SUCCESS STORIES Montini Catholic Bronco 2024-2025
Cognia Accreditation
This year, we underwent an accreditation process by the Cognia organization. The process is a comprehensive evaluation that assesses a school’s performance across key areas such as leadership, learning, and resource management. Through a rigorous review by educational professionals, the process ensures that schools meet high standards of quality and are committed to continuous improvement. Accreditation by Cognia validates a school's educational effectiveness, enhances its credibility, and provides assurance to parents, students, and the community that the institution is focused on delivering a high-quality learning experience.
We are proud to again share that after our review on May 2nd, we have been recommended for full (and continued) accreditation by Cognia. In June, we will receive official notification of this accreditation as well as additional comments and feedback from the review team. Once we have received and reviewed the official feedback, we will share a summary of our stakeholders surveys as well as key goals and initiatives we will remain focused on for the coming years.
Blackbaud Transition
Together as a school community we successfully navigated the transition from multiple databases and systems to one, unified school management system, Blackbaud. We will continue to progress and develop the best and most efficient ways to use the system to increase the ease of use for each stakeholder group.
Campus and Building Safety Improvements
In an effort to enhance the safety of our building and procedures, we are proud to share that this year all staff members completed certification and training in the ALICE response to an intruder in the building. Moving forward, we will maintain this certification each year for all staff members. We will also begin to discuss and incorporate this type of education and training with our students, and will do so in small steps over a gradual period of time.
In addition to becoming certified in ALICE, staff members obtained our CPR and First Aid certification. This certification is good for two years and will be renewed at that time.
In February, we conducted a thorough and detailed safety assessment of our physical building, conducted by a security consultant company. We have received the report from the assessment and will be reviewing it with our Buildings and Grounds team over the summer. Our goal with this report is to review the areas of the building which can be enhanced and to build a multi-year plan to make these safety upgrades.
8th Grade Math Program
In our second year of the 8th Grade Math Program, we hosted 12 eighth grade students from three of our local Catholic feeder schools. These students took high school level math classes (Honors Algebra 1 or Honors Geometry) with our Montini Broncos each day. We are excited to welcome 10 of these students back to Montini next year, as full-time Broncos!
Diocese of Joliet 75th Anniversary Jubilee Mass Host
Montini Catholic was honored to be selected by the Diocese of Joliet to host this year’s Jubilee Mass. It was a privilege to welcome hundreds of parishioners from across the diocese to our campus for this special celebration, with Mass offered by Bishop Ronald Hicks. Our Montini team did an outstanding job preparing for the event, and the spirit of community and faith was truly inspiring. It was a memorable day for all who attended and a proud moment for our school.
Ordination of the Bishop
Montini Catholic had the incredible honor of taking a small group of students to attend the ordination of Bishop Denis Spies. Our students had the unique opportunity to witness this sacred and inspiring ceremony. It was a powerful experience that deepened their understanding of faith and leadership within the Church—an unforgettable day for all who attended.
ACADEMICS
in academic scholarship offers earned million $21.5
Congratulations to our Class of 2025! In the last five years, Montini seniors have earned over $86.2 million in college academic scholarship offers!
We are excited and proud to share that 100% of our seniors (Class of 2025) were accepted into the post-secondary institution (college/university, trade school, military, work training program) of their choice. Additionally, these students earned over $21,500,000 in scholarship offers from colleges and universities around the country!
Robotics Team Qualified for VEX State
Our Montini Catholic High School Robotics Team advanced to the State Competition for the fourth consecutive year. Additionally, our Robotics team won the Build Award at the Great Lakes Tournaments for the most outstanding robot build at the tournament and ended up in second place overall!
Math Team Places 6th in State
The Math team accomplished another year of success and achievement beyond expectation! Our Montini Catholic High School Math Team finished in 2nd place at the Lemont Invitational, which included 20 A and AA schools. In the next competition, we competed up one level and finished in 3rd place in the AA division at the Math Teachers Association (MTA) Invitational. The Math Team produced 2 individual Regional Champions as well as 4 team Regional Champions with an overall team 1st place trophy. We are the only region in our division to qualify at least 2 schools for the State Math Meet for at least the past 24 consecutive years, with 5 teams advancing this year. This year the team finished in 6th place overall, medaled in 9 of the 10 events, had 3 students earn 4 medals each (the maximum possible), and added an additional 2 state champions to our accomplishments.
New Courses Offered
During the 2024-2025 school year, students had the opportunity to take the following new courses:
CAMPUS MINISTRY
This year, our students truly embodied the spirit of compassion, leadership, and community through their dedicated involvement in our Service Learning Program. Their commitment to making a meaningful impact in the lives of others has been nothing short of inspiring. Below are just a few highlights of their incredible efforts.
Service to Others As Lasallians, we focused on helping serve others, and especially those who were in great need. This year, our Bronco students completed 17,221 hours of service to others!
Meal Train With care and purpose, our students prepared 275 sack lunches for individuals experiencing homelessness, providing not just food but a reminder that they are seen and valued.
Ronald McDonald House Charities Month after month—and sometimes even twice a month—our students traveled to the Ronald McDonald House in Winfield (near Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital) to prepare warm evening meals for families with children in the hospital. Their service brought comfort and kindness to parents facing some of their most difficult days.
The Outreach House (Lombard) Our students volunteered five times at this essential community organization, which provides food, clothing, and emergency support to families in need. Their time and energy helped ensure that struggling families received the care and dignity they deserve.
York Center Food Distribution Just before Thanksgiving and again before Christmas, students volunteered to load boxes of food into cars for families facing food insecurity. Their efforts helped brighten the holidays for countless members of our local community.
Easter Seals (Villa Park) A dedicated group of students assembled more than 100 craft packets for children at Easter Seals, bringing joy and creative fun to young ones with special needs
Keith Olson Prairie Path Students consistently volunteered their time throughout the year to support restoration and maintenance efforts at the Keith A. Olson Prairie. These dedicated students worked alongside the EPD Parks staff on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental stewardship. Their tasks varied with the seasons and included using hand tools to remove invasive or unwanted woody plants, eliminating exotic weeds and vines, collecting and dispersing native seeds, picking up litter, and occasionally assisting with planting efforts. Their hard work has made a meaningful impact on the health and beauty of this important natural space.
Adopt A Family In December, we provided Christmas presents and food for 25 families through our Adopt-A-Family program.
Conversation Partners
Through a collaborative effort between Campus Ministry and Student Services, we established the Conversation Partners Program! The goals of the program were to provide individualized support for our students in the international program. This initiative included bi-monthly meetings between Peer Ministers and international students during homeroom, where students received the opportunity to socialize and build upon their conversation skills with their peers and fellow Broncos.
FINE ARTS
Music Program: National Champions
Our music program has experienced a tremendous amount of growth and success this year, compiling many new and first time awards! Under the leadership of Music Director Mr. Glowinski, our Montini band are National Champions in Class A through the National Catholic Band Association's nationwide contest. Additionally, our band placed 3nd in Class A at the State of the Art Contest and received the award for Best Brass Section. Lastly, our chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society was named "Chapter of the Year" for the State of Illinois.
Theatre Program Growth
Led by our Theatre Director Ms. Martin, we experienced tremendous growth of the theatre department and student participation this school year. The Fall performances of Murder on the Orient Express and the spring musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat experienced the largest crowds in several years and have increased student involvement and participation by 33%, and included over 60 students overall! In addition, the theatre program reinstated its membership in the International Thespian Society (ITS). Founded in 1929, ITS is the world's largest honor society for students in the theatre arts. Montini Catholic currently has 23 active members!
INTRAMURALS
Hoping to build off of the momentum from last year’s revitalization of Intramurals, and in an effort to increase the number of students participating, several new activities were offered. The 2024-25 school year featured the following activities: Badminton, Spike ball, Bags (Cornhole), Pickleball, and Basketball. Almost 200 students and 20 faculty members participated this year, doubling our numbers from last year. Students from all classes enthusiastically participated. In addition to bragging rights, winning teams were awarded prizes that included t-shirts, hoodies, medals, cash, gift cards, and chains. These teams also earned the privilege of challenging the faculty teams for a free dress down day.
The final activity of the school year was a 3 v 3 Basketball Tournament, featuring 13 teams. A crowd of about 75 students and staff showed up to watch the championship game in the main gym, with Team Hoop There It Is earning the title of Basketball Intramural Champion. A week later, the BIG game was held: Students vs. Faculty, featuring one of the student teams in the tournament, The Villagers, against The Faculty Team. When all was said and done, the scoreboard showed a victory for Team Faculty. Congratulations to Mr. Glow, Ms. Adamo, Coach Bu, Mr. Tiritilli, Mr. Casey and Mr. Beirne.
Intramurals offer a more relaxed approach to sports, allowing all skill levels to compete together. The activities provide the opportunity to foster friendship and community. This year accomplished that with unforgettable moments, fierce and friendly competitions, and incredible camaraderie.
ATHLETICS
Congratulations to all of our student-athletes and coaches throughout the school for a successful year of development, growth, teamwork and success. As a direct result of the dedication of our student athletes, coaches and athletic department staff, we were blessed with many successes this year! Below is a list of our team accomplishments.
Football
IHSA Class 3A State Champions
Girls Basketball
IHSA Regional, Sectional & Super-Sectional Champions, Class 3A State Champions
Wrestling
IHSA Regional & Sectional Champions, Class 2A State 3rd Place, Two Individual State Champions (Allen Woo ‘27 & Kameron Luif ‘26)
Broncettes
IHSA Class 1A Sectional Champions, IHSA Class 1A State Qualifiers - 5th Place
Girls Cross Country
IHSA Class 1A Regional Champions, IHSA State Qualifiers (as a Team)
Boys Cross Country
IHSA State Qualifiers
Girls Volleyball
IHSA Class 3A Regional Champions
Boys Basketball
IHSA Class 2A Regional Champions
Girls Golf
First IHSA Individual State Qualifier (Annika Bartell)
Boys Golf
Only School w/ Two Hole-In-Ones in one week in IHSA History (Charlie Paciga & Liam O'Dea)
goBroncos go! !
Bronco athletes from our Class of 2025 participated in our Sports Signing Days - committing to continue their athletic careers in college.
NEW IN 2025-2026!
Next Generation Classrooms
We have begun an effort to ensure that the classrooms we educate our students in meet the needs of today's teachers and students. The Next Generation Classroom is one that is adaptable, comfortable, and intentionally designed to reflect the modern learning environments found on college campuses. We presented the Next Gen Classroom to our community at our annual auction and you responded with overwhelming generosity. We have secured over $45,000 to fully furnish two pilot classrooms to be utilized in the 2025-2026 school year. As we gather feedback and insights, we’ll work toward aligning learning environments across departments—ensuring that physical space enhances, rather than limits, student learning and engagement.
Lewis University Early College Program
8th Grade Math Program
In our second year of the 8th Grade Math Program, we hosted 12 eighth grade students from three of our local Catholic feeder schools. These students took high school level math classes (Honors Algebra 1 or Honors Geometry) with our Montini Broncos each day. We are excited to welcome 10 of these students back to Montini next year, as full-time Broncos!
N
ew Trips
Guatemala Service Trip
We are excited to share a unique academic opportunity available to our junior and senior students for the upcoming school year through a new partnership with Lewis University. Beginning next year, students can enroll in one of 13 blended college courses—many not currently offered at Montini—and attend in-person classes at Lewis just once a month. For a cost of $300, families can register directly with Lewis, and students will earn transferable college credit upon successful completion. This initiative not only gives students a head start on their college journey but also exposes them to a broader range of coursework in a flexible format. While students are responsible for their own transportation, Montini will have a staff member coordinating with Lewis to ensure a smooth experience.
New Digital Pass System
We will introduce a new digital pass system for the 2025–2026 school year! This innovative tool will streamline how students request and manage hallway and office passes, making the process faster, easier, and more efficient. In addition to improving convenience, the system will play a key role in strengthening our safety protocols by allowing staff to better track student movement throughout the day. We believe this upgrade will be a meaningful step forward in enhancing both the student experience and overall school operations.
New Courses
Students will be able to take the following new classes during the 2025-2026 school year:
Science: ADVANCED BIOLOGY
Social Studies: GEOGRAPHY OF THE MODERN WORLD (freshmen elective)
We are currently planning a mission trip to Guatemala June 8-12, 2026. We are partnering with the organization, Imaginin Guatemala, which is an organization that helps improve the physical living conditions and social well-being of families living in villages near Antigua, Guatemala. Students will be helping build a house. Besides the service the students will be providing, they will be learning about the culture and language. This trip will be offered to our students in the fall.
Spain/France
Montini is aiming to revive its tradition of international travel with a trip to Spain and France in June 2026! Students are invited on a 8-day tour of the capitals of Madrid and Paris where the trip's exciting itinerary will mix past and present, and will allow students to explore these vibrant cities with their fellow Broncos. Spaces are still available! All students are invited to travel with us and more information can be found by scanning the QR code. Contact Jennifer Block at jblock@montini.org with any questions as you consider the possibility of your Bronco traveling with us!
New Orleans Music
The Fine Arts Department is going to travel to New Orleans at the end of the 25-26 school year. The trip will give students an opportunity to see jazz at the place where it began. Students will spend time in the French Quarter, check out some old Mardi Gras floats, work with professors at Tulane University, go on a gator tour, walk through some local museums, attend a personal concert at Preservation Hall and eat some tremendous food!
W elcome!
To Our Newest Faculty Members
Please join us in welcoming our newest Bronco staff members for the 2025-2026 school year!
Ms. Mady Rawski
Social Studies and Theology Teacher
We are grateful for Ms. Rawski’s year of service to the students and staff of Montini in the LRC Supervisor position. Ms. Rawski will continue next year as our LRC Supervisor, but will also be stepping into the classroom to utilize her teaching license and teaching a course in social studies and one course in theology. Congratulations Ms. Rawski and thank you for your service to our school and students!
Mr. Edward DeBartolo
Spanish Teacher
¡Hola! As I eagerly look forward to joining the faculty here at Montini in the fall of 2025, I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Edward DeBartolo and I am originally from Naperville, Illinois. After graduating from Benet Academy in 2009, I attended Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa and began a career as a language teacher. After teaching English and Spanish in Munich, Germany, I moved back to Illinois in 2016 where I taught at Joliet Catholic Academy for eight years.
I am currently on sabbatical as my wife and I welcomed our second child Santiago to the family last July. His big sister Gabriella just celebrated her third birthday and is thrilled to have her papá at home. In my ever-disappearing free time, I enjoy many nerdy hobbies such as playing and building guitars, memorizing soccer trivia, solving my daily Wordle/Crossword/Globle/Connections, and translating literature. I am excited to continue my teaching career as a Bronco, and I look forward to meeting all of you after a long and relaxing summer!
NEW ROLES
Mrs. Angelina (Gervasio) Neri
School Counselor
I am thrilled to join the Montini community for the 2025-26 school year as a School Counselor. I began my career in education in 2021 at Wheaton North High School in the Athletics and Activities office. During this time I have worked alongside our building leadership and coaching staff on all extracurricular functions in our building.
I earned my BS from Elmhurst University and my MA in School Counseling from Lewis University in Romeoville. This August will be very memorable as I will be marrying my high-school sweetheart of nine years. I am looking forward to working closely with the students, staff, and families at Montini!
Mrs. Leah Chlipala
Technology Teacher & Assistant Director of Technology
I am excited to join Montini High school as the new Technology Teacher and Assistant Director of Technology. With over 21 years of educational technology experience,I hope to bring a dynamic approach to teaching digital literacy and computational thinking. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Technical Management from Devry University and Master's Certification in Curriculum and Instruction. I believe in creating an engaging, hands-on learning environment where students develop critical problem-solving skills through technology exploration. I live in Chicago with my husband, Joe and our five kids, Bailey, Connor, Jacob, Ryne and Pieter. I enjoy camping and shopping and hanging out with my dog, Ozzie.
We welcome the following staff members into new roles and responsibilities next year!
Ms. Stephanie Ott
Counseling Department Chair
Ms. Angelina (Gervasio) Neri
Counselor and Co-Moderator of Student Government
Ms. Olivia Herrmann Montini Maniacs Moderator
