presentation of mary catholic school

Presentation Of Mary School

• Grades: Kindergarten-8
• Enrollment: 140 students
• Yearly Tuition: $4,909
• Acceptance rate: 92%
• Average class size: 15 students
• Application Deadline: Mar. 19 / Aug. 30 / rolling
• Source: Verified school update

School Overview

Student body, academics and faculty, tuition and acceptance rate, extracurriculars, school notes.

• At Presentation of Mary School we prepare our students academically and spiritually to be faith-filled and forward-thinking citizens. We partner with families to fulfill this mission by inviting all God's children into our community. Our school is a place where students can flourish, grow, and develop according to their God-given dignity through rigorous curriculum and opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge as Christ would with wisdom, compassion, and grace.

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Student Handbook

Every family must read and sign the last page of the Student and Family Handbook at the beginning of each school year. If you have any questions regarding the handbook, please contact Principal Sue Lovegreen at [email protected] or 651-842-6032 .

Presentation Of Mary School

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• ENVIRONMENT

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• Private, Catholic

Presentation of Mary Academy

• grade  A Overall Grade
• Rating 3.86 out of 5   7 reviews

Report Card

• Academics grade  A minus
• Diversity grade  B+
• Teachers grade  A
• Elementary School
• Middle School
• NCEA Member
• New Hampshire

School Details

• White 76.8%
• Hispanic 9.1%
• Multiracial 6.4%
• African American 1.9%
• Native American 0.2%
• International 0%
• Pacific Islander 0%
• Offers Full Week Yes
• Offers Part Week Yes
• Offers Full Day Yes
• Offers Part Day No

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• Cost of Living grade  C
• Good for Families grade  A minus
• Housing grade  C
• Private School
• Rating 4.4 out of 5   5 reviews
• Rating 4.64 out of 5   11 reviews
• LONDONDERRY, NH
• Rating 4.33 out of 5   12 reviews
• Rating 3.99 out of 5   124 reviews

Presentation of Mary Academy Reviews

• Rating 5 out of 5   Excellent 5   reviews ( 71 %)
• Rating 4 out of 5   Very Good 0   reviews ( 0 %)
• Rating 3 out of 5   Average 0   reviews ( 0 %)
• Rating 2 out of 5   Poor 0   reviews ( 0 %)
• Rating 1 out of 5   Terrible 2   reviews ( 29 %)
• July 18 2022
• Overall Experience
• Nov 17 2021
• June 25 2020

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Principal | Presentation of Mary

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Description

Presentation of Mary Catholic School in Maplewood Minnesota seeks a principal starting in the 2024–2025 school year. Presentation of Mary Catholic School serves over 130 students in preschool through 8th grade with a dedicated faculty and staff. Learn more about Presentation of Mary and this exciting opportunity in Catholic school leadership by viewing the full search prospectus here .

Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis  are vital to the evangelizing mission of the Church. They strive to provide an education that is authentically Catholic: a formation of the whole person in the light of Jesus Christ. Presentation Catholic School accomplishes this important work by living their mission statement:  "At Presentation of Mary School, we prepare our students academically and spiritually to be faith-filled and forward-thinking citizens. We partner with families to fulfill this mission by inviting all God’s children into our community. Our school is a place where students can flourish, grow, and develop according to their God-given dignity through rigorous curriculum and opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge as Christ would with wisdom, compassion, and grace."

Presentation of Mary Catholic School serves families and students from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds and this past year the school welcomed over 30 new families!

Qualifications

Recognizing that, “The project of the Catholic school is convincing only if carried out by people who are deeply motivated, because they witness to a living encounter with Christ” (Congregation for Catholic Education, 1997). The successful candidate for this position will demonstrate the capacity to cultivate the highest standards of excellence in Catholic culture, academics, and organizational leadership at Presentation of Mary Catholic School. Other requirements include:

• Be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Catholic Church who is able to provide a credible witness of the Catholic Faith.
• Have a deep commitment to the importance and mission of Catholic schools.
• Possess a master’s degree in Catholic school leadership or its equivalent—or in progress (preferred).
• Have three years of teaching or administrative experience in Catholic schools (preferred).
• Obtain the  Certificate in Catholic School Leadership  (preferred).

View the full job prospectus here  for more information.

Application Instructions

Please go to the following link to submit an application by May 6, 2024. Applicants will be asked to provide a resume with three professional references, a cover letter, and a letter of good standing from the pastor of the parish at which they are registered.

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Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis 777 Forest Street, Saint Paul, MN 55106 Phone:  651-291-4400      E-Mail:  [email protected]

See archspm.org/privacy .

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On behalf of Father Stanley Poltorak, Pastor, Carrie Donahue, Principal, and the Faculty and Staff of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary School (PBVM), welcome to our school year! PBVM began in 1961 as our first year of operation. Our goal is to work together with our parents to help our students learn, grow and develop to their full potential academically, spiritually, physically and emotionally. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to this goal through forming the student in freedom for excellence and guiding their transformation in Christ through Grace and virtue. If you are considering a Catholic education for your child at PBVM School, click below to schedule a tour. Come encounter the contagious joy on our campus.... Joy Born of Truth!

§ Formed in Freedom for Excellence | Transformed through Grace and Virtue | Living in Joy Born of Truth §

First and foremost, every Catholic educational institution is a place to encounter the living God who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforming love and truth. This relationship elicits a desire to grow in the knowledge and understanding of Christ and his teaching. - Pope Benedict XVI -

•   Thank you for coming to our school community website.   I want to assure you of the significant preparation we at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic School, and all schools throughout the Sacramento Diocese, have undertaken as we roll out plans to continue our 2020-2021 school year.   From cleaning protocols, to on-campus spacing, to updating and fine tuning our Distance Learning program, w e at Presentation are dedicated to serving our families. Our lessons are focused and essential, and our students are device-ready.   We are in continuous contact, county by county, with our health department partners, with our ultimate goal being a complete return for all to campus and classroom. May God bless you and your family at this time, and may He bring a safe return to our happy school days!   --Mrs. Carrie Donahue, Principal   RETURN TO SCHOOL PROTOCOL DISCUSSIONS     We are open!  Please see this message from our principal. 

On behalf of Father Stanley Poltorak, Pastor, Carrie Donahue, Principal, and the Faculty and Staff of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary School (PBVM), welcome to the 2017—2018 school year! This is PBVM’s 55th year of operation. Our goal is to work together with the parents to help our students learn, grow and develop to their full potential academically, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to this goal through forming the student in freedom for excellence and guiding their transformation in Christ through Grace and virtue. If you are considering a Catholic Education for your child at PBVM School, click here to schedule a tour. Come encounter the contagious joy on our campus....joy born of Truth!

§ Formed in Freedom for Excellence | Transformed through Grace and Virtue | Living in Joy born of Truth §

To contact the school office to set up a tour and begin the application process, please call   916.482.0351     To email us with your request/interest please send to [email protected]  We look forward to meeting you!

Contact or come by the School Office to set up a tour and begin the application process.* 916.482.0351 [email protected] *Please allow 2 weeks for processing.

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PBVM Catholic School is accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and is co-accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

PBVM School is accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and is co-accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

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Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary School

With the dominican sisters of mary, mother of the eucharist.

In accordance with the Catholic Schools Department of the Diocese of Sacramento, PBVM uses the State of California’s common core standards in reading and math. We administer quarterly STAR assessments on these subjects in grades kindergarten through eighth to help shape curriculum review and development.

All other subject curricula are carefully coordinated throughout all grades and regularly reviewed for mastery and updates, ensuring that all appropriate standards are met.  Further specifics regarding the curriculum can be provided upon request.

ENRICHMENT CURRICULUM 

Additionally, students participate in:

• Foreign language (grades 3-8)
• Physical education

Students are issued 1:1 technology devices and instruction in the classrooms as an enrichment of the academic curriculum.

PBVM embraces the vision of a Catholic classical educational philosophy. Christian values and traditions of the Catholic faith are integrated into the curriculum and all teaching/learning situations within and beyond the classroom in cooperation with the Catholic Schools Department of the Diocese of Sacramento. The curriculum is carefully coordinated throughout all grades and regularly reviewed for mastery and updating, ensuring that all appropriate standards are met.  Further specifics regarding the curriculum can be provided upon request.

ESSENTIAL CORE CURRICULUM 

PBVM provides complete academic instruction in essential core curricular subjects: English/language arts, reading/literature, religion, mathematics, science, history/social studies, physical education, and religion. 

STUDENT SUCCESS TEAM 

A Student Success Team is assembled to identify student needs and develop a plan to address those needs in order to assist individual students. A Student Success Team consists of the classroom teacher(s), principal, parents, EAS teacher, and the student, as appropriate. The Team can also include the school counselor. Intervention responsibilities are clarified for the school, parents, and the student. 

ACCOMMODATIONS for STUDENTS with DISABILITIES

Students with identified learning disabilities may receive reasonable accommodations to assist with their academic success.   A Student Success Team, headed by our Educational Achievement Specialist,  is assembled to identify student needs and develop a plan to address those needs in order to assist individual students.   Not every student’s disability can be supported at Presentation, and students are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

FAITH FORMATION 

PBVM provides daily religious instruction (Catechesis) that educates children every year, at every grade level, in the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: The Profession of Faith, The Celebration of the Christian Mystery, Life in Christ, and Christian Prayer. This age-appropriate approach invites students to discover the meaning and presence of God’s activity in their lives and to encounter and know the faith of our Catholic Christian community. 

Students in 2nd Grade prepare for and receive the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist during the school year. 

Students in 8th Grade prepare for and receive the sacrament of Confirmation during the school year. 

All students who receive sacraments must be baptized and active, participating members of the Catholic faith. 

Each school day begins with prayer in Mass, school-wide assembly, or in the classroom. Opportunities for community and personal prayer are offered throughout the school day (e.g., assembly, lunchtime prayer, and dismissal reflection prayer). Prayer services celebrating the church calendar are offered throughout the school year. 

Mass is celebrated as a school community weekly and daily during Advent. 

Opportunities for the sacrament of Reconciliation are offered to students regularly within a rotating class schedule or by personal request. 

CHAPEL VISITS: CLASS ADORATION 

Each classroom makes regular visits to adore our Lord in adoration in the PBVM Church’s side chapel. 

CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD

CGS is a method of religious instruction in which the religious values of childhood, primarily those values of contemplation and enjoyment of God, are predominant. This experience is shared in a place particularly prepared for the religious life of children called the Atrium.

FIELD TRIPS 

PBVM students enjoy field trip opportunities at all grade levels. These field trips are academically enriching and are subject to all current safety guidelines. The majority of these trips are day trips, with our overnight trips occurring (when possible) in 4th (Rock N Water), 7th (Yosemite) and 8th (Washington, D.C.).

Centrally located, our school serves students in the greater Sacramento area, including Arden, Natomas, Carmichael, and Roseville.

3100 Norris Avenue

Sacramento, CA 95821

Phone: (916) 482-0351

Fax: (916) 482-0377

Presentation School is a ministry of Presentation Parish

PBVM Catholic School is accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and is co-accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Spots limited in lower grades. Call for availability.  REGISTER NOW »

• Admissions Process

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

PMA is a private Catholic school, sponsored by the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary.  We welcome students from all denominations into our programs from age 3 through grade eight.  The application process applies to all families interested in enrolling their child. All admissions questions can be sent to Kim Flint, our Admissions Director, at [email protected] .

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

PMA admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

For students entering pre-Kindergarten through grade 1, the following age requirements apply:

• Students admitted to grade 1 must be six years old by September 30 of the current year.
• Students admitted to Kindergarten must be five years old by September 30 of the current year.
• Students admitted to pre-Kindergarten 4 must be four years old by September 30 of the current year.
• Students admitted to pre-Kindergarten 3 must be three years old by September 30 of the current year.

Acceptance of students in grades two through eight is based on academic approval by the Principal and space availability.  A shadow day is required for the student applying.

The following documents are required for review:

• a recent report card
• recent standardized testing report
• copy of any IEPs and/or 504s, if applicable (even if the plan is no longer in effect)

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

• The PMA application can be found on this website by clicking the  "Apply Now" button located at the top of each page. This includes the nonrefundable registration fee.
• Birth certificate (upload or email a clear PDF version)
• A baptismal record (for a Catholic child only)
• Proof of the child's yearly physical and immunization records (dated within one year). This should include an action plan for asthma and/or allergies and documentation of any major medical conditions.
• Record release form for transfer students K-8

TRANSFER FAMILIES AND PROBATION PERIOD

The following admissions guidelines apply to students transferring into PMA at any grade level.

Parents or guardians of students seeking admission to PMA must present copies of the most recent report card, standardized test results, IEPs, 504s, and other evidence of achievement from the last school attended. You may ask your child's current school for copies of academic documents.  Prospective students and parents will meet with the Principal and/or Assistant Principal to discuss admission. 

PMA, respecting the rights of all involved, retains its authority to refuse admittance to, or ask parents to withdraw, at any time, any student whose special needs cannot be met within the school setting, or whose presence would seriously impair the development of Christian education.  The decision to accept a student is the responsibility of the Principal and/or Assitant Principal. Ordinarily, new students are accepted on a probationary basis of one semester .

During the probation period, parents are encouraged to maintain communication with their child’s teachers.  At the end of the probationary period, if there are concerns, a conference will be held with the teachers, parents, Principal and/or Assistant Principal to decide whether to continue the probationary period or to withdraw the student from the school.

Families seeking admission to PMA who have outstanding financial obligations to other Catholic and private schools will not be accepted until those financial obligations are met.

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651-777-8116 | [email protected]

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Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1725 Kennard Street Maplewood, MN 55109

Phone Contact

• Office: 651-777-8116
• Our fax machine is currently out of order. Call or email with any questions regarding faxing.

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• Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

From 694 and Highway 36: Exit south to White Bear Avenue. Take a right on Larpenteur Avenue.

From 94: Exit North on White Bear Avenue. Turn left on Larpenteur Avenue.

The inspiration for New Orleans' St. Mary's Academy

By Will Croxton

May 5, 2024 / 7:00 PM EDT / CBS News

This week, 60 Minutes reported on St. Mary's Academy, a Catholic school for young Black women in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Correspondent Bill Whitaker met two former students, Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson, who made math history when they both independently proved the 2,000-year-old Pythagorean Theorem using trigonometry, an achievement that was once thought to be impossible.

Whitaker asked St. Mary's Academy principal Pamela Rogers if she was shocked when she learned what the girls had achieved. 

"We were not shocked…our students can do anything. And that's what we tell them. You know, 'The sky is the limit, and we want to be up there with you,'" she told 60 Minutes. 

Rogers told Whitaker that Calcea and Ne'Kiya are not "unicorns." She said all the young ladies at St. Mary's are exceptional and are taught early that they can achieve great things. For the last 17 years, St. Mary's Academy has had a 100% graduation rate and a 100% college admission rate. 

While reporting the story of these landmark mathematical breakthroughs, 60 Minutes learned more about the "foundress" of this exceptional school.

Born in 1812, Henriette Delille was a Creole nun who lived in New Orleans. Her father was a White Frenchman. Her mother was a free person of color, the great-granddaughter of a slave from West Africa.

Delille, inspired by her Catholic faith and a desire to help others, taught slaves and free people of color, defying anti-literacy laws that punished those who tried to educate non-White people. 

In 1842, Delille founded Sisters of the Holy Family, one of the oldest Black Catholic sisterhoods in America. 

In 1867, inspired by Delille's vision for education, the sisters established St. Mary's Academy with the express purpose of teaching young African American women. 

Over a century later, Henriette Delille became the first U.S.-born Black person to be officially considered for sainthood by the Roman Catholic church. 

School head Pamela Rogers told Whitaker that the guiding principles of St. Mary's Academy have remained the same since its founding, and that Delille would certainly recognize the school as it stands today. 

"We continue to move forward with her vision," she told Whitaker.

"We teach young women to give service, to empower themselves, [and] to be in the community. We teach them to grow spiritually, intellectually…to be good people and give to one another."

Rogers also shared with 60 Minutes that St. Mary's Academy came close to being completely shut down after Hurricane Katrina ravaged it in 2005. She said the original school site was flooded with about seven feet of water, and the building had to be completely torn down.

Hurricane Katrina had an impact on Ne'Kiya Jackson and Calcea Johnson's life as well. 

Ne'Kiya's mother, Neliska Jackson, was pregnant with Ne'Kiya at the time. She evacuated New Orleans before Katrina hit and gave birth to Ne'Kiya in Georgia a week later, only seven months into her pregnancy. Jackson said doctors told her that the stress of the catastrophe was a likely factor in the premature birth.

Calcea Johnson, also born in 2005, spent the first year of her life living in a FEMA trailer on her family's front lawn after their home was flooded by the historic storm. 

Calcea recalled going to elementary school at St. Mary's in trailers while the school's main building was in the process of being rebuilt. 

Eventually, St. Mary's Academy prevailed. It has a new building, and expanded enrollment for pre-k through 5th grade. The school's attendance is growing but is still short of what it was before Hurricane Katrina.

Last year, Calcea and Ne'Kiya graduated and received nearly $3 million in scholarship offers. Ne'Kiya was recognized with a full-ride scholarship at Xavier University in New Orleans. Calcea accepted a scholarship to study environmental engineering at Louisiana State University. 

"I want to be an environmental engineer," the now-LSU student Calcea told Whitaker. "I want to be able to come back and help the New Orleans communities, since they helped raise me."

"Helping with climate change and helping with flooding would be a really big thing to help New Orleans. So, I want to help."

The video above was produced by Will Croxton. It was edited by Sarah Shafer Prediger. 

Will Croxton is a digital producer at 60 Minutes.

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St. Mary’s College of Maryland Graduates 356 at 2024 Commencement

St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the National Public Honors College, graduated 356 students with Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees on Saturday, May 11, outdoors on the campus’ Townhouse Green. 

Maryland’s longest-serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD 5th) delivered the keynote address. In his message to the College's newest alumni, he spoke of the impact the pandemic had on this class of students and the significance of the class of 2024 being together amongst family, friends, faculty and staff for the commencement exercises. He said he brought up the pandemic not to focus on what was lost but to reflect on what was gained.

"For while your generation knows better than any other the pain of being apart, you also know better than any other the joy that comes with joining together," Hoyer said. "Because you felt the sorrow of separation, you understand the importance of inclusion.You saw the devastation of distance, and now you have special appreciation for the pleasure of proximity." 

Hoyer received an honorary degree from St. Mary’s College in 1993, at his first appearance as commencement speaker. Hoyer also spoke before the class of 2007.

President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, accompanied by Board of Trustees Chair Susan Dyer, presented an honorary degree to national higher education leader Lynn Pasquerella. 

Since 2016, Pasquerella has been president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). Prior to her position as president of AAC&U, she was president of Mount Holyoke College; provost at the University of Hartford; and vice provost for academic affairs and dean of the graduate school at the University of Rhode Island, where she taught for more than 20 years.

She earned her PhD in philosophy from Brown University; undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College; and associate of arts degree from Quinebaug Valley Community College. 

President Jordan had one request for the Class of 2024. “Recognize and understand the society into which you are now venturing. Give back. Remember the people who have not had the same opportunity, the same blessings, the same education you have. Live the St. Mary’s Way.”

The College’s newest alumni heard from one of the five class valedictorians. The valedictorians were: Sabrina Kuhn, Laura McCarty, Margaret Neuman, Angelie Roche and Ben Springer.

Kuhn was selected to address the class via lottery. She spoke of how she and many classmates grew into adulthood during a time of “great uncertainty,” speaking of experiencing that transition amidst a global pandemic. “The fact that we all made it to graduation here today is a testament to the resilience of our generation,” Kuhn said. Kuhn charged the class to “go forward courageously, armed with knowledge and compassion from your time here, to make the world a better place.”

President Jordan recognized six faculty who retired this year: Karen Crawford, professor of biology; David Ellsworth, associate professor of film and media studies; Rachel Myerowitz, professor of biology; Elizabeth Osborn, professor of sociology; Larry Vote, professor of music; and Christine Wooley, professor of English. Collectively, these retirees represent 161 years of teaching. 

The commencement was live-streamed on the College’s website. 

About the Valedictorians  

Sabrina Kuhn

is a math major and educational studies minor. Vice president of the Wrestling Club, assistant music director of InterChorus, and a choreographer for Dance Club, Kuhn will join the 2025 cohort of the MAT Program.

Laura McCarty

is an anthropology major with a concentration in archaeology and minors in museum studies and history. McCarty is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Lambda Alpha honors societies as well as the Anthropology Club and Climbing Club. Before pursing graduate studies, McCarty plans to work in archaeology. 

Margaret Neuman

is an English major. A member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Tau Delta honor societies and a previous winner of the English Department Award, the Dean’s Award and the Calculus Prize, Neuman has served as a peer tutor for the Writing and Speaking Center and French. After graduation, Neuman will work in France as an English teaching assistant. Long-term, Neuman plans a career in editing and publishing.

Angelie Roche

is a psychology major with a minor in educational studies. Roche served as editor-in-chief of The Point News, a peer health educator, a writing tutor and a student representative on the JED Campus Steering Committee. A member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Psi Chi honors societies, Roche will work as an assistant teacher at the Katherine Thomas School and intern at the University of Maryland's TOGETHER lab before pursuing a graduate degree in family therapy.

Ben Springer

is an environmental studies major with a minor in biology. A member of Phi Beta Kappa honor society, the Music Club and the Southern Maryland Audubon Society. Springer plans a career in bird and habitat conservation. 

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Easter: May 14th

Feast of st. matthias, apostle and martyr.

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May 14, 2024 (Readings on USCCB website)

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Collect prayer.

Feast of St. Matthias: O God, who assigned Saint Matthias a place in the college of Apostles, grant us, through his intercession, that, rejoicing at how your love has been allotted to us, we may merit to be numbered among the elect. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

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When Christ ascended into heaven, says St. Paul, a whole train of holy souls, a glorious conquest, entered therein with Him. But these souls of the just who escorted Jesus in His triumph are only the first-fruits of innumerable harvests. Unceasingly souls are ascending into heaven, until that day when the kingdom of Jesus shall have attained the measure of its fulness. —Dom Columba Marmion, Christ in His Mysteries , p. 310.

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• UB’s Carbon Reduction Challenge returns with new ways to reduce – and count — WNY companies’ emissions

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UB’s Carbon Reduction Challenge returns with new ways to reduce – and count — WNY companies’ emissions

From left: Hayley Martinez, Valerie Ortiz and Chris Bevan give a presentation on how Borderland Music + Art Festival can reduce its carbon footprint. Photo: Douglas Levere

By TOM DINKI

Published May 14, 2024

Switching out fluorescent bulbs for LEDs. Rearranging sports teams’ schedules to reduce travel time. Carbon labeling grocery items. 

After a two-year hiatus, UB’s Carbon Reduction Challenge course returned this semester with both new and familiar student ideas about how Western New York companies can reduce their carbon footprints. 

And now students can tell companies by how much.

Partnering with carbon-counting experts from UB, Erie County and M&T Bank, student teams calculated the greenhouse gas emissions of their assigned organization — everything from its vehicles to its bananas — and used that to craft climate action plans.

“When we started the class in 2019, students came up with strategies to reduce emissions without knowing what their client’s carbon footprint was. They had no way of knowing whether the emissions that they were reducing were a big slice of the pie or not,” says Elizabeth Thomas, associate professor of geology, College of Arts and Sciences. “Now the students quantify their clients’ total emissions and can really target those big slices.” 

The carbon-counting component was first introduced in 2021, but the class was not offered in 2022 and 2023. The course wrapped up the 2024 spring semester with final presentations last Tuesday at the GRoW Clean Energy Center, UB’s ultra-energy-efficient demonstration home on the North Campus. 

Now through four iterations, 60 students — from geology to architecture and planning — have proposed reducing the carbon emissions of 20 regional organizations by a total of 75,000 metric tons of CO2 per year.

“There’s a little bit of everyone in this effort, and that’s how these problems are best addressed — through diverse teams addressing complex problems,” says Ryan McPherson, UB’s chief sustainability officer, who co-teaches the course with Thomas.

From left: Cadence Mannino, Sydney Gallo and Mary Odden worked with Catholic Health to create a plan to reduce the health provider's carbon footprint. Photo: Douglas Levere

New data leads to news ideas

With six hospitals plus a headquarters-training center, Catholic Health has an understandably large carbon footprint. 

One of the ways students suggested reducing that footprint is switching all of the health care provider’s lights to LED. They estimated this alone would eliminate 70 tons of its annual carbon emissions.

“One of the joys of working with a company with such a big carbon output is that a little change can go a really long way,” says Sydney Gallo, a first-year graduate student in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences’ environmental and water resource engineering program. 

Gallo and her team also determined the switch to LED would save Catholic Health $50,000 a year; a key component of the course is to make compelling financial arguments for going green. 

Still, they were pleasantly surprised at just how willing Catholic Health was to become more sustainable.  

“I didn't think Catholic Health would be so open to so many changes, but [Director of Facilities Patrick Goraj] told us right out of the gate that sustainability was part of their mission statement and they’d already been doing things to achieve those goals,” says Mary Odden, an urban planning graduate student in the School of Architecture and Planning and a data manager-analyst for the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “So Pat was already on board and gave us lots of data. It was wonderful to have such a collaborative relationship.”

The range of companies participating in this year’s course ranged from big to small. Still, even Borderland Music + Art Festival, an annual three-day event at Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora, presented its own unique challenges. 

“A lot of sustainable action takes place over time, and you get these benefits over time,” says Chris Bevan, an engineering sciences graduate student. “So we had to find solutions that could work in that short period of time that the festival takes place.”

One of the solutions was switching from diesel to natural gas generators. The students determined this would reduce carbon emissions from 2.15 tons to just 0.1, while also saving nearly $1,600 per festival. Other solutions included using electric golf carts and offering entirely vegetarian food options.

Of course, the festival’s largest footprint is the commute of its more than 10,000 attendees. The students conducted a survey of about 100 of those festival-goers and found the vast majority drive to it.

“What really stood out to us was just how much Borderland and other similar festivals could benefit from having a robust public transportation system in Western New York,” says Valerie Ortiz, a senior environmental geosciences major. “Why shouldn’t Western New Yorkers be able to commute to their own state parks?”

Students gave their final presentations in UB's GRoW Clean Energy Center, an ultra-energy-efficient demonstration home on the North Campus. Photo: Douglas Levere

Extra benefits for students

There are other benefits to the Carbon Reduction Challenge than just reducing carbon: Students get an experiential learning opportunity.

“I’m a geologist, so I’ve sat in a lot of classes talking about the environment and climate change. It was really good to be able to take steps in actually figuring out the environmental impact of one organization and how they can reduce that to hopefully improve the planet,” says geology graduate student Cadence Mannino, who worked on the Catholic Health team.

Hayley Martinez, a geology graduate student on the Borderland team, appreciated getting public speaking experience via the final presentation and meeting with the company throughout the semester.

“Getting that valuable feedback, not only from your peers, but also professors and people who have been in business for years, was something really unique that I had never experienced in any of the previous classes I’ve taken at UB,” she says.

Other students got a new perspective on what it means to be sustainable.

“Sustainability is an uphill battle and it’s still really new,” Ortiz says. “You don’t have to go through and perfect every single part of your footprint, but having an overview of what is really important is vital for these companies. What we suggest to them is only going to become more popular and readily available, and all of our resources and calculations will be much more advanced in the future.”

The carbon-counting element of the course worked as both an aid and a challenge to students, Thomas says. 

“It’s one thing to calculate the carbon footprint of an enclosed item like a strawberry, but then calculate the carbon footprint of a chocolate chip cookie. You have to calculate the footprint of the sugar, flour and butter,” she explains. “We definitely challenged our students and threw them in the deep end at the beginning of the semester, but they end up rising to the occasion and doing a lot of really cool work.”

Eddie Lopez, a graduate assistant for the men's basketball team, found creative ways that UB Athletics could reduce carbon emissions, including by bundling road trips. Photo: Douglas Levere

Another participating organization with a large footprint related to travel was UB itself. Eddie Lopez, a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball team, found that UB Athletics’ 14 teams traveled a combined 100,000 miles in an academic year. 

In addition to only staying at hotels and flying with airlines that aim to become carbon neutral, Lopez suggested teams stay on the road when playing multiple away games in a row. 

“If you’re able to bundle trips and cut costs, then you’d also have a lot more room in the budget for recruiting, better meals, getting the players massages — all the things that boost performance,” says Lopez, who is pursuing a master’s degree in sustainability leadership.

Other organizations that participated in this year’s class were the Tool Library, a nonprofit that lends tools to community members in University Heights; Lexington Co-op, a grocer with two locations in Buffalo and a focus on locally sourced food; and Junk Free Skin, a Buffalo skin care company founded in 2018. 

The companies entered the Carbon Reduction Challenge through the Western New York Sustainable Business Roundtable, a collaborative of public and private-sector organizations working to demonstrate how Western New York business can integrate sustainability and climate actions into their operations to benefit staff, the environment and the bottom line.

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2024 lumina edition 6, 10 may 2024, happy mother's day.

When our mothers are tired, Lord, give them strength.

When our mothers are tired, Lord, give them strength. 

When they feel alone, give them comfort.

When they feel overwhelmed with the challenges of parenting, help them to know peace.

In their darkest moments, be their Light. 

At times in our lives, our mothers are everything to us, meeting our every need. 

We ask You to provide them today with whatever gift they need. 

In gratitude for all Mothers, we pray. 

There was a great energy with the whole school community on the Edmund Rice Campus for the day that further reinforces my sense of optimism about our future on a single campus.

Darren atkinson.

College Principal

St Mary’s College acknowledged the Feast Day of Blessed Edmund Rice on Monday, 6th May

Feast Day of Blessed Edmund Rice

Edmund Rice, founder of the Christian Brothers, was born in Ireland in 1762. We know very little of his childhood but celebrate his life and the contribution he made to education of young people on May 5th each year. St Mary’s College acknowledged the Feast Day of Blessed Edmund Rice on Monday, 6th May and it was a day of great celebration. As my first experience of our feast day, I was impressed by the generosity of spirit on demonstration during the day. I especially appreciated the way the audience supported our “masked singers” who took a risk and performed in front of their peers. The audience response showed that we want others to feel safe in our community and this is admirable. There was a great energy with the whole school community on the Edmund Rice Campus for the day that further reinforces my sense of optimism about our future on a single campus.

Thanks to Mr Lancashire who planned our liturgy so that we could thank God for the many blessings we receive in an Edmund Rice school and Ms Lawless and our singers who assisted with music. Thanks also to Ms Saundry and staff helpers who ensured that we were well fed. I hope everyone had great fun.

Mother’s Day Breakfast

We said thanks to our mothers on Thursday morning at our annual Mother’s Day Breakfast with about 80 in attendance. In taking a moment to thank our mothers, we acknowledged their invaluable role as the first educators and appreciate that we are indeed privileged to be able to partner in the formation of our young people. It is also important that we remember that our families look different, and that the mothering role is sometimes undertaken by a grandparent, or an aunt, or friend. We give thanks to those who nurture our young people and show us what it means to live with love and compassion. Thank you to the parents who were able to be present, Sandie Saundry, Avril Martinelli, David Formosa, our P&F, and our student leaders for facilitating this celebration of motherhood. Happy Mother’s Day for Sunday.

Time and Space Workshops

The second of our Time and Space Workshops for Year 7 students occurred on Tuesday night and I want to say thank you to those who were able to attend and spend some special time together. The feedback from both our Year 7 and Year 8 evening reflects the value in setting aside time in our busy lives to talk and find out a bit more about our young people and for our young people to also learn something new about their guardians.

This was typical of the feedback from parents: “Thank you for this gift of time, to sit still and be present.”

And from one of the students: “It was a really good discussion with my mum, since we got some alone time to talk about ourselves… it was really fun as we all got to express our feelings to one another.”

Thanks to Ms Howard, Director of Students, and the staff who attended each night and to our amazing student and parent helpers.

Enrolment in Year 7 2025

We continue to meet families who tell us that they were previously unaware of St Mary’s College and are pleased to have found a Catholic co-educational school in our part of Melbourne. We’ve been able to reassure most that we are rebuilding and, as such, that it is not too late to get a place for 2025. In many cases it was on the recommendation of a family member, friend or associate that led to the enquiry, and I ask for your assistance in spreading the word about our great school. The power of a personal recommendation from you is invaluable. In the meantime, we will continue to get word out and are offering a Talk and Tour, led by our student ambassadors, each week and these are proving very popular.

$400 School Saving Bonus

This week the Allan Labor Government announced a $400 School Saving Bonus for all school students in government schools regardless of income, but only for Health Care Card holders in Catholic schools. This is deeply unfair. Families in Catholic schools are also experiencing cost of living pressures and this announcement discriminates against your family.

We believe the payment should be means tested for all students or apply to all students. It should not be based on which school you attend, and it punishes families for choosing to send their children to a Catholic school.

Our school, EREA and the peak body, the Victorian Catholic Education Authority, wish to oppose this policy and we need your help. Please consider contacting your local Member of Parliament to express your concern.

Darren Atkinson College Principal

A school community committed to continuous improvement.

Shaun lancashire.

Deputy Principal

When St Mary’s College commenced at the beginning of the 2021 school year, it was identified that a concerted effort would be required to shape the newly co-educational school

When St Mary’s College commenced at the beginning of the 2021 school year, it was identified that a concerted effort would be required to shape the newly co-educational school and its culture, so that girls and boys, many of whom attended single sex schools previously, learned to live and work together over time. It was clear then, as it is clear now, that this is not an ideal that can at any stage be considered ‘accomplished’. It is an ongoing action, part of what we do, explicitly and frequently addressed, rather than something we will consider ‘done’. The work that takes place in pursuit of this being part of our culture is the way it continues to be part of who we are.

It is a certainty that bringing daily and enduring harmony to any school community, let alone one that is still considered ‘newly’ co-ed, has its challenges. Perfection is not what we are seeking. A school community committed to continuous improvement, particularly in the area of gender relations and respectful relationships is the intent. In light of recent media reports calling into question the way that schools might, could, or should deal with issues of this nature, I thought it might be helpful to provide some thoughts on just some of the work we have undertaken in recent years, and which we continue to do with our staff and students.

The College partnered with Latrobe University in 2021 by inviting one of their academics Leanne Higham, who was an author of the Department of Education respectful relationships program, into dialogue with our staff around the issue of unconscious bias. This was a source or reflection for staff who had previously been working in a single sex environment. This partnership continues to this day, with Leanne and her colleagues conducting a cultural research project in the college focused on our move to becoming a co-educational school.

Our students are engaged in a range of lessons selected and built upon using the respectful relationships program. We are a certified respectful relationships ‘partner school’ and have amassed a wealth of resources and age-appropriate lessons which are delivered fortnigfhtly to every student in the school. In recent weeks, I made a clear and concise presentation to each year level group on the issue of bullying in all its forms. There are some simple, yet powerful elements to this presentation, in particular gender-based conflict and language. Staff and students often reference elements of what was covered in this presentation when required. All of this work is in pursuit of continuous improvement and adherence to the child safe standards of Victoria.

Walkathon 2024

In recent days, each student has been provided their unique walkathon donation code via an email they received from the college. This is the major fundraising campaign for the year, with a minimum of $50 per student being our target. We have spent time with our students explaining the purpose of our walkathon and where the money they raise will go. We have taken time to unpack the Catholic social teaching principals, such as providing preferential treatment for the poor by advocating for them and standing in solidarity with them. There is great purpose and educational value to the walkathon and its place in our calendar. It is important that we have the support of all families with the fundraising effort and attendance on the day, for the benefit of the community you are part of.

Shaun Lancashire Deputy Principal

Director of Identity

This week I have taken on the responsibility of the Director of Identity at St Mary’s College.

Life is not something we rush.

This week I have taken on the responsibility of the Director of Identity at St Mary’s College. As an existing staff member, I have met many members of our community.

As we continue to celebrate the Easter season until the feast of Pentecost it is worth taking some time to reflect on the 50 days of the season.

In the liturgical year only ordinary time is longer than Easter. The time to celebrate new life is not something we rush. We do not return to the ordinary after something so extraordinary.

In the northern hemisphere the melting of snow and the green shoots that emerge are matched by longer days and the retreat of night. The palpable sense of life bursting forth all around is not our experience in the southern hemisphere.

We need to take our fallen leaves, rake them into a pile and enjoy the work of composting that ultimately renews the soil.

In a world that rushes as a matter of course, the longer processes of new life that we experience might have a lesson for us.

The renewal of the soil mirrors our spiritual renewal. Quietly done, less than obvious but ultimately the source of all life.

At St Mary’s we hope to take this time with our students, parents, staff and supporters. Inspired by Mary, who endured all that Holy Week and Good Friday brought to her, we share in the glory of Easter.

Paul Quinn Director of Identity

Year 8 College Leaders

Director of Students

No longer the youngest members of our school community, our Y8 students have established themselves well at the Edmund Rice Campus.

Like with all our Class Captains, our Y8s demonstrated their desire and drive to lead their peers through the submission of excellent application letters and recommendations from friends and teachers. Our Y8s have many exciting ideas and aspirations for the 2024 academic year.

Please join me in congratulating our Y8 Class Captains.

Zac Lucas (8T)

Zac would like to help students, especially new ones, to make friends at the College.

Ojiro Sato (8C)

This year, Ojiro would like to create better relationships between students and their teachers.

Charles Couch (8T)

Charles would like to help students in his homeroom with learning, specifically Maths.

Sophie Hoad (8R) – absent (attending Y8 camp)

This year, Sophie is keen to make improvements to the school through participation in Student Voice

Jen Howard Director of Students

Using their newfound knowledge, students meticulously reproduced these binary sequences onto bracelets.

David formosa.

Director of Development

In our Year 7 Digitech classes, students have been diving into the fascinating world of binary code.

Exploring Binary Code in Year 7 Digitech Classes! 

In our Year 7 Digitech classes, students have been diving into the fascinating world of binary code. This foundational concept in computer science forms the backbone of digital communication and computing systems.

As part of their exploration, students recently engaged in a hands-on activity that brought binary code to life in a creative and meaningful way. In preparation for Mother's Day, students had the opportunity to translate heartfelt messages, such as "Love you, Mum" and "Thank you for everything," into binary code.

Using their newfound knowledge, students meticulously reproduced these binary sequences onto bracelets, transforming them into unique and personalised gifts for their mothers. Each bracelet became a wearable symbol of appreciation and affection, encoded in the language of computers.

As our Year 7 students continue their journey in Digitech classes, we look forward to further exploration and discovery in the realm of digital technology. Stay tuned for more exciting updates on their learning adventures!

David Formosa Director of Development

Save the Date

Co Chair Parents and Friends

You won't want to miss this event. 80's v 90's Trivia Night

NCCD Funding Fact Sheet

Chris sodaitis.

Learning Diversity Coordinator

NCCD Funding Fact Sheets

The ACC Art and Technology Exhibition is coming up ....

Raoul chapman.

Learning Leader VAPA

The ACC Art and Technology Exhibition is coming up and we have 20 current and past students exhibiting their work.

Charter Renewal and Mission Strategy Open Forum Invitation

EREA is re-imagining who we are and how we work as an authentic Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition.

REGISTRATION LINK

Fortnight in Photos

Capturing our school in images.

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