February 2022

Taylor VanderWoude-Anzidei ’08

---

Daughters of Mary Highlighted in The Boston Globe

 

Austin Prep is grateful that the Daughters of Mary are a part of our community, and for their inspiring example for our students and staff. The Boston Globe and Tom Farragher, associate editor and columnist, recently visited campus to learn more about the Sisters' ministry. Click here to learn more. (A subscription to The Boston Globe is required).

---

Austin Prep Presents

 

The Austin Prep Presents series returned on January 18 with “Balancing Your Overall Health Through Posture & Stretching” featuring Dr. Abbey Denaro ’05 and hosted by science faculty Dr. Ric Vanegas P'21, '24. The program addressed how families can combat stress by implementing daily stretching, working on posture habits, and when necessary, checking in with a doctor (specifically a chiropractor). To watch the recording of the program or to view previous webinars from the Austin Prep Presents series, please click here.

---

Save the Dates: 50th Reunion for Classes of 1970, 1971, and 1972

 

We look forward to bringing the Classes of 1970, 1971, and 1972 back to Austin Prep in celebration of their 50th Reunions! The schedule of events for May 19-21 includes:

 

In Case of Rain on Friday, May 20

   

Further details will follow in the formal invitation mailed in late February.

---

 

In the Classroom

Students in Precalculus Honors classes recently completed an annual project combining their mathematical and artistic talents by creating art out of polar graphs. Take a look at some of the highlighted work here! 

Annual NaNoWriMo Participants Celebrated

 

The NaNoWriMo Project is a capstone experience in Grade 7 English. During the month of November, students were challenged to compose a minimum 10,000-word novel. Students were supported in this endeavor with an extensive planning period in the fall and incentives throughout November. Over the past month, students have been polishing excerpts of their creativity and preparing them for publication in the annual Seventh Grade Anthology. To celebrate the students' work, English teachers Mrs. Leeann Blais and Mrs. Kate Cavanaugh organized an Authors' Breakfast for the Class of 2027. After enjoying a pancake breakfast, students gathered in the Heritage Room to cheer each other on and to listen to portions of classmates' novels. Sydney Rech '27, author of "That's Not Me," and Celia Sensale '27, author of "Status: Classified" delighted their peers in sharing their stories from the podium. We have no doubt you'll be finding many Austin Prep authors' work on the shelves of a bookstore near you in the future!

Dr. Michael Barry '79, visited campus to speak with students in the Business Club

 

In January, Dr. Michael Barry '79, a member of Austin Prep's Board of Trustees, visited campus to speak with the Business Club. The Business Club is co-moderated by Mr. Nate Piccini '93 and Mrs. Kerianne Barry.  Dr. Barry, a finance professor at Boston College, addressed the students about the current state of business, his personal path to arrive as a professor at Boston College, possible careers students can use with degrees in business, and advised students to take advantage of opportunities presented to them to network with alumni. 

With the return of Alumni Career Day on January 28, following Dr. Barry’s visit, he advised students to take business cards, ask questions and remember that alumni are grateful to give back and support students. He emphasized the importance of finding a career that is the right fit for you as an individual and to avoid being driven by groupthink. When considering internships, he told students to remember that their internship is a 12-week job interview where they will be challenged to work in the field and earn a job when it's over.

Students asked questions about his journey through Austin Prep and how they can find the perfect job. "If you find the perfect job, let me know," Dr. Barry said. His response was reflective of his earlier advice about the idea of finding the right "fit." We are grateful for Dr. Barry's visit to campus and his willingness to share his experience.

Family and Friends Enjoy Sixth Grade Egyptian Museum

One of the milestones on the Austin Journey is the Grade 6 Egyptian Museum. Now in its sixth year, this academic capstone is the culmination of students' work in History and English. In students' Becoming Historians course, they took on the role of museum curators to create exhibits including models and posters on various aspects of Egyptian culture and history. In English, students selected books set in Egypt and then filmed and edited original book commercials about their chosen reading. At the Museum, students displayed this work and acted as docents, walking family and faculty through the displays and speaking in detail about such figures as King Tut and Cleopatra and on a variety of other topics. Four faculty were at the helm of the project and collaborated to promote students' interdisciplinary thinking: Mrs. Leeann Blais, English Faculty, Ms. Alexandra Dell'Anno '12, English Faculty, Mr. Brian Russo '09, History Faculty, and Ms. Alicia Varraso, Assistant Dean of Students for Middle School and member of the History Faculty. To view photos from the museum, click here.

---

New Upper School Course Series to Evolve from Professional Development 

 

This spring, Jessica Swindell, History Faculty, and Alexandra Dell’Anno ‘12, English Faculty, will participate in the 2022 Study and Travel Institute’s Program on the Holocaust and Genocide. Offered through Salem State University, this intensive course will provide participants with comprehensive knowledge of the origins and history of the Holocaust and how to effectively translate that learning into an engaging curriculum for students. The course culminates with a weeklong trip to Berlin, Germany during April break to visit historic sites, museums, and memorials. 

Mrs. Swindell will take her experience to develop a new course offering in the History Department for Upper School students. This fall, Mrs. Swindell will pilot a two-semester sequence. The fall semester will include a course in Research Methods designed to enhance critical thinking and proficiency around the research process – invaluable skills for college and beyond.  A History class will follow in the spring semester. Drawing from Mrs. Swindell’s own studies and travel experience, the course will be a multidisciplinary integration of civics, sociology, morality, ethics, and psychology that will examine the rich heritage of the Jewish culture before, during, and in the aftermath of the Holocaust. The course will culminate in a Remembrance project as students become the memory keepers to preserve the story and witness of survivors of the Holocaust.

On February 8, Austin Prep was honored to host Holocaust survivor Kati Preston at Austin Prep. Her powerful message addressing loss, resilience, tolerance and love resonated across the entire school community, and helps ensure that the atrocities of the Holocaust are not forgotten. We look forward to continuing to honor Kati and the Jewish culture through the upcoming professional development and educational programming.

---

College-Bound Student-Athletes Make Commitments

 

College-bound student-athletes were joined by family and friends as they made their commitments to continue their athletic career at the intercollegiate level. 

   

 

To date, nine senior student-athletes have signed their National Letters of Intent to continue their athletic endeavors beyond Austin Prep, including:

 

We deeply appreciate all who have made a gift to the 2021-2022 Austin Prep Fund. The money annually raised for this essential campaign makes an Austin Prep education exceptional. Along with providing resources for expanded academic activities, gifts to the Austin Prep Fund provide resources that support the arts, athletics, clubs and other activities that give students important opportunities to improve their skills and discover new interests. 

We ask you to make Austin Prep a charitable priority in your year-end giving plans by contributing to the Austin Prep Annual Fund. Your gift can be directed to Academics, Athletics, Mission and Inclusion, Student Life and Arts, Tuition Assistance or Austin Support (goes to the area of greatest need).

Please click here now to make a donation. Thank you in advance for your continued  support of the Austin Prep Fund during the holiday season and beyond!

---

 

Alumni Events and Happenings

We look forward to welcoming our alumni back to 101 Willow Street!