September 2024

Another academic year at Austin Prep is underway! Students arrived Tuesday, August 27 welcomed by faculty and staff and reunited with classmates as we kicked off the next year of our Austin Prep journey together. As is the case with every academic year, Austin Prep adopted a theme to help community members advance our mission and live our faith.  The theme for the 2024-2025 academic year that we’ll use to advance the mission of Austin Prep is adapted from Hebrews (6: 17-19): Anchored in Christ, We Venture in Hope. The New Testament Book of Hebrews encourages dispirited Christians to journey forward in faith. Through this optimistic theme, we will focus our fellowship, activities, and lessons on advancing veritas, unitas, and caritas.

To view photos from the first day of class, click here, and you can hear from some students about what they are looking forward to here. 

Multi-Year Modernization Project Continues 

The main building at Austin Prep has a new look. As part of a multi-year classroom modernization and campus upgrade project, Austin Prep took this past summer to replace the School’s windows, most of which are more than 60 years old. To complement the new heating and cooling system we installed last summer, these new windows are “green” and will maximize the energy efficiency of the new HVAC system. The project is considerable and will take two summers to complete. A bit smaller in scope, Austin Prep also refurbished the lavatories and boys and girls locker rooms in Richard J. Meelia ’67 Hall.

Summers stay busy at Austin Prep. In 2022, critical components of the campus electrical grid which included new transformers and generators were replaced. Also that summer, Austin Prep built a new STEM lab with an Anatomage Table and refurbished the Chapel of St. Augustine.

Annual Convocation Liturgy Marks Official Start of the Academic Year

On Friday, September 6, Austin Prep marked the official start of the academic year with the celebration of the annual Convocation Liturgy. Austin Prep welcomed Father Robert Hagan, O.S.A., Augustinian Prior Provincial of Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, which celebrates 150 years this year, as the principal celebrant and homilist. The celebration was open to parents and livestreamed to the school community. You can view photos from the day here.

Complete with the pageantry expected of Convocation – including the procession of students carrying class banners, welcomed by faculty in academic regalia to the sounds of the Boston Police Gaelic Column of Pipes and Drums – this year's liturgy continued to include a parade of flags representing the national heritages of those in our school community. Over 90 national flags were included.

 

Janna Vounessea '25, School-Wide Student Government President, began the ceremony by addressing her classmates and referencing the School theme for the year: Anchored in Christ, We Venture in Hope. 

"In our Austin Prep Journey, we are all lucky enough to have a strong support system. Whether it's in academics, athletics, arts, or just about anything else, our friends, teachers, coaches, and administration all want us to be successful and are all committed to helping us achieve our goals," Janna said. "While they are our support system, Jesus Christ is also Anchored with us at all times. He gives us courage and strength when we need it and will love us during both good and bad times. Which is why during this upcoming school year, we need to venture in hope because God always has a plan for us."

"We are on a Journey and we must pack well for this trip. In life you have to go with what is in your bag. Go with what you've got. For St. Augustine, he would substitute his heart for the bag. Make sure you go with what is in your heart," Father Hagan concluded.

 

Head of School, Dr. James Hickey P'22, '23, '24 ,'27, kicked off Austin Prep's 62nd academic year by welcoming those in attendance, and framing his comments around the School's 2024-2025 academic year theme. "Hope is not a strategy, unless that hope is anchored to a solid plan, an unmatched work ethic, or a solid foundation."

Dr. Hickey noted later, "In those circumstances beyond our control, there is one solid strategy we can use: prayer. And it anchors us to Christ."

To mark the occasion, Senior Class Representatives Nicholas Kuntz ‘25 and Sailet Galvis ‘25 raised the Class of 2025 banner, which will eventually be hoisted to the rafters of Meelia Hall, where it will remain until being lowered at Baccalaureate Mass in May, 2025. 

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Austin Prep Faculty Participate in Summer Sabbatical Program   

The Austin Prep Summer Sabbatical program was established in 2016 and funds proposals allowing faculty members to pursue their passions while making important advancements in their areas of study, thus reinvigorating their future classroom instruction with new findings and ideas. Professional development opportunities are heavily supported by gifts to the Austin Prep Fund, and we are grateful for the community’s commitment to advancing teaching and learning excellence at Austin Prep. This summer Austin Prep Funded three summer sabbaticals.

English Faculty Mrs. Nicole Putney took a three-week road trip from the Florida Keys to Maine, focusing on exploring the lives and writings of prominent American authors. The trip was an educational exploration into the rich tapestry of American literary history by visiting museums, universities, libraries, and authors’ homes, and networking with literary critics, authors, and writers-in-residence.

World Languages Faculty Mrs. Kerianne Barry attended the American Association of Teachers of French Convention in San Diego to network with French teachers from across the country, which was followed by a language immersion program run by the French Embassy. The focus was on Francophone culture and was invaluable in preparing students for a trip to Québec during the 2024-2025 school year.

History Faculty Mr. Nathan Piccini’s sabbatical focused on deepening student understanding of Roman culture in Britain. Mr. Piccini traveled throughout Britain from London to Bath, including stops at museums and ruins, and Hadrian’s Wall. These locations are key components of the Roman occupation of Britannia in the first century AD.

Sr. Maria Promoted to Assistant Head for Mission and Ministry

We are pleased to introduce Austin Prep’s new Director of Alumni Engagement & Giving, Darren Stewart. Darren comes to Austin Prep from Endicott College, where he served as Chairman of the Misselwood Concours d’Elegance, and the Director of Operations for Misselwood Events. In these roles Darren demonstrated his leadership in event planning and execution, marketing and communications, and cultivating and stewarding relationships with donors, sponsors, friends, and the Endicott alumni community. We are thrilled to have Darren join Austin Prep to engage with our dedicated alumni community in new and creative ways and strengthen your affinity for Austin Prep.

Career Day Returns

The Office of Alumni Engagement is excited for the return of Career Day in 2025. Career Day is a terrific opportunity for our alumni to share their professional experiences with our current Austin Prep students. We will have panel discussions based on vocation/industry followed by a career fair with opportunities to speak with students one-on-one. This is one of the most notable events for students and alumni to connect, it can be a life-changing experience. If you would like to participate in Career Day, please contact Darren Stewart at darren.stewart@austinprep.org or 781.944.4900 x4862.

This Year We Celebrate Reunions for Classes Ending in 4 and 9  

We look forward to celebrating the reunion classes ending in 4 and 9 this fall. We are currently looking for Reunion Class Agents to help plan respective class gatherings. Let us help you create a special event to celebrate your milestone reunion with your peers from Austin Prep! If interested, please contact Director of Alumni Engagement and Giving, Darren Stewart, darren.stewart@austinprep.org, or 781.944.4900 x4862.

Etch Your Name in the Alumni Brick Walkway

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 Richard J. Meelia '67 Hall, the walkway connects Austin Prep’s past to its promising future. The walkway contains bricks with the names of alumni from the six decades of our history. It’s never too late to add a brick from any class year and honor an alum. Bricks are $500. Those who purchase bricks will also be recognized as members of the Head of School’s Circle. You can purchase a brick here.

Athletic Hall of Fame Nominations Now Open 

Austin Prep is set to honor individuals and teams who have made significant and lasting contributions in Cougar sports history. Nominations are now open for the 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame. Candidates who graduated before June 2020 are eligible. If you are interested in making a nomination, click the button for a full list of eligibility criteria and the form.

Nomination Form

Deadline for nominations is Tuesday, November 12, 2024. The Athletic Hall of Fame Committee will announce the 2025 inductees in January of 2025 and on Saturday, April 26, they will be inducted during a dinner ceremony at Austin Prep.

Save the Date for the Annual Day of Giving 

Save the date for our 7th Annual Day of Giving, November 13, 2024, in honor of our patron St. Augustine’s birthday. Our Annual Day of Giving is an opportunity for our community to come together as one and show our pride in Austin Prep with a gift. Your participation matters! All gifts support the Austin Prep Fund, which provides resources for professional development for our treasured faculty members, curricular and co-curricular programs for students and tuition assistance. More details to come...

Open House | Save the Date

 

The Office of Admissions is hosting the annual Fall Open House on Sunday, October 20 from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. for future students interested in grades 6-11. Guests should pre-register for the open house on the Austin Prep Admissions page. 

Open House visitors will have the opportunity to meet Middle and Upper School faculty, school leaders, coaches, and take tours of our campus with Green Key Student Ambassadors.

Some of our best referrals come from those within the Austin Prep community. Did your Austin Prep Journey prepare you for the world beyond 101 Willow Street? If so, we would be most grateful if you spread the word to those in your community about the Open House event and your own Austin Prep experience. 

You can also help us advertise the Austin Prep Open House by proudly displaying a yard sign at your home. Reach out to the Office of Admissions to coordinate a time to pick up a sign. We appreciate your support!

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Stay Connected 

The Office of Alumni Engagement wants to stay in touch with you and let you know what is happening at Austin Prep. Please share updates including academic and sports honors, career milestones, marriages, births/adoptions, or any of life’s other big announcements.

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