Alumni Magnificat Summer 2015

Magnificat ALUMNI

Volume 9 | No 1

Summer 2015

A Publication for The Schools of Saint Mary Alumni, Parents & Friends

CELEBRATING 17 YEARS OF SERVICE

Msgr. John J. McCann retires

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Debuts at Mock Trial

PERFORMING ARTS

at The Schools of Saint Mary

calendar of events

Saturday, September 19 Class of 1953 Reunion 2:00 PM The View Grill - Glen Cove Golf Course Thursday, September 24 23rd Annual Don Monti Memorial Golf Classic Plandome Country Club Saturday, October 24 Class of 1975 Reunion Port Washington Yacht Club

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.

Saturday, November 7 Class of 1965 Reunion Manhasset Bay Yacht Club Sunday, November 8 Alumni Memorial Mass 10:30 AM Church of Saint Mary Thursday, November 12 Ladies’ Night Out | Elementary School Saturday, November 14 Class of 1995 Reunion The Inn at New Hyde Park Saturday, April 16, 2016 Take-A-Break | Elementary School Thursday, April 21, 2016 Ladies’ Night Out | High School The Inn at New Hyde Park Winter/Spring 2016 Class of 2000-2005 Reunion

Church of Saint Mary, Manhasset Saint Mary's Elementary School, Manhasset Saint Mary’s High School, Manhasset St. Mary’s High School Alumni, Manhasset, New York

For more information on activities and events, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 516.627.4605 or E-mail kgraham@stmary.ws

inside this issue

Magnificat ALUMNI

EDITORIAL Editor in Chief | Kristin Lynch Graham ’88 Creative Director | Eileen Symmons ’82, ’86 Contributing Author | Mary E. Gorry

contents 6 Celebrating 17 Years

ADMINISTRATION Pastor | 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 Development and 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

of Service

8 Elementary School

Debuts at Mock Trial

10 Performing Arts at

The Schools of Saint Mary

12 A Tribute to Sports Night 14 Commencement 2015

Amy Murphy P ’19, ’21, ’23 HIGH SCHOOL BOARD

18 Nancy Mason Award

Chairperson | Joseph Mattone P ’15, ’17, ’19 Daniel Amoruso ’76 Patricia Hennelly Anglin ’69

19 Alumni Profiles

Kathleen Cawley ’78 Marc de Venoge P ’06, ’09, ’11, ’14 Dionne Dixon Allen P ’14, ’16

23 College Mentoring Panel

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

24 Athletic News 27 Grandparents Day 28 Faculty Retirements

Christine Gawrych ’72 Maureen Johnson ’69 James F. Smyth ’91

PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS

ALUMNI Magnificat | 3

n Up a e l C y a Earth D

St. Vince nt Society T de Paul oy Drive

Project Rebuild

Giving Day sketball a B y t l u ac Senior F ndraiser u F e m a G

from the president

MARY’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL N-8 The Schools of Saint Mary | SAINT SAINT MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL 9-12

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. Cavallo President

ALUMNI Magnificat | 5

school news

Celebrating 17 Years of Service

Photos Photo byby Eileen Eileen Symmons Symmons

This 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

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

gathered at North Hills Country Club to say congratulations and thank you to Msgr. McCann.

The Schools of St. Mary to the forefront of technology in Catholic schools on Long Island.

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.

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

Fr. Nicholas Zientarski delivered an inspiring homily and spoke eloquently of Msgr.

McCann’s devotion to

tomorrow.

Msgr. John J. McCann celebrated the annual Catholic Schools Week Mass with Elementary School students.

www.inspiredthinkers.org | 6

The ultimate goal of the model was to share the resources

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.

PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS

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.

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.

school news

Elementary School Debuts at Mock Trial 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 sixthgraders 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

www.inspiredthinkers.org | 8

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 sixthgrade 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.

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.

One of 13 schools in the competition, St. Mary’s made their debut in the prestigious Moot Court Room at St. John’s.

a simple show “ofBecause optimism makes the world a better place.”

PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS

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.

school news

Performing Arts at The Schools of Saint Mary 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

www.inspiredthinkers.org | 10

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.”

intended result “ofThe leaving a buzz in

the community during the 2014-2015 season was achieved.

”

–Andrew J. Koslosky

ALUMNI Magnificat | 13

PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS

Photos by Eileen Symmons

school news

Tradition Lives in the Heart: A Tribute to Sports Night “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 coeducational 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

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

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

www.inspiredthinkers.org | 12

former Italian teacher Sasha BernettiWorontzoff, 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

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

school news

Commencement Weekend 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

Anthony will attend Fordham University with Jogues and Army ROTC scholarships.

Anthony was also awarded the Brother Michael Driscoll Award.

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.”

it all.

PHOTO BY EILEEN SYMMONS

He encouraged his classmates to assume The Class of 2015 began the responsibilities their Commencement associated with the festivities with a freedom and power Baccalaureate Mass in that lies ahead the Church of St. Mary.

Taylor will attend The Class gathered to Swarthmore College give thanks for all they on a scholarship. He A proud Norona family moment as Katie '15 joins her brother Kevin '11 as St. Mary's alumni. had received over the was also the recipient past four years and to of the Award for ask God to bless their future endeavors.

138 graduates participated in General Excellence, and the English and Anthony Bosko offered the Senior Commencement Exercises at the Mathematics Awards for Excellence over a Reflection at the end of Mass. He said Tilles Center on Saturday, June 6. The four-year period. that the Catholic atmosphere of valedictorian, Taylor Wilson, spoke about St. Mary’s helped to shape his spirituality the tremendous advantages offered by Congratulations Class of 2015! Welcome and gave him and his classmates a better the cultural diversity of his classmates. to the alumni family. understanding of their beliefs and values.

“We had a unique lens to learn from

Additional Awards Bestowed at Commencement The 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

school news

College Acceptances 2015 Together with the Administration and Faculty of St. Mary’s High School, Reverend Father Robert A. Romeo, Pastor, is pleased to present the following postsecondary 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.

Adelphi University Albany College of Pharmacy Alvernia University American University Amherst College Assumption College Babson College Baruch College Binghamton University Boston College Boston University Brandeis University Briarcliffe College Buffalo State College Carnegie Mellon University Catholic University Clark Atlanta University Colgate University College of the Holy Cross Columbia University Cornell University CUNY Hunter CUNY Lehman CUNY Queens Curry College Dartmouth College Delaware State University Dowling College Drew University Drexel University Duke University Duquesne University

Fairfield University Flagler College Fordham University George Washington University Hamilton College Hartwick College Hofstra University Howard University Iona College Ithaca College James Madison University Lasell College Le Moyne College LIU Brooklyn LIU Post M.I.T. Manhattan College Manhattanville College Mercy College Methodist University Mitchell College Molloy College Mount Saint Mary College New England College New York Institute of Technology New York University Northeastern University Old Dominion University University of Illinois at Urbana/ Champagne University of Pennsylvania Pace University

Penn State Pratt Institute Princeton University Pomona College Purdue University Rhode Island School of Design Roger Williams University Rutgers University Sacred Heart University School of the Art Institute of Chicago Seton Hall University Siena College St. Anselm College St. Bonaventure University St. Francis College St. John’s University St. Joseph’s College Stony Brook University SUNY Albany SUNY Brockport SUNY Cortland SUNY Farmingdale SUNY Geneseo SUNY Old Westbury SUNY Oneonta SUNY Oswego SUNY Potsdam SUNY Purchase Swarthmore College Syracuse University The College of Mount Saint Vincent The College of New Rochelle

The Class of 2015 earned over $11 million in academic scholarships to these prestigious colleges and universities.

PHOTO BY TED ROEDER

Valedictorian, Taylor Wilson, addresses his classmates at Commencement Exercises held at the Tilles Center.

The College of Saint Rose The University of Scranton Touro College University of Alabama University of Bridgeport University of California Berkeley University of California Los Angeles University of California San Diego University of Connecticut University of Dallas University of Delaware University of Hartford University of Mass. Amherst University of Miami University of Pittsburgh University of Rhode Island University of Tampa University of Tennessee-Knoxville University of Vermont University of West Virginia Quinnipiac Vassar College Villanova University York College of PA

PHOTOS BY TED ROEDER

school news

Elementary School Commencement 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.

The letters will be opened at their first reunion in four years.

At the awards ceremony held on Thursday

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

evening, the class was recognized for their academic achievements which included recognition of the numerous scholarships

themselves, reminding them to nurture and grow the faith and values they had learned at St. Mary’s during high school.

tradition of signing each other’s books.

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

PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS

school news

Nancy Mason Award 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

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

“...the ultimate thank you note to Mrs. Mason.”

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.

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 Mrs. Mason's love of Catholic education runs deep especially when it comes to the School library seeing what she liked and witnessing the students and their desire to read. to do.”

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.

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

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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.

alumni profiles

Chrissy Gawrych ’72 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

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

“...The desire to always do the right and fair thing, and the Catholic values we learned here.” looking to work closer to home, she started her 36year 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

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.

PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS AND DONG JUN WU

alumni profiles

Neil Hannan:Princeton’s 2015 Salutatorian 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

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

“Make sure that you are motivated to pursue what you are studying.”

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.”

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

www.inspiredthinkers.org | 20

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.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

alumni profiles

Young Alumni Profile: Christian Moise ’13 Sometimes 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

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

“It’s always good to give back to a community that gave you a start.” 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

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.

Hall of Fame Nominations 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 kgraham@stmary.ws. A selection committee will review and select candidates. An induction ceremony will take place this spring.

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faculty spotlight

Making a Difference 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 Nizette Dugue '14 with Mr. Anthony Calzetta at "You Make A Difference Day" at Bishop Kearney HS

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

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.”

“To me, this honor meant more to me than any academic achievement I have received.”

Mr. Anthony Calzetta explains finding factors of quadratic trinomials to his students

www.inspiredthinkers.org | 22

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.”

alumni news

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 fulltime 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

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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.”

athletic news

Student-Athlete Profile: JP Kilcullen ’15 JP 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!

Lady Gaels Repeat Champions

Saint 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

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 Make College Commits 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, MeiLyn 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!

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 OR KGRAHAM@STMARY.WS Seniors Mei-Lyn Bautista, Charlotte Renker, Jordan Agustus and McKayla Hernandez.

PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS

parent appreciation

Parents Make a Difference 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 Members of the Elementary School's Parent Teacher Organization 2014-2015 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

Members of the High School's Gaels Parents' Association 2014-2015

www.inspiredthinkers.org | 26

parent appreciation

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.

PHOTOS BY MARY GORRY

faculty spotlight

Faculty Retirements 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

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.”

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.”

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 Mrs. Lipani always made class time engaging for her Modern Language students at St. Mary's. create a child’s storybook in English Modern Language Department in 2010. and Spanish. “Over a couple of months, She also moderated several clubs during the students worked cooperatively to the years, including the Spanish Club, the write and illustrate storybooks, all of Dance Club, Zumba and the Debate Club. which incorporated a lesson for the young As Chairperson, she was able to institute reader. It was a charitable endeavor since some changes in the department the books were going to be donated to including a name change from “Foreign an elementary school’s library that was Language” to “Modern Language.” The destroyed during Hurricane Sandy, and department participated in the Spring the students paid for the printing of the MusArt event with a display highlighting books themselves. We then delivered the language students’ accomplishments them personally to the kindergarten in their learning of the Spanish and classes on a day in which our students Ms. Smith and Ms. Tomlinson having fun at the Italian cultures. The Modern Language met the children, interacting with them School Halloween party.

Honor Society began in 2013, where top and reading their books to them in achieving students in Language studies English and Spanish. Our students had a Kathy Smith always knew she wanted to are recognized for their academics and wonderful time, while learning so much.” be a teacher. “Teaching is not what I do. service at a school awards ceremony each It is who I am,” she says proudly. After 33 May. With the introduction of the freshman “I believe St. Mary’s is a special place to work years, Ms. Smith is ready to retire from the

ALUMNI Magnificat | 28

continued on pg 30>

SAVE THE DATE

Don’t Miss the Class of 1953 Reunion

Saturday, September 19, 2015 2:00 PM | The View Grill - Glen Cove Course

Class of 1995 Reunion Saturday, November 14, 2015 The Inn at New Hyde Park | 7:00 PM Online registration will be posted at www.stmary.ws/HighSchool

Class of 1975 Reunion Saturday, October 24, 2015 Port Washington Yacht Club

Class of 1965 50th Reunion Weekend November 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/upcomingevents/ Fun ideas? Memorabilia to share? Be sure to contact class committee members: Kathleen Cirina: kathleencirina@yahoo.com Marilyn “Pinky” Gulmi Kennell: pinkyk@optonline.net John Nunziata: jjnunziata@verizon.net Marsha Ras: mras@nycap.rr.com Anne Troy: annetroy6@gmail.com

Winter/Spring 2016

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ALL REUNION EVENTS, PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS AT 516.627.2711 x1162.

PHOTO BY EILEEN SYMMONS

Class of 2000-2005 Reunion

Continued from page 28

helps facilitate learning.”

and not just the classwork.”

science faculty, but she will always be a teacher at heart.

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.”

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.

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

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

Connections 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.

If you would like an update any of the IHM Sisters, please send an inquiry:

Via E-mail: kgraham@stmary.ws

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.

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 smith@stmary.ws 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.

Saint Mary’s at World Trade Center Memorial Foundation Thomas 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.

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In Memoriam The 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 kgraham@stmary.ws.

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

MARY’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL N-8 The Schools of Saint Mary | SAINT SAINT MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL 9-12

Non Profit Org US Postage PAID Permit No. 8 Hanover, NH

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Save the Date!

1300 Northern Boulevard Manhasset, New York 11030

Saint Mary’s High School invites you to the

23rd Annual Don Monti Memorial Golf Classic & Fall Alumni Dinner Honoring Bill Miller as this year’s Timothy J. Coughlin Award Recipient Thursday, September 24, 2015 Plandome 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.