Alumni Courier

2019 marks the reunion year for classes ending in 4s and 9s. Austin Prep would like to help you and your classmates reconnect in celebration of your years at Austin. Whether it has been 5 years or 45 years, we look forward to bringing you back together to evoke memories of your time here, to experience Austin Prep as it is today, and to look forward to Austin’s bright future! Please register using the links below no later than November 15th. **Pre-registration is required for all events. No walk-ins.**

Join alumni, current families and faculty during our annual Autumn at Austin weekend, October 18th & 19th – there is something for everyone!!

Friday, October 18th
7:15 a.m. - Golf CCL League Championship, AWAY Gannon Municipal Golf Course
3:30 p.m. - Volleyball - Girls - Junior Varsity 2 vs. Swampscott, Richard J. Meelia Hall
4:30 p.m. - Volleyball - Girls - Junior Varsity vs. Swampscott, Richard J. Meelia Hall
5:30 p.m. - Volleyball - Girls - Varsity vs. Swampscott, Richard J. Meelia Hall

Trunk or Treat Hosted by Student Council,@ 6:00- 7:00 p.m.​​​​​​, FREE
Bring your whole family in Halloween costumes and trick or treat from festively decorated cars throughout the designated Trunk or Treat area. Before you start your trick or treating, stop by the Alumni/Admissions tent in front of the main doors of McLaughlin Hall for your free bag!

7:00 p.m. - Football – Varsity vs. Cathedral, Fr. Seymour Field

Saturday, October 19th

Pancake Breakfast with Cubby, @ 8:30 - 10:00 a.m., Dining Hall, $5 per person or $15 per family (4+ people)
SAGE Dining Services will provide a full buffet pancake breakfast* for the whole family in the Dining Hall! Austin Prep mascot, Cubby, will be greeting and taking photos with guests. Green Key Student Ambassadors will be on hand to give tours to families.
Student clubs will be offering face painting. 
*SAGE Dining is a nut-free catering service. Please note dietary restrictions on Step 3 during registration process.
Advanced registration is recommended.
REGISTER HERE for Pancake Breakfast with Cubby

9:30 a.m. - Soccer - Girls - Junior Varsity vs. Weston, Fr. Seymour Field
10:00 a.m. - Volleyball - Girls - Junior Varsity 2 vs. St. Mary's and Archbishop Williams, Richard J. Meelia Hall
11:00 a.m. - Soccer - Girls - Varsity vs. Weston, Fr. Seymour Field
1:30 p.m. - Soccer - Boys - Junior Varsity vs. Malden Catholic, Fr. Seymour Field
3:00 p.m. - Soccer - Boys - Varsity vs. Malden Catholic, Fr. Seymour Field
5:00 p.m. - Cross Country - Coed - Varsity, AWAY, Barnstable Fairgrounds 

All of us keep deep in our hearts the memory of a loved one who has gone home to God. That memory is precious and sacred. The month of November begins with the celebration of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, and closes with Thanksgiving. Each day is an appropriate time to celebrate the lives of those who have gone before and upon whose shoulders we now stand. In gratitude for their gifts of faith and family, let’s thank God for all those who have touched our hearts and our lives.

Austin Prep invites you to share the names of your loved ones who have died. Throughout the month of November the school community will pray for your beloved dead and remember them during our weekly Community Masses, held in the Chapel of St. Augustine at 12:10 pm. Please share the names of your loved ones here.

This is our gift to you in thanksgiving for your prayers for us, and for your continuing generosity and support of Austin Prep.

This summer Austin Prep the facilities team, in collaboration with contractors, worked tirelessly on campus updates and improvements. One improvement included the installation of a renovated plaza in front of Richard J. Meelia Hall. Due to a reoccurring issue with drainage, some of the the alumni brick walkway was replaced with a concrete surface. The alumni bricks will be replaced in the near future. All alumni will be notified where to find their brick once they have been replaced.
If you would like to purchase an alumni brick, we will include it in the new location. Please click here to purchase your alumni brick by October 15th. 

For the second consecutive year, the Boston Globe has awarded Austin Prep Athletics the Nason Division III Trophy. This award recognizes overall athletic excellence among Catholic co-educational schools across the Commonwealth, with overall, regular-season winning percentage as the criteria for selection. Congratulations to all our student-athletes and coaches for their unparalleled success over the past two academic years. For more information on all the Boston Globe Scholastic Awards, including the Nason Award, click here.

This summer Austin Prep faculty members were awarded Summer Sabbatical grants that empowered them to pursue in-depth professional development experiences to enhance their teaching. Support of the Austin Prep Annual Fund makes professional development programs such as the Summer Sabbatical possible. 

Ms. Alicia Varrasso -- The Sixth Grade Odyssey
Alicia’s sabbatical transformed her sixth grade unit on Greece as she journeyed to the birthplace of democracy and cradle of Western Civilization to experience Greek history and culture in the same hands-on way that she teaches her students.

Ms. Michele Brewer -- Boosting Engagement in Mathematics
Coming on the heels of her second Masters of Education with a speciality in emerging Technologies, Michele traveled to Orlando to participate in a workshop on the Kagan Structures, instructional strategies aimed at increasing understanding, confidence, achievement and engagement with secondary mathematics.

Dr. Ricardo Vanegas -- Understanding and Applying Biotechnology and Bioinformatics in the Curriculum
The Biotechnology course at AP uses some of the latest techniques in introducing students to genetic and medical engineering. The field is a revolutionary way to understand many scientific concepts using computer science, math, and statistics - and is one that is evolving at a rapid rate. Dr. Vanegas traveled to the John Innes Center in Norwich, United Kingdom to learn alongside a global community of scientists on the emerging PCR technology and its application to personalized medicine.

Mrs. Nicole Putney, P'26 and Mrs. Stephanie Choate -- Harkness Method of Teaching
English faculty members Mrs. Putney and Mrs. Choate attended the Philips Exeter Institute for the Humanities to be trained in the Harkness method of teaching. The Harkness style is a student led and student centered discussion technique where students sit around a table and drive the conversation and ask the questions. Mrs. Putney and Mrs. Choate spent a week on Exeter's campus and participated in the daily discussions, observed classes, and led discussions. This is the same Professional Development opportunity that English Faculty Mr. Matthew Diapella '99 attended in the summer of 2018, and the Harkness table method is used in his sophomore Discussion and Debate course.

Sabbatical Spotlight: Roger Stone
This summer Latin faculty member Mr. Roger Stone celebrated the completion of his 50th year of teaching at Austin Prep by returning to the site of his Fulbright Grant Fellowship for coursework paired with an in-depth study of Aquileia, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The site Mr. Stone visited included an Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia. The Roman city dates to 181 BC and became one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the early Roman Empire until it was sacked and destroyed in 452 by the Huns led by Attila. 

The city was a major trading center connecting the Mediterranean to Central Europe. Aquileia’s wealth and status within the empire was reflected in its magnificent public buildings and private residences, many of which survive as archaeological remains. The most striking remains of the Roman city are those of the port installations, a long row of warehouses and docks that stretch along the bank of the river.  Many of its treasures are currently housed in a local museum. Mr. Stone is looking forward to bringing the lessons he learned in the field at this archeological site to his Latin classroom.

Austin Prep has announced the appointment of Mr. Jonathan Pollard '97 (JP) as the school’s new Head Varsity Baseball Coach.

No stranger to Austin Prep Athletics, JP served as Austin Prep’s Director of Athletics from 2014 -19, where under his leadership Austin Prep secured 55 Conference Championships, 5 State Championships, and back-to-back Nason Awards from the Boston Globe in recognition for being the winningest high school Catholic co-ed athletic department in the Commonwealth. In July, Mr. Pollard was promoted to Assistant Headmaster for Enrollment and Athletics at Austin Prep. A 1997 graduate of Austin Prep, Mr. Pollard went on to play college baseball at Salem State University where he was a two-time all-conference selection.

“It was a privilege to play at Austin Prep, and to have the opportunity now to lead the great young men in the baseball program is simply a dream come true.” Pollard said.

Mr. Pollard’s experience in the sport extends far beyond the prep level. In 2011, Mr. Pollard began coaching for USA Baseball in Cary, NC. During his time with USA Baseball, he led national teams around the globe, collecting two silver medals, and a gold medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games. In 2014, Mr. Pollard was named USA Baseball Developmental Coach of the Year.

“In my fifteenth year as a head of school, I have had the opportunity to work with many talented coaches in my career and JP is among the best I ever encountered,” Headmaster James Hickey, Ph.D. P'22, '23, '24 said. “He has been a fixture at Austin Prep for the last ten years as an alumni volunteer, coach, champion of Austin Prep, Director of Athletics, and, now, Assistant Headmaster for Enrollment and Athletics. Without question, Austin Prep is a better community because JP is in it.”

Mr. Pollard will take the helm of one of the premier baseball programs in the state in recent years. Austin Prep won the MIAA Division 3 state title in 2018, and has gone 103-17 since 2015.

"We are thrilled to announce Mr. Pollard as our new head baseball coach. His coaching experience and love of Austin Prep will raise the level of our baseball program to new heights,” Director of Athletics Patrick Driscoll '97 said. “His understanding of the league and the balance between academics and athletics will provide a strong foundation for our student-athletes to succeed both on and off the field. Our current and future baseball players are extremely blessed to have Coach Pollard leading them.” 

The 2018 - 2019 academic year brought many alumni visitors back to campus! From writing workshops and mentorships, to athletic competitions and informal gatherings, alumni had the opportunity to engage with current students and each other. We expect even more alumni returning to AP this year!

Pictured above, alum Jen Kruh '16 visited with Mr. Tony Biscardi '88 and brought by a signed poster of the movie "Knives Out" where she was the set decorator. The movie is scheduled to be in theaters in November 2019. Jen just finished working on the new season of Castle Rock, a series on Hulu, and will be working on a new Ryan Reynolds movie soon. The poster has been added to Mr. Biscardi's "Wall of Fame" in his classroom. 

If you would like to come back to campus to visit a teacher, class, club or team, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations to coordinate your visit 781-944-4900, ext. 852.

Are you getting married? The Office of Alumni Relations will loan you an Austin Prep banner for photos at your wedding.

Did you recently welcome a new cougar cub into your family? Let us know what size onesie your little cougar needs and the Office of Alumni Relations will send along one of our new Austin Prep baby onesies.

Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 781-944-4900, ext. 852.

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays presented opportunities for Austin Prep alumni to get together and enjoy reminiscing about their Austin Prep experience, while catching-up on their journeys after AP.

On Thanksgiving, alumni came back to campus to cheer on Coach Bill Maradei as he led the Cougars to victory in his final game as head coach of the football team. The most recent graduating class, 2018, came back to campus for breakfast in the new dining hall, while the classes of 2013, 2008 and 2003 met in Boston over the Thanksgiving weekend. Members of the class of 1969 took in a Merrimack vs. Holy Cross varsity men's hockey game in a suite at Merrimack College. The class of 1988 gathered in Woburn at Scoreboards, and the class of 1994 got together at the Tavern in the Square in Burlington. The class of 1972 had its largest showing since their time at Austin Prep at a festive holiday dinner at Ricardo's in the North End. 

In all, over 200 alumni celebrated what it means to be an Austin Prep Cougar!    #Veritas #Unitas #Caritas

We look forward to Saturday, May 25th as the class of 1969 celebrates their 50th Reunion here at Austin Prep, kicking-off the reunion year for all classes ending in 4 and 9. If you would like to be part of the planning for your class, please contact Mrs. Jennifer Hodgdon, Director of Alumni Relations and Giving at jennifer.hodgdon@austinprep.org.

Several Austin Prep faculty and staff have been selected to present at conferences, locally and nationally, in the coming months:

Mr. Roger Stone (Latin) will be presenting at the Classical Association of New England (CANE) Annual Convention on March 8th at Holy Cross. His session will focus on his Cicero Speech Project, in which students compose and present a five-to-seven minute persuasive speech. They utilize the figurative and rhetorical language learned in Latin, and blend it with elements presented in the video Great American Political Speeches.

Four Austin Prep faculty have been selected to present at the 38th Annual New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS) conference this spring.

Ms. Nicole Putney (English Department Chair) and Ms. Leeann Blais (English) are co-presenting on the National Novel Writing November Initiative and publishing options for students (to have authentic audiences). Their interactive workshop will expose participants to a variety of methods for publishing student work, as well as a better understanding of the research linking authentic audiences to student improvement.

Mr. Michael McLaughlin (Head of Middle School) and Ms. Marla Pascucci-Byrne (Art and Design Department Chair) are co-presenting on the importance of Choice and Voice in the Middle School program through the lens of the Art and Design Department.Using the Austin Prep Art and Design program as an example, this workshop will focus on empowering students to take risks and grow by fostering community and curiosity.

Headmaster Dr. Jim Hickey will co-present with Dr. Larry Sykoff of LSS Consulting Group at the National Association of Independent School (NAIS) annual conference in Long Beach California in February. Their presentation "Outside the Statistics: Sustaining Long-Term Headship" will illuminate the strategies needed to be an outlier and become a longstanding head with substantial tenure. Using the first five years of the headship to lay a sturdy foundation, exercising both situational and transformative leadership, the subsequent years can result in strong board relationships, solid constituency alliances, and an abundance of success. 

Mr. Rob Taylor (Curriculum Coordinator and Art and Design Faculty) will present at the same conference. "Reimagining Curriculum: Valuing Depth over Breadth Through a Transition to Semester-Long Courses" walks through the strategies Austin Prep used to build a curricular model with student curiosity as the compass and a four-dimensional education as the mission.

Jillian Ann Barrows, Austin Prep Class of 2013, is a 7th semester Songwriting major and voice principal at Berklee College of Music. Her goal is to create a catalog of music that transcends different musical genres. Jillian has experience singing in various musical groups ranging from acappella to hard rock bands. She self-produced her first single, "The Man That I Love", that is currently on iTunes and Spotify. Jillian has performed at various venues, singing in different styles, from musical theatre to classic rock.

Opening act: Roman G. and The Odyssey

Age Limit: 18+ (Valid Government Issued ID Required)
Door Time: 7:30 PM
Advance Tix: $10
Day of Tix: $12

Spring issue of Journey Magazine is in production! Let your fellow AP alums know what you are up to by sharing a Class Note here. From weddings to births, new jobs to service work and everything in between. . . we would love to hear from you! 

Click here to check out the fall issue of Journey Magazine!

During the renovations of Austin Prep's dining hall, the Athletic Hall of Fame was permanently relocated to the newly renovated Heritage Room on the third floor. The Heritage Room is also home to a timeline documenting Austin Prep's history dating back to the 1960's. We invite you to return to Austin Prep to see this beautiful space, along with the recent campus updates including the new dining hall, the David. E. Nelson '81 Fitness Center, the team media room and the front entrance and foyer.  Contact Mrs. Jennifer Hodgdon, Director of Alumni Relations and Giving at jennifer.hodgdon@austinprep.org to schedule a visit. 

The Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome Mr. Matt Pimentel, class of 2001, of Andover, to the Board of Trustees.  Currently Vice President of Pimentel Construction, Wilmington, he is responsible for management and oversight of all construction operations.  In addition, he serves on the Ballardvale Historic District Commission in Andover and is a member of the Advancement Committee and Strategic Planning Board at Austin Prep.

After graduating from Austin Prep, Pimentel headed south, attending Clemson University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.  Prior to joining Pimentel Construction, he worked at Sasso Construction as Project Manager for nine years and was Head Coach of Track and Field, and Assistant Head Coach of Cross Country at Merrimack College for seven years.

He lives in Andover with his wife Linsey and their daughter Avery.

Austin Prep alumni have always been invaluable supporters of our community. In particular, we recognize two annual events established for and by alumni which directly benefit the Austin Prep experience of current students**:

On Saturday, April 27, 2019, Austin Prep will host the Annual Alumni Hockey Men's and Women's Charity Challenges at Lawler Rink at Merrimack College in North Andover. The net proceeds from these games goes to the George "Matt" Miller Memorial Scholarship, the David E. Nelson ’81 Memorial Scholarship, and the Kristen M. Corbett '08 Memorial Scholarship Fund, respectfully.

All players are asked to make a minimum donation of $50 to play in the game. This fee covers the ice rental and other costs associated with hosting the game.

We hope you will join us for the 2019 Challenges on April 27th as a player or a fan!
Information on Men's game
Information on Women's game

**Photo above: Dr. Jim Hickey with scholarship benefactor Carolyn Corbett and Elizabeth Richards '19, the 2017 recipient of the Kristen M. Corbett '08 Memorial Scholarship. 

Are you getting married? The Office of Alumni Relations will loan you an Austin Prep banner for photos at your wedding.

Did you recently welcome a new cougar cub into your family? Let us know what size onesie your little cougar needs and the Office of Alumni Relations will send along one of our new Austin Prep baby onesies.

Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 781-944-4900, ext. 852.

Save-the-Date for Austin Prep's Annual Spring Musical:
May 5th and 6th!
We look forward to welcoming alumni back for this fun-filled performance!

We would like to thank our generous alumni who have made a gift to the Annual Fund at Austin Prep this fiscal year. Many of the outstanding educational opportunities made available to our students, and professional development opportunities for our faculty, are a result of significant support from the Austin Prep alumni community. Your contributions allow us to continue to provide unique and distinctive learning experiences not only for our current students, but for future generations to come.

If you have not yet participated in supporting the Annual Fund, we encourage you to help us continue the upward trajectory of success at Austin Prep. Our fiscal year runs from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Please consider making a gift today!

PARTICIPATE TODAY!

Join classmates and friends at these upcoming alumni events:

Friday, February 1, 2019-- join fellow alumni for a reception/tour followed by the Boys Varsity Basketball game as they take on Matignon at 6:30 p.m. 
Saturday, April 27, 2019-- Annual Alumni Hockey Men's and Women's Charity Challenges at Lawler Rink, Merrimack College, North Andover. RSVP forthcoming.
Information on Men's game
Information on Women's game

Monday, April 29, 2019-- Alumni Networking Reception at The University of Massachusetts Club, Boston, MA.
Monday, May 20, 2019-- The 32nd Annual Austin Prep Golf Tournament at Indian Ridge Country Club in Andover, MA.
Saturday, May 25, 2019-- Class of 1969 50th Reunion at Austin Prep. 

Visit our website and Facebook pages for more details as they become available.

Members of the class of 2014, family and friends filled St. Athanasius Church on Monday, March 18th to celebrate the the beautiful life of Michael Sverdlove, member of the class of 2014. Michael passed away tragically on March 10th while volunteering on a kibbutz in Israel. 

Michael's smile was infectious. His zest for life, unmatched. We mourn together as a community and our doors are open for those who seek solace. In your kindness please remember Michael, his parents, his sister Rachael, and all those who mourn his loss in your prayers

The Sverdlove family has set up a memorial fund at Austin Prep in Michael's name. Contributions to the Michael G. Sverdlove '14 Memorial Fund may be made through this link.

Mrs. Marla Pascucci-Byrne and the Office of Alumni Relations launched the Alumni Writers Workshop series, bringing alumni into the classroom to share their personal and professional journeys as writers with current students. The first two guests of the Series, Drew Garland '07 and Hannah Andry '12, shared their gifts with Mrs. Pascucci-Byrne's Creative Writing course and Mrs. Nicole Putney's Writing Tutors this month.

"Being able to be creative is the best part of my job," asserted Drew Garland '07, a content producer for NESN, who shared his own career path and experiences with our students. While the perks of his job include interviewing celebrity athletes, the creation of content, while exciting, does pose its challenges by requiring quick turnover and a quest for fresh perspective. He provided students with helpful insight with the following advice; "Find the hook; make something memorable and inspiring. You have to constantly be improving; with each piece, I have to make something that I’m proud of and make sure it’s better than what I've created previously."  His best advice for writing - and life - came from his experience on the first day of college. "Keep your door open - whether in college or in life - be open to what's around you. Keep writing, keep improving, be open to feedback and have an open mind. Surround yourself with a community of good people, both at Austin and beyond, and you will succeed."

Hannah Andry '12, a published author, is currently working on a collection of short stories and poems, and shared writing tips about following your passion and writing from the heart. "Write every day," she encouraged. "On napkins, in journals, in a blog, in letters to friends. Keep your mind moving. Watch people around you for inspiration, and keep friendships with those who inspire you. It will not always be easy to create something meaningful, but it will be worth it to share your story with the world." Hannah's story was recently featured on the podcast "She Explores," and her collected works, Tapestry, will be published this summer.

Both students cited their Austin Prep days as being highly influential in their career choices, and they have maintained connections in the spirit of unitas with their former teachers and mentors.

Future guests in the Writers series will include Mia Lazarewicz '02, Beau Batchelor '09, Elizabeth Dowd Basile '01, Christina Saropoulos Kakambouras '03, and Michael Stanley '03. Alums interested in sharing their stories and writing process in the Writers Workshop should contact Mrs. Pascucci-Byrne at mpascuccibyrne@austinprep.org. Ultimately, we hope to expand the Alumni Workshop series into other subjects.

This reunion year we celebrate Austin Prep classes ending in 4 and 9!

Alumni from the classes ending in 4 & 9 (1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014) are invited to use the QR code above or this link to participate in a brief survey to assist the Office of Alumni Relations in supporting this year's reunion events. Survey will be open until April 15th.

We appreciate your feedback!

The 32nd Annual Austin Open is just around the corner on Monday, May 20th and we want you and your business to be part of it! 

JOIN FELLOW ALUMNI, BECOME A SPONSOR TODAY!

Held at Indian Ridge Country Club in Andover, this event brings together our alumni, current families and friends for a spirited day of fundraising to directly benefit current students, and generations of Austin Prep families in years to come.

Check out our website here to learn about how you can participate!

Austin Prep alumni have always been invaluable supporters of our community. In particular, we recognize two annual events established for and by alumni which directly benefit the Austin Prep experience of current students**:

On Saturday, April 27, 2019, Austin Prep will host the Annual Alumni Hockey Men's and Women's Charity Challenges at Gallant Rink at Merrimack College in North Andover. The net proceeds from these games benefit the George "Matt" Miller Memorial Scholarship, the David E. Nelson ’81 Memorial Scholarship, and the Kristen M. Corbett '08 Memorial Scholarship Fund, respectfully.

All players are asked to make a minimum donation of $50 to play in the game. This fee covers the ice rental and other costs associated with hosting the game.

We hope you will join us for the 2019 Challenges on April 27th as a player or a fan!
Information on Men's game
Information on Women's game

**Photo above: Dr. Jim Hickey with scholarship benefactor Carolyn Corbett and Elizabeth Richards '19, the 2017 recipient of the Kristen M. Corbett '08 Memorial Scholarship. 

Austin Prep is excited to celebrate the Class of 1969's 50th Reunion, May 24-26, 2019!  

Friday, May 24^th
4:00 p.m.~ Baccalaureate Mass, Richard J. Meelia Hall, Austin Prep (business/business casual attire)
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.~ Class of 1969 informal gathering at Bunratty Tavern, Main Street, Reading (business/business casual attire)
Saturday, May 25^th
1:00 p.m.~ Headmaster’s Reception, Dr. Hickey’s Office (business attire)
2:00 p.m.~ Commencement Exercises, followed by tour of Austin Prep campus led by Green Key Student Ambassadors (business attire)
5:00 p.m.~ Class of 1969 Reunion Dinner hosted by the Headmaster, Heritage Room, Austin Prep (business attire)
Sunday, May 26^th
8:30 a.m.~ Mass in memory of deceased members of the Class of 1969, Saint Augustine Chapel, Austin Prep followed by continental breakfast in the main foyer (business/business casual attire)
11:30 a.m. ~ For those interested in playing golf, we have reserved 2 foursomes at the private Vesper Country Club in Tyngsborough. Reservations for these foursomes are first come, first served. Please email Director of Alumni Relations & Giving Jennifer Hodgdon to reserve your space, Jennifer.hodgdon@austinprep.org

Alumni are invited to the Annual Alumni Networking Reception at The University of Massachusetts Club, Boston on Monday, April 29, 2019.

Join fellow alumni for an evening of catching-up and networking while enjoying the view from the University Club. Heavy hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine will be served. Business attire. Register here.

Are you getting married? The Office of Alumni Relations will loan you an Austin Prep banner for photos at your wedding.

Did you recently welcome a new cougar cub into your family? Let us know what size onesie your little cougar needs and the Office of Alumni Relations will send along one of our new Austin Prep baby onesies.

Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 781-944-4900, ext. 852.

Save-the-Date for Austin Prep's Annual Spring Musical:
May 4th (7:00 p.m.) and May 5th (2:00 p.m.)
We look forward to welcoming alumni back for this fun-filled performance! To reserve your tickets, please contact Jennifer Hodgdon, Director of Alumni Relations & Giving. 

We would like to thank our generous alumni who have made a gift to the Annual Fund at Austin Prep this fiscal year. Many of the outstanding educational opportunities made available to our students, and professional development opportunities for our faculty, are a result of significant support from the Austin Prep alumni community. Your contributions allow us to continue to provide unique and distinctive learning experiences not only for our current students, but for future generations to come.

If you have not yet participated in supporting the Annual Fund, we encourage you to help us continue the upward trajectory of success at Austin Prep. Our fiscal year runs from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Please consider making a gift today!

PARTICIPATE TODAY!

All of us keep deep in our hearts the memory of a loved one who has gone home to God. That memory is precious and sacred. The month of November begins with the celebration of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, and closes with Thanksgiving. Each day is an appropriate time to celebrate the lives of those who have gone before and upon whose shoulders we now stand. In gratitude for their gifts of faith and family, let’s thank God for all those who have touched our hearts and our lives.

Austin Prep invites you to share the names of your loved ones who have died. Throughout the month of November the school community will pray for your beloved dead and remember them during our weekly Community Masses, held in the Chapel of St. Augustine at 12:10 pm. Please share the names of your loved ones here.

This is our gift to you in thanksgiving for your prayers for us, and for your continuing generosity and support of Austin Prep.

2018 marks the reunion year for classes ending in 3s and 8s. Austin Prep would like to help you and your classmates reconnect in celebration of your years together at Austin. Whether it has been 5 years or 45 years, we look forward to bringing you back to campus to evoke memories of your time here, to experience Austin as it is today, and to look forward to Austin’s bright future! Please register using the links below no later than November 17th.

Class of 2018 Breakfast in the New Dining Hall
Wednesday, November 21st, 10:00 a.m.
Dining Hall, Austin Prep
Free. Breakfast includes: scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon, home fries, coffee and juice.
Regster here!

Thanksgiving Day Football Game Alumni Tent
Austin Prep vs. Shawsheen Regional Technical High School
Thursday, November 22nd, 10:00 a.m.
 Fr. Seymour Field
Show your support for the Cougars during Coach Maradei's last football game as Head Coach.

Classes of 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993 & 1998
Saturday, November 24th, 7:00 - 11:00 pm
Dining Hall, Austin Prep
$45 pp includes retro-themed buffet by SAGE Dining Services (brick oven pizza, tater-tot bar, pasta and meatball station, salad bar and make-your-own sundae), beer & wine, alumni giveaways, DJ Phil Cohen
Buy Tickets Today!

Classes of 2003 & 2008
Saturday, November 24th, 8:00 pm - 12 midnight
The Kinsale, Boston
$17 pp includes appetizers and alumni giveaway. Cash bar.
Register Today!

Class of 2013
Saturday, November 24th, 8:00 pm - 12 midnight
The Wild Rover Tavern, Boston
$32 pp includes open bar, appetizers, alumni giveaway.
Tickets available here!

**Pre-registration is required for all events. No walk-ins for 2003, 2008, 2013.

Please contact Director of Alumni Relations and Giving Jen Hodgdon at jennifer.hodgdon@austinprep.org today to be part of planning your class reunion.

During the summer and fall, we had several alums come to campus for the first time in many years:
Jim Martin '70- 47 years since he has been to campus (pictured above)
Jamie Dooley '92- 25 years since he has been to campus
Kevin Kiley '89- 20+ years since he has been to campus
Mark Gigliotti '03- 10+ years since he has been to campus
Mark Mercer '99- 3+ years since he has been to campus
Andrew Dillon '17- 2 years since he has been to campus
David Hartman '00- several years since he has been to campus
Most recently, several members of the Class of 2018 have dropped by to see the new dining hall and to catch up with friends and teachers.

If you would like to come back to campus to visit a teacher, class, club or team, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations to coordinate your visit 781-944-4900, ext. 852.

This summer Austin Prep faculty members, Ms. Leeann Blais (English Faculty), Ms. Marla Pascucci-Byrne (Chair, Fine and Performing Arts Department), Mr. Matthew Diapella '98 (English Faculty) and Natalie Petrillo P'10 (Chair, Mathematics Department) were awarded Summer Sabbatical grants that empowered them to pursue in-depth professional development experiences to enhance their teaching. Support of the Austin Prep Annual Fund makes professional development programs such as the Summer Sabbatical possible. 

English Faculty and Austin Prep alum Mr. Matthew Diapella ’98 shares his reflection about attending the Exeter Humanities Institute on the use of the Harkness Table Method:

My experience at the Exeter Humanities Institute was the best professional development experience I have ever had.

I had two classes that met every morning for 90 minutes each. We had reading assignments centered around the theme of ‘Growth’ that we had to annotate in advance of each class. We spent the first 40 to 45 minutes participating in a class discussion, then the other 40 to 45 minutes debriefing the discussion. Classes flew by, and each class left me wanting to engage in the discussions more. I learned about a variety of techniques to begin a class, discuss the readings, track and assess student performance, and keep students engaged (even if they haven’t done the reading or forgot their book).

Our afternoons were spent in focus groups or in the Academy library doing research on teaching materials to use in our schools. I learned some strategies for employing Harkness in large classrooms and how to apply Harkness strategies in math and science classes.

The real value in this experience though was the sheer, unanticipated learning that happened at the table. Around a table, and maybe even because of the table, with eleven other people I did not know, things happened. We exchanged opinions, listened empathetically, and created an experience that was our own. The experience was joyous - and that is how I wish for my students to feel that way about their learning.

A colleague at the table perhaps put it best, “Generally, I’m concerned about having to cover all my content in the short time that I have with my students, but the skills students learn in a setting like this becomes the content, and I find it to be wonderfully humanizing that we can teach respect, listening, and empathy.”

I originally titled my proposal for the summer sabbatical “The Art of Listening.” I could not have been more accurate. While my classes are discussion based and students will probably infer that they need to talk in order to get a good grade, I do hope that, as my colleague said, they learn respect, listening and empathy.

On Saturday, October 13th Austin Prep hosted the first-ever Autumn at Austin: Pancake Breakfast with Cubby. Forty guests including alumni, current families and faculty enjoyed a delicious breakfast in the new dining hall provided by SAGE Dining Services. Green Key Ambassadors gave tours of the school, painted faces for future AP cougars, and created mindfulness rocks. #Veritas #Unitas #Caritas

Are you getting married? The Office of Alumni Relations will loan you an Austin Prep banner for photos at your wedding.

Did you recently welcome a new cougar cub into your family? Let us know what size onesie your little cougar needs and the Office of Alumni Relations will send along one of our new Austin Prep baby onesies.

Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 781-944-4900, ext. 852.

Join classmates and friends at these upcoming alumni events:

November 21, 2018: Class of 2018 breakfast in the new dining hall.
November 22, 2018: Thanksgiving Football Game & Alumni Tent- stop by for cider donuts, hot cider and to cheer on the Cougars and Coach Maradei in his last game as AP's head coach. Austin Prep vs. Shawsheen Regional Technical High School 
November 23, 2018: Class of 1969 Gathering at the Merrimack vs. Holy Cross Hockey Game, Lawler Rink in North Andover.
November 24, 2018: Reunion Celebrations for the classes ending in 3 & 8 (see details above)
January 1, 2019: Families are invited to skate with Austin Prep's varsity girls hockey team at Merrimack College, Lawler Rink in North Andover.
April 27, 2019: Alumni Hockey Men's and Women's Charity Challenge Games at Merrimack College, Lawler Rink in North Andover.
April 29, 2019: Alumni Networking Reception at The University of Massachusetts Club, Boston, MA.
May 20, 2019: The 32nd Annual Austin Prep Golf Tournament at Indian Ridge Country Club in Andover, MA. 
May 25, 2019: 50th Reunion for the Class of 1969 in the new Austin Prep Dining Hall.

Visit our website and Facebook pages for more details as they become available.