alumni magnificat summer 2015

MagnificatALUMNI

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

Volume 9 | No 1 Summer 2015

CELEBRATING 17 YEARS OF SERVICEMsgr. John J. McCann retires

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLDebuts at Mock Trial

PERFORMING ARTSat The Schools of Saint Mary

CELEBRATING 17 YEARS OF SERVICEMsgr. John J. McCann retires

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLDebuts at Mock Trial

PERFORMING ARTSat The Schools of Saint Mary

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.

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

Saturday, September 19Class of 1953 Reunion 2:00 PM The View Grill - Glen Cove Golf Course

Thursday, September 2423rd Annual Don Monti Memorial Golf ClassicPlandome Country Club

Saturday, October 24Class of 1975 ReunionPort Washington Yacht Club

Saturday, November 7Class of 1965 ReunionManhasset Bay Yacht Club

Sunday, November 8Alumni Memorial Mass10:30 AMChurch of Saint Mary

Thursday, November 12Ladies’ Night Out | Elementary School

Saturday, November 14Class of 1995 ReunionThe Inn at New Hyde Park

Saturday, April 16, 2016Take-A-Break | Elementary School

Thursday, April 21, 2016Ladies’ Night Out | High SchoolThe Inn at New Hyde Park

Winter/Spring 2016Class of 2000-2005 Reunion

For more information on activities and events, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 516.627.4605 or E-mail [email protected]

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ALUMNI Magnificat | 3

MagnificatALUMNI

EDITORIALEditor in Chief | Kristin Lynch Graham ’88

Creative Director | Eileen Symmons ’82, ’86

Contributing Author | Mary E. Gorry

ADMINISTRATIONPastor | 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 Developmentand 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

Amy Murphy P ’19, ’21, ’23

HIGH SCHOOL BOARD

Chairperson | Joseph Mattone P ’15, ’17, ’19

Daniel Amoruso ’76

Patricia Hennelly Anglin ’69

Kathleen Cawley ’78

Marc de Venoge P ’06, ’09, ’11, ’14

Dionne Dixon Allen P ’14, ’16

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

Christine Gawrych ’72

Maureen Johnson ’69

James F. Smyth ’91

6Celebrating 17 Years of Service

8Elementary School Debuts at Mock Trial

10Performing Arts at The Schools of Saint Mary

12A Tribute to Sports Night

14Commencement 2015

18Nancy Mason Award

19Alumni Profiles

23College Mentoring Panel

24Athletic News

27Grandparents Day

28Faculty Retirements

inside this issue

PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS

Project Rebuild

St. Vincent de Paul Society Toy Drive

Earth Day Clean Up

Giving Day

Senior Faculty Basketball

Game Fundraiser

from the president

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. CavalloPresident


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

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Celebrating 17 Years of ServiceThis 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

gathered at North Hills Country Club to

say congratulations and thank you to

Msgr. McCann.

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.

Fr. Nicholas Zientarski

delivered an inspiring

homily and spoke

eloquently of Msgr.

McCann’s devotion to

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

The Schools of St. Mary to the forefront of

technology in Catholic schools on Long

Island.

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

tomorrow.

The ultimate goal of

the model was to

share the resources

school news

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

www.inspiredthinkers.org | 6

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.

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.

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.

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school news

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 sixth-

graders 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

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 sixth-

grade 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.

Elementary School Debuts at Mock Trial


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.

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

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

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.

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school news


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

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.”

Performing Arts at The Schools of Saint Mary


Photos by Eileen Symmons

“The intended result of leaving a buzz in the community during the 2014-2015 season was achieved.”

–Andrew J. Koslosky

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school news

“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 co-

educational 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

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

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

former Italian teacher Sasha Bernetti-

Worontzoff, 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

Tradition Lives in the Heart: A Tribute to Sports Night

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

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

it all.

The Class of 2015 began

their Commencement

festivities with a

Baccalaureate Mass in

the Church of St. Mary.

The Class gathered to

give thanks for all they

had received over the

past four years and to

ask God to bless their future endeavors.

Anthony Bosko offered the Senior

Reflection at the end of Mass. He said

that the Catholic atmosphere of

St. Mary’s helped to shape his spirituality

and gave him and his classmates a better

understanding of their beliefs and values.

Anthony will attend Fordham University

with Jogues and Army ROTC scholarships.

Anthony was also awarded the Brother

Michael Driscoll Award.

138 graduates participated in

Commencement Exercises at the

Tilles Center on Saturday, June 6. The

valedictorian, Taylor Wilson, spoke about

the tremendous advantages offered by

the cultural diversity of his classmates.

“We had a unique lens to learn from

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.”

He encouraged his

classmates to assume

the responsibilities

associated with the

freedom and power

that lies ahead

Taylor will attend

Swarthmore College

on a scholarship. He

was also the recipient

of the Award for

General Excellence, and the English and

Mathematics Awards for Excellence over a

four-year period.

Congratulations Class of 2015! Welcome

to the alumni family.

Commencement Weekend

Additional Awards Bestowed at CommencementThe 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

A proud Norona family moment as Katie '15 joins her brother Kevin '11 as St. Mary's alumni.

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school news

Adelphi UniversityAlbany College of PharmacyAlvernia UniversityAmerican UniversityAmherst CollegeAssumption CollegeBabson CollegeBaruch CollegeBinghamton UniversityBoston CollegeBoston UniversityBrandeis UniversityBriarcliffe CollegeBuffalo State CollegeCarnegie Mellon UniversityCatholic UniversityClark Atlanta UniversityColgate UniversityCollege of the Holy CrossColumbia UniversityCornell UniversityCUNY HunterCUNY LehmanCUNY QueensCurry CollegeDartmouth CollegeDelaware State UniversityDowling CollegeDrew UniversityDrexel UniversityDuke UniversityDuquesne University

Fairfield UniversityFlagler CollegeFordham UniversityGeorge Washington UniversityHamilton CollegeHartwick CollegeHofstra UniversityHoward UniversityIona CollegeIthaca CollegeJames Madison UniversityLasell CollegeLe Moyne CollegeLIU BrooklynLIU PostM.I.T.Manhattan CollegeManhattanville CollegeMercy CollegeMethodist UniversityMitchell CollegeMolloy CollegeMount Saint Mary CollegeNew England CollegeNew York Institute of TechnologyNew York UniversityNortheastern UniversityOld Dominion UniversityUniversity of Illinois at Urbana/ ChampagneUniversity of PennsylvaniaPace University

Penn StatePratt InstitutePrinceton UniversityPomona CollegePurdue UniversityRhode Island School of DesignRoger Williams UniversityRutgers UniversitySacred Heart UniversitySchool of the Art Institute of ChicagoSeton Hall UniversitySiena CollegeSt. Anselm CollegeSt. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Francis CollegeSt. John’s UniversitySt. Joseph’s CollegeStony Brook UniversitySUNY AlbanySUNY BrockportSUNY CortlandSUNY FarmingdaleSUNY GeneseoSUNY Old WestburySUNY OneontaSUNY OswegoSUNY PotsdamSUNY PurchaseSwarthmore CollegeSyracuse UniversityThe College of Mount Saint VincentThe College of New Rochelle

The College of Saint RoseThe University of ScrantonTouro CollegeUniversity of AlabamaUniversity of BridgeportUniversity of California BerkeleyUniversity of California Los AngelesUniversity of California San DiegoUniversity of ConnecticutUniversity of DallasUniversity of DelawareUniversity of HartfordUniversity of Mass. AmherstUniversity of MiamiUniversity of PittsburghUniversity of Rhode IslandUniversity of TampaUniversity of Tennessee-KnoxvilleUniversity of VermontUniversity of West VirginiaQuinnipiacVassar CollegeVillanova UniversityYork College of PA

Together with the Administration and Faculty of St. Mary’s High School, Reverend Father Robert A. Romeo, Pastor, is pleased to present the following post-secondary 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.

College Acceptances 2015

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

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

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school news

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.

At the awards ceremony held on Thursday

evening, the class was recognized for their

academic achievements which included

recognition of the numerous scholarships

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

themselves, reminding them to nurture

and grow the faith and values they had

learned at St. Mary’s during high school.

The letters will be opened at their first

reunion in four years.

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

tradition of signing each other’s books.

Elementary School Commencement

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school news

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

seeing what she liked

to do.”

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.

Nancy Mason Award

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


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

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

looking to work closer to

home, she started her 36-

year 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

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

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.

Chrissy Gawrych ’72

alumni profiles

“...The desire to always do the right and fair thing, and the Catholic values we learned here.”

PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS AND DONG JUN WU

alumni profiles

Neil Hannan:Princeton’s 2015 Salutatorian

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.”

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

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

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

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.”


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

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

alumni profiles


Young Alumni Profile: Christian Moise ’13Sometimes 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

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

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

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.

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

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 [email protected]. A selection committee will review and select candidates. An induction ceremony will take place this spring.

Hall of Fame Nominations

faculty spotlight

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

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

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.”

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.”

Making a Difference


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

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

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

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 full-

time 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

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.”

alumni news


athletic news

Student-Athlete Profile: JP Kilcullen ’15JP 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!

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 Repeat ChampionsSaint 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.


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 [email protected]

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, Mei-Lyn 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!

Lady Gaels Make College Commits

Seniors Mei-Lyn Bautista, Charlotte Renker, Jordan Agustus and McKayla Hernandez. PHOTOS BY EILEEN SYMMONS

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

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

Parents Make a Difference

parent appreciation


Members of the Elementary School's Parent Teacher Organization 2014-2015

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

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.

parent appreciation

PHOTOS BY MARY GORRY


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

Modern Language Department in 2010.

She also moderated several clubs during

the years, including the Spanish Club, the

Dance Club, Zumba and the Debate Club.

As Chairperson, she was able to institute

some changes in the department

including a name change from “Foreign

Language” to “Modern Language.” The

department participated in the Spring

MusArt event with a display highlighting

the language students’ accomplishments

in their learning of the Spanish and

Italian cultures. The Modern Language

Honor Society began in 2013, where top

achieving students in Language studies

are recognized for their academics and

service at a school awards ceremony each

May. With the introduction of the freshman

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.”

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

create a child’s storybook in English

and Spanish. “Over a couple of months,

the students worked cooperatively to

write and illustrate storybooks, all of

which incorporated a lesson for the young

reader. It was a charitable endeavor since

the books were going to be donated to

an elementary school’s library that was

destroyed during Hurricane Sandy, and

the students paid for the printing of the

books themselves. We then delivered

them personally to the kindergarten

classes on a day in which our students

met the children, interacting with them

and reading their books to them in

English and Spanish. Our students had a

wonderful time, while learning so much.”

“I believe St. Mary’s is a special place to work

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.”

Kathy Smith always knew she wanted to

be a teacher. “Teaching is not what I do.

It is who I am,” she says proudly. After 33

years, Ms. Smith is ready to retire from the

Faculty Retirements

Mrs. Lipani always made class time engaging for her Modern Language students at St. Mary's.

Ms. Smith and Ms. Tomlinson having fun at the School Halloween party.

continued on pg 30>

faculty spotlight

SAVE THE DATE

Don’t Miss theClass of 1953 ReunionSaturday, September 19, 20152:00 PM | The View Grill - Glen Cove Course

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

Class of 1975 ReunionSaturday, October 24, 2015Port Washington Yacht Club

Class of 196550th Reunion WeekendNovember 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/upcoming-events/Fun ideas? Memorabilia to share? Be sure to contact class committee members:Kathleen Cirina: [email protected] “Pinky” Gulmi Kennell: [email protected] Nunziata: [email protected] Ras: [email protected] Troy: [email protected]

Class of 2000-2005 Reunion Winter/Spring 2016

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

PHO

TO BY EILEEN

SYMM

ON

S

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.

Connections

Continued from page 28

science faculty, but she will always be a

teacher at heart.

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

helps facilitate learning.”

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.”

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

and not just the classwork.”

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.

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

[email protected]

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.

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

Via E-mail: [email protected]

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.

Saint Mary’s at World Trade Center Memorial FoundationThomas 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.


In MemoriamThe 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 [email protected].

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

1300 Northern BoulevardManhasset, New York 11030

Non Profit OrgUS Postage

PAIDPermit No. 8Hanover, NH

Saint Mary’s High School invites you to the

23rd Annual Don Monti Memorial Golf Classic & Fall Alumni Dinner

Honoring Bill Milleras this year’s Timothy J. Coughlin Award RecipientThursday, September 24, 2015Plandome 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.S

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23rd Ann

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Don Monti Memorial G

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

alumni magnificat summer 2015

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