March 2021
03.06.2021
March 6th, 2021
Class of 2021 is all in on Monday!
The entire senior class, including those who have opted to be remote for quarter three, has been invited to be on campus for the academic day on Monday, March 8th. Seniors will attend their regularly scheduled classes as well as a class meeting to discuss their senior spring. While we understand this year has been met with a great deal of challenge, we are hopeful that Monday’s time together on campus and the updates shared at this class meeting will expand joy and excitement after a long winter. This is not a requirement but rather an opportunity for the Class of 2021 to be on campus for the day. Any student who does not feel comfortable being on campus on Monday is welcome to attend classes remotely. We look forward to seeing the Class of 2021 together on campus Monday!
Course Selection Process Begins Next Week
Seventh graders began the process of selecting their World Language for 8th grade while playing a Kahoot.
The Academic Office will begin the scheduling process for the 2021-2022 academic year on Monday, March 8th. An outline of the week is provided for your reference.
- Monday, March 8th:
- Course Selection Forms will be sent to students via an email link to Survey Monkey.
- Parent Webinar at 6:00 p.m. for current 6th and 7th grade parents
- Parent Webinar at 7:00 p.m. for current 8th grade parents
- Monday, March 8th - Thursday, March 11th:
- Conversations about the course selection process will occur during advisory.
- Wednesday, March 10th:
- Parent Webinar at 6:00 p.m. for current 9th -11th grade parents
- Friday, March 12th:
- Course Selection Forms must be submitted by today through Survey Monkey.
- Please assist your students in adhering to this deadline as their delay may impact their ability to enroll in electives of their choosing.
Both the Middle School and Upper School Course Catalogs will be available on the Veracross Portal.
Should you have any questions, please contact your child's advisor.
Spirit Week Benefits St. Jude Children's Hospital
Austin Prep Community members were spotted wearing buttons in support of St. Jude this week.
Spirit Week had a successful return to Austin Prep last week, complete with themed dress down days and daily contest for both staff and students. Money raised this week through the sale of Spirit Week participatory bracelets benefited St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment, with a commitment to no child being denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay. We have currently raised $5,800 and counting in support of St. Jude. Well done, Austin Prep!
National Junior Honor Society Class Inducted
On March 1, the Austin Prep Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society held a virtual induction ceremony for 19 new members of the Chapter. You can view the program for the event by clicking here. As a part of that ceremony, inductees delivered reflections on the five pillars of the Society - scholarship, service, leadership, citizenship, and character.
Nareg Minassian ‘26 wrote and shared remarks on the virtue of character. To read the first text of his remarks, visit the latest Middle School Blog here, or you can view the recording of Nareg’s remarks here.
This year's Inspirational Teacher Award was presented to Ms. Meghan Chapman, Mathematics Faculty by Andre Bashirians ‘26. Thank you Ms. Chapman for the impact you have on the lives of all Austin Prep students. To learn more about Ms. Chapman, read the Community Spotlight at the end of this week's Cougar Courier!
A full list of National Junior Honor Society inductees can be found below:
2021 Inductees
Andre Bashirians ‘26
Leonardo Centinaro ‘25
Braeddon Dyment ‘26
Sophia Fanuele ‘26
Madeleine Fisher ‘26
Samuel Joseph ‘26
Anna Klovee ‘25
Jasmine Labriola ‘26
George Mamakos ‘26
Nareg Minassian ‘26
Aaria Nagpal ‘26
Margaret O’Brien ‘26
Lauren Ouellette ‘25
Steven Reyes ‘26
Dylan Sigsbury ‘25
Evelyn Surowiec ‘25
Lauren Vigneaux ‘26
Janna Vounessea ‘25
Angelica Zizza ‘26
Austin Prep Presents Returns March 23
Austin Prep Presents returns on Tuesday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. with "Childcare and Eldercare: Balancing Everyone’s Needs” with Sheetal Patel '05, Executive Director of Great Falls Assisted Living, and Dr. Hillary Bush '03, Psychologist. Sheetal and Hillary will share their professional and personal experience with the “Sandwich/Panini Generation,” or those of us who have a parent over 65 and are raising children under the age of 18. Some of the topics we hope to cover include child and elder medical services, aiding in financial and legal matters, and the many emotional difficulties that come with balancing everyone’s needs, including our own. Webinar access credentials will be distributed to the community prior to the event.
Save the Date for Day of Giving: Wednesday, April 14
Let’s do it again!
Last year, we set a record for the most gifts in one day. More importantly, we set a record for helping our community meet the challenges of the overwhelming pandemic crisis. We are ready to set new records again!
This year, we have an opportunity to raise the bar in support of the COVID-19 Relief Fund. The fund supports unanticipated technology requirements, remote learning programs, teacher professional training, student support services, health and safety initiatives and financial assistance to families in need.
Our goal is simple—keep our students, teachers and families healthy and safe with minimal disruptions as they pursue the promise of a quality education.
So, mark April 14th on your calendar and get ready to join us as we aim to set new records. To learn more and make a donation, visit our website.
Golf Open Returns
After having missed the opportunity to host golfers within our school community in 2020, we are excited to announce the return of the annual Austin Prep Golf Tournament! The 33rd Annual Golf Tournament will take place on May 24, 2021 at Indian Ridge Golf Club in Andover, MA. Working within local guidelines pertaining to social gatherings, we look forward to a reimagined event with the health and well being of our guests as the priority. Registration and more information will be available soon.
The Annual Golf Tournament is vital in our efforts to continue to provide exceptional educational experiences for all our students. Proceeds from past golf tournaments have funded numerous campus initiatives, including the recently renovated David E. Nelson '81 Fitness Center. Now, more than ever, we welcome your participation in the event, either as a golfer or sponsor. Event sponsorships help make our event a success, and a wide array of sponsorships are available. We appreciate all those who have already committed to helping us make this a great event, and look forward to having additional members of the community join us.
If you have questions about golf sponsorships or the event in general, please contact Ms. Susan Belanger, Assistant Head for External Affairs. We hope to see you on the course for another great day with friends in support of Austin Prep.
Austin Prep Continues to Celebrate Women's History Month
Paige Christie '11, shown here receiving an award as a graduate student at UC Irvine, was inducted into the Austin Prep Hall of Fame in 2018.
Austin Prep continues to celebrate Women's History Month, which runs from March 1st - 31st. During this time, we will recognize the contributions, achievements and influence of women on the history and culture of the United States and the world, but also locally and in the Austin Prep Community. This week we spotlighted, among others, Paige Christie '11. A 2018 Austin Prep Hall of Fame Inductee, Christie swam the English Channel in 2014 and is in her last semester of a JD/MBA program at UC Irvine, where she served as the 2020 MBA Commencement Speaker.
Austin Prep Announces Second Quarter Honor Roll
The list of students who earned honors in the second quarter of Austin Prep's 2020-2021 academic year has been released. Congratulations to the students who earned this prestigious recognition in their pursuit of truth. #Veritas
Sports Leadership Course Welcomes Boston Celtics Staffer
Mr. Colin Kiley's Topics in Technology: Sports Leadership course - a part of the Middle School curriculum - had a unique opportunity to speak virtually this week with Sam Taub, Director of Youth Basketball and Development for the Boston Celtics. Coach Taub spoke about his own personal journey, his career within sports leadership, development of the Jr. Celtics program, and lessons learned through coaches and mentors. Students were afforded the opportunity to ask Coach Taub questions on his experiences with the Celtics and beyond. Coach Taub was Mr. Kiley's mentor and supervisor during a summer college internship. Thank you to Mr. Taub for taking time to talk with students and his continued positive impact on the community.
Health and Wellness Resources
Austin Prep School Counselors, including Mr. Nicholas Reynolds, right, continue to be a valuable resource for students and families.
The Health and Wellness Office continues to provide valuable resources to our students and parents. Please take a moment to read this important article on homework by well-known author and psychologist, Dr. Lisa Damour. Last August, our Health and Wellness counselors participated in a course led by Dr. Damour entitled “Steady in the Storm: Protecting Student Mental Health.” As we continue to navigate these challenging times, please do not hesitate to reach out to Health and Wellness Counselors Ms. Jessica Lenci and Mr. Nicholas Reynolds if they can be of any assistance.
Community Spotlight: Ms. Meghan Chapman
Note: Our vibrant campus comes to life as a result of the talented students and faculty who make up the Austin Prep community. We look forward to periodically highlighting those individuals here in the Cougar Courier.
Hometown: Wakefield, MA
Education/Degrees: Bachelors in K-8 Math Education from the University of New Hampshire
Years at Austin Prep: 2 years
Years working in Education: 2 years
Department/Area of Subject: Mathematics
Describe a teacher who inspired you growing up: My 7th grade math teacher showed me what it means to learn from my mistakes. I grew confidence in my math ability that year because she believed in me.
Do you have a motto you teach by? Or an expression you try to instill in your classroom? Treat others the way you would want to be treated. This is not only a motto I teach by, but also a motto I live by. I believe that students learn best by teachers they respect. I work every day to give my students the respect and love that I believe I deserve in return.
What’s the most insightful thing a student has ever said to you? A student once asked me, “Ms. Chapman why does everyone try so hard to fit in? I think it’s kind of cool to be weird.” Truer words have never been spoken.
If you weren’t a teacher, what career would you have? I have always wanted to be a teacher but, I originally went to school to be a child psychologist.
Accolades: NHS in high school, Most Athletic in high school, Broke a school record in Indoor Track & Field, NJHS Inspirational Teacher Award at AP
Favorite Quote: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or…some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” – Barack Obama
Fun fact (about you or your past; something colleagues & students might not ordinarily know): I’m currently training for a half-marathon!
Any other information you would like to share: I also shook Barack Obama’s hand!
03.13.2021
March 13th, 2021
Entire Senior Class is Back On Campus
Additional Details Regarding a Full Return to Campus will be Available Soon
Dr. Hickey addressed the Class of 2021 at a special Senior Class meeting on Monday.
Austin Prep has been evaluating the latest trends in public health data and consulting with medical and public health experts to develop a timeline for discontinuing the hybrid model and transitioning to full return to campus. Austin Prep remains compliant with public health mitigation protocols and the reopening plan remains the blueprint to keep the community as safe as possible.
This transition began Friday as we welcomed the entire Class of 2021 to campus. Seniors can discontinue hybrid operations and can come to campus every day through their last day of classes, which is April 30th.
We are developing a careful and incremental plan for increasing the number of students who will be on campus over the next several weeks. We will be in touch with those plans as soon as possible.
Keeping Austin Prep Safe Video Series
In the coming weeks, as we welcome more students back to campus on a full-time basis, it is important to remember the health related standards and procedures Austin Prep has implemented to ensure that our community stays safe. We all share responsibility in the well-being of our school community, as outlined in our covenant.
As a refresher, please take another look at this series of videos produced with the help of your classmates to help reinforce some of the ways you can do your part in "Keeping Austin Prep Safe." Please watch the videos carefully so the entire community is aware of the ways we can keep each other healthy and safe.
Keeping Austin Prep Safe: Hand Hygiene
Keeping Austin Prep Safe: Dining Hall Procedures
Keeping Austin Prep Safe: Thermal Check-in
Parents of Admitted Students Welcomed to Campus by Staff and Students
Austin Prep students served as panelists at the recent forums for parents of admitted students.
This week, Austin Prep wrapped up a series of six small forums for parents of admitted students. The forums, held in the dining hall with limited attendance in accordance with local guidelines, were opportunities for prospective parents to meet Head of School Dr. James Hickey and other members of the Austin Prep faculty and leadership team. Through these events, parents were able to learn more about the school’s important mission, which guides tradition, innovation, and the strategic vision. Separate events were held for the Upper School and Middle School. As in past years, the forums also provided parents an opportunity to hear from a special student panel, and an opportunity to meet other parents considering Austin Prep. We are grateful for all those parents who attended, as well as our student panelists who embodied our school values as they answered questions from parents.
Athletics Summer Camps Registration is Open
We are excited to announce that we will once again be offering a number of youth sports camps on the Austin Prep campus for Summer 2021. Our summer programs will help keep your children active and learning all summer long!
Austin Prep’s Varsity coaching staff will be running the majority of these programs, so it's a great opportunity for the school’s younger athletes, and prospective students, to get an inside look at athletics here at Austin Prep. These programs are a great way to help get prepared for the upcoming 2021-2022 athletic season!
You can learn more about what camps will be offered, when they will be taking place, and how you can register by clicking here. For questions about our summer programs, please contact Mr. Joe Desjardins.
One-Act, Student Directed Play to be Livestreamed March 18
Enigma, a one-act play by Floyd Dell, is the story of He and She, a couple on the verge of a breakup. Tensions arise and their bond is tested. Can they work it out? What secrets will unite them or tear them apart? Tune in to our livestream link on March 18th at 7:00 p.m. to see Enigma unfold! The link will be made available to the community before the event.
Enigma stars Olivia Doherty '21 and T.J. Dysart '21, and is directed by Conor Long '21.
Day of Giving Returns April 14 with Special Livestreamed Event
As noted in last week's Cougar Courier, this year's Day of Giving will take place April 14th. To cap off what will be an incredible day in support of Austin Prep, we invite you to join us for a special, one hour, livestreamed giving event, directly from the Austin Prep campus. The show, meant to educate, engage and entertain our entire School community, will include appearances from Austin Prep faculty, staff, students, and more. It will be a unique event you won't want to miss, all in support of Austin Prep's Day of Giving and the annual fund. More details on the livestreamed event will be released soon.
Last year, we set a record for the most gifts in one day. More importantly, we set a record for helping our community meet the challenges of the overwhelming pandemic crisis. We are ready to set new records again!
This year, we have an opportunity to raise the bar in support of the COVID-19 Relief Fund. The fund supports unanticipated technology requirements, remote learning programs, teacher professional training, student support services, health and safety initiatives and financial assistance to families in need.
Our goal is simple—keep our students, teachers and families healthy and safe with minimal disruptions as they pursue the promise of a quality education.
So, mark April 14th on your calendar and get ready to join us as we aim to set new records. To learn more and make a donation, visit our website.
World Language Students Celebrate Mass in Spanish
On Monday, students in Mrs. Linda Sherry's Spanish 5CP class and Mrs. Lisa Theriault's Spanish 2H class participated in a mass celebrated in Spanish by Fr. Jorge Reyes, Director of Mission and Inclusion. Grace Ardito '21 read the first reading, and Deniro DeMarco '21 read the Responsorial Psalm, both in Spanish. The service was among the masses offered to the community during Lent.
Middle School Faculty Present at NELMS Conference
Six members of the Austin Prep faculty presented at the 40th Annual New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS) Conference this week. Gathering Middle School educators from the region to share best practices, this year's virtual conference empowered attendees through programs about content and instructional strategies, effective leadership and organizational practices, and student development for early adolescent learners.
Michael McLaughlin, Head of Middle School, and Kristen Donnelly, History Faculty, co-presented on "Technology Tools for Formative Assessment: Google Forms and Escape Rooms." Their workshop on gamification as a pedagogical strategy, practical how-to tips, and examples of their own practice highlighted how Austin faculty have crafted tailored activities to ignite students' interest and engagement.
Lucie Langa, Teaching and Learning Specialist, presented on "Organizational and Study Skills," in which she shared strategies for helping students cultivate academic skills. Ms. Langa took a deep dive into the components of executive functioning and how a strengths-based approach can foster confidence in Middle School learners.
Dr. Maria Blewitt, Head of Science, created a workshop on "Socio-scientific issues in the Middle School Science Classroom." Sharing examples from the Austin Prep curriculum, Dr. Blewitt emphasized how topics like funding the space program, climate change solutions, and nuclear power can contextualize science content and promote critical thinking.
English Faculty Leeann Blais and Alexandra Dell'Anno '12 explored strategies to build excitement and motivation around reading in "FUNctional Reading During a Pandemic." Their workshop built off of Mrs. Blais' Summer Sabbatical Grant examining best practices for sparking and sustaining a passion for books in young learners.
Entrepreneur Ava Carter Featured in The Readings Magazine
Austin Prep's Ava Carter '24, and her brother Trevor, were recently featured in the Spring 2021 edition of The Readings magazine. The siblings have been hard at work building a business and developing a new, unique product: a shower shoe that cleans and exfoliates the foot and ankle. Motivated by the show "Shark Tank," Ava and Trevor have conducted research and developed a prototype of the product, named Squeaky Clean Feet, which currently has a patent pending.
"Our idea has definitely come a long way, "Ava said in The Readings magazine. "When we began talking about the shoe, we didn't know how it was going to look. It's been an educational process along the way. It's been really cool to be a part of this."
You can access the entire edition of the Spring 2021 edition of The Readings Magazine here, with the story on Ava on pages 72 - 75.
Registration for Golf is Now Open
The 33rd Annual Golf Tournament will take place on May 24th, 2021 at Indian Ridge Golf Club in Andover, MA. Working within local guidelines pertaining to social gatherings, we look forward to a reimagined event with the health and well being of our guests as the priority. You can register and learn more about the event here.
The Annual Golf Tournament is vital in our efforts to continue to provide exceptional educational experiences for all our students. Proceeds from past golf tournaments have funded numerous campus initiatives, including the recently renovated David E. Nelson '81 Fitness Center. Now, more than ever, we welcome your participation in the event, either as a golfer or sponsor. Event sponsorships help make our event a success, and a wide array of sponsorships are available. We appreciate all those who have already committed to helping us make this a great event, and look forward to having additional members of the community join us.
If you have questions about golf sponsorships or the event in general, please contact Ms. Susan Belanger, Assistant Head for External Affairs. We hope to see you on the course for another great day with friends in support of Austin Prep.
Sixth Graders Serve as Egyptian Museum Curators-in-Training
The sixth grade History program "Becoming Historians" animates students' understanding of the past by exploring content through the lens of different professions in the discipline. Over the past couple of months, students have adopted the role of curators in assembling the Class of 2027 Egyptian Museum. This annual capstone experience is an interdisciplinary endeavor as students read stories set in Egypt in English and learn about the papyrus, pharaohs, and pyramids in History.
Critical to the sucess of this annual capstone were Mrs. Leeann Blais, English Faculty, Alexandra Dell’Anno ’12, English Faculty, Brian Russo ’09, History Faculty, and Alicia Varraso, History Faculty. Leveraging technology, faculty elevated the experience for students to be able to share their work on the world wide web and across the globe!
Rather than hosting an in-person exhibition to display student work, the students took a page from major museums worldwide and built a website to showcase their work. Last week, students and families gathered for a Gallery Talk style webinar where our curators-in-training discussed the kinds of projects they worked on over the quarter - presentations about pharaohs, travel brochures about ancient sites, and book commercials - and then introduced their peers as resident “Egyptologists.”
This week, students were invited to be panelists for a group of Middle School students at Saint Catherine's Model School in Surulere, Lagos in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Students have been excited to share their capstone scholarship. Just like the capstone that the ancient Egyptians placed atop the pyramids at Giza, the sixth grade Egyptian Museum is a sign of the great achievements of the Class of 2027.
Professional Development Days on Monday and Tuesday
Date Marks the Unofficial One-Year Austin Prep Anniversary of Zoom.
Throwback to Professional Development Days, March 2020
As a reminder, Austin Prep Faculty and Staff will be participating in professional development on Monday, March 15th and Tuesday, March 16th, and as a result, there will be no classes. Coordinated by the Office of Academic Affairs with the support of other offices on campus, Austin Prep teachers have two full days planned to provide professional growth opportunities, which in turn will add to the overall experience of the Austin Prep student.
It is worth noting that during this professional development break in March 2020, Austin Prep faculty were briefed on a variety of topics, including a thorough, robust, and rapid introduction to the topic of Remote Teaching and Learning and to a thing called...Zoom.
03.20.2021
March 20th, 2021
Summer Session Registration Now Open
Registration is now open for the 2021 Austin Prep Summer Session. This innovative virtual program for Middle and Upper School students includes a series of engaging courses designed to sustain students’ enthusiasm for learning and maintain connections between students during the summer months.
Enrichment offerings like the Normandy D-Day or Greek Mythology will provide students with an opportunity to take a deeper dive into topics as they think critically and creatively. Introductory and review-style courses provide a sense of structure and support as students sharpen their skills and strengthen their academic foundation in Mathematics and World Language.
With classes capped at 15 students and led by a member of the Austin Prep faculty, students benefit from a sense of community as they keep their academic goals on track.
We invite you to learn more about the Austin Prep Summer Session and peruse the Summer Session Catalog here.
The Academic Summer Session is being coordinated by Head of Middle School Mr. Michael McLaughlin. He can be reached directly with any questions about the program or any of the specific courses.
National Honor Society Initiative Supports Stoneham Food Insecurity and the Aging Population
Service is one of the four pillars of the National Honor Society. NHS members are shown here at the Residence at Pearl Street during the last academic year.
Many of the National Honor Society initiatives this year have been focused on the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus pandemic on certain populations. Due to the inability of many food pantries to serve food in their normal capacity, it has been harder to get food to those who need it. The Austin Prep National Honor Society has partnered with the The Stoneham Food Pantry, who has created a Wish List of needed items that are shipped directly to the pantry itself.
In addition to the food pantry, the aging population has dealt with increased isolation over the course of the past year. A committee of National Honor Society members created an Amazon Wish List with items to create activity bags for the Stoneham Senior Center residents. The items are shipped directly to the center and will be assembled by NHS members.
This initiative will run through Easter break. Any donation of items, big or small, will help these organizations immensely. When placing your order, please make sure that the correct shipping address is selected. Thank you for collaborating with NHS in our collective support of these organizations.
Austin Prep Presents Returns Tuesday
Austin Prep Presents returns on Tuesday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. with "Childcare and Eldercare: Balancing Everyone’s Needs” with Sheetal Patel '05, Executive Director of Great Falls Assisted Living, and Dr. Hillary Bush '03, Psychologist. Sheetal and Hillary will share their professional and personal experience with the “Sandwich/Panini Generation,” or those of us who have a parent over 65 and are raising children under the age of 18. Dr. Bush and Ms. Patel will define what it means to be in the "Sandwich/Panini Generation," and guide a conversation around self-care for those currently balancing the needs of parents, grandparents, and children.
Academic Decathlon Team Finishes 6th at State Finals
The Austin Prep Academic Decathlon team finished in sixth place at the 2021 Massachusetts Academic Decathlon State Finals conducted online on Saturday, March 6th. The team ended the contest with 24,401.8 points. This year's national Academic Decathlon theme was the Cold War.
Catherine Jalbert '22 and Victoria Withycombe '22 each won gold medals in the Interview competition with scores of 965/1000 and 905/1000 respectively. Victoria also won bronze medals in Speech and Science. Michelle Laferriere '23 was the highest scoring Austin Prep student in the competition, earning a total of 5,712 points.
Honorable mentions for Top 10 scores were also awarded to the following participating students:
Vikram Gonugunthla '22 - Math
Maria Hanna '22 - Math
Catherine Jalbert '22 - Economics, Social Science
Michelle Laferriere '23 - Speech
Meredith McDonough '22 - Math, Essay
Eryn Trant '21 - Music
Victoria Withycombe '22 - Math, Economics, Literature
Jennifer Britto '21 was the highest-scoring alternate with a total of 3,480 points. Other participating alternates were:
Christian Alfieri '23
Jack Caruso '22
Caroline Kelly '23
Ryan O'Malley '24
Paula Reyes '24
Sofia Senn '23
Lily Seville '23
Special thanks to Ms. My Doan from the College Counseling Office for volunteering as a judge for the speech and interview competitions.
With the State Finals completed, the team will now begin its preparation for the 2021-2022 Academic Decathlon season. The theme for next year's contest is "Water: A Most Essential Resource."
Students Tour Museum Virtually, then Build Federal Budget
History faculty A.J. Benning's AP Government and Politics class took a virtual field trip to the JFK Library and Museum at UMass Boston to take part in a Federal Budget Simulation. Austin Prep, along with four other schools from the greater Boston area, logged in to discuss and debate our nation's priorities by establishing their own “simulated” federal budgets. After analyzing the proposed Fiscal Year 2021 discretionary budget, students designed a 2022 budget with their peers. Through this simulation, our students learned the importance of the budgeting process and that decisions concerning how our government spends its money form the basis of most national government policy.
Students Deliver One-Act Play "Enigma"
"Enigma," directed by Conor Long '21, featured Olivia Doherty '22 and TJ Dysart '21.
Bravo to the cast and crew of "Enigma," directed by Conor Long '21, starring Olivia Doherty '22 and TJ Dysart '21, and filmed by Alyssa Cross '21 and Ashley Murdock '21. This excellent performance was the culmination of Conor's Independent Study course and is available for your viewing on Twitch. Special thanks to members of our Information Technology team Ms. Jill Bonina, Mr. Brad Harkins, Mrs. Marissa McLaughlin and Mr. Nick Quinn, and the Facilities Team for their technical expertise and support.
Academic Calendar 2021-22
While our immediate attention is on the full in person return of Austin Prep students to close out the 2020-21 academic year, some families may already have an eye on the summer and the 2021-22 academic year. For those people, we are happy to release the 2021-22 Academic Calendar, which can be found here as well as in the Portals. This calendar contains information pertinent to key dates in the academic calendar as well as holidays and vacations.
Special Day of Giving Livestreamed Event Coming April 14
This year's Day of Giving will take place April 14th. To cap off what will be an incredible day in support of Austin Prep, we invite you to join us for a special, one hour, livestreamed giving event, directly from the Austin Prep campus. The show, meant to educate, engage and entertain our entire School community, will include appearances from Austin Prep faculty, staff, students, and more. It will be a unique event you won't want to miss, all in support of Austin Prep's Day of Giving and the annual fund. More details on the livestreamed event will be released soon, but in the meantime, mark April 14th on your calendar and get ready to join us as we aim to set new records. To learn more and make a donation, visit our website.
More Squeaky Clean Feet
In last week's Cougar Courier, we highlighted Austin Prep's Ava Carter '24, and her brother Trevor, who were recently featured in the Spring 2021 edition of The Readings magazine for their work on a new product called Squeaky Clean Feet, which currently has a patent pending. If you weren't impressed with Ava and her product after reading that story, not to mention concerned about how clean feet really get after washing, take a look at the video above. It is the first official commercial video for Squeaky Clean Feet. Well done, Ava!
Sponsorships Available for Austin Prep Golf Open
The 33rd Annual Golf Tournament will take place on May 24th, 2021 at Indian Ridge Golf Club in Andover, MA. Working within local guidelines pertaining to social gatherings, we look forward to a reimagined event with the health and well being of our guests as the priority. Sponsorships help make our event a success! If you would like to learn more about the different sponsorships available, click the button below:
We appreciate all those who have already committed to helping us make this a great event, and look forward to having additional members of the community join us. If you have questions about golf sponsorships, please contact Ms. Susan Belanger, Assistant Head for External Affairs.
St. Patrick's Day and Women's History Month Come Together
Ms. Farrell is shown above receiving the 2019 St. Augustine Lumen Award from Chair of the Board of Trustees Dan Bouchard P'10, '14, '15 and Head of School Dr. James Hickey.
Austin Prep continues to celebrate Women's History Month, which runs from March 1st - 31st. During this time, we will recognize the contributions, achievements and influence of women on the history and culture of the United States and the world, but also locally and in the Austin Prep Community. This week, Austin Prep also happened to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. As those two celebrations merged, who better to honor than Ms. Elizabeth Farrell? A member of our science faculty and native of Ireland, Ms. Farrell has taught at Austin Prep for over 25 years and was the 2019 St. Augustine Lumen Award winner for teaching excellence. Thank you Ms. Farrell for everything you have meant to Austin Prep students, past and present.
03.27.2021
March 27th, 2021
Austin Prep Celebrates Liturgy for Peace and Justice
Fr. Jorge Reyes, OSA, Director of Mission and Inclusion, presided over the Liturgy on Monday.
In light of the recent tragedies impacting the Asian American community, and to ask for God's intercession to confront the evil of racism and violence, Austin Prep hosted a mass on Monday, March 22nd to celebrate a Liturgy for Peace and Justice. Fr. Jorge Reyes, OSA, Director of Mission and Inclusion, presided over the Liturgy and Fr. Patrick Armano, School Chaplain, concelebrated. The Liturgy took place in the Chapel of St. Augustine and was live streamed across campus for faculty, staff, and students, as well as for students learning remotely from home. Because of social distancing, only a small delegation of students and staff were able to attend in person.
The liturgy was held, in part, in response to the violence last week in Atlanta in which 8 people were murdered, most of whom were of Asian descent. “As an Augustinian Catholic community, we are outraged and horrified by the loss of life and condemn all acts of violence and all acts of racism,” Head of School James Hickey, Ph.D. said. “Every act of racism and violence is a failure to acknowledge and respect that we are created in God’s image and that every human person has worth and dignity.”
Student lectors at the service included Faith Moran ’21, Brianna Fountain, ’21, Maddie Wakelin ’24 and Bella Conte ’24.
Senior Baby Photos Needed for Yearbook
Any guess who this Class of 2021 member is? The answer is at the bottom of the Cougar Courier...
As part of the annual tradition, we would like senior parents to submit your senior's baby photo to be included in the Yearbook. A link to a shared folder for submission can be found here. The latest we can accept them is Wednesday, March 31st (the day before Easter Break). Important: when you upload your photo, please rename your baby photos with the first and last name so we can identify who they are. We will not be able to include them otherwise. Please do not hesitate to email Nicolle Renick, Yearbook Teacher with any questions.
Join us for Virtual Easter Mass
Join Father Patrick Armano, School Chaplain, remotely for Easter Sunday Mass from the Chapel of St. Augustine.
On Sunday we will begin the most important week of the year for Christians, Holy Week, in which we remember the events of our redemption. While many parishes are offering limited capacity services, we want to provide those in our community an opportunity to share in the Passion of Christ virtually.
We invite you to join us virtually from the Austin Prep's Chapel of St. Augustine on Easter Sunday, April 4th, as we celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m. You can view the Mass via our YouTube channel here. The link will also be sent before the mass.
These times of prayer will afford us the opportunity of gathering, although at a distance, together in prayer and unity for ourselves, our families, but especially for so many who have been invited this year to bear on their bodies the wounds of Christ (Galatians 6:17).
Stations of the Cross Tradition Continues
As we enter Holy Week, Austin Prep continued the annual tradition in our community with the Stations of the Cross. This year's Stations of the Cross, narrated by our own Mr. Roger Stone with an introduction from Dr. James Hickey, Head of School, included the following performers: Emerson Byrne '26, Sasha Callaway '23, Olivia Cann '23, Samantha Cecchini '23, Rachel Coons '24, Olivia Gedaminsky '24, Lyla Graichen '24, Jaya Gupta '24, Jared Hickey '24, Kylie McDonald '24, Imogen Moro '25, Maggie O'Brien '26, Abby O'Keefe '24, Lily O'Neill '23, Emma Simpson '23, Sophia Taylor '23, and Mikolena Zirpolo '24. You can watch the performance by clicking in the box above.
Join us for the Day of Giving Telethon
This year's Day of Giving will take place April 14th. To cap off what will be an incredible day in support of Austin Prep, we invite you to join us for a special, one hour, livestreamed giving event, directly from the Austin Prep campus. The show, meant to educate, engage and entertain our entire School community, will be hosted by Trustee Joey Carregal '05 and TJ Dysart '21, and include appearances from Austin Prep faculty, staff, students, and more. It will be a unique event you won't want to miss, all in support of Austin Prep's Day of Giving and the Annual Fund. More details on the livestreamed event will be released soon, but in the meantime, mark April 14th on your calendar. To learn more and make a donation, visit our website.
Save the Date for Baccalaureate Mass
Dr. James Hickey, Head of School, addresses those in attendance at the 2020 Baccalaureate Mass for the Class of 2020.
We are currently planning and are working closely with local officials to celebrate Baccalaureate Mass. More information will be forthcoming when we receive approval for our plan. For now, seniors and your families, please save the date.
- Friday, May 14th: 4:00 p.m.
- Rain Date: Saturday, May 15th (Time TBD)
Austin Prep Student Aids in Vaccination Efforts
Jessica Marks '23 volunteered at a Lower Merrimack Valley Regional Collaborative Covid-19 vaccination clinic last weekend.
The massive Covid-19 vaccination effort across the Commonwealth continues, requiring a great deal of infrastructure, ranging from technology to volunteer management. Last weekend in Amesbury, 2,522 people received first doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, in a large scale municipally-driven vaccination effort. Among the volunteers for the event was Austin Prep 's Jessica Marks '23, who served as a vaccination distribution leader. Learn more about Jessica's role in vaccination here.
Journey of the Heart
The college search continues on for the Class of 2021, even during the pandemic. A very small collection of colleges and universities our seniors have been accepted to is displayed above.
We are pleased to present the next installment of Journey of the Heart, our once a month highlight of programs, activities, and initiatives at Austin Prep that exemplify our core values. Journey of the Heart is published on our website, where members of the staff will share their insights. Archived installments are available on our website, as well.
March's edition of Journey of the Heart is provided by Ms. My Doan, Co-Director of College Counseling. Ms. Doan notes that while the college admissions process has been unique for the Class of 2021 as a result of the pandemic, Austin Prep has risen to the challenge by providing our seniors the best possible resources available as they plan for their journey beyond the Austin Prep campus.
Students Interview Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Awardee
Austin Prep continues to celebrate Women's History Month, which runs from March 1st - 31st. During this time, we will recognize the contributions, achievements and influence of women on the history and culture of the United States and the world, but also locally and in the Austin Prep Community. Recently, TJ Dysart '21 and Marvin Twombley '21 interviewed Pamela Everhart, Senior Vice President at Fidelity Investments. Ms. Everhart recently won the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Pinnacle Award for her work in the community. We thank Ms. Everhart for the time spent with our students. You can watch the full interview above.
Sprinting in Science
Alex Fernandez '25 sprints the field while classmates collect data.
To calculate velocity, divide the distance traveled by the time elapsed. Unless, of course, you're an eighth-grade student in Ms. Gwen Durkee's Physical Science class. In that case, students first headed to Fr. Seymour Field. Here, classmates were positioned every five yards to capture data as students sprinted, jogged, and walked the length of the field. Students used the data set to graph their acceleration and sustained speed and talked about applications from tips for track athletes running through - rather than to - the finish line to cars hopping on the highway. Students enjoyed the hands-on approach to formulas on motion - and the beautiful spring weather!
Re-Watch "Enigma"
In case you missed "Enigma," the one act play directed by Conor Long '21, starring Olivia Doherty '22 and TJ Dysart '21, and filmed by Alyssa Cross '21 and Ashley Murdock '21, you can watch an encore performance above. Enjoy!
Baby Photo Answer
Sal LoCoco '21