GOVERNOR BAKER AND CARDINAL SEÁN VISIT ST. MARY’S

GOV. CHARLIE BAKER AND CARDINAL SEÁN VISIT ST. MARY’S

St. Mary’s was in the spotlight Friday, March 12, 2021 when Cardinal Seán O’Malley, Governor Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and Secretary of Education James Peyser visited to tour the new STEM building and hear from students and teachers the St. Mary’s success story of inperson learning.

“I thought the students were incredibly articulate,” Governor Baker said. “What stood out to me was their willingness to do whatever it takes because they want to be in school.” Head of School Dr. John F. Dolan, Associate Head of School David Angeramo and Board of Trustees Chair William Mosakowski welcomed the visitors, who also included Mayor Thomas McGee and Thomas Carroll, Superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of Boston. Students from Sacred Heart School, St. Pius V, Our Lady of the Assumption in Lynnfield, Saints Academy in Beverly and St. Mary’s Marian Division greeted Cardinal O’Malley and Governor Baker and presented them with posters thanking them for their leadership throughout the pandemic. Principals Kristina Relihan of Sacred Heart, Paul Maestranzi of St. Pius V, Cynthia Donovan ’79 of OLA, Marian Division Dean Jackie Foley ’90 P’19’19, and Saints Academy parent and St. Mary’s trustee Vivian Iannotti P’25’28’28 accompanied the students. St. Mary’s special guests visited a freshmen and AP biology class, followed by a roundtable discussion in the James G. Baldini ’66 Laboratories. Participating in the roundtable were: Governor Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Polito, Cardinal Seán O’Malley, Head of School Dr. John Dolan, Secretary of Education James Peyser, Board Chair William Mosakowski and

St. Mary’s students Ava Benzán ’21, Madison Spencer ’22, Orvis Njika ’23, Joseph Goyette ’24 and Ruthshell Cazeau ’27. “St. Mary’s has provided a perfectly safe learning environment,” student Joseph Goyette ’24 said during the roundtable discussion with the Governor Baker and Cardinal O’Malley. “The past 365 days have been a learning experience. Getting to come to school every day has been such a blessing in every way possible,” said Madison Spencer ’22. Dr. Dolan noted that the school announced on June 4, 2020 — less than three months into the pandemic in Massachusetts — that St. Mary’s would open for inperson learning for the 2020–21 school year. St. Mary’s did not close one day due to COVID throughout the entire 2020–21 school year. He said remote learning was offered to all families and 96 percent of the 601 students opted for an in-person experience. Governor Baker commented on the "joy and happiness the kids have to be working together and learning together, even with all the constraints of COVID. Congratulations to all of you at St. Mary’s." Following the roundtable discussion, Governor Baker hosted a closed press conference with select local reporters in attendance. During the conference, Cardinal Seán spent extra time at St. Mary’s and broadcast live into each classroom to offer his prayers and reflection to our students. The visit was a great highlight to what was the 200th day of in-person learning during the 2020–21 school year.

Excerpts courtesy of the Daily Item