SMALL HEADING
Dear Members of the Kellenberg Memorial Family
A Letter from the Principal
G
ratitude! All I can say is thank you to everyone who made it possible to have a successful school year while dealing with the restrictions, limitations, and challenges posed to us by the Covid-19 pandemic. Our amazing IT staff, under the direction of Mr. James Campbell ’91, P’19,’21,’24, led Kellenberg ahead of so many other schools by successfully delivering a method of conducting academic classes simultaneously in person and remotely. Equally amazing were our outstanding faculty who managed to be attentive to both the students physically present in class and those who were learning remotely. Maintenance, cleaning, and secretarial staffs demonstrated great flexibility in responding to whatever needed to be done to keep the Firebird Family safe, healthy, and organized. All of this would not have been possible without the cooperation of the students and the encouragement of the parents. So, thank you, thank you, thank you to the entire Kellenberg Memorial Family.
A highlight of the academic year was the official opening of the Jim & Diane Rowen STEM Center in January. All students had the opportunity to use the newly renovated wing to enhance their science, technology, engineering, and math studies. Under the leadership of Mr. Anthony Wevers and Mrs. Anne (Staudt) Masiulis ’02 and the entire Science Department, the experience of hands-on, immersive learning across many disciplines brought great excitement in the midst of the doldrums of winter and the pandemic. Equally exciting to see were the reactions of our graduates who attended their class reunions this June as they were overwhelmed by the state-of-the-art facilities. Many commented that the STEM Center rivalled the labs at their colleges. Please read more about the Jim & Diane Rowen STEM Center on page 10. The Class of 2021 concluded their time at Kellenberg with senior events that were created to replace events like the Disney Trip and Senior Send-Off Dinner Cruise due to Covid safety concerns. Day trips to Great Adventure and to Camp Echo provided wonderful opportunities for the class to share time together and strengthen friendships. The Baccalaureate Mass was held in the Kellenberg Auditorium, followed by a dinner dance in the new senior parking lot with food trucks provided by Tom Turner ’11, carnival games, and music provided by Kellenberg’s own DJ OB (otherwise known as faculty member Mr. James O’Brien). Graduation followed the next day at the James Shuart Stadium of Hofstra University. It was a hot day but the excitement of the day helped everyone survive the heat and humidity.
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HEART & MIND
In response to generating greater awareness and sensitivity to addressing the needs of our diverse student body, the Student Life Office was created this past school year to assist students in discussing conflicts and addressing issues that might otherwise escalate into divisions and misunderstandings. Under the direction of Assistant Principal for Student Life Mrs. Jennifer (Marr) Mulligan ’96, this office not only resolved issues between individual students but also worked with the ARK to create frequent Faith Fridays to provide a deeper dive into the applications of Civility, Order, and Respect, while continuing to strengthen the community spirit of One Heart and One Mind. Four norms were rolled out as guidelines for civil, orderly, and respectful discussions: 1) assume positive intentions; 2) challenge ideas not individuals; 3) intentions do not always equal impact; and 4) expect and accept nonclosure. As we look forward to a new school year we will continue to Be Better in our efforts to address the social and emotional needs of all of our students. As I write this letter, the campus is bustling with hundreds of students taking part in our summer camp program, which includes athletic clinics as well as enrichment offerings. We are also busy developing our orientation programs for new students, as well as those who did not get the full Triple A experience last fall due to the pandemic. We are thrilled to be able to host our Firebird parents back on campus this fall for social gatherings and school events. Stay tuned for further information regarding the full calendar of fall events. With the support of all in the Firebird Family, we are blessed to once again report a very healthy student body enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year. We do not take the strength of our school for granted and truly appreciate the support of all of our students, parents, alumni, alumni parents, faculty, staff, and friends. Please accept my prayers for you and your families as we look forward to a successful school year bestowed with God’s many blessings. To Jesus through Mary,
Brother Kenneth M. Hoagland, S.M. Principal
A K E L L E N B E RG M E M O R I A L FA M I LY P U B L I CAT I O N
