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Headliners
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DEBBIE HIGGINS Mission, Accomplished
DE SMET JESUIT EARNS COGNIA RE-ACCREDITATION
The relationships between students and adults at De Smet Jesuit are strong enough to shine through the barrier of computer screens and impress a virtual accreditation committee.
In April, De Smet Jesuit successfully completed a virtual re-accreditation process in partnership with Cognia (formerly AdvancEd), an organization that has supported educational institutions for 125 years. De Smet Jesuit undergoes re-accreditation every five years “to ensure we are doing everything we can to serve students well,” said Robert Hutchison, English Department Chair and chair of the accreditation team.
The re-accreditation process required eight months of preparation and creative planning during a school year altered by the global pandemic. Mr. Hutchison and his faculty team, Bridget Bowers, Drae Cox, Kelsey Grimm, Alex Hall, Pete Musso, and Tony Plein, guided professional development days to evaluate De Smet Jesuit’s programs in the context of Cognia standards.
Cognia representatives conducted virtual conversations with students, teachers, parents, trustees, and community partners focused on three domains: learning, resources, and leadership.
COMMENDATIONS INCLUDED:
n A strong Ignatian identity; we are successfully integrating the Jesuits’ Graduate at Graduation principles into our programs.
n Outstanding relationships exist between students and the faculty, coaches, and staff.
n The school provides students and faculty with experiences that cultivate and improve leadership effectiveness.
An identified area for growth is the need to implement more consistent data collection and analysis procedures to measure how students learn.
“The process was a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate our successes and learn how we can best leverage improvements to help our students and our school,” said Mr. Hutchison.
Dr. Cox catches up with Joe Barringhaus ’24 after biology class.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PAT MAHONEY
Hall of Famers
DISTINGUISHED HONORS FOR RETIRED FACULTY
MIKE KARPOWICZ Metro District 8 Music Teachers’ Hall of Fame
Mike Karpowicz, who retired from De Smet Jesuit in August 2020 following a 35-year tenure as Band Director and instrumental music teacher, was inducted into the Metro District 8 Hall of Fame in February. Congratulatory messages from alumni, parents, and students flooded De Smet Jesuit’s social media channels when the news was announced. “He was the best teacher I ever had,” said Lonnie Weishaar Jr. ’97. “He taught me so much about music and about life.”
Mr. Karpowicz addresses the audience at a band concert, circa 2018.
COLIN DONOVAN ’18
Pat Mahoney, who retired from De Smet Jesuit in 2017 after a 15-year tenure as Head Football Coach and P.E. teacher, was inducted into the St. Louis Football Coaches’ Hall of Fame in May. Coach Mahoney is the winningest football coach in school history with a record of 98-69. Under his leadership, the Spartans won seven district titles, five MCC titles, one state championship (2005), and four trips to the Final Four.
Coach Mahoney works with his players in 2012.
