years with “my” school children to hopefully make them think before responding/acting.
Where is your favorite vacation spot and with who? I’d love to go halibut fishing in Alaska with my family. The last trip we took as a family to Seattle/Vancouver will always have a special memory for me.
What was the first concert you attended?
the Hotel Monteleone for a gathering. One person in our group commented, “Hey, look at that nun! She pulls rank on the others because she has got a blue stripe on her veil.” When I turned to look, I recognized her as Sister (now Blessed Mother) Teresa. I ran with my camera and was able to catch up with her car. When she exited the car, I asked the nun who was with her if I could take Mother Teresa’s picture. She nodded that I could so I have a picture of Mother Teresa in the French Quarter in New Orleans. The picture is 39 years old and I treasure it.
What do you do in your spare time? Define “free time.” With a husband, four children, a son-in-law, our first grandchild on the way and a spoiled dog along with my St. Laurence family, I don’t have much free time. My favorite time is always anytime I can have joyful conversations with others (I truly believe that “laughter is the best medicine” and helps me to connect with others). I also like things like playing croquet, bocce ball, card games, and board games with family and friends. I like to go shopping with my daughter (everyone else in my family is a guy who hates to shop...even the dog). I love trying new restaurants and going to the movies that make me laugh or have beautiful scenery. I love, love, love to travel especially to places where I can experience the culture...not necessarily the buildings or statues, but rather a God creation. One of my special memories is flying down the Niger River in a bubble front helicopter thinking I was living out a National Geographic experience.
Led Zeppelin and Z.Z. Top held at the old Sugar Bowl Stadium in New Orleans in July of 1976...The next day while waiting in a long line to get into Maspero’s Restaurant for lunch, I saw many cars with nuns pulling up to the parking garage of ST. LAURENCE CATHOLIC SCHOOL
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ALUMNI Class of 1997
Church on January 31, 2015 to Tom Schmidt from Cypress, TX. They now reside in Houston, TX.
After 10 years of post-graduate training (and 18 years after graduating from St. Laurence Middle School), Andrea M. Glaser, M.D. is proud to announce that she has completed her training in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. Upon graduation from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston in June 2015, she will be taking over as the Director of Pediatric Gastroenterology at UTMB in Galveston. Galveston has been without a pediatric GI specialist since Hurricane Ike in 2008 and Andrea is super excited to bring this area of medicine back to the Greater Bay Area! In addition to leading the division of Pediatric GI and seeing patients, Andrea will also hold an appointment of Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the oldest medical school in the state of Texas. She will be heavily involved in teaching medical students and future pediatricians in her areas of specialty.
Meaghan Goodrich went on to graduate from St. Agnes and University of Houston (Main Campus). She was an assistant track coach for SLCS while she was at U of H. She works in sales for Service Corporation International.
Lori McMenemy married in May of 2015. Congratulations!
Class of 1999
Class of 2004 Mimi Conlon is a nurse at Methodist and will also be getting married soon.
Class of 2006 Tara Schurman graduated in May from TCU with her M.Ed. and will be teaching first grade this upcoming school year at St. Andrew Catholic School in Ft. Worth, Texas. Claire Glynn and Ryan Dumbar will be getting married. Congratulations! Jimmy Goodrich went on to graduate from Strake Jesuit and Rutgers University. He was an assistant coach for the first SLCS football team while he was a senior at Strake. He is currently visiting the University of Stockholm on a Fulbright scholarship. This August, he will return to Rutgers to start his Ph.D program there. He may also be pursuing a second Ph.D at the University of Stockholm.
Devin Hotzel is a third time proud father of August Jackson. “Auggie” was born on May 27th. He weighs 7 pounds and is 19 ½ inches long.
Class of 2007
Class of 2000
Alexandria Pane graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing and is excited to be working at Memorial Hermann Southwest in the OB Department. She also got engaged in January to Philip McBride and will be married this October.
Cari McMenemy married Michael Caddick on July 2, 2015 at St. Laurence in Sugar Land, Texas. Congratulations!
Class of 2008
Sarah Colon is a doctor and will be getting married in the near future.
Class of 2001 Sarah Glaser was married in May at St. Laurence Catholic Church. Adam Hudec will be getting married soon.
Class of 2003 Lauren Butler was married at St. Laurence Catholic
Molly Brown has just completed her junior year at St. Louis University as a Public Health major. She is participating in the Exxon Mobil internship program this summer working at the Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) in Houston. In the fall she will intern with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization in St. Louis.
Class of 2011 Patrick McLaughlin will be attending Texas A&M University in the fall, majoring in digital communications and plans to join the Corps of Cadets. Jake Brown, a senior at St. Thomas High School, was a two-sport varsity performer for the STH Eagles, playing for his father, Jeff, in the greatest single season in the history of STH lacrosse. But his future athletic focus will be as a wrestler at Division III Knox College. “I’m not sure I saw this coming; certainly not
that first day of wrestling practice, which was the hardest practice ever. But I learned to love the sport, love competing and the camaraderie with my teammates. That’s not something I wanted to see come to an end,” Brown said. Brown was the bronze medalist at 170 pounds in the STH Eagles third-place finisher at TAPPS State. He was visiting colleges and universities throughout the Midwest but during a face-to-face meeting with Knox College coach Matt Lowers, the impact was made along with Jake’s decision. “That really peaked my interests and convinced me this (Knox) could be an extension of my STH experience. It’s a major commitment, along with the academics, but I’m really looking forward to it,” Brown said. Jordan Simon, who graduated from Strake, has committed to play soccer and attend Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL. Please see picture below. Jack Skipper, who graduated from Strake in May, will play football and attend Rhodes College.
Class of 2013 Bradley Burgess finished his sophomore year at Strake Jesuit. He is a member of the JV golf team and a newly inducted member of the NHS at Strake. This summer he plans to continue as a flight student at Anson Air in Sugar Land working towards his private pilot license. Chris Yeager qualified to swim the 1600M at the Olympic trials this summer. Please continue to pray for Jacob Richard and his family as he continues his journey with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).
Class of 2014 Evan Florance has earned Honor Roll for all four quarters, the Biology Award, and Geometry Award at Strake Jesuit!
Please visit our alumni page on our school website to give us an update and list your contact info. We’d love to send you the Saints’ Scoop, our alumni newsletter, and invite you to our school and alumni events!! Visit us at www.stlaurence.org/school
Xena Murugappan was accepted to the Colorado School of Mines to study Petroleum Engineering. She will begin her studies in the fall of 2015.
PRAY FOR OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN: PFC Trevor Bello, USMC Capt. Christopher Coffman, US Air Force Capt. Patrick Coffman, USMC 1st Lt Scott Coffman, USMC LC pl Sean D’Oliver, USMC Capt. Brandon Driscoll, USMC 1st Lt Matthew Fenelon, USMC LC pl Kevin McGinnis, USMC 2nd Lt Brendan McPartland, USMC LC pl Daniel Thesing, USMC Capt. Michael Thesing, USMC ST. LAURENCE CATHOLIC SCHOOL
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