Transitioning Leadership

Returning from a pilgrimage to Ireland in June 2012, Deacon Ray DuBois had the opportunity to incorporate a fresh perspective on Celtic spirituality as he took the reins of the (then) ACES Xavier school system the following month.

“A key component of Celtic spirituality is hospitality of heart,” he said. “That means that we welcome God into our heart each day, and we also welcome others because that person could be Christ.” That concept, combined with a commitment to mission, set the tone for connecting with all members of the Xavier community: building relationships, exploring spirituality, embracing our Catholic faith, and living our mission. As he prepares to retire from Xavier after eight years as president, Deacon Ray leaves a record of improvements to the System that set the stage for his successor, Phil Riley.

“Probably the most significant event during my time here is consolidating all campuses into the St. Francis Xavier Catholic School System. Through our re-branding we encouraged a stronger sense of belonging to a System for students and families from preschool through grade 12. We are all Hawks!” After consolidating the elementary campuses, the middle school restructured into a grade 5-8 campus. Xavier was an early entrant into the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, and continues to be a statewide leader. It helps us achieve part of our mission: providing a quality Catholic school education to students who cannot afford one.

Through aggressive admissions strategies and community outreach, Xavier increased its measure of diversity from 2.1% in 2012 to nearly 22% in 2020. In addition, the System is embracing initiatives to emphasize cultural competency and education among faculty and staff. That initiative extends to curriculum development.

During this time, the school system strengthened relationships with our supporting Appleton parishes. “The Appleton pastors welcomed me with open arms,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet at least monthly with our priests and pastoral leader. It’s been a terrific two-way means of communication in which we can understand each other’s needs and wants. This strong connection to our supporting parishes and parishioners is critical to our long term success.”

Words of wisdom to his successor? “Stay strong in your relationship with God. Value and respect the work and opinions of those around you. Strengthen relationships with our parishes. And never lose sight of our mission: Xavier is a Christ-centered community focusing on faith, academics, community, and individual growth " of our students in a safe environment.” “I will continue to keep the Xavier community in my prayers and would ask that you do the same for me. May God continue to bless you abundantly,” - Deacon Ray DuBois

TRANSITIONING LEADERSHIP

Organizational change is always challenging. A transition in the midst of a pandemic has its own set of new challenges…and opportunities. When Phil Riley assumes the reins as fifth president of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic School System on July 1, he brings a unique background and varied experience to lead the System into the next decade.

No stranger to Midwest winter weather, Phil is a native Nebraskan. He grew up in the little town of Creighton, and attended Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, where he studied history and military science. After graduation, he served as an Air Defense Artillery officer in Operation Desert Storm. Following his service, Phil began his career in education.

While a teacher in the Diocese of Dallas, he completed his master’s degree in Educational Administration at Texas A&M University, Commerce. He has been a teacher and administrator in that diocese for the past 27 years, serving in three very different and very diverse schools. “Each school provided me with the opportunity to work with incredible communities that are dedicated to the same mission of Catholic school education that is so evident in the Xavier system,” said Phil. He recently completed the Emmaus Leadership Series at the Lynch School of Education at Boston College.

His wife, Terri, has been a math teacher in the Diocese since 1991, so the couple is very engaged in the business of Catholic school education! They have two sons, Ben, an officer in the United States Army Chemical Corps, and Will, a junior at Stephen F. Austin University. Phil is pleased to be just a few hours away from his father, who is a retired judge living in Eau Claire.

Reflecting on the task of leading Xavier Catholic Schools, Phil said “I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to join the Xavier community in this new endeavor. The Xavier system is strong, and Deacon Ray and his team have built an incredible foundation for the future. Our strategic and facilities master plans give us a clear roadmap to a vibrant and successful future.”

As he begins work in July, Phil will meet with the various constituencies to gain knowledge about the four campuses, our eight Appleton parishes, and regional parishes. “Harnessing the energy of both the Catholic and civic communities of Appleton will be the key to our continued growth and success,” he said. “COVID-19 and its fallout will, of course, have an impact on our community in the coming months. However, I believe that we are prepared to meet any challenge. We will continue to provide the finest Catholic school education to every student.”

Welcome, Phil, and may God bless you in your vocation moving forward!

""We will continue to provide the

finest Catholic school education to every student.” - Phil Riley

Where are they now? Don and Gladys Wisnefski

Like the Packers in the sixties, Xavier High School boasts an impressive team whose influence continues to reverberate both here and around the globe.

Don and Gladys Wisnefski brought worldliness and passion to their work -- Mr. Wisnefski as band instructor from 1968 to 1985, and Señora Wisnefski as a Spanish teacher from 1969 to 1990.

Their instruction transcended their classrooms and left a lasting impression on students. “Mrs. Wisnefski was a very dedicated teacher in not only the Spanish language but dialect, history and culture,” said Brenda (Werner) Fritsch ‘86. “Her instruction has stayed with me for my whole life….So appreciative of those times. Great memories! Once a student of hers, always a student of hers.”

Kelly Kewley ‘82 agrees that the Wisnefski influence extended well beyond both the classroom and the years their students spent in them. “These two teachers have had a profound and lasting influence on my development,” she said. “…I have picked up my flute so many times during isolation and run through the sheet music that I still have from band and state competitions. I recall what it felt like to put in so much time and effort to prepare for a concert and somehow Mr. Wiz would work his magic on us and the feeling was unexplainable...to be a part of one of his bands was to be a part of something very special. He was a musical wizard!”

“He challenged you to be better,” said John Berglind ‘82. “Whether it was a piece of music that was difficult or a solo for the solo ensemble that was difficult, he knew better than we did we could play it. In doing so he taught me to continue to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone.”

Though they retired from Xavier more than 30 years ago, both Mr. and Mrs. Wisnefski have fond memories of the time they spent there, the faculty members they called friends, and the students with whom they continue to connect. They still live in their Appleton home, and Gladys is still doing workshops for Spanish teachers, researching, writing and presenting papers

at Modern Language Conferences. “Since the 2020 conference in Puerto Rico has been canceled due to the virus, I am looking forward to the 2021 conference in Atlanta,” she said. The Chilean native passed along her love of educational travel to her students and said she considers the exchange programs she launched to Guatemala and Colombia some of her proudest accomplishments. In recognition of those innovative programs, the Appleton Rotary Club presented her with the Cutting Edge Award. Mr. Wiz also enjoyed an award-winning run, and he said his fondest memories include directing the band at football and basketball games, and the concert band successes with first division awards at district band festivals. “I tried to make the musical experience joyful for my students,” he said. “This was worth repeating - the more you work at it, the more you will enjoy it.”

Immediately following their years at Xavier, Don From left to right: Don, grandson Leo, daughter-in-law Patricia, grandson Maximilian, son Stephen ’86, and Gladys accepted a position at St. Mary High School. “An old friend offered me a full time position,” he said. “One I couldn’t refuse.” Gladys, meanwhile, introduced and taught for 21 years the Spanish CAPP (Cooperative Academic Partnership Program) of UWO at both Oshkosh North and West high schools. Today, they are spending time traveling and enjoying their grandsons. Don reads and listens to music, while Gladys enjoys Zumba and daily workouts. She also gets a big kick out of running into former students, and the feeling is mutual. “When she sees you, she always has a story to tell about you,” said Kathy (Kostelnik) Finley ‘86, who went on to become an educator as well. “Many teachers struggle to put a name to a face when they see a former student, Mrs. Wiz does more than put a name to a face. She adds a story too. They may be stories you forgot, but she always remembers.” And, though she especially enjoys having those conversations with former students in the language she taught them, Gladys said the most important lesson she taught had nothing to do with verb conjugation. “I hope I conveyed our strong connection with the global community, respect, understanding and acceptance of other cultures,” she said. According to Kewley and most of the pair’s other former students, lesson received. “The Wisnefskis opened me up to a world of culture, music, language, travel, a world outside my bubble….I am so grateful to them for their passion and grateful for how much they truly care about us and sharing their love of their profession, their love of life.”

One of Mr. and Mrs. Wisnefski’s former students is also their son, Stephen Wisnefski ‘86, now the Wall Street Journal’s Deputy Managing Editor. He said he enjoyed the opportunity to have been taught by his parents. “They were both so passionate and capable. They were demanding and didn't suffer fools, but they were always fair and compassionate. They only wanted students to do their best and to respect the coursework and the classroom,” he said. “But mostly I remember that my parents were well-respected for their teaching prowess and dedication, and that they were well-liked by the students who had the good fortune to be in their classrooms. I would say my parents were at the top of the list of extraordinary educators at an extraordinary school. I was genuinely proud of them then, just as I am today.”

Written by Laura (Kostelnik) Biskupic ’82. Visit Laura’s blog at https://anotherslice.life/