Spring 2020
ALUMNI COURIER
SPRING 2020
Livestreamed Services Continue Through Holy Week
Join Father Patrick Armano, School Chaplain, remotely for Holy Week services from the Chapel of St. Augustine.
Sunday began 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. Yet the entire world, in an unusual way, is sharing in the Passion of Christ.
We invite you to join us virtually from Austin Prep’s Chapel of St. Augustine for two events celebrating the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord.
Good Friday, April 10, we will have a brief service at 12:00 noon. Join Our Good Friday Service.
Easter Sunday, April 12, we will celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m. Join Our Easter Sunday Mass.
These times of prayer will give us the opportunity to gather, although at a distance, in prayer and unity for ourselves, our families, and especially for so many who have been invited this year to bear on their bodies the wounds of Christ (Galatians 6:17).
Remote Teaching and Learning at Austin Prep
When Governor Charlie Baker announced a three-week suspension of school operations at all public and private elementary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth in response to the growing COVID-19 crisis, plans were already well in place to implement remote teaching and learning at Austin Prep.
Austin Prep prepared more than 70 new Apple MacBook Air computers for faculty members to support remote teaching and learning.
In the week before the statewide order, staff from the Austin Prep Department of Technology set up more than 70 new Apple MacBook Air computers, configured with the tools needed to teach remotely in case of a schoolwide shutdown. At the same time Gov. Baker made his announcement on Sunday, March 15, Austin Prep faculty were participating in web tutorials led by the Austin Prep Office of Academic Affairs using the videoconferencing app Zoom Cloud Meetings.
Laptop computers were deployed to faculty members on campus before remote teaching and learning began.
From there, taking advantage of an already scheduled professional development day on Monday, March 16, the laptop computers were deployed to faculty members on campus, and final plans were made for remote teaching and learning to begin on Wednesday, March 18. Students were instructed to download the free Zoom Cloud Meetings app on their school-issued iPads, and then received Google Calendar invitations from their advisors and teachers with individual links to enter virtual classrooms with their teachers and classmates.
“I am extremely proud of and thankful for our faculty who are demonstrating ‘continuing education’ in action,” Head of Middle School Mr. Michael McLaughlin said. “Over the past couple of days, they have been learning how to navigate this videoconferencing technology in real time in order to be able to educate our students through frequent interaction and support.”
During this period of remote teaching and learning, Austin Prep is following a modified schedule of its Advisory Program and rotating academic block schedule. Classes are 45 minutes in length and allow teachers to interact with their students, discuss concepts, skills, and assessments, and maintain the connections students and teachers enjoy in class. There are four classes a day, and advisory meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
“Our family would like to thank the entire Austin Prep faculty and staff for having the forethought, motivation, and ability to get a distance-learning program up and running for our students during the coronavirus outbreak,” Mrs. Karen Brabeck P’25 said. “Not only is it important to continue learning during this time, but it provides a sense of stability and ongoing community for our students, who can remain connected with teachers, classmates, and friends.”
Austin Prep students and faculty connected through Zoom Cloud Meetings during remote teaching and learning.
Austin Prep faculty have echoed that sentiment. “I am really grateful for the technology that we have at Austin Prep that allows me to be present in the lives of my students during this very challenging time,” English Department Chair Mrs. Nicole Putney P’26 said.
Despite the interruption to the traditional, in-person teaching schedule, the academic year has continued as planned, with the third quarter ending Friday, March 27, and the fourth quarter beginning the following Monday, March 30.
“This is a challenging time and the strengths of Austin Prep will sustain us through uncertainty: our commitment to veritas, unitas, and caritas, our sense of community, small class size, and, of course, our faith,” Headmaster Dr. James Hickey P’22, ’23, ’24 said.
Alumni Welcome to Join Classrooms Remotely
We look forward to welcoming our alumni into our virtual classrooms! If you would like an opportunity to share your professional experience with current Austin Prep students through the Remote Teaching & Learning program, please contact Mrs. Jen Hodgdon at jennifer.hodgdon@austinprep.org.
Support Austin Prep Family Owned Businesses
The continuing to evolve 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 here 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.
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, originally scheduled for May 18, has been postponed. We are currently evaluating available dates to reschedule the event and will share an update as soon as those plans are confirmed. We look forward to seeing you on the course for another great day with friends in support of Austin Prep.
The Annual Golf Tournament is vital to our efforts 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 tournaments have supported other campus initiatives, including the recently renovated David E. Nelson '81 Fitness Center. Now more than ever, we welcome your participation as a golfer or sponsor. Event sponsorships help make this event a success, and a wide range of sponsorship opportunities is available on our Explore Golf Tournament Sponsorship Opportunities . We appreciate everyone who has already committed to supporting this event and look forward to welcoming additional members of the Austin Prep community.
If you have questions about sponsorship opportunities or the tournament, please contact Ms. Susan Belanger, Assistant Headmaster for External Affairs .
Thank You, Alumni!
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 available to our students, as well as professional development opportunities for our faculty, are made possible through the significant support of the Austin Prep alumni community. Your contributions allow us to continue providing unique and distinctive learning experiences for our current students while helping shape the future of 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, 2019, through June 30, 2020. Support the Annual Fund Today by making your gift.
Missing Campus?
We are, too. Take a look at this video created by our Office of Admissions, which gives prospective families a glimpse of the Austin Prep campus while they are unable to visit in person. We hope you enjoy it! What has changed on campus since your time as an Austin Prep student?
Weddings and Onesies
Are you getting married? The Office of Alumni Relations is happy to loan you an Austin Prep banner to feature in your wedding photos.
Have you recently welcomed a new Cougar cub to your family? Let us know your little Cougar's onesie size, and the Office of Alumni Relations will send you one of our Austin Prep baby onesies.
Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 781-944-4900, ext. 852.
Spring 2020 Journey Magazine – Coming Soon!
The Spring issue of Journey Magazine will be arriving in mailboxes soon! Once it is available, a digital version of the issue, along with archived editions, can be found on our website. Read Journey Magazine Online
We will soon begin work on the Fall 2020 issue, and we'd love to hear what you've been up to. From weddings and births to new jobs, volunteer service, and everything in between, help keep your fellow Austin Prep alumni connected by Submit a Class Note .