News

On April 4, in conjunction with McAuley’s annual Auction, Traditions, the 2009 ‘Spirit of McAuley’ Award was given posthumously to Mr. Leroy W. Rand, an individual who selflessly gave his time and talent to both the McAuley family and community at large during his tenure at the School.

An educator for forty-three years, thirteen of which were spent in Catherine McAuley High School’s History Department (1988-2001), Leroy fostered the educational and moral compasses of our young women by instilling the McAuley values of Excellence, Compassion, Leadership, and Service, the very same principles that Leroy practiced and modeled. He garnered the respect and admiration of students and faculty alike in his unwavering commitment to the betterment of McAuley High School and its immediate and extended family.

Beyond the classroom walls, Leroy was a beloved coach and mentor. He was McAuley’s first soccer coach and worked to develop a Class A team still in existence today, one that his daughter, Jo-Ellen, now helps to instruct. Leroy’s total career in coaching spanned an impressive forty years, most of which were spent on the baseball diamond with Little League through Over-30 teams. In addition, for his dedication to athleticism, sportsmanship, and love of the game, the Maine Principal’s Association honored Leroy with Class B Basketball’s ‘Coach of the Year’ Award in 1985.

In his personal life, Leroy was a treasured family man, one who was thankful for the blessings of his wife Joan, children Michele, Kevin, Greg, Dennis, David, Jo-Ellen, and Allison, his sixteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He and Joan, who were steadfast in their devotion to the Catholic Church, raised their family in this faith, with Leroy being recognized for his countless years of service as a CCD Teacher, Eucharistic Minister, and Lector for both St. Bartholomew’s and Holy Cross Church, and through his involvement with the Knights of Columbus Cheverus Council.

Rand passed away in February 2008 at the age of 74.

Accepting the award on his behalf were his wife, Joan Given Rand, CHS ‘55, and his daughter, Jo-Ellen Rand, a McAuley faculty member.

Catherine McAuley High School is pleased to announce that junior Alexa Coulombe has verbally committed to receive a full basketball scholarship to Boston College.

For the full article on Coulombe, published in the August 26 edition of the Portland Press Herald, please access the following link:

http://www.pressherald.com/sports/mcauley-player-decides-to-join-boston-college_2010-08-26.html

The McAuley community is proud of this tremendous accomplishment, Alexa!

Click on the following link to view McAuley’s recent spot on Fox 23’s ‘Good Day, Maine’ program, a spin-off of News Channel 13’s morning show.

Physics teacher, Jamie Schwellenbach, and McAuley senior, Sara Mercier, sat down with host, Erin O’Valle, to discuss the details of the School’s new ‘Pre-Engineering’ track, designed to promote math and science as it pertains to the engineering profession.

http://www.myfoxmaine.com/good-day-maine/Jamie-Schwellenbach-and-Sara-Mercier-Catherine-McAuley-High-School-101290314.html

Send your updates to lbrown@mcauleyhs.org or call 797-3802 x2043.

1940s

Sister Phyllis Doyle’s (RSM, CHS ‘48) chapbook of poems, Portraits and Landscapes, was recently published by Finishing Line Press in July 2010.  Sister Doyle is Associate Professor of English at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine and earned her doctorate in English at the University of Rhode Island.  Her work has appeared in several publications and anthologies.

1960s

Lucia Pellegrini Roberts, SJA ‘60, writes that she and her husband, Stan, are the proud parents of four adult children and that she currently works with two companies on the west coast: Life and Avon.  She also volunteers at Phippsburg Elementary School and MidCoast Medical, and enjoys good books and traveling.

Mary McAleney, SJA ’63, has been reappointed to the Board of Trustees for Dirigo Health.

1980s

Susanna Gedaro, CMHS ‘88, and her husband, Tom Braun, are happy to announce the birth of their children: Andrew, Giuliana and Sofia. All three babies are home and join big brother, Giovanni, who thinks they are “cute, but very noisy.”

Ursula Vollkommer Haley, CMHS ‘88, wed Mark Haley on May 1, 2009.

1990s

Katherine Varney Ritchie, CMHS ‘96, and her husband, Brian, are pleased to announce the birth of their third child, Alex Matthew, born February 15, 2010.  Alex joins proud older siblings, Jack, four and a half, and Brooke, 21 months.  The family resides in Columbus, Ohio.

Kristen Bolduc Poole, CMHS ‘99, wed Joseph F. Poole in August 2010.

2000s

Katrina Nowak Dusek, CMHS ‘00, and her husband, Greg, welcomed Jack Gregory Dusek on August 1, 2009.  The Duseks reside in Chapel Hill, NC.

Kara Kilmer Berry, CMHS ‘01, and her husband, Matthew McManus Berry, are pleased to announce the birth of their new little bundle of joy: Kingston McManus Berry, born on February 3, 2010.

Marcy Regan Sansone, CMHS ‘03, was recently wed to Bob Sansone on August 7, 2010.

Michaela Thomas, CMHS ‘03, is delighted to announce her engagement to Brice Greenleaf.  The celebration of their marriage will be held in February 2011 in Vieques, Puerto Rico.

Jill Dalfonso, CMHS ‘04, received a “Rising Star” award at the ACAAP (Association for Catholic Advancement and Admissions Professionals) Conference at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts.  Dalfonso is the Director of Parent Relations and Special Events at St. Mary’s High School in Lynn, Massachusetts.  She was pleased to share this experience with Lynne Sullivan, CMHS ‘90, who also received an ACAAP award on behalf of the Catholic Schools Foundation, where she serves as Senior Program Officer.

Katherine Dedian, RN, CMHS ‘06, happily shares the news of her recent licensing as a registered nurse. Dedian is a 2010 graduate of Saint Joseph’s College of Maine and hopes to pursue a career in pediatric oncology.

Mary Clare Kusturin, CMHS ‘08, will spend the fall 2010 semester studying history in St. Petersburg, Russia.  Kusturin is a fashion design major at Lasell College in Newton, Massachusetts.

Laura Duran, CMHS ‘09, was recently recognized as a “Rising Star” by the University of Maine Athletics Department for having a GPA of 3.0 or better as a student athlete.  She gained further recognition for obtaining a 4.0 GPA for her first semester at UMaine Orono and subsequently earned a 3.9 for her second semester.

The McAuley community is pleased to announce that Margaret ‘Peg’ Downing, MAEd. has been named the new Head of School at Catherine McAuley High School in Portland. She succeeds Sister Edward Mary Kelleher who, since 1980, has served as Principal of the School and who will serve during the coming school year as Principal Emerita prior to her scheduled retirement in 2011.

Downing comes to Catherine McAuley from a successful administration and teaching career at St. Joseph’s Central High School, a co- ed college-preparatory school in Pittsfield, Massachusetts where she served her last ten years as principal. Prior to her appointment as principal, she chaired the school’s social studies and guidance departments and was involved in directing numerous extra-curricular activities and sports.

Downing earned a Masters Degree in Education Administration from Boston College and a B.A. in History with minors in Education and English from Trinity College in Burlington, Vermont.  She has also completed additional related coursework at St. Lawrence University, Harvard University Graduate School of Education and Loyola University of Chicago.

During her tenure as principal at St. Joseph’s, Downing continued its 100% college acceptance rate and significantly increased college financial aid and scholarships to graduating seniors. She also introduced online courses and AP classes for college credit at the school.

Downing is a former member and chairperson of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) visiting teams, responsible for periodically visiting and evaluating educational institutions and making recommendations on accreditation. She was involved with new teacher training in the Diocese of Springfield and was also a director of the religious education programs in that diocese.

In addition to her academic endeavors, Downing was involved with a number of community organizations, including the Berkshire United Way, The Trinity College Board of Trustees and the Citizen Scholarship Board.   She also inaugurated a number of programs to enhance the relationship of St. Joseph’s with the community through organized student services to community organizations and outreach through seminars and presentations with local business and civic leaders.

Please click on the following link to read the Portland Press Herald’s August 8, 2010 article on the recent change in McAuley leadership:

http://www.pressherald.com/news/longtime-mcauley-leadership-changing_2010-08-08.html