March 2025
3.1.25
March 1, 2025
Archbishop Richard G. Henning Celebrates Mass at Austin Prep
On Thursday Austin Prep welcomed the Most Reverend Richard G. Henning, the new Archbishop of Boston, to campus as he celebrated a school-wide liturgy for students and staff. You can view photos here and a video highlight here.
"You will come to know this Jesus, your friend, our king. The king of love,” Archbishop Henning said in his homily. “And that you will allow His grace to bathe and change your heart, so that you may live and exercise that greatest power, the power of love and compassion."
Upon the completion of Mass, the native New Yorker noted that while he is not yet ready to convert to a Boston Red Sox fan, he is “as of today, an Austin Prep Cougar fan."
He further encouraged those in attendance with this proclamation: "The students may be aware that in the Archdiocese of Boston there is a tradition when the Archbishop visits. So I have a request of you, Dr. Hickey, that you would select a suitable day to give a day off to the students" He added that the Archbishop’s day off of school will be given in honor of the choir, lectors, and servers, who all performed admirable throughout the Mass.
Reading Fire Chief Gregory Burns welcomes Archbishop Henning to Austin Prep at Thursday's Mass.
The event began with a welcome from Reading Fire Chief Gregory Burns. Archbishop Henning has a fondness for first responders as his father, great grandfather, and uncle were all members of the New York City Fire Department.
Austin Prep Celebrates Women's History Month
This March, Austin Prep will honor Women's History Month by recognizing the vital influence and contributions of women on the history of the United States and the world. We also look forward to celebrating the remarkable achievements of women in the Austin Prep community.
Girls Ice Hockey Plays Today for Conference Title
The #3 seed Austin Prep Girls Ice Hockey Team travels to North Yarmouth Academy today to take on #1 seed NYA in the 2025 Vaillancourt Conference Championship. Game starts at 4:00 p.m. Make the trip to Yarmouth, ME to support the team. Why not?! Good luck, girls!
Next Community Mass is Tomorrow
The next Monthly Community Mass will be held tomorrow, March 2nd at 9:00 a.m. in the Chapel of St. Augustine. We encourage our school families who regularly attend Sunday Mass at their local parish to consider joining us for this monthly Sunday Mass. The Mass will give us an opportunity to meet each other and pray together, at least occasionally. We will join for a time of fellowship in the Dining Hall after Mass. To help us with our planning, we would ask families to RSVP by clicking here so we can take an appropriate count for the Coffee and Donut Hour.
Students are required to attend with their parents. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow as we strengthen each other through this act of celebrating Mass together.
Austin Prep at Near Capacity Enrollment for 2025-2026 Academic Year
Austin Prep is wrapping up another thriving and competitive admissions season! Enrollment is up significantly over this same time last year and the Office of Admissions expects to close most of the grades this coming week. Recently admitted students received the above video upon acceptance to Austin Prep and we can't wait to welcome them to the school community!
With limited spots remaining, interested prospective families and current families who have yet to re-enroll are encouraged to act quickly to ensure their child’s seat. Please reach out to Mrs. Lisa Simmons, Director of Admissions with any questions at lisa.simmons@austinprep.org.
Student Designers Create Met Gala Masterpieces
Students in Function in Fashion class have strutted their way into the spotlight with their stunning Met Gala-inspired creations. Taking on this year's Met Gala theme, "Superfine Tailoring: Black Style," these budding designers have crafted runway-worthy looks that showcase both technical skill and bold creativity.
From candy wrappers transformed into sleek couture to colored pencil shavings reimagined as textured embellishments, these fashion-forward students prove that innovative materials can elevate design to art. Their unconventional approach to textiles brings fresh perspective to the fashion conversation while honoring the theme's celebration of Black style.
These eye-catching ensembles are now having their moment in the Murphy Art Gallery, where visitors can appreciate the craftsmanship up close. The exhibition perfectly captures the spirit of the Met Gala – where fashion meets artistry and self-expression reigns supreme. Sashay your way over to see these standout collections – they're serving serious style!
Fernandes '25 to Continue Baseball Career at Saint Anselm College
Alex Fernandes '25 with parents Stephen and Wendy, and sister Avery '29.
Austin Prep hosted another college athletics signing on Monday. Alex Fernandes '25 committed to continuing his baseball career at NCAA Division II Saint Anselm College at a ceremony with family, faculty and classmates.
Proving that birds of a feather, should indeed stick together, Alex will join current teammate Nick Genese '25 as Saint Anselm Hawks this fall.
Inside the Classroom
Students & faculty have been collaborating on engaging & innovative classroom initiatives. Here are but a few.
Mikayla Field '29 takes the stand in Ms. Kristen Donnelly's court.
Students in History Faculty Ms. Kristen Donnelly, Ms. Alicia Varraso, and Mr. Jim Hutton's 8th grade civics class performed their annual mock trial as an examination of a criminal court case. Hung Jury was the verdict! You can view photos here.
Students perform mock surgeries using robots with the help of Harvard Medical School facilitators.
As part of Austin Prep's continued partnership with Harvard Medical School’s (HMS) MedScience Program, facilitators in the HMS program visited campus to aid in the assembly and programming of robots to perform mock surgeries using artificial intelligence while exploring physics concepts through practical medical applications. In this semester-long program, students will master foundational physics principles through hands-on experience with model surgical robots, using guided discovery learning techniques.
Matthew Smith '26 and Cat Bajoras '27 show off the robot they made using Tinkerkad.
Students in Math Faculty Mr. Michael Baccari's '03 Trigonometry and Geometry class designed 3D objects that look like robots using Tinkerkad, an app for 3D design, electronics, and coding. After making the robots, students calculated the surface area of the robots then wrapped their robots in aluminum foil based on their calculations.
Olivia Visan '29 and Noelle Sousa '29 report to classmates about Thurgood Marshall.
Students in Theology Faculty Mr. Raymond Kabunga's Living as Members of the Church class presented to classmates about famous Black Americans and their significant accomplishments. An import component of the grading rubric was that those highlighted also had to have a strong commitment to Christian values.
Mrs. Carine Aurelio, Director of Fr. Smith Library and Media Center, visited World Languages Faculty Mrs. Linda Filadoro's Spanish 3 Honors class to teach a lesson on the Brazilian celebration Carnaval. The class celebrated the occasion with savory foods and fruit drinks enjoyed in Brazil. Carnaval is a massive, vibrant festival celebrated in the days leading up to Lent, usually in February or early March. The most famous celebrations take place in Rio de Janeiro, featuring extravagant parades with samba schools performing in dazzling costumes and floats. Other cities, like São Paulo, Salvador, and Recife, also host unique versions of Carnaval, with street parties (blocos), live music, and regional dance styles. The festival blends African, Indigenous, and Portuguese influences, making it one of the world's most colorful and energetic celebrations.
Austin Prep Delegation Attends NAIS Annual Conference
Austin Prep was well represented this week in Nashville at the annual NAIS conference.
The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) held their annual conference February 26th - 28th in Nashville, Tennessee. Attendees included Cassandra Thompson, English Faculty; Amy Foley, Science & Technology Innovation Specialist; Eric Smith, Theology Faculty; Amy Costa, Assistant Director of Admissions; PJ Malafronte, Special Projects Manager; Sue Belanger, Assistant Head of School for Administration and Special Projects; Cori Russo, World Languages Faculty; Kayla Greenwood, Dean of Academic Affairs; Alfonse Femino, History Faculty; and Hillary Repucci, Director of Development.
Dr. Michael Thompson Visits Parent University
Dr. Michael Thompson discusses The Pressured Child.
On Tuesday night, our Parent University series—launched by our Middle School Health and Wellness Counselor Julie Rankin to support and engage our parent community—welcomed Dr. Michael Thompson, a best-selling author, educator, and renowned psychologist, for an engaging discussion on The Pressured Child. Dr. Thompson offered invaluable insights into the academic, social, and emotional pressures students face today, encouraging parents to see the school experience through their child’s eyes. He emphasized that children thrive when they feel connected, recognized, and empowered, reinforcing the importance of strong relationships, a sense of belonging, and opportunities for growth. He also challenged parents to reflect on their own expectations, reminding them that success is not a straight path but a personal journey unique to every child. The evening sparked thoughtful conversation and provided practical strategies for supporting students in their journey. We are grateful to Dr. Thompson for his wisdom and to our parent community for their participation!
Remember How Great the Science Fair Was?
Over a week has passed since the Austin Prep Middle School and Science Faculty hosted the 8th Grade Science Fair and the community is still talking about how great it was. As promised, 3rd Place winner Sydney Winkels '29 is shown above. Congrats Sydney!