westnotesA Publication for Alumnae,

Alumni and Friends of West Catholic

Winter 2013

Young Alumni unite to Help west CAtHoliC!On November 8, 2012 at West Catholic,

the first unofficial meeting of the Young

Alumni was held. We are so excited that this

group is now organizing as our students

need the support of ALL alums to receive

the total West Catholic experience.

Right now, this group has committed to continue the

conversation about how best to formalize their activities

to benefit West Catholic. The group has now met

3 times, with over 40 people taking part, and is in the

planning stages for an event this Spring! Stay tuned,

and for now, join our group!

Right now, all participating means is that you will attend

the next meeting, on Thursday, February 28, 2013 at

7:00pm at West Catholic. Email info@westcatholic.org

if you want to get involved!

Official Magazine of the West Catholic Community

DeAr Alums AnD FrienDs,

With eight months experience, I am pleased to report tremendous progress and success here at West. No school that I have been associated with has made so many dramatics changes in such a short time. Every aspect of the school has been dissected, reviewed and refashioned. Our strengths and weaknesses have honestly been addressed. Institutional progress and individual change have become part of our culture. I am happy to report that West now has a Strategic Plan to guide our future for the next five years. Much of our success has been fostered and guided by the cooperative spirit of Board, Faculty and Parents. Now we are beginning to work with our student body to ensure that they see the future and their role in our success.

Two principle goals have guided my work this year. First has been the necessity of growing our enrollment over the next couple of years. West has the potential to grow from its current 248 students to over 500 students within three years. Staffing and auxiliary help are in place to make this happen. Naturally we welcome your assistance in speaking positively of the “new” West and inviting others to “come take a look”.

A second major concern focuses on finances. We need to reach levels of support that combined with parental tuition make the school fiscal responsible and within a few years self-sustaining. We again have made progress but face the fact that some Alum, who love the school, simply are not convinced of our success. To those who feel this way, know I understand but at the same time invite you to become more knowledgeable of the “new” West. Without your support and confidence our challenge is all the more difficult.

I bring to your attention, with this letter, something that we have been addressing as a possible “game changer”. For more than 96 years we have been known as West Philadelphia Catholic High School (for Boys or for Girls). Today’s West seeks your input into a new naming opportunity. At the direction of the Board of Trustees and with approval of diocesan officials, West today is proposing a renaming:

West Catholic Preparatory High School located in University City

I direct you to our survey on our Website for your input into this possibility. Conversations have been in place with various segments of the West Catholic family on this topic.

Hopefully, you sense a renewed pride that comes with this opportunity of resurrection. Certainly, some of these changes have come with pain but honestly the major work was easily accomplished as most appreciated this needed change.

If you have been sitting on the sidelines waiting to see what would happen, may I invite you to jump in and take your place in ensuring the future of your beloved West Catholic.

Go Burrs!

BrotHer riCHArD Kestler, FsC President

westnotes 2

Let me begin with the word that West Catholic is alive

and well! Since the spring of 2012, when we were given a

reprieve, life has turned completely around! Now there is a

healthy buzz about the place that had been missing for a

time. So many possibilities are opening to our students as

we begin the long trek to a better than best West Catholic.

We have begun alliances with Fox Leadership at Penn, Drexel University, and St. Joseph’s University for support for both our students and our teachers. Penn Fox Leadership is sponsoring four activities which directly involve our students. First, a group of Penn students came to West Catholic twice a week through the fall to assist our seniors in their college application process. This team, as well as a few of our seniors, is now turning their attention to the junior class and their need to get a head start on the college path. In another project, West has identified a group of student leaders who have had three leadership workshops at Penn during the first semester; another three workshops will be given this semester to the same group. Lastly, students from West Catholic are being given tours and talks by Penn seniors. Students involved in athletics, students interested in business, and students in-volved in drama and communications are being given an afternoon tour and conference focusing on their particular interest. This exposure to the university world is a very positive addition to our normal activities.

West is working to forge an alliance with the Hospitality School at Drexel and our own Culinary Arts program. Through this we hope to

introduce our students to the wide range of careers in foods and hospitality. St. Joe’s is preparing a business module for classes that would be offered on Saturdays next year.

Beyond this, both Drexel and St. Joseph’s have committed to assisting with professional development in classroom differentiation and reading in the content areas. St. Joe’s has offered interns to assist in our Summer Enrichment Program and also has offered a summer course to our teachers free of tuition. Next year we will have a full time Reading Specialist on internship from St. Joe’s.

All of this is very exciting and stimulating to our student body and brings a dimension of enthusiasm to all of us! I invite you to come to West and see for yourself the good things that are happening every day.

I cannot close without a thank you to so many, many of you who have found a way to give us your support during these months of rebuild-ing. God will indeed bless your generosity. Many young men and women will be stronger both academically and spiritually.

Because of you lives are changed!

God is good! SiSTER MARy E. BUR iHM Principal

3

BoArD oF trustees

Mr. Alfonse J. Gabriele, ChairmanMrs. Phyllis Verna Bellopede ’59Sr. Mary E. Bur, i.H.M.Mr. Paul ColistraMrs. Eleanor Dezzi ’65Br. Brian Henderson, F.S.C. ’77Mr. Carl W. Holmes, Jr.

Mr. Thomas J. HoskinsMr. Joseph J. Houldin ’69Br. Richard Kestler, F.S.C.William F. Lynch, PhD Mr. Leonard Mazur ’63Sr. Marita Carmel McCarthy, i.H.M.’55Mr. John Mullen ’57

Mr. Anthony Nichols, Sr. ’57Thomas F. Rooney, EdDMr. Stephen Tulli ’84Br. Joseph J. Willard, F.S.C. ’59Sen. Anthony H. Williams

JUNE oF 2012, BRoTHER RiCHARD KESTLER PHoNED To TELL ME HE HAD ACCEPTED THE PoSiTioN oF PRESiDENT oF THE THEN RECENTLy REoPENED WEST CATHoLiC HiGH SCHooL. HE THEN ASKED iF i WoULD FoRM A BoARD oF TRUSTEES FoR WEST. i WAS HoNoRED, AGREED AND GoT To WoRK PUTTiNG ToGETHER WHAT iS A TALENTED, AND HARD WoRKiNG BoARD oF TRUSTEES, WiLLiNG To CoNTRiBUTE THEiR TiME AND TREASURE To ENSURE THE LoNG-TERM ViABiLiTy oF WEST CATHoLiC.

The Board includes Business People, Educators, Religious, and a State Senator among our eighteen board members, which also includes several male and female alums.

Our responsbility essentially is to oversea the policies and processes at West, and assist the President and Administration in their responsibilities to effectively operate the school. We have formed five board committees to concentrate on specific areas of importance – finance & property, advancement, enrollment & academic excellence, and governance and an executive committee. The trustees will continue their dedicated efforts on behalf of West Catholic.

Sincerely,

AL J. GABRiELE Chairman, Board of Trustees 2012-13 Board of Trustees

inVestinwest What separates West Catholic from other schools is our loyal and generous community

of support! There aren’t many organizations out there that will receive almost 3,000 gifts

this year. It is important that you understand and appreciate how critical these gifts are to

our school and that you remain committed. Our ability to count on your support is

a key indicator of our future success!

As you will see below, we are on our way to reaching 2012-13’s fundraising goals. If you have already

supported us, thank you; if you are considering supporting us, know your gift is meaningful in our mission

to offer affordable, quality education to our young men and women.

2012-13 FiSCAL yEAR: $1,300,000 ToTAL FUNDRAiSiNG oPERATioNS GoAL

ToTAL RAiSED To DATE: $805,585

DoNoRS 1,050

westnotes 4

Name Class

Address

City State Zip

Email Phone

PAYMENT METHOD O Check Enclosed (Made payable to: West Catholic)

O Visa O Mastercard O Discover

Name on Card

Card Number Expiration Date

Signature

THANK yoU FoR yoUR SUPPoRT

FoR MoRE iNFoRMATioN REGARDiNG THE iNVEST iN WEST FUND 2012/2013, PLEASE ViSiT WWW.WESTCATHoLiC.oRG oR CALL PAUL CoLiSTRA AT 215.386.2244.

$415,000 Major Donors

$1,300,000 Goal

$255,000 2012-13 Invest in West Fund $550,000 Goal

COMING SOON Burr Booster

$60,585 Events

$10,000 Foundations

$56,000 EITC/OSTC

$9,000 Planned Giving/Memorial

BREAKDOWN OF SOURCES OF FUNDING TO DATE

5

west newsWEST CATHOLIC COMEBACk “ALIVE AND WELL” ANDREW EiSER, DAiLy NEWS STAFF WRiTER

WEST CATHOLIC High School was the only one of four Catholic high schools slated for closure by the Archdiocese last January that didn’t appeal. That decision by former president Brother Timothy Ahern, based on the school’s future enrollment projections, led to much acrimony, and Ahern resigned. The Archdiocese then decided on its own to keep the 96-year-old school at 45th and Chestnut streets open.

While the school only graduated 106 students last year, officials say enrollment is up and, more importantly, so is fundraising. New president Brother Richard kestler said West Catholic is “alive and well.” “We respect our traditions of the past, but the reality is that we understand that we’re looking at building a brand new school,” kestler said. “Our school is in a new mode.” Visit www.westcatholic.org for the rest of this article.

WEST CATHOLIC ADDS RESOURCE ENHANCEMENT PARTNERSHIP WITH SJUWest Catholic High School and St. Joseph’s University officials have forged a resource enhancement partnership that will benefit the two

Catholic schools beginning during the 2012-13 school year! Close in mission and proximity, West Catholic and SJU look forward to ad-vancing the future of Catholic education in this part of Philadelphia. This now makes West’s partners with SJU, Penn, and Drexel! Visit www.westcatholic.org for the rest of this article.

ANDREW BRADY ’02 ASSUMES POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF ANNUAL GIVING

Andrew Brady is a 2002 Graduate of West Catholic High School. Upon graduating from West Catholic, Andrew attended Cabrini College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 2006. Andrew began teaching History at West Catholic that Fall.

In addition to teaching, he was an assistant coach for the boys soccer and basketball teams at West. Andrew’s duties as Director of Annual Giving will include increasing support for the Invest in West Fund, the PA state tax credit programs: EITC/OSTC, and various other fundraising and alum relations tasks. Visit www.westcatholic.org for the rest of this article.

RASHANA BARNES-MILLER ’98 JOINS WEST CATHOLIC ADMISSIONS TEAM

Rashana Barnes-Miller is a 1998 Graduate of West Catholic High School where she served as Student Council President and Captain of the basketball team. Following graduation, Rashana attended Penn State University on an athletic scholarship. While at Penn State, Rashana competed in the 2000 Final Four and earned a degree in Letters, Arts, and Sciences.

Rashana will serve as the Admissions Coordinator and will work closely with the Director of Admissions in all student recruitment activities. Rashana will also continue to serve in her role as Head Coach of the women’s basketball team. Visit www.westcatholic.org for the rest of this article.

A BITTERSWEET SIGNING DAY FOR JONES-SMITHMATT BREEN, iNQUiRER STAFF WRiTER

The Saturday morning nudge from his father awakened 8-year-old Jaryd Jones-Smith around the time the sun was rising over his South Jersey home. Along with Jones-Smith’s younger sister, James Jones and his son would leave their Woodstown home for a weekly jog around a 3.3-mile route.

“At first, it felt like torture,” Jones-Smith said. “But after a while, you got used to it and it became natural.”Now a hulking, 6-foot-7, 320-pound offensive tackle at West Catholic, Jones-Smith will sign a letter of intent on Wednesday, national signing day, to accept a football scholarship to Pittsburgh.

But his father will not be there. Jones, 58, died on Dec. 22 after a battle with brain tumors. Visit www.westcatholic.org for the rest of this article.

reunionsWITH 96 CLASSES AND OVER 50,000 ALUMS,

CLASS REUNIONS ARE ALWAYS HAPPENING IN THE

WEST CATHOLIC COMMUNITY! Send a message to

George Light, Director of Alumni Relations, at

glight@westcatholic.org or 215.386.2244, when you

have details for your class reunion so we can get

them posted to this page. Also, if we can be

of assistance in the organization, execution, or

cultivation of your class, we’d love to help!

Please send us a summary and some pictures from

your reunion so we can share them in West Notes.

BoyS CLASS oF 1963 50TH 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 12pm – 4pm 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

BoyS CLASS oF 1958 55TH REUNioNFriday, May 18, 2013 Clarion Airport Hotel Essington, Pa Contact: Frank Adolph 610.344.0716

GiRLS CLASS oF 1958 55TH REUNioNSunday, May 19, 2013, 1pm – 5pm Springfield Country Club Contact: Felicia Lynch feleica219@verizon.net

ALL CLASS oF 1988 25TH REUNioNSaturday, October 26, 2013 West Catholic High School Contact: Jo-Ann Engels wc1988reunion25@gmail.com

requiesCAnt in pACeSr. Dorothy Freal, RSM, ’32

Catherine Larkin kelly, ’34

Mary Carr McCarthy, ’34

Mary C. Moss Healey, ’35

Marguerite kimnach Ryan, ’35

Joseph Hoplamazian, ’36

Anna Logan Donahue, ’37

Mary McCann Bagiackas, ’38

Dolores Quigley kenny, ’38

Catherine Fox McGinn, ’38

Rosemary Redditt Powers, ’38

kathleen Conaway Salotti, ’38

Maria Theresa McHugh Clark, ’39

Mary Mulkeen Waterman, ’39

Julia Robinson Ball, ’40

Thomas J. Burns, ’40

Catherine Carroll Fahey, ’40

Anna Marie Buzby Schlicht, ’40

Daniel P. Sheedy, ’40

Geraldine V. Smith, ’40

Thomas J. Sullivan, ’40

Margaret Cooney Carlin, ’41

Gaetano D’Elia, ’41

John Sheehan, ’41

Anne Boylan Fallon, ’42

Sr. Mary McGinnis, SSJ, ’42

Rosalie Davis Murphy, ’42

Rose Mary Jelalian Andrews, ’43

Franics A. Biunno, ’43

Marie Beers Boylan, ’43

Doris Russell Coll, ’43

Elizabeth Gunn Condron, ’43

Thomas J. Fleming, ’43

Elizabeth Cleary McGettigan,’43

Joseph F. McGonigal, ’43

Thomas J. McNulty, ’43

Jeanne Gallagher O’Brien, ’43

John Quinn, ’43

Yolanda Fosco Scipione, ’43

Margaret Reilly Treston, ’43

Bernadette McLaughlin Dunn, ’44

Paul Farrell, ’44

Louis Hines, ’44

Sr. kathleen Walsh, SHCJ, ’44

Joseph R. Coyne, ’45

Laurence J. DiStefano, ’45

William J. Dunn, ’45

Joseph Fletcher, ’45

Eleanor McFadden Sheehan, ’45

Anne Duffy Gallagher, ’46

Msgr. James E. king, ’46

Alvin A. Clay, ’47

Thomas J. Dockery, ’47

Loretta McCrohan O’Rourke, ’47

Sr. Florence Boyle, IHM, ’48

Nancy Frisco Heilman, ’48

Robert McNally, ’48

Jeanette Roberts, ’48

Thomas Ward, ’48

Mary Morris Gillespie, ’49

Ronald Helker, ’50

Edward P. Doyle, ’51

Mary Williamson Fedalei, ’51

Lucille D’Agostino Gallagher, ’51

Francis Manning, ’51

Maryanne M. McDevitt Pollock, ’51

Mary Brown Riebel, ’51

Patricia Hanly Ryan, ’51

Gerald Callahan, ’52

Barbara Meng Gormley, ’52

Margaret kilgallen Burke, ’52

Richard Quigley, ’52

Raymond Stopper, ’52

Marie Fox Bixler, ’54

Albert Brown, ’54

John E. Crowe, ’54

Donald W. Goodwin, ’54

John P. Lozinak, ’54

James C. Martin, ’54

Joseph McLane, ’54

Robert Alotta, ’55

Francis kinney, Jr., ’55

Jane Dever Vitale, ’55

Thomas Watson, ’55

James J. knapp, ’56

Joseph Rockwell, ’56

Richard Carlin, ’57

William Jones, ’57

Regina Schofield kelly, ’57

Frederick J. McEliece, ’57

Charles M. O’Brien, ’57

Edward P. Scott, ’57

Robert Wetzel, ’57

Georgiana DiFlavis kilroy, ’58

Eileen Maginn Russo, ’58

Br. Richard W. Breese, FSC, ’60

James Donovan, ’60

John Callinan, ’61

Michael McNamara, ’62

Sr. Patrice Lynch, ’63

Veronica Calabrese Eddis, ’65

Charles Haftl, ’65

Bernadette Macatee Matusky, ’65

Thomas C. Jordan, ’66

Rosemary Cullen Raimondo, ’67

Michael Betzala, ’72

Patrick Bonner, ’84

Raymond Hill ’03

westnotes 6

7

CongrAts to tHe 2013 sports HAll oF FAme inDuCtees

2013 sCHool HAll oF FAme THE INDUCTEES FOR THE 2013 SCHOOL HALL OF FAME HAVE BEEN SELECTED.

west CAtHoliC Alumni AssoCiAtion 92nD AnnuAl Communion BreAKFAstSunday, April 21, 2013, Springfield Country ClubMass satrts at 9:00am followed by breakfast and awards ceremony

$25.00 PER PERSoN

For additional information contact Jay Sawyer at the alumni office 215.387.8560

194 1 JoSEPH CAMPBELL Football (Posthumously)

1 9 5 1 ToM PATTERSoN Track

19 56 JoHN o’REiLLy Basketball

19 56 JoHN DRiSCoLL Basketball

19 57 RoBERT DiCKEy Basketball (Posthumously)

1960 JoE ALiANo Baseball

19 59 BRoTHER JoSEPH WiLLARD,FSC Education

1 964 MiCHAEL MCHALE Service

1974 WiLLiAM TRAFKA Music

1977 FRANCiS CRoWLEy, ESQ Law

198 3 KAREN RoDGERS Service

1999 DR. RAiNA LEoN Education

1982 MARGERET WiNTERS Basketball

1 990 KiMANi PATTERSoN Basketball, Football, Track

BiSHoP JoSEPH MCFADDEN for his contributions to West Catholic Athletics.

THE 2013 WEST CATHoLiC SPoRTS HALL oF FAME EVENT

will be held on Saturday, March 23rd, at the Airport

Clarion Hotel, in Essington, PA. Tickets will be $40.

Cocktails at 6:00, Dinner at 7:00, Awards Presentation at

8:00. To register for the event, please reply to the mailing

that has been sent home, or call George Light at

215.386.2244. This event will sell-out, so be sure to

pre-register!

THE EVENT WiLL TAKE PLACE oN TUESDAy,

APRiL 9, 2013 AT WEST CATHoLiC HiGH SCHooL

AT 8:45AM. For any information, please contact

George Light at 215.386.2244 ext. 260 or

glight@westcatholic.org

CAlenDAr oF eVents 2013open House Sunday, February 24, 2013 1-3 pm

8tH grADe sCHolArsHip/ Saturday, March 2, 2013 plACement exAm 9am

registrAtion/ Monday, March 4, 2013 FinAnCiAl AiD nigHt 5-8pm

sports HAll oF FAme Saturday, March 23, 2013 6pm

sCHool HAll oF FAme Tuesday, April 9, 2013 8:30am

Alumni Communion Sunday, April 21, 2013 BreAKFAst 9am

grADuAtion ClAss oF 2013 Monday, June 3, 2013

Burrs At tHe BeACH Sunday, July 7, 2013

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 FutureBy allowing businesses to redirect up to $400,000 in state taxes to Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools (BLOCS), the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) can assist local children who are — or would be assigned — to attend one of the 200+ “failing schools” in our 5 counties.

But the success of this program

requires the help of our local

business community.

BLOCS can provide scholarships,

from your business taxes, to

students who want to attend a

Catholic school and are most in

need – but we need your business

to participate in OSTC now.

oSTC program can fill thousands

of high quality open seats in our

Catholic schools right now.

• Elementaryandhighschool

students can receive up to

$8,500 in tuition assistance

• Specialeducationstudents

can receive up to $15,000 in

tuition assistance

yoU CAN DESiGNATE

yoUR DoLLARS FoR WEST

CATHoLiC STUDENTS…LEARN

HoW yoUR BUSiNESS CAN

iNVEST iN oUR CHiLDREN’S

EDUCATioN AND SUPPoRT

oUR CATHoLiC SCHooLS:

Visit www.BLOCS.org or call

484.684.1212 to apply today!

Or call Paul Colistra at West

Catholic at 215.386.2244

4501 CHESTNUT STREET

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19139

www.westCAtHoliC.org

return serViCe requesteD

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

pAiD

PHILADELPHIA, PA

kENNEDY PRINTING CO.

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.