The following Dominican High Schools are celebrating significant anniversaries this year. 

Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, IL and Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette, IL are celebrating their 50^th anniversaries this year. St. Agnes Academic High School in Collegeville, NY is celebrating its 100^th anniversary.

Marian Catholic, founded as a co-educational school sponsored by the Springfield Dominican congregation opened in September, 1958.  Cardinal Francis George celebrated an anniversary Mass on September 6, 2008. After the Mass, the Marian community presented a check for more than $100,000 for an endowment fund for the students, faculty, families, and programs in the schools.

Recognized in the U.S. News and World Report as a "top 100 High School," Marian most recently embarked on an aggressive long-range planning process called "The Courage to Lead." In 2007, construction on a 500 seat Catholic Leadership Center was completed.

Regina Dominican, an all girls' school sponsored by the Adrian Dominican congregation also hosted several special events, including a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Francis George on September 12^th.

Fifty years after its founding, Regina Dominican remains committed as ever to remaining an all-girls' high school. The school's small size-currently 400 or so, allows the young women students to take on a host of leadership roles, and to participate in an array of athletic programs.  Recognizing that boys and girls learn differently, the educational program specifically focuses on providing the best learning patterns for all the young women who attend.

Most recently, Regina Dominican has launched a student initiative, entitled "Academies of Professional Excellence." This program provides students with the opportunity to enhance their education through experiential learning that enhances the connection between their current academic preparation and their future professional goals.

Founded in 1908 by the Sisters of St. Dominic in Amityville, NY, St. Agnes Academic High School in Collegeville, NY is marking its centennial anniversary with a series of events thematically celebrating "100 Years and Still Young."

Through a century of history, the school's mission continues to provide an environment in which young women can grow both academically and socially and move forward better prepared for the lives ahead of them. Sister Joan Martin,OP, the school's principal proudly attests: "Our mission has always been to show that women can do what they want and we want to prepare them for that. We have really kept that fire burning."

St. Agnes is the oldest school in the Queens and continues to serve all of New York and Long Island in so many capacities. Proud of its heritage and tradition, Sr. Joan believes one thing is certain, "The Sisters of St. Dominic built it, sustain it, and will continue to maintain it."

Andrew Meuler is the newly assigned principal of St. Catherine High School in Racine, WI.  Mr. Meuler has had 35 years of experience with the Milwaukee Public schools as a high school math teacher and administrator, most recently as principal of Rufus King High School, a nationally acclaimed International Baccaulaureate school. He also spent the past year supervising student teachers for Marquette University, his alma mater.

Mr. Meuler and his wife, Ellen, have three grown children and six grandchildren. He has also been ordained as a permanent deacon for the Milwaukee Archdiocese since 1998 and currently serves in a four-parish cluster in Milwaukee.

Mary Margaret Pachucki, OP has accepted the position of President of Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette, IL. Sr. Mary Margaret, a 45-year member of the Adrian Dominican Congregation, has spent her career in education-both as educator and administrator. In her most recent ministry in South Africa, she served as National Coordinator for Literacy and Numeracy/Mathematics Programs for the Catholic Institute of Education. Sr. Mary Margaret believes strongly that young women attending Catholic female secondary schools, guided by the Dominican charism, have the opportunity to achieve their potential and become effective leaders in society.

Toni Bouillette, new Principal of Trinity High School in River Forest, IL  has returned to Chicago from her most recent assignment as Head of the Upper School at Connelly School of the Holy Child in Potomac, Maryland. During the course of her career, Toni has served as Principal of St. Scholastica Academy in Chicago, Assistant Headmaster of Georgetown Preparatory School in Bethesda, Maryland and Assistant Principal of St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago. Toni has also been a lecturer in Administration at Dominican University in River Forest. Toni holds a BA from Marymount College, Tarrytown; an MS from Fordham University and a Ph.D from Loyola University in Chicago. Toni is married to Bernie and they have two grown children and three grandchildren.

Judine Hilbing,OP, new President of Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, IL , a member of the Springfield Dominican succeeds longtime president, Sr. M. Paul McCaughey, OP, as President of Marian Catholic High School. Sr. Judine has more than 20 years experience in elementary school administration, with 17 in the Chicago Archdiocese. Sr. Judine's arrives at a very exciting time for Marian Catholic which celebrates its 50^th anniversary during the 2008-09 school year. Marian is also in the process of winding up its "Courage to Lead Capital Campaign" which hopes to succeed in raising $6 million used toward a new state-of-the-art Leadership Center, and a school endowment program. In the words of Sr. Mary Paul who is now the Superintendent of Schools in the Chicago Archdiocese, "Sr. Judine is a gracious and perceptive woman who will bring her own warmth and intelligence to bear on the mission of Marian Catholic.The Marian Catholic community will find Sr.Judine an able listener, a fine conciliator and imaginative leader."

Students, staff, and alumnae of Our Lady of the Elms High School in Akron, OH and the Akron Dominican Sisters eagerly dedicated their newly renovated theater on September 28, 2008.  The 40 year old theater was completely gutted and redesigned using sustainable architecture and interior design.  State of the art lighting and sound will enhance the school's theatrical productions. Maple panels from sustainably harvested forests, acoustic clouds and carpeting with recycled materials, and low level VOC paints and stains give students and  guests examples of green design.

Construction will continue through April, 2009 as the school's old gymnasium is converted into a performing arts studio, a fitness room, visitor locker rooms, and supporting office space and storage. A partnership with a local school of dance will enhance offerings for Elms students. The new gymnasium will increase fan capacity from 75 spectators to 360 and give young women up to date facilities for sports and fitness. Students, staff, and sisters will benefit year round as they use a walking track in the new gymnasium.

Built into the project was a complete update of the school's HVAC systems. Not only will this provide greater comfort to students and staff, but increase energy efficiency significantly. In addition, a new entry way will put "Dominican" into the architecture.

The school seal will be inlaid on the floor beneath a six foot circular skylight. In four alcoves representing the four Dominican pillars, statues of St. Dominic for preaching, St. Catherine of Siena for community, St. Thomas Aquinas for study, and Mary, patroness of Our Lady of the Elms for prayer will encircle the space.

All of this would not be possible without the generosity of three Elms alumnae who donated $7.3 million to improve our facilities for Elms girls today and generations yet to come.

Last fall, Queen of Peace High School in Burbank, IL launched its Tech 4 Learning Program. At Peace, each student leases her own laptop to be used at home and on Peace's wireless campus. With such technology at their fingertips, students are able to take virtual field trips, test scientific theories through computer simulation, and watch unbelievable historic moments occur right before their very eyes.

In addition, students have the opportunity to become their own repairwomen. A year-long computer hardware repair class is available for sophomores, juniors and seniors. Course content include hardware operations, diagnosis, troubleshooting and repair, as well as software installation.

St. Agnes Academy, Houston, Texas, writes social justice document
In spring of 2006 the St. Agnes Academy Solidarity Committee decided that it would be helpful in furthering the mission of the committee and of St. Agnes Academy, to write a social justice statement which would be published in our school handbook and made available on our website. The Solidarity Committee is dedicated to honoring the rich, multi-faceted diversity of our school, while simultaneously celebrating our interconnectedness and strengthening our sense of community. It is composed of members of the administration, faculty, and student body, and grew out of a student-led initiative, the Diversity Club.

During the past several years, the Solidarity Committee, collaborating with the Diversity Club, has sponsored numerous activities and school assemblies designed to promote understanding and tolerance of differences, and encourage a spirit of community. Catholic Social Teaching serves as the foundation for these events, which reinforce our Theology and Community Service curriculum.

We have found that some of the topics addressed during our Diversity Week celebrations, as well as speakers at school assemblies, have resulted in some confusion, concern, and even anger among some of our parents, board members, teachers, and students. For example, when we focused on issues of sexual orientation, war and acts of civil disobedience, and Islam, questions were raised, and some protested that these issues were outside the realm of Catholic education.

The St. Agnes Academy Social Justice Statement is meant to clarify Catholic social teaching for all members of our community, and to reinforce that every aspect of our school community is devoted to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The statement was developed carefully over a nine month period. Serving on the committee that composed the statement were: Bishop Joe Vasquez, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston; Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P., Head of School at St. Agnes Academy, Brigid Schiro, Dean of Students; Diana Turney, Georgia Skopal and Anne Doyle, Theology Department; Dr. Trish McFarlin, English Department; and Mark Albright, History Department.  A Board of Directors in-service morning was held explaining the document.  Bishop Vasquez and members of the committee presented an excellent overview of Catholic Social Teaching and the document and why it is so important for the Church, the school and the Board of Directors to further the teaching.  Our statement on Social Justice Education is posted in the Members Only section.  Please feel free to use it and adapt it to your school if you find it helpful.

DASS ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

November 14, 2008 (special "early-bird" in-service day on November 13^th)

St. Mary's Dominican High School

New Orleans, LA

9:30a.m-3:30p.m.

(Registration deadline:  October 17, 2008)

DASS FOURTH BIENNIAL CONVOCATION

October 22-24, 2009

Mt. St. Dominic Academy

Caldwell, NJ

(Information will be sent to all schools in early March.)

DOMINICAN HIGH SCHOOLS PREACHING CONFERENCE

June 27- July 2, 2009

Siena Heights University

Adrian, Michigan

(For further information, contact S.Mary Soher: msoher@adriandominicans.org )

From the Executive Director's corner 

Many thanks to the eleven schools who have returned their membership pledges for 2008-09.

Anyone who has a "leadership succession" plan or " leadership search process"  in place for your school please forward that information to Cynthia Thomas, president of St. Mary's Dominican High School in New Orleans. president@stmarysdominican.org

For news events among Dominicans across the world check the Domlife.org website.

Pat Brady

pbrady8798@aol.com