March 2023

1. Reunion Recap
2. Basketball at TD Garden
3. Alumni Conversations
4. "In the Classroom & Beyond"
   • Novel Writing Class Welcomes Author Parent
   • Girls in STEAM Leadership Summit
   • Community Members Recognized by Local Nonprofit
   • The NaNoWriMo Project
5. Journey of the Heart Returns
6. Austin Prep Welcomes WBZ's Steve Burton
7. Athletic Hall of Fame Class Announced
8. Fr. Art Johnson Celebrates 60 Years as a Priest and Celebrates Lenten Mass
9. Boys Ski Team Claims NEPSAC Title
10. Save the Date: Day of Giving
11. Faculty and Staff Participate in February Break Professional Development
12. 60th Anniversary
13. Alumni Events & Happenings
14. Stay Connected

The Class of 2012 celebrated their 10-year Reunion on December 22, 2022 at Kowloon. Over 50 alumni attended an evening filled with fabulous food, dancing, and plenty of reminiscing. Coach Bill Maradei P’11,’12 and English Faculty Mrs. Leeann Blais were on hand to catch up.

The 50th Reunion for the Class of 1973 will be held on May 18th and 19th, 2023 at Austin Prep. More information will follow in the coming weeks.

We look forward to celebrating the reunion classes ending in 3 and 8 in 2023! Contact Jennifer Hodgdon, Director of Alumni Relations and Giving, at jennifer.hodgdon@austinprep.org if you would like to be part of the planning process.

Alumni Women’s Ice Hockey Returns for 2022!

 

Coach Stephanie Wood gathered alumni from across the years for another outing on the ice at Merrimack College before Christmas.

Boys and Girls Basketball Teams Play at TD Garden

The Austin Prep Boys and Girls Basketball Teams participated in this year's edition of the Andrew James Lawson Foundation Invitational against Milton Academy at TD Garden in January. This was an exciting and memorable opportunity for our student-athletes and their families, and we appreciate all the fans that made their way into Boston to cheer on the teams. You can view photos from the game here.

Celebrating Black History and Women’s History Months with Alumni Conversations

As part of an overarching program within Mission & Inclusion during both Black History Month and Women's History Month, the Office of Alumni Relations will offer “Alumni Conversations” with influential alumni. Our alumni will share their Austin Prep experience along with their personal and professional journeys beyond 101 Willow Street. Currently scheduled to join our students and faculty for these conversations are:

JT Harold ’05
Eliana Nader Griffith ’02
Taisha Walker DeSouza ’02
Mia Lazarewicz ’02
Kristen Nuttall Swartz ’00
Britt Denaro ’03

Acoustic Mic Night with Host and Headliner Britt "Lightning" Denaro '03

The Offices of Alumni Relations in collaboration with Art and Design invites you to be part of the Acoustic Open Mic Night with host and headliner Britt "Lightning" Denaro '03 on Thursday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. Back by popular demand, Class of 2003 alumna Britt Denaro, also known as Britt Lightning, is the lead guitarist for Vixen and the first-ever music director of Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp. Alumni are welcome to join us for the program! Please contact Jennifer Hodgdon to RSVP jennifer.hodgdon@austinprep.org

In the Classroom and Beyond

Novel Writing Class Welcomes Author Parent 

Students Attend the Inaugural Girls in STEAM Leadership Summit

Members of the Austin Prep community attended the inaugural Girls in STEAM Leadership Summit on January 30 at Cushing Academy. The Summit included six different workshops in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. The day included students attending three of the six workshops. Over 75 students from NEPSAC schools around New England were in attendance, including Austin Prep students Casey Ahlin '23, Marissa Gallozzi '23, Katherine Millett '24, Fiona Hyland '25, Elena Oulton '24 and Lauren Neal '24.

Katherine shared that, "We all thought it was amazing to be in an environment surrounded by so many aspiring and accomplished women in science.  It was truly an empowering experience."

In addition to the six students who attended the conference, one of the six workshops was hosted by Assistant Varsity Field Hockey Coach, Jessica Driscoll, who works for Sanofi as a Senior Medical Science Liaison in Hematologic Oncology. Information on the presenters can be found here.

Service Club Welcomes Vietnam Veteran

In January, the Service Club hosted Mr. Paul Cardello who is an Air Force Veteran of the Vietnam Conflict. Mr. Cardello visited to recognize members of the Service Club for writing letters to Veterans in nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities, as well as members of our community who have gone to visit those Veterans and hand out materials. Mr. Cardello presented Austin Prep with a citation from the House of Representatives offered by State Representative David A. Robertson. He also highlighted the unwavering support of Sebastian Guerra '23 who was recognized for his dedication to iPods for Wounded Veterans at fundraiser events held in South Boston, Billerica, and Woburn. 

The iPods for Wounded Veterans organization provides MP3 players, tablets, headphones magazines, letters and more to improve the quality of life for our wounded Veterans. The intensive rehabilitation they require can take months, even years. These materials provide a diversion, easing the boredom and repetition of the rehabilitation and recovery process. The group personally delivers these gifts to Military and Veterans hospitals, where we interact with veterans and their families one-on-one.

Seventh Grade Students Complete NaNoWriMo 10,000-Word Challenge

 

The NaNoWriMo Project is a capstone experience in seventh grade English. During the month of November, students are challenged to compose a minimum 10,000-word novel. Students are supported in this endeavor with an extensive planning period in the fall and incentives throughout November. English teachers Mrs. Leeann Blais and Dr. Christy Lawrence joined Head of Middle School Mr. Michael McLaughlin to celebrate the students' work as descriptions of each novel were read for the class. Additionally, students who exceeded 15,000 words were also recognized. Siena Fantozzi '28 penned over 32,000 words. Well done, seventh grade! And thank you to Mrs. Blais, for her work on this annual initiative. We have no doubt you'll be finding many Austin Prep authors' work on the shelves of a bookstore near you in the future!

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Journey of the Heart Returns

In the previous edition, Mrs. Michelle Connor, Interim Assistant Head of School and Head of Upper School; Ms. Alicia Varraso, Dean of Students; and Mrs. Marla Pascucci-Byrne, Art and Design Department Chair detail their recent professional development experience at the Heads Network Women in Leadership Conference in Philadelphia, which was designed to further their leadership skills and advance their careers. They reflect on their experience at the conference, which has inspired them to grow both personally and within our School community.

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WBZ/CBS Boston's Steve Burton Speaks to the School Community

Well-known Boston sportscaster encourages hard work and embracing struggle

 

Austin Prep was honored to welcome Steve Burton of WBZ / CBS News Boston to campus on Tuesday to speak to the school community. Mr. Burton detailed his experiences in athletics, sportscasting, and raising a family, and conveyed to students the importance of hard work while being a person of great faith and character. An important theme within his message was, "Learn how to draw a crowd, then learn how to withdraw from a crowd, when the crowd isn't going to do you any good."

Mr. Burton invited students to take part in a mock live report before concluding the presentation by answering questions from a student panel. Mr. Burton left students with this final tip: "Practice when everyone else is practicing. Then practice when everyone else is sleeping."

You can view photos from the presentation here. 

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Athletic Hall of Fame Committee Announces Class of 2023 Inductees

The Austin Preparatory School Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes those individuals and teams who have made significant and lasting contributions to Cougar sports, and have achieved a high standard of athletic success.

Through the work of a dedicated committee, the Austin Prep Athletic Hall of Fame preserves records of individuals and teams, and helps to promote the values and tradition of sports as a positive influence on the Austin Prep community.

The nomination process was made public last summer, and we are grateful for the number of qualified nominees that were presented to the committee. We are proud to announce the Austin Prep Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2023 as follows:

If you were part of the 1999 Varsity Football Team or the 2013 Girls Soccer Team, please be sure to update your contact info with us here.

The Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Induction ceremony is Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. and will be held at Austin Prep.

To attend or sponsor the event, or pay tribute to a classmate, please click the button below:

Athletic Hall of Fame Event Tickets and Sponsorships

Congratulations to the inductees!

Fr. Art Johnson and Fr. Peter Gori Welcomed to Campus for Lenten Mass

Dr. Hickey recognizes Fr. Art's 60 years of priesthood at conclusion of Mass

Austin Prep welcomed Fr. Art Johnson O.S.A. and Fr. Peter Gori '70 O.S.A. to campus Monday, March 6 for an all-school Lenten Mass. Fr. Art encouraged students during Lent to do what St. Augustine said: "Lord Jesus, let me know myself so I may know You." You can view photos from the Mass here.

Fr. Art recently celebrated 60 years as a priest – his Diamond Jubilee. At the end of Mass Head of School Dr. James Hickey reflected on Fr. Art's impact on the Austin Prep community. "Fr. Art literally opened the doors to Austin Prep when students arrived in September 1963. He has been a consequential part of Austin Prep's restless journey for more than 60 years and no other person in the school's history can match Fr. Art's abiding presence."

Austin Prep Boys Ski Team Takes Home NEPSAC Championship

"The team displayed hard work and determination all season and earned this NEPSAC Class C Championship," Head Boys Ski Coach and World Languages Faculty Member Linda Filadoro said. "They competed against seasoned racers from both the New England region and different parts of the world like Spain and Italy.  Each racer played a strategic role and our entire team should be proud of this impressive accomplishment in their NEPSAC debut."

In the giant slalom event, Luke Bartley '23 and Nareg Minassian '26 led the way for Austin Prep. In the slalom race, Luke was joined by Dario Filadoro '23 at the top of the results.

The Boys Ski Team victory is Austin Prep's second title in the School's inaugural year in the NEPSAC, with Girls Cross Country claiming the Division 2 championship in November.

Save the Date: March 30, 2023

The countdown is on to Austin Prep’s 5th Annual Day of Giving

For 60 years, Austin Prep has provided students with a rich, academic experience.  This milestone is possible thanks to the continued support from the alumni community that our School has relied on year after year.

Austin Prep’s 5th Annual Day of Giving is on March 30 and is an opportunity for our community to come together once again to support our commitment to providing 800+ students with an extraordinary and memorable academic experience.

Your gift makes an impact.  To donate using Venmo, scan the QR code below and include “Make Extraordinary Possible” in the payment details.  To donate via credit card, Apple Pay or PayPal click here.

Note: Looking to double or triple your gift? Many companies match their employees' charitable donations. Fidelity, State Street, Bank of America, Raytheon, Sanofi, Liberty Mutual just to name a few.  Email APMatchingGifts@austinprep.org to see if your company offers a matching gift program.

  Austin Prep Faculty and Staff Participate in Professional Development Over February Break

 Austin Prep Delegation Attends National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Annual Conference

The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) held their annual conference February 22-24 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Among the presenters at the conference was Dr. James Hickey, Head of School. Also attending the conference was AJ Benning, Dean of Students; Stephanie Choate, English Department Chair; Michelle Connor, Interim Assistant Head of School and Head of Upper School; Francesco Donato, Science Faculty; Alison Fish, Math Department Chair; Tyler Fleming, Director of Communications; and Laurie Gillis, Director of Annual Giving.

Meanwhile, Austin Prep Faculty and Staff Attend Augustinian Values Institute (AVI)

Austin Prep sent a delegation of faculty, staff and administration to the 19th Gathering of the Augustinian Values Institute on February 17-20 hosted by St. Augustine High School in San Diego. The conference is sponsored by the Augustinian Secondary Education Associate. The purpose is to bring together educators from all of the Augustinian Schools in North America to create clarity and develop a deeper understanding of the Augustinian mission. This year schools from Austria and Ireland were also in attendance.

Teachers, faculty, and administrators join together to share their experience and explain how they apply the mission in their respective school and to learn how others apply the core values of the Augustinian Order. The conference includes prayer, reflection, and guest speakers to further support educators in focusing on how they might live their vocations. Upon reflection from the weekend World Languages Faculty Cori Russo shared that  “I learned a wealth of information and inspiration relating to Augustinian education over the course of the weekend, and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to connect on a personal level with the cohort from Austin Prep.”

Those who attended included: Nicole Barletta, Main Office Administrative Assistant; Rebecca Martiniello, World Languages Faculty; Sr. Immaculate Kyampeire, Science Faculty; Sr, Maria Nassali, Director of Campus Ministry; Jon Whalen, History Faculty; Cori Russo, World Languages Faculty; Dr. William Driscoll, Dean of Faculty; Dustin Batista, Theology Department Chair; Fr. Patrick Armano, School Chaplain; and Dr. Hickey, Head of School.

60th Anniversary

Help us celebrate Austin Prep and our 60th Anniversary! We have new 60th Anniversary Austin Prep magnets for your car or home. You can pick them up in the Main Office while supplies last, or email Jennifer.hodgdon@austinprep.org! Save the Date: 60th Anniversary Celebration, Friday, September 15, 2023. More details to follow.

Alumni Events and Happenings

• Annual Day of Giving, March 30

• Athletic Hall of Fame at Austin Prep, April 29

• Class of 1973: 50th Reunion at Austin Prep, May 18 and 19

• Austin Open Golf Tournament at Indian Ridge Country Club, May 22

For up-to-date information and registration links for events and happenings, please visit the Alumni page of our website and social media.

Stay Connected

We want to follow your journey beyond Austin Prep. Please share updates including academic and sports honors, career milestones, marriages, births, or any of life’s other big announcements. Send a Class Note or update your contact information to stay connected to Austin Prep.

If you are getting married, we invite you to borrow our Austin Prep Alumni banner for the big celebration!

If you are expecting or recently welcomed a new Austin Prep Cougar into your family, let us know so we can send along an AP baby onesie.

Keep up to date with all the current events at Austin Prep by following us on our official social media accounts below:

@AustinPrep

Alumni group is “Austin Preparatory School Alumni”

Each Austin Prep Reunion Class has a Facebook group: “Austin Prep Class of XXXX.”

@AustinPrep

@AP_MiddleSchool

@AustinPrepAD

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