westnotesA Publication for Alumnae,

Alumni and Friends of West Catholic

Summer 2013

Admissions I have been a teacher here at West for the last six years, but when I started my new job as Director of Admissions this past July, I knew it was going to be an extremely difficult challenge. I was given one of the highest goals for freshmen admissions here at West in years, recruiting almost three times the amount of freshmen that are currently in the building. Rashana Miller ‘98, formerly Rashana Barnes, was hired as my Admissions Associate, and together, with the help of volunteers, we put together a plan to get out to as many schools as possible and speak to as many students as possible. To date, we have visited over 85 schools all around the city and surrounding suburbs. Many of these schools we have visited numerous times, and although a majority of next year’s incoming freshmen still come from

our traditional Catholic schools, we were able to make significant inroads and recruit a good number of students from Charter schools, Public schools, and other schools outside of our traditional area. We have now exceeded our original enrollment goal, and we continue to identify transfer students and eighth graders that have not yet

chosen a school for next year. By September, we will have a full freshmen class and be well into our work on the Class of 2018! ReMeMBeR, WeST IS BeST!

John Jenkins iii

Director of Admissions

on sundAy, July 7th Alumni And friends of

west CAtholiC will gAther for the 26th AnnuAl

Burrs At the BeACh. we will AgAin return to

westy’s irish puB in north wildwood, nJ.

With the addition last year of Westy’s new deck, we were

able to eliminate the large tent, which makes for a more

comfortable environment. We will have numerous food

courts both inside and out. There will be plenty of bars to

provide great beverage service. DJ Jerry Smith will return

to spin music for all decades. Tickets are $20 prepaid and

$25 at the door. Committee members will be selling 50-50

tickets during the event. Please join us to celebrate and to

support tuition assistance at West Catholic High School.

For tickets or more information, please contact

George Light at West Catholic by phone 215-386-2244

or by email glight@westcatholic.org

Official Magazine of the West Catholic Community

deAr Alums And friends,

The 2012-2013 Academic Year has been one of new beginnings.

For our returning students and staff it was one of adjusting to a

“resurrection” and a new way of looking at our future. I attribute

much of this year’s success to our student body who embraced this

new way of looking at West. The Class of 2013 showed only positive

leadership during the year and will be remembered as setting a

tone for our success. Congratulations to each member of this Class

as they set sail from the shores and safety of West Catholic. I salute

these 46 seniors all of whom have made college/university selec-

tions and will take with them $5 Million in Scholarships and Grants.

A new and engaging Board of Trustees assumed responsibly for

our charting new waters. Together with the Office of Catholic

education and the Faith in the Future Foundation, West now

celebrates success in enrollment, advancement and greater

fiscal responsibility.

Through survey and personal contact with Alums, West has

explored this year the possibility of a new naming opportunity.

Reactions have been most positive on the condition that West

Catholic stays in the title. So shortly, you will see a roll out of our

new name and tagline with the opening of the coming Fall term.

We will now proudly bear the name – West Catholic Preparatory

High School – located in University City. This title is recognition of

the academic successes of our past grads and the accomplishments

of today’s students and their success post-West Catholic.

Our school colors and school song all remain the same. “Come

and sing a tribute to (your) our West Catholic High.”

This year, West resurrected several new sports programs with the

hope of growing these programs as our enrollment grows and

new talents become part of the “Family.” In addition, our RCIA

program prepared nine students for their Baptism and Sacraments

of Initiation during the year. You can celebrate the fact that over

60 students have graduated from this program and are practicing

Roman Catholics today.

In conclusion, I need to be realistic about our future. Next year we

will grow by 100+ new students and have set for ourselves this

same goal for the following year. West needs your positive

chatter and support if all our goals are to be met. You will recall

in an earlier note that I encouraged some still

on the sidelines to “put their toe” in the water.

Your engagement and support only guarantee

our success.

I look forward to seeing many of you at this

year’s Burrs at the Beach.

Brother riChArd Kestler, fsC

President

westnotes 2

Looking back through the months since last July only produces a great, shining blur. We have worked at warp speed to get West Catholic out of the critical care unit, and we have been successful!

I want to speak a bit about the busy summer that we have planned

here at 45th and Chestnut Streets. First, we expect to have ap-

proximately 100 incoming freshmen for a four-week enrichment

program. Students will be working on improving math and reading

skills and taking time to discover their own learning styles and

picking up good ideas to strengthen their organization and study

habits. One day a week is set aside for a field trip to some

interesting places such as the Franklin Institute, the Constitution

Center, and the zoo.

Also working in the building will be our own students who will

be doing credit recovery. The credit recovery courses are offered

online and our “summer principal,” Ms. Mary DeMasi will be

supervising their progress during the month of July.

In another part of the building, an SAT course will run for three

weeks, three hours a day! Rising seniors have been invited to partic-

ipate in this special program. This begins our drive to raise our SAT

scores to a more competitive level. Also, a semester course focused

on SAT is planned this coming academic year for our juniors.

The PlayOnPhilly! Orchestra from St. Francis de Sales will be

holding their summer music camp here as well during the month of

July. Over fifty elementary students will be practicing and playing

in many corners of the building each morning.

Last but not least, Mrs. Patty Morgan is running a digital

photography workshop for a small group of 10 to 15 students,

also during July!

This summer will be light years away from our past, and the future

looks even brighter! As our student body grows and our staff is

increased, the opportunities for summer action

will grow accordingly!

I wish to give special thanks to all of you

for your confidence and support for

West Catholic High School.

West changes lives!

sister mAry Bur, ihm

Principal

3

strateGiC PLan 2013-2017

A COMMITMeNT TO MISSIONSome have proposed that resurrection is more painful than

death. Whatever the case, West Catholic has certainly faced both.

Following an announcement of closure, West Catholic learned in

the spring of 2012 that the school would remain open. ever since

this decision, tremendous events have occurred. A new vision at

Board of Trustee and local leadership levels have allowed West

Catholic to look at itself differently and set a new direction.

Today, West Catholic is more goal-oriented and able to think

outside the box.

This strategic plan, a Commitment to Mission, developed in late

2012 and early 2013 and inclusive of all constituents, is meant to

position West Catholic for the next five years as a school with

purpose and a clear path to excellence. The plan has ten goal areas

with specific objectives, action plans, and metrics in which to

ensure success. This document is meant to give you a glimpse into

those goal areas and objectives and expand your vision of what

West Catholic intends to become.

With strong leadership and commitment throughout the

organization from all of its constituencies, West Catholic aspires

to be a premier urban center for excellence in academics, social

and religious formation, and athletics. May this strategic plan,

Commitment to Mission, serve as an introduction to our vision

for 2017 and beyond!

Sincerely,

Mr. aLFonse GabrieLe brother riChard kestLer, FsC Chairman, Board of Trustees President

FinanCiaL ManaGeMent> ensure the short-term financial viability of the school

> Provide financial transparency to ensure confidence among stakeholders

> Be financially self-sustaining beyond 2014-2015

GovernanCe> Clarify the roles/responsibilities of the Board, OCe,

and FIFF in relation to West Catholic

> effectively manage the school

> Improve staff performance

institutionaL advanCeMent> Reposition image as an academic center of excellence

> Reengage alumni

> Maximize unrestricted giving for the life of the strategic plan

> Optimize the staffing needs of the Advancement Office to achieve its goals

> ensure the short-term viability of the school

> establish an endowment

enroLLMent> Improve outreach to elementary schools, community leaders,

parents, and alumni

> Achieve near-term and long-term enrollment goals

FaCiLities> Implement a comprehensive building retro-fit strategy

in five years.

CurriCuLuM> Improve overall academic achievement rates and increase

the graduation rate

> Offer a curriculum of diverse content, levels, and deliveries to a progressively talented and larger student body

> Align curriculum and technology goals

GuidanCe> Improve the ability of the guidance department to meet the

career and personal counseling needs of students

> Determine if it is appropriate to incorporate Burr Academy principles into the school-wide culture

CathoLiC identity> Provide a faith formation based on Gospel values rooted

in the Roman Catholic tradition.

teChnoLoGy> Improve academic performance through effective leveraging

of technology

student LiFe> enhance the student activities/athletics program to meet

student needs

westnotes 4

sAdiyAh mAlColm ’13

west CAtholiCs 8th gAtes

millennium sCholAr

Sadiyah Malcom ’13 has been award-

ed the 2013 Gates Millennium Schol-

arship. The Gates Millennium Scholars

(GMS) Program selects 1,000 talent-

ed students each year to receive a

good-through-graduation (B.A., M.A., and PhD.) scholarship

to use at any college or university of their choice. Gates

each year, over 60,000 applications are received, and 1,000

are chosen. This is West Catholic High School’s 8th GMS

since the program’s inception in 1999, more than any school

in Pennsylvania.

On why she attended West Catholic, Sadiyah said: “Lots of

family members graduated from here. My Mom graduated

from a catholic high school in Jamaica, and passed along

the values of a catholic education.”

Sadiyah has been admitted to and plans to attend the

Robert e. Cooke Honors College at IUP (Indiana University

of Pennsylvania) and pursue a degree in Sociology and a

minor in Pan-African studies, and looks forward to studying

abroad in South Africa or egypt.

JAzz williAms returns to west

to leAd Boys BAsKetBAll teAm

Jasmine “Jazz” Williams has been

hired as the 25th Head Boys Bas-

ketball coach at West Catholic High

School. Jazz, a class of 1997 graduate

from West Catholic, was a four-year

letterman and three-year varsity

starter at West Catholic. Jazz earned All-Catholic Second

Team and All-City Honorable Mention during his senior

season.After West Catholic, Jazz went on to play two

seasons for Manor college, and then went on to be a two

year starter at Millersville University.

On what brought Jazz back to West Catholic,; “ever since

I decided I wanted to coach basketball, this has always been

a place I wanted to be. I feel like I’ve come full circle, first as

a player here and now as a coach at West Catholic.

I couldn’t be happier than I am now.”

pAul rieser hired As girls

BAsKetBAll CoACh

Paul Rieser will assume the position

of Head Girls Basketball Coach of

West Catholic High School. A 1984

graduate of North Catholic High

School, Coach Rieser has most re-

cently led the Prep Charter program

from 2005-2012. At Prep Charter, Rieser’s teams have ad-

vanced to the PIAA State Tournament 7 times and reached

the Final Four twice, won the City Championship 4 times,

and the Philadelphia Public League crown twice.

5th AnnuAl gerAld A.

renner literAry AwArds

On Friday, April 12th, the

5th annual Gerald A. Renner

Literary Awards Assembly was

held at West Catholic. Mr. Ren-

ner was a 1950 graduate from

West Catholic High School for

Boys. His career after graduation

took him into the field of

journalism where he was a

newspaper reporter for the

Reading eagle, Communications Director for the American

Conference of Catholic Bishops, and religion editor for the

Hartford Courant.

The class of 1950 is honoring Mr. Renner’s accomplishments

in the field of journalism by encouraging West Catholic

students to sharpen their writing skills. Students were

instructed to analyze an experience or an individual who

has offered inspiration and encouragement in daily living.

Congratulations to the 21 students

seleCted as winners!

20135

CongrAtulAtions West Catholic’s Class of 2013 has been awarded over $5 million dollars in scholarships and grants

from Colleges and Universities! That works out to an average of over $108,000 awarded to each

student.Congratulations to the Class of 2013 on their accomplishments, and we look forward to many

more in the future. Listed below is a presentation which includes where each student has been

accepted and where they will be attending.

ClAss of 2013 QuiCK fACts• 94% of the Senior class will go on to higher education

• The students have been accepted to 55 Colleges/

Universities and will attend 28 different

Colleges/Universities.

• 1 Senior will enlist in the Air Force

• 1 Senior will attend the US Naval Academy

• 1 Senior has been awarded the

Gates Millennium Scholarship

• Drexel will be the most attended school

with 4 Seniors enrolled

• St. Joe’s will be the second most attended

with 3 Seniors

CArdinAl o’Connor golf outing Wednesday, oCtober 2, 2013 at baLa GoLF CLub

Lunch: 12:00 pm

Golf: 1:30 pm

Cocktails: 6:00 pm

Awards Dinner: 7:00 pm

2013 outing Chairman: bob devine ‘54

neW For 2013! At this year’s Awards Dinner,

we will Honor our 1st Annual Cardinal O’Connor Service

Award Winner. Service Award Winner AND All Sponsors

invited to President’s Reception at Aronomink!

GoLF PaCkaGes inCLude LunCh, Greens Fees, GoLF Cart rentaL, hosPitaLity stations, LoCker rooM and shoWer FaCiLities, GiFt,

CoCktaiLs, and aWards dinner.

WoMen are enCouraGed to PartiCiPate in this event!

$2,500 titLe sPonsor 4 golf packages, *10 President’s

Reception invites, Premium Course Signage, Exclusive Title

Sponsor Ad on all Invite Materials (will mail to 25,000)

including Year-Round on Website, Logo will appear in

Dinner Program

$1,500 Cart sPonsor 4 golf packages, *8 President’s

Reception invites, Exclusive Signage on All Golf Carts, Logo

will appear in Dinner Program and Website

$1,000 CorPorate sPonsor 4 golf packages,

*8 President’s Reception invites, Logo will appear in Dinner

Program and Website

$250 individuaL GoLFer 1 golf package

$175 younG aLuM rate (aLL CLasses 1993-2009)

1 golf package

$100 CoCktaiL hour and aWards dinner onLy

$150 President’s reCePtion onLy

* all sponsor and President’s reception only Packages are invited to attend a special President’s reception on thursday, september 26, 2013 at 5:00 pm at aronomink Golf Club.

aLL event ProCeeds to beneFit the students oF West CathoLiC.

westnotes 6

why i give to west CAtholiC“After West Catholic I received my Bachelor’s degree

from Temple University and served in the Marine Corp.

Reserves. I presently work as an entrepreneur in

the Pharmaceutical industry.”

“i give to west Catholic because i am proud to be a

graduate of west and believe in its mission to help

students become productive members of society.”

Len Mazur ‘63

“I went to Penn State University for 2 1/2 years where

I studied Psychology. I worked with mentally and physically

disabled individuals before joining the US Postal Service

as a Letter Carrier in 1990. After 5 years as a carrier

I switched over to the US Postal Inspection Service”

“i give to west Catholic because i know there are students

that are in need of assistance and every donation that is

offered is that much less due by someone that cannot afford

it. By being involved i hope to provide others with the same

if not better opportunity that i had as a student

of west Catholic.”

biLL dixon ‘85

investinwest

Last Chance to Support the 2013-14 Invest in West Fund – Fiscal Year to close June 30, 2013 Make your gift online today at www.westcatholic.org

or mail your gift to West Catholic High School.

$400,000 To-date $550,000 Goal

7

reQuiesCAnt in pACeAudrey McGinley SchultzWilliam Zintl, ‘31Lawrence LeBon, ‘32John Flanigan, ‘34Daniel Haley, ‘34edwin Mawhinney, ‘37Margaret Chambers Hickey, ‘38David Light, ‘38Jane Vogelsong Mason, ‘38Rita France Oestrich, ‘38ernest Russom, ‘38Marguerite Kelly Volz, ‘38Msgr. Henry Degnan, ‘39Honora G. Teal McKee, ‘39Mary T. O’Neill, ‘40Doris Kane Ferguson, ‘41Philip “Knute” Bonner, ‘43Anna Marie Browne Giannotti, ‘43Gloria Miller Hartmaier, ‘43Jeanne Smythe Helms, ‘43Joseph A. Hamilton, ‘44Catherine McGowan, ‘44James McGuire, ‘44Jean Hackett, ‘45

Kathryn McMahon Hughes, ‘45John F. O’Neill, ‘45elizabeth Reynolds Vaughn, ‘45Thomas Gorman, ‘46Sr. Theresa (Catherine Laboure) O’Donnell, SHCJ, ‘46Jane Summers Raymond, ‘46Mary Haigh Conlan, ‘47Antoinette Quintliana DiFonzo, ‘47James e. Downey, ‘47John Garland, ‘47Susan Haley, ‘47Patricia Mungan Horace, ‘47Patricia Casey Krulish, ‘47Rosemary Lebano Masterson, ‘47Loretta McCrohan O’Rourke, ‘47Joseph Rogers, ‘47Marguerite DeVaux Shallet, ‘47Claire Schwartz Tamney, ‘47Timothy Gooney, ‘48Dorothy Legner Murtaugh, ‘48Charles Weigand, ‘48Nancy Donohue Collins, ‘49Cornelius Gillespie, ‘49

James McCarry, ‘51James McKenna, ‘51Joan Boyle Francis, ‘52elizabeth Halyburton Mirra, ‘52Marie Brady Wilhoite, ‘52Ronald DeGregorio, ‘53Mary Ferry, ‘53Jacqueline Walker Shaughnessy, ‘53Helen O’Donnell Cunningham, ‘54edward Lott, ‘54Louis Pinto, ‘54Rev. William Joseph, ‘56Mary Agnes Woods Lindholm, ‘56John Merrigan, ‘56Joseph Carroll, ‘57Sally Johnston Gable, ‘57Dennis O’Leary, ‘57Margaret Kelly Clark, ‘58Helen McGinley Durning, ‘58Robert McIntyre, ‘58Dorothy Garten Concordia, ‘59Florence Sprague Woelfling, ‘59Richard Burke, ‘60Patrick J. Callahan, ‘60

Joseph Hornig, ‘60Jeannette McDaid Johnson, ‘60Cecilia Faso White, ‘60Anne Lilly Cullinan, ‘62Patricia Gillespie Gibson, ‘62Regina McGowan, ‘62Margaret Meehan Pearce, ‘62Francis X. Tinney, ‘62John P. Convery, ‘63Letitia Grimaldi, ‘63Margaret Berkery Burns, ‘65Carol Shepard Gibbs, ‘65elizabeth O’Neill McCullough, ‘65Barbara Ann Hilyard Ravas, ‘65Robert Davis, ‘66elizabeth Callazzo Fox, ‘66Thomas Jordan, ‘66Lawrence Lerario, ‘66Kathleen Tucker Fox, ‘68eileen Hoban Creelman, ‘81John J. Newman, ‘87Raymond Hill, Jr., ‘03

ClAss reunions And eventsGirLs CLass oF 195360th reunionSunday, October 27, 2013

(celebrated at Communion Breakfast)

Drexelbrook Inn

Contact: Helen Concannon

610-789-2783, Peg Riley 484-888-0997

boys CLass oF 195360th reunionThursday, October 3, 2013

Bala Golf Club

Golf at 12:00 pm, Reception from 5-7 pm

Dinner at 7:00 pm

Contact: Charlie Lamb

lamb1953@comcast.net

GirLs CLass oF 1959 55th reunion Sunday, October 5, 2014

Springfield Country Club

Contact: Mary Ann Dowd Kusner

610-431-2222

marykusner@aol.com or

wcgh59@aol.com

boys CLass oF 1958 55th reunionSaturday, May 18, 2013

Clarion Airport Hotel

Essington, Pa

Contact: Frank Adolph: 610-344-0716

GirLs CLass oF 1958 55th reunionSunday, May 19, 2013, 1-5 pm

Springfield Country Club

Contact: Felicia Lynch

felicia219@verizon.net

boys CLass oF 196350th reunion Friday, April 19, 2013

Clarion Airport Hotel

Essington, Pa

Contact: Larry Lonergan 610-353-3861

GirLs CLass oF 1963 50th reunionSaturday, October 12, 2013, 12-4 pm

Springfield Country Club

Luncheon $45 (cash bar)

400 W. Sproul Rd.

Springfield, PA 19064

Contact: Margie McFadden Quinlan

609-464-1987, 609-263-0861 or

wcghsreunion50@gmail.com

GirLs CLass oF 1969 45th reunionSaturday, April 12, 2014

More Details TBA

Contact: Hannah Dougherty Campbell

610-446-6488

aLL CLass oF 1988 25th reunionSaturday, October 26, 2013

Edgemont Country Club

Contact: Jo-Ann Engels

wc1988reunion25@gmail.com

CAlendAr of events 2013-2014burrs at the beaCh Sunday July 7, 2013

CardinaL o’Connor GoLF Wednesday October 2, 2013

MaJor donor LunCheon TBA

aLuMnae CoMMunion breakFast Sunday October 27, 2013

sChooL haLL oF FaMe tuesday December 3, 2013

sPorts haLL oF FaMe saturday March 22, 2014

aLuMni CoMMunion breakFast TBA 2014

Any Questions, Comments or suggestions

regArding west notes, pleAse ContACt

george light At the sChool 215-386-2244 ext. 260

or emAil glight@westCAtholiC.org

invest in the futureown A Business?

the state oF PennsyLvania

oFFers a ProGraM that

aLLoWs businesses to

send their state taxes

to West CathoLiC as

oPPosed to harrisburG.

this ProGraM, CaLLed the

oPPortunity sChoLarshiP

tax Credit (ostC) Provides

sChoLarshiPs and FinanCiaL

aid For students Who Live

in underaChievinG sChooL

distriCts.

Over 95% of our student body

here at West are from these

failing public school districts.

Therefore, your State tax dollars

could go directly towards taking

young men and women out of

these failing schools and giving

them a chance to excel here at

West Catholic. The process is as

simple as filling out a one page

form, and West Catholic can

handle the rest of the process.

if you have an interest in the

ostC program or have questions

about the program call

andrew brady at West Catholic

at 215-386-2244 or email

at abrady@westcatholic.org

4501 CHeSTNUT STReeT

PHILADeLPHIA, PeNNSYLVANIA 19139

www.westCAtholiC.org

return serviCe reQuested

NON-PROFIT

ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGe

pAid

PeRMIT NO. 138

westnotes

mission stAtement west philAdelphiA CAtholiC high sChool is A CAtholiC Community of ACAdemiC exCellenCe in An

urBAn environment thAt is open to An interdenominAtionAl populAtion. THe SCHOOL’S RIGOROUS SPIRITUAL, ACADeMIC,

TeCHNOLOGICAL, AND eXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS DeVeLOP OUR eTHNICALLY AND ReLIGIOUSLY DIVeRSe STUDeNT BODY INTO YOUNG

MeN AND WOMeN OF STRONG MORAL AND eTHICAL CHARACTeR. WeST CATHOLIC PRePAReS eACH STUDeNT TO FACe THe CHALLeNGeS OF

eVeRYDAY LIFe, eMBRACe LeADeRSHIP POSITIONS IN SOCIeTY, AND VALUe SeRVICe IN AN eVeR-CHANGING GLOBAL SOCIeTY.