The Making of Trinity Catholic Academy, Inc.

Transcription

1 The Making of Trinity Catholic Academy, Inc. Recollections by the Campaign for Catholic Schools and Jim Walsh, Executive Director, CCS Back in 2006, the Pastors of Brockton, Fr. Jim Flavin, Fr. Dave O Donnell and Fr. Rich Clancy, approached the Archdiocese of Boston with an urgent request: Please help us save Catholic elementary education in Brockton. The Archdiocesan Chancellor, Jim McDonough, heard the pastors request. One of the first calls Jim made was to Mr. Jack Connors. At the time, Jack was chairing the Archdiocesan School Planning Committee, called the 2010 Plan for Catholic Education, and was putting together an all-star team made up of his dear friend, Tom Shields from Shields MRI, and John Fish from Suffolk Construction. This leadership trio had made up their minds that Cardinal Sean O Malley needed their collective help to revitalize and reinvigorate Catholic education through new leadership, governance models, financial resources, curriculum redesign and know-how to upgrade and renovate these school buildings to meet the needs of 21 st century learners. Jim McDonough s call and their collective yes to the Cardinal s request, began the work of the Campaign for Catholic Schools (CCS). In these early days, Jack stated to all that CCS will go where we are needed and asked and thankfully, these fine leaders began to fulfill their first promise to the Cardinal right here in Brockton, Massachusetts with the formation of Trinity Catholic Academy. Great schools begin with strong leadership, and Jack, Tom and John knew what their first meeting needed to be lunch with Matt George, the former Superintendent of the Brockton Public Schools and distinguished alum of Stonehill College. If the meal did not sell Matt, it must certainly have been the ice cream dessert! Matt left the trio that day ready to assume his second career as the new Board Chair of Trinity Catholic Academy. It takes great leaders little time to assemble other great leaders, so here in Brockton, Matt quickly went to work. His first call was to Anthony Luizzi, his former Associate Superintendent in the Brockton Public Schools. And just as no one can say no to Jack Connors or Tom Shields, no one can easily say no to Matt George either! In no time, Matt had found his Regional Director to head this new twocampus model academy. The dynamic duo had begun the making of Trinity Catholic Academy and it was now in full swing. Commitment, perseverance, and know-how came to the forefront through the hard work and goodness of many. The Campaign for Catholic Schools went to work on raising $12 million for the soup-to-nuts renovation of two buildings (that housed the former St. Casimir s and St. Edward s Schools) and the required start-up funding for curriculum, furniture, and infrastructure. Early philanthropic leadership was provided, not only by Tom and Mary Shields, but by their children, who made generous gifts to build the school. Tremendous pledges came from W. B. Mason, the late Bud Roche and his wife, Eileen, and the late Pat Roche and his wife, Barbara, who answered Tom s invitation to help with open hearts. The Catholic Schools Foundation, Peter and the late Carolyn Lynch through The Lynch Foundation, the Archdiocese of Boston, Jane Mancini and her family, John Holiver and Good Samaritan Medical Center, and others joined the Connors and Fish families to meet the fundraising goal. 1

2 A school transition team was established, comprised of leaders from the Campaign for Catholic Schools, the Archdiocesan School and Finance Offices, and Suffolk Construction: Kathleen Driscoll from CCS; John Fish, Kim Steimle and Mark DiNapoli from Suffolk Construction; Sr. Kathleen Carr, Sr. Mary Ann Doyle, Sr. Kathleen Fitzsimmons and Jim Walsh from the Archdiocese; with Fr. Jim Flavin, Fr. Dave O Donnell and Fr. Rich Clancy, pastors of the three local parishes, and Stonehill College stepping up to shoulder and partner with TCA, thanks to the vision and leadership of Fr. Mark Cregan, then President, with help from Professor Karen Anderson, Katie Conboy, Mary Lou Jackson and other volunteer Stonehill staff, the work began. This hard-working, committed team came together almost daily, including Saturdays and Sundays, to design the buildings, and lay out the plans and framework for the leadership, governance, curriculum, Catholic identity, faculty and financial requirements to create the new Trinity Catholic Academy. The team inherited a rich legacy of Catholic education established by the Women Religious who taught in TCA s predecessor schools. More than five religious sister communities were represented at TCA s predecessor schools, including the Sisters of the Holy Union, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Sisters of St. Joseph, Sisters of Jesus Crucified, and Sisters of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. Together, these women planted the seeds that have flourished throughout the Brockton Catholic community and spread to what today has become TCA s two vibrant learning communities in the heart of this city. Bringing the vision and planning framework to life was in the capable and expert hands of Matt George and Anthony Luizzi. Through their many years together, Matt and Anthony knew just who to call to get this new school up and running. Pulling out their old rolodex files, an all-star cast of former Brockton educators and professionals were quickly assembled to ground the new school team with expertise in the areas of business, technology, academics, faculty and support staff. With school building renovations underway, thanks to Suffolk Construction, the team created a temporary regional office at the former Sacred Heart School, sitting in a classroom loaded with storage boxes, working on former bingo tables, with one air conditioner, but the room was highly energized, with phones ringing, orders being placed, vendors solicited, contracts negotiated and faculty being hired. Amid the hard work and hot summer days was the collegiality of trusted professionals giving back, working hard, and loving every minute of it because it was then and has always been about these great kids. This professional buzz of excitement and action took place due to Matt, Anthony, Cynthia McNally, Bob Magee, the late Mary Santoro, Diane Moran, Marie Masitis, George Bezrah Sr., Michael Corrigan, and Mary Beth McManus. Their commitment to academic excellence and deep knowledge of Brockton and what students and families truly needed to be successful became their sole focus in creating TCA. This team motivated themselves each day by constantly saying, we get one chance to do this right. And so they did. Programs for Gifted and Talented, a quality music and instrumental program, high-quality faculty and staff, the latest in technology, a focused curriculum and strong Catholic values were all nonnegotiables and would proudly serve as the foundation, the cornerstone, for the new Trinity Catholic Academy Inc. We owe much to Cardinal Sean, the founding leaders and professional faculty and support staff that laid the cornerstone for what we celebrate today ten years later, and going strong. 2

3 With a decade of excellent Catholic education under its belt, Trinity Catholic now looks forward to the next chapter. As a NEASC Accredited school, accredited with commendation, Trinity plays an important role in the educational fabric of Brockton. TCA students receive numerous awards and scholarships, attend great high schools, go on to post-secondary education, and lead productive and positive lives. We are grateful to those whose imagination and hard work has led us to this point. - We thank Cardinal Sean O Malley, whose vision made this all possible. - We thank Jack Connors, the late Tom Shields, may he rest in peace, and John Fish for saying yes and making the rest our proud history. - We thank our past and present Board Chairs - Matt George, Mary Lou Jackson and Mark Payson for leading us well for the last 10 years and now going forward. - Thank you to our Regional Directors - Anthony Luizzi, Cynthia McNally and Mike Green, who oversaw the day to day and set the vision for the school. - Thank you to our predecessor school Principals: Principal Pauline Labouiliere St. Edward, Principal Susan Holm St. Casimir, Principal and Sr. Marguerite Normand Sacred Heart. - To our Lower Campus principals: Pauline Labouiliere, Marie Mastitis, Cynthia McNally, Barbara Lee, Kristen Blanchette and our Upper Campus principals: Susan Holm, Patrick Hart, Cynthia McNally, Annette Bailey and John Guiggio - Stonehill College past and current Presidents Fr. Mark Cregan and Fr. John Denning - Our dedicated Board of Trustee members, past and present May

4 Trinity Catholic Academy Benefactors We are tremendously grateful for the dedicated supporters, who with great generosity, helped rebuild and revitalize Catholic education in the greater Brockton region. Benefactors Catholic Schools Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John Fish The Lynch Foundation Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Suffolk Construction Platinum Patrons Jack and Eileen Connors W.B. Mason Co. Mr. and Mrs. Bud Roche Mr. and Mrs. Patrick E. Roche Thomas F. and Mary J. Shields Gold Patrons Mr. and Mrs. Kevin B. Griffin Carmel A. Shields and John A. Mannix Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Quinn Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Shields Mr. and Mrs. John M. Shields Manthala George Jr., Founding Chair Anthony M. Luizzi, Founding Regional Director Silver Patrons Good Samaritan Medical Center Jane Mancini-Puliafico & Stephen D. Puliafico Attorney & Mrs. Michael E. Mone Mr. and Mrs. John F. O Brien Bronze Patrons Alfred Campanelli Charitable Foundation William and Susan Devin Thomas and Donna May Mike and Maureen Sheehan Educational Partners Attorney & Mrs. Daniel L. Capodilupo Charles & Anne Tamer Hajaar Robert A. Mancini & Erica H. Vonahnen Laura A. Mancini Robert P. Ryan David P. Twomey TCA Founding Board of Trustees Manthala George, Jr., Chair John F. Fish, Vice Chair Katie Conboy, Ph.D., Secretary James M. Walsh, Treasurer Sister Kathleen FitzSimmons, CND John J. Holiver The Honorable Thomas P. Kennedy Sister Patricia A. Lynch, CSJ Thomas Nunan Rev. David P. O Donnell Thomas A. Shields Kim Steinmle John J. Svagzdys TCA Board of Trustees Mark H. Payson Jr., Chair Katie Conboy, Ph.D. Laurie A. Dunn Antoinette M. Hays, Ph.D., R.N. Mary Lou Jackson, Ph.D. John Jurczyk, FACHE Rev. James Lies, C.S.C. Joseph Petrowski Jane Mancini Puliafico Rev. Joseph Raeke Cathleen Rafferty Thomas A. Shields Paula Sullivan, Vice Chair Leo Vercollone James Walsh Jennifer White 4

5 5