April 2020

April 4th, 2020

Austin Prep Opens 4th Quarter Remote Teaching and Learning Opportunities to New Students

As students and families struggle with K-12 continuity of instruction across the United States, Austin Preparatory School welcomed 18 new students Monday to their school community through an expansion of their already established remote teaching and learning program. The program was launched in mid-March as a result of the statewide closure of schools in response to the COVID-19 crisis, and has been well-received by parents, students, and faculty.

The new students, who represent the towns of Andover, Reading, North Andover, Stoneham, Groveland, North Reading, Saugus and Rowley, started classes on the first day of the 4th academic quarter and will have the opportunity to finish the academic year on campus should schools reopen to conclude the year.

In the remote teaching and learning program, students follow a daily modified schedule of Austin Prep’s Advisory Program and rotating academic block schedule that approximates the full Austin Prep experience. The new students have been working with  faculty advisors to transition to their new school, a new and different way of learning, and to familiarize them with all the resources available at Austin Prep. This transition included an orientation meeting on Sunday, conducted through the Zoom Cloud Meetings application used by faculty and students to create virtual classrooms on their laptops and iPads.

Prior to the statewide order, staff from the Austin Prep Department of Technology set up over 70 brand new Apple MacBook Air computers, configured with all the tools needed to teach remotely in case of a school-wide shut down, and the Austin Prep Office of Academic Affairs guided faculty through web tutorials so they were proficient in using the videoconferencing app Zoom Cloud Meetings.

 “The middle school team has helped make this transition go smoothly for our son,” Susan Ellis P'20, '24 said. “We are impressed with their collaborative effort to acclimate students and put in a remote learning plan so quickly.”

Students’ courses include Mathematics, English, Science, Social Studies, Theology, and Language. The modular nature of some of the Middle School courses have allowed these new students to jump right in to the next topic or unit and participate actively in class. Sixth and seventh grade students are enrolled in a new course designed especially for this program “Topics in Art History: The Roman World.” The course explores elements of the classical civilization’s lasting legacy like Roman architecture, mythology, and the fundamentals of Latin.

 “Our new students are settling in wonderfully. They are all smiles and eager to get going,” English Faculty Leeann Blais said. “One of our new students is already exploring student club opportunities and we aren't even back in the building yet.”

New students echoed that sentiment. 

 “My first few days at Austin Prep were fantastic. All of the teachers and students were especially kind to me and it was very easy to catch on with my classes. I just came in class and felt like I belonged,” Vasu Jetly ’23 said. “It was very interesting and exciting to attend classes in a new way (virtually).”

“The first few days of the Austin Prep remote learning program have been great! Going to class on Zoom has been a really fun way to be a new student. I feel like I am part of the community already but from my dining room,” Sydney Rech ’26 said. “My teachers have also been helpful during class and after class to check in to make sure everything makes sense. My advisor, Mr. Pollard has been checking in to make sure that I have everything I need. I feel like I am learning a lot already. I can already speak some Latin words thanks to Mr. McLaughlin!”

If you know somebody who would be interested in learning more about enrolling in the remote teaching and learning program or general questions about Austin Prep, please contact the Austin Prep Office of Admissions at (781) 944-4900 x839.

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Live Streamed Services Continue Through Holy Week

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. This year, sadly, our churches are closed, and we find ourselves confined to our homes. The entire world, in an unusual way, is sharing in the Passion of Christ, many, no doubt, more intensely than others. 

We invite you to join us virtually from the Austin Prep's Chapel of St. Augustine for several events celebrating the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord.

Palm Sunday, April 5th, we will offer Mass at 10:00 a.m. Join us here.

Good Friday, April 10th, we will have a brief service at 12:00 Noon. Join us here. 

Easter Sunday, April 12th, we will celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m. Join us here.

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). 

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Support Austin Prep Family-Owned Businesses

The rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation is unprecedented in our society and has impacted many facets of our daily life. As a result of stay-at-home advisories and social distancing practices, many businesses have been deeply affected in various ways. Our thoughts go out to business owners and workers who are facing challenges in this uncertain time.

As a show of support, we would like to encourage the Austin Prep community to support Austin Prep family-owned businesses that remain open at this time. If you are a business owner, we invite you to fill out this simple form providing us with information about your business. This information will be posted on Austin Prep's website for the whole community to see.

Please visit these business websites, social media pages, or call for more information about hours of operations to determine how you can best support their business during this difficult time. There have been many sacrifices made in recent weeks, but through the strength of our community we will no doubt make it through the days ahead. 

If you have questions about submitting your information to be listed on the website, please reach out to Mr. Tyler Fleming, Director of Communications.

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Stations of the Cross

Ordinarily, as we enter Holy Week, we would have marked this occasion with what has now become an annual tradition in our community with the Stations of the Cross.  The above video is from the 2019 Divine Dance class, and we hope that it serves as a moving reflection as part of your prayerful preparation for Holy Week. 

This year's Stations of the Cross performers worked hard in practice and were excited to continue this Austin Prep tradition. Despite not being able to have the performance this year, the 2020 performers deserve to be recognized and include: Emerson Byrne '26, Sophia Christo '26, Rachel Coons '24, Lauren Costa '24, Skylar Cote '24, Sammi DeLucca '25, Lyla Graichen '24, Jaya Gupta '24, Juliana Iannibelli '24, Ella Luongo '24, Kylie McDonald '24, Katherine Millett '24, Maggie O'Brien '26, Abby O'Keefe '24, Rachel Rech '24, Alexa Schiela '24, Mikolena Zirpolo '24, and Maria Zucco '24.

"I am exceptionally proud of this class, particularly these dancers," said Mrs. Marla Pascucci-Byrne P'26, "Their preparation this quarter was outstanding; they had significant roles to fill and I am deeply impressed by their talent, artistry, and dedication."

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Memorial Scholarships Notification Coming Soon

We are looking forward to notifying recipients of Memorial Scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year.  We received a strong response and anticipate being in touch with scholarship winners in the coming weeks. Students in Grades 9-11 were eligible to apply for the awards and recipients will demonstrate significant academic achievement and service contributions to the Austin Prep community, among other qualities. Memorial Scholarships are available to our students due to the generosity of Austin Prep families and friends who have created funds in memory of a loved one.

Traditionally, formal presentations of the Memorial Scholarships are made at a special luncheon for award winners, their families, and special guests. As a result of the current school closure, we will unfortunately not hold the luncheon this year. We will, however, recognize the scholarship winners here in the Cougar Courier and other outlets to celebrate the achievements of our students. We are proud of our students and grateful for the support of those who make these scholarships possible.

If you have questions about Memorial Scholarships, please contact Ms. Susan Belanger, Assistant Headmaster for External Affairs.

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Dr. Hickey Participates in School Leader Webinar

Headmaster Dr. James Hickey, P'22, '23, '24 was one of seven school leaders nationwide interviewed for a webinar entitled "Principals Caring for Their Teachers," which was presented April 2nd by FACTS Education Solutions.  During the presentation, panelists offered through interviews ideas of how to provide professional, supportive, and ongoing communications for teachers through this ever-evolving, stressful and challenging time. Dr. Hickey spoke to the concept of providing faculty the opportunity to unplug and take a breather, while celebrating their work by giving them recognition and allowing them to take a break. "Be surprising in a good way," Dr. Hickey said.   

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Annual Austin Open Golf Tournament Postponed

In consideration of existing stay-at-home mandates and the current school closure, the 33rd Annual Austin Open Golf Tournament, scheduled for May 18th, is being postponed. We are currently looking at available dates to reschedule in the future, and will be in touch as soon as those plans are confirmed. We hope to see you on the course for another great day with friends in support of Austin Prep.

The Annual Golf Tournament is vital in our efforts to continue to provide exceptional educational experiences for all our students. Proceeds from this year's tournament will help fund the expansion of parking on campus, and past golf tournaments have funded other 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 on our website here. 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 Headmaster for External Affairs.

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College Counseling Webinars Continue

The college counseling office would like to thank everybody who tuned in to last week's webinar with our panel of college admissions directors. This week we are excited to announce two additional webinars as a way to continue to serve students and families virtually.

On Tuesday, April 7th at 7:00 p.m., we will be presenting the Naviance College & Career Readiness Curriculum. This series of lessons built within Naviance has become available during this time through a partnership between Naviance and Austin Preparatory School. The CCRC uses interactive lessons, some with video, as a way to learn about critical skills and gain knowledge about college in order to persevere and reach your long-term college and/or career goals. Click here to register.

 

On Tuesday, April 14th at 7:00 p.m., we will hosting three college admissions professionals who will be speaking about the college essay. They will discuss the merits behind the essay, supplemental and scholarship specific essays, and also what may be some strategies on how to start an essay draft. Click here to register.

The panelists will be:

Kathleen Storer, Associate Director of Admissions, Bryant University (RI)
Brian Johnson, Director of Admissions Recruitment, Emmanuel College (MA)
Sara Cronin, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Admission and Regional Coordinator, The Catholic University of America (DC).

For either webinar, when you register please take the opportunity to include questions to be answered during the presentations. Please contact Mr. Brian Ford, Director of College Counseling if you have questions. 

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Cougar Block is Introduced into Remote Teaching and Learning Schedule

Last Tuesday, Austin Prep students enjoyed the introduction of Cougar Block to the academic schedule, giving students the opportunity to re-engage with students and faculty through clubs and other campus activities.  Here is a photo from the Dance Club!

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Academic Schedule through May 1st

Attention Students: We hope your 4th quarter got off to a great start this week. To access the academic schedule for April 6th through May 1st. please click here. Cougar Block continues again this Tuesday, and don't forget to participate in the Student Activities Challenges.  Please contact Student Activities Coordinator, Mr. Patrick Costello with questions in regards to the daily contests. 

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April 11th, 2020

 Join Us Tomorrow for Virtual Easter Sunday Mass

 

This year, sadly, our churches are closed, and we find ourselves confined to our homes. Yet, the entire world, in an unusual way, is sharing in the Passion of Christ. Service details are as follows:

Easter Sunday Mass, April 12th, 10:00 a.m. Join us here.

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). 

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College Counseling Hosts Webinar on the College Essay

The Office of College Counseling is excited to host an additional webinar as a way to continue to serve students virtually. On Tuesday, April 14th at 7:00 p.m., the Office of College Counseling will host three college admissions professionals who will be speaking about the college essay. They will discuss the merits behind the essay, supplemental and scholarship specific essays, and also what may be some strategies on how to start an essay draft.

To register for the webinar, click here.  If you have any questions, please contact Director of College Counseling, Mr. Brian Ford. Also, you can stay up to date with college counseling news by following the Office of College Counseling on Twitter here.

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Health and Wellness Support

Austin Prep's Health and Wellness Team is here to support both students and families in our community by providing updated resources and news about how to take care of ourselves during this challenging time. The good news is that there are lots of proven effective ways to take care of ourselves and our students both emotionally and physically while social distancing. Check out our Wellness News: Issue 2 for more details and contact information. We are available to meet virtually and can be contacted by email. We look forward to connecting with you! 

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Virtual Open House Coming Wednesday

Parents, do you know someone interested in Austin Prep, or a family who would benefit from the Austin Prep experience? Some of our greatest referrals come from current families. With the current school closure, we are looking forward to hosting our first virtual Open House on Wednesday, April 15th. Help us spread the word! The Office of Admissions will offer a morning webinar beginning at 9:00 a.m. and an evening webinar beginning at 7:00 p.m. Presenters will include Headmaster Dr. James Hickey P'22, '23, '24 and a panel of students (see above graphic for panelists), and the event will conclude with a virtual tour of campus. Come learn more about the Austin Prep Journey! Click here to register.

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Tennis, Anyone?

Work has continued this week on the lower fields athletic complex. The tennis courts area, seen above, has been laser graded in preparation for court construction and surfacing. The entire project area has considerably changed the look of campus and we can't wait to welcome everybody back to see the progress.

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Hosts Needed for International Students

Last year nearly 1.2 million international students traveled to the United States to continue their education. Austin Prep has had the privilege to partner with some of these very talented young international students on their educational journey in our community.

Hosting a student from a foreign country could be a life-changing experience for your family, and will allow Austin Prep to continue to advance its mission of preparing its students for a world that is increasingly interconnected.

If you are interested in hosting an international student for the 2020-2021 academic year please reach out to Director of Admissions, Mr. Steve Silverthorn.

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Have You Tried the Daily Student Activity Challenges?

As a reminder, the daily Student Activities Challenges occur every weekday, and provide a different fun challenge for students and staff. These challenges can be accessed through the Veracross Home Page. The themes are as follows:

• “Mashup Mondays” will challenge you to identify multiple songs by listening to only a few seconds of each tune

• “Trivia Tuesdays” will test your knowledge on various educational and fun subjects

• “Where’s Cubby Wednesdays” will invite you to identify the place where Cubby is pictured

• “Throwback Thursdays” will require you to recognize a dated picture of a person or place of interest 

• “Figure It Out Fridays” will provoke you to look at some graphics and determine the word or phrase it represents

On Monday of each week, a revised leaderboard is posted in Veracross. At the end of the contest, there will be prizes awarded for each level of participants - Middle School, Upper School, Faculty & Staff.

Want to test your knowledge?  Click on this link to see how you do. Use the attached audio link to answer the last question on the challenge. To listen to the audio clip to answer the final Mashup question, click here.

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Student Uses 3D Printer to Help Medical Workers

These unprecedented times have certainly brought out the best of our society, with front line workers – including medical personnel, first responders, and essential workers – going above and beyond to keep us safe and to provide us with the resources we need to continue on with daily life. We are grateful for their commitment and sacrifice.

Others are stepping up to help, as well, including some within our own community.  When word got out that the ears of many medical professionals were becoming chafed from the elastics and prolonged mask usage, Chaz Knowles '24 came up with an idea to help. With his 3D printer, Chaz is creating mask extenders, which can be worn on the back of the head to fasten to the mask loops, instead of wearing around the ears.  These extenders provide a little relief and alleviate some pain, and Chaz has been giving them to family nurse friends to distribute among the hospitals. The mask extenders can be seen in the photo above!

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Deadline for Alumni Walkway Bricks Approaching

 

This is a friendly reminder of the approaching deadline to order bricks for our Alumni Walkway. If you are interested in adding your brick to the Walkway, please click here to order by April 17th, 2020. 

Hundreds of families and alumni have literally etched their names permanently into Austin Prep’s history with an engraved brick in the Alumni Walkway. Located from the main entrance doors down to and around Meelia Hall, the walkway connects Austin Prep's past to its promising future. Engraved bricks are grouped by class year, and are a great way to mark a senior’s accomplishments as he or she enters the ranks of Austin Prep alumni. The walkway contains bricks with the names of alumni from the six decades of our history. 

Bricks are $500. Those who purchase bricks will also be recognized as members of the Headmaster’s Circle in the 2019-2020 Honor Roll of Donors.  If you have questions, contact Ms. Susan Belanger, Assistant Headmaster for External Affairs.

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Austin Prep Claims Boston Globe Athletics Awards

The Boston Globe recognized the region's top student-athletes this week, revealing its Winter Sports All-Scholastic, Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year Awards honorees, and Austin Prep was well represented. From the Globe:

 

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Austin Prep Families, How Are You Spending Your Time Together?

Over the past few weeks, our normal daily routines have been greatly impacted by stay-at-home orders, the school closure mandate, and recommended social distancing practices. We have been forced to learn a new way of living as we collectively work together to get through this global pandemic.

While challenging, the changes to the way we live have given us the opportunity to spend quality time and reconnect with family in ways that we might not have had the chance to do before. For many, being with family during this time has been a blessing and is providing the strength to accept and adapt to this new way of living.

Our community is what makes the Austin Prep experience unique. We miss our students and the interactions we have with their families.  We would like celebrate the time you are spending together and continue to stay connected while you are away from campus. To do this, we are asking for you to send us photos and brief stories depicting the ways you and your loved ones are spending time together at home during this crisis. You can email your photos to Mr. Tyler Fleming, Director of Communications, and we will share the photos on our social media channels and here in the Cougar Courier. We look forward to seeing all the wonderful ways our Austin Prep families have been spending their time together while away from campus.

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Have a Happy and Blessed Easter

April 18th, 2020

Austin Prep Family Provides Masks to Local First Responders

Earlier this week, through a very generous donation from the family of international student Steven Hu '21, Austin Prep received 2,000 masks that we were proud to donate to first responders in the Town of Reading.

On Thursday, Headmaster Dr. James Hickey P'22, '23, '24 presented the masks to a town representative. We are thankful to have such thoughtful members within our school community, and proud to support the work of those locally who keep us safe and healthy.

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Posters for Patients

Austin Prep students continue to do their part to help us get through the coronavirus crisis together.  One of the unfortunate circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic is that those infected and in the hospital are not permitted to have visitors. In an effort to brighten the lives of hospital patients in an otherwise isolating time, Caroline Brabeck '25 and her sister created and collected 282 posters which were sent to Lahey Hospital and are currently hanging throughout the facility and in patients' rooms. The posters include drawings, get well soon notes, and other thoughtful ideas. The project was so successful and well received Caroline decided to expand it to Bellevue Hospital in New York City. Caroline's grandfather works at Bellevue and helped facilitate the effort.      

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Virtual Masses to Continue 

Thank you to all who attended our Virtual Easter Sunday Mass.  We have had such a positive response that we will continue offering masses on Sundays, and hope you continue to join us in the celebration of mass.  Feel free to share the link with your family and friends if they are looking for an opportunity to attend mass as well.

We will connect for mass in the same manner that we did for the previous services.  We have the capacity to host 1,000 people, so we are hopeful that many members of our community have the opportunity to attend remotely. Worship will begin at 10:00 a.m. and when you sign on you will be prompted for your name and email.  We would encourage you to arrive a little before 10:00 a.m.

To connect for our virtual Sunday Mass, click here.

In these difficult times it is important to be as close as possible to family and friends. As a community gathered in the Name of the Lord Jesus and under the patronage of St. Augustine let us strengthen each other through this act of celebrating mass together.

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Austin Prep "Alumni in Athletics" Webinar

On Tuesday, April 21st at 7:00 p.m., all current students will have the opportunity to hear from Austin Prep alumni who continued their journeys in the field of athletics beyond Austin Prep. The panel discussion will be moderated by Director of Athletics, Patrick Driscoll '97.

The panelists will include:

Tom Fitzgerald '86, Interim General Manager for the New Jersey Devils (NHL)

Abbey Jamieson '11, Division I Women's Softball at UMass Lowell; Registered Nurse

Dave Pasquale '89, Head Men's Hockey Coach at Wake Forest University (ACCHL)

Molly Waitt '11, Varsity Girls Basketball Coach, Medford High School; 1st Grade Teacher
                                                                                                              

Pre-registration is required and can be completed here.

Full bios for the panelists can be found here.  If you would like to submit a question for our panelists in advance, please click here.

For more information, contact Jennifer Hodgdon, Director of Alumni Relations and Giving. We look forward to you joining us! 

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A Virtual Community Meeting After April Vacation...

Austin Prep is looking forward to holding its first virtual community meeting on Tuesday, April 28th. It will be the first opportunity for the entire community to join together at once since the statewide school closure mandate. Among other topics, the meeting will include messages from Upper School Student Government and Middle School students sending best wishes to the school community, and also the premier of a new "Thursday Morning Live" showcasing our seniors. More information will be forthcoming through advisory.

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... and Spirit Week, Too

In addition to a virtual community meeting, we look forward to hosting a remote Spirit Week the week after April vacation. Take a look at the daily details below!

 

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Pearl Street Easter Parade

On Easter Sunday, members of the National Honor Society and their families participated in a car parade at The Residence at Pearl Street in Reading to wish the residents a Happy Easter. Both residents and students waved and held uplifting posters. A special thank you to NHS President Catherine Bravo '20 for organizing the event.

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Introducing Dr. Blewitt

Congratulations to Science Department Chair, Mrs. Maria Blewitt, Ed.D., who on Wednesday successfully defended her doctoral dissertation entitled "High School Science Teacher's Beliefs and Practices for Scientific Literacy During Enactment of a Citizen Science Project." She earned her Doctorate in Science Education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. In keeping up with the times, her doctoral defense was conducted remotely.

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Senior Brick Orders Still Being Accepted

Senior Brick Orders for our Alumni Walkway are still being accepted. If you are interested in adding your brick to the Class of 2020 section of the Walkway, please click here to order. 

Hundreds of families and alumni have literally etched their names permanently into Austin Prep’s history with an engraved brick in the Alumni Walkway. Located from the main entrance doors down to and around Meelia Hall, the walkway connects Austin Prep's past to its promising future. Engraved bricks are grouped by class year, and are a great way to mark a senior’s accomplishments as he or she enters the ranks of Austin Prep alumni. The walkway contains bricks with the names of alumni from the six decades of our history. 

Bricks are $500. Those who purchase bricks will also be recognized as members of the Headmaster’s Circle in the 2019-2020 Honor Roll of Donors.  If you have questions, contact Ms. Susan Belanger, Assistant Headmaster for External Affairs.

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National Latin Exam

In March, Latin students at Austin Prep took part in the National Latin Exam, a competitive test that students from across the country take.  We would like to congratulate the students who won awards for their excellent performance. Austin Prep is committed to academic excellence through its core value veritas and is immensely proud of these students who demonstrated this excellence in their Latin studies:  In Lumine Tuo Videbimus Lumen.

 

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Student Tutoring Continues Remotely

 

Despite the limits of in-person interaction, Austin Prep students continue to help one another. Here, in Ms. Alison Fish's Math Peer Tutorial Club,  tutors Jenna Denker '20 and Kate Simpson '21 assist students with math assignments through Zoom.

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Have a Great April Vacation

 

We want to wish our families a very happy, healthy, and safe April break. Remote teaching and learning will resume on Monday, April 27th, and the Cougar Courier will return on Saturday, May 2nd.