Dear Students,

Parents, Alumni and Friends of the Mount, 

Our school year continues to move  along at a brisk and challenging pace. 

 The school is thriving as never before, and as this newsletter will proclaim, the word of the month is advance.

The heart of any school is of course the students. Our recent Open House allowed our faculty and students to introduce the Mount to potential students for the Class of 2016! Why, that's just around the corner. 

Visiting families-there were over 275 of them-were very impressed with our students. As one mother noted, "I want my son to be a student leader just like the ones I saw today."  The Open House was a terrific activity to help advance the vision of the Mount as a destination school of choice in the Bronx.

Our emphasis on academic rigor and program enhancement will be advanced  by a $20,000 donation we received to fund our new Sports Medicine Program for September 2012. Students will take more science courses and have field placements to prepare for a variety of career options. 

The Mount's commitment to the medical field is further highlighted by the story of two alumni, Dr. Ralph Greco '60 and Dr. Andre Bryan '07. Both are special men of vision, each looking to care for future generations of those in need. KEEP READING

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!! 

No matter the size, your gift to the Annual Fund enables the Mount to:

- Offer financial-aid

- Maintain its own school buses

- Provide state-of-the-art technology in our classrooms

- Maintain the school grounds

- Provide support for extracurricular activities

CLICK HERE TO DONATE  

Mount Soccer: Back on Top!

The Mount Saint Michael Varsity Soccer Team, coached by Mount Alums Mike Boyle '80 and his brother Danny Boyle '82, has won the CHSAA North A Division Regular Season for the first time since 2002.   

Says Mike Boyle, "This a dream come true for Danny and I to come back to Mount and help them win a Division Title. We love coaching Soccer at the Mount."

The Boyle Brothers, Mike and Danny

Goalie Colm Burke has 6 shutouts and has only allowed 7 goals in 12 games.  The defense is led by Corneilus Krapah, Kwame Ocran, Julian Atanga, Armondo de la Florand and Joseph Panzarino.

Reserve Arben Gashi scored a winning goal in a 1-0 win over Hayes and Freshmen Kevin Rivera scored the goal of the year to preserve a tie vs Hayes with less than 2 minutes left in the game when Mount was trailing 2-1, keeping the team alive to win the division. 

Says Boyle, "Mount has about 45 players on the team and each player has made an impact on our team. Our Record is 10 wins, 1 lost and 2 ties, which is the best overall record out of 16 teams in the A division and is currently ranked #10 in NY Post CHSAA/Private Schools Polls,  which also includes teams from AA Division. "

Harold Herrera,Fabian Leon and Jason Agyekum were selected CHSAA A Division All League Players. Harold Herrera,Fabian Leon and Colm Burke were selected to play in The Mayors Cup All Star Game vs PSAL on November 19,2011 at Poly Prep in Brooklyn. 

The Mount is coming off a fresh win on Wednesday November 2nd against St. Agnes (9-0) to go up against Spellman on Monday November 7th at the Mount. 

The Mount Saint Michael Varsity Football Team ended its regular season in the snow at Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville Long Island. As conditions grew more slippery the game slowed down and the Mount could not muster a second half point, allowing a 14-12 halftime lead only to literally slip away to a 18-12 defeat. 

The Mount has lost games in this 2011 campaign by a total of 7 points. "We were very close to being 7-0, rather than 4-3. We have worked very hard as a team. We will be ready for the next challenge."  Coach Mario Valentini was quoted.

The Mount Beat Farrell on October 24th by a score of 53 to 20. Click on the photo to see the MSG highlights

That challenge will come on Saturday night,Nov. 5th, in Huntington Long Island when the Mountaineers will take on undefeated and number one seed St. Anthony's. Kick off will be @ 7:00pm.

 Mount has been led by their senior captains Ken Acquah, Nijae Brown, Bruce Parker, and Tarik Bennett. "We rely on our team speed to keep our opponents off balance. This group has played to their potential this season. That's all we can do. A couple of bounces go our way, we would be in a very different playoff position. I'm very proud of the team and our coaching staff." Mount Pride will be on display this Saturday!

MSG will air the game against St. Anthony's on Wednesday November 9th at 7:30 p.m.- Tune in!

The Mount Cross Country Team is made up of all Juniors with 2 seniors and  3 Freshman.  Although our team is primarily only sprinters with one cross country runner, we manage to hold on respectively.  

Our freshman team of Joshua Nowell, Remy Tavares & David Dominguez manage to medal in 4 out of the 6 meetings.  

Our Varsity team at the sectionals championship lead by Jeffrey Jones running (15:55) and Dorwin Mitchell (17:31) for the 2.5 mile course at Van Cortlandt Park manage to add another medal to their gatherings.

Students carry cases of food that were delivered to New York Hope Soup Kitchen

Sr. Connie, our Campus Minister, along with our students, helped to raise hundreds of dollars towards this worthy cause through collections in all of the theology classes. 

In addition, on Thursday October 27th, Sr. Connie organized a student run cupcake sale that benefited the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.  

Along with Sr. Connie, Valerie Savino, a theology teacher at the Mount, is in charge of coordinating services days. One of the most successful service projects is Midnight Run, where students prepare food and go into Manhattan with Sr. Connie and Ms. Savino to feed the homeless.

Cupcakes for Sale!

 Upcoming service projects include:

• Cleaning Up Mariandale, in Ossining, NY on Friday, November 11th. The boys will be sprucing up the grounds, especially the Labyrinth.

• For Thanksgiving, the students are trying to provide 90 turkeys for dinners for families at Saint Nicholas of Colentine and for the Hope Soup Kitchen in New Rochelle.  All donations are welcome. CLICK HERE to contact service coordinator Valerie Savino who will tell you how to donate.

• A regular Midnight Run into Manhattan on scheduled Friday evenings is headed by Ms. Savino and Sr. Connie. The boys make sandwiches, pack clothes and toiletries to bring to the homeless in Manhattan.

• The  December Annual Toy Drive. 

Middle School Students stay and play after school

Mount Saint Michael Middle School's after school program for 7th and 8th grade students  is giving students the opportunity to stay focused and productive after school hours have ended.  Teachers Elena Bohn and Mark Sausto '06 stay after school and keep our students engaged in many school related activities. 

Elena and Mark supply our students with a after school snack, supervise playtime time on our fields and gym space, make sure they have their homework completed., and then it's on to the library for games such as chess, or computer related activities.

"The program affords parents the peace of mind knowing that their child is being supervised and cared for as they complete their work day." Said Mark Sausto.  "A great option for working parents." "Not too dissimilar from the school days our borders spent on campus," reflected Bro John Bantz '56. KEEP READING

 This article was originally published in the NY Daily News on Thursday August 25th, 2011.

Mom's Battle Drove him to Help

By Sarah Armaghan, Daily News Writer

Andre Bryan '07, M.D.

Andre Bryan '07 is on his way to adding M.D. to his name this week as he joins the 161 other students for the start of their first semester at the New York University School of Medicine. But as he donned his white coat and headed to his first of many lectures and lab assignments, Bryan, 21, remembered his obstacle- filled life growing up in the Bronx.

Born and raised for the first few years of his childhood in Wakefield, his family moved around the borough until they settled in Schuylerville in 2001. That New Year's Eve, a fire started in the landlord's unit of their Edison Ave. house. "[The landlord] was semi-blind and didn't realize the fire was going on," Bryan said. "I was in my mom's bedroom and my brother came and woke us up. We ran out and just saw the whole house on fire."

Bryan - in the seventh-grade at the time - watched as the flames destroyed his every possession. "I had to start from scratch," he said. As they began to rebuild their lives, tragedy struck Bryan's family once again. His mother, Eileen Reid, was diagnosed with kidney disease.

"She had to go on dialysis," Bryan said. "She was really sick, in and out of the hospital a lot. It took a large toll on me, I was at such a young age." Still, he went on to graduate with honors (in 2007)from Mount Saint Michael Academy before he started at NYU as an undergrad.

Ralph Greco '60

Ralph S. Greco '60, MD, has been chosen to receive the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's prestigious Gienapp Award for distinguished contributions to graduate medical education. Dr. Greco is being recognized for his nearly 40 years of work as a surgery program director, humanitarian and innovator of a surgery curriculum focused on resident well-being and wellness.

Dr. Greco is the Johnson & Johnson Distinguished Professor of Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine and director of the Balance in Life program in the general surgery residency program at Stanford. He previously served as Stanford's chief of general surgery and program director for the general surgery residency program. 

His achievements at Stanford include developing a new curriculum for the surgical residency program, developing a one-month elective in Haiti and restructuring duty hours for surgical residents in advance of the 2003 common duty hour requirements. He also created a curriculum to address resident well-being and wellness. In 2006, Dr. Greco received the ACGME's Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award, which is presented each year to outstanding program directors. KEEP READING

Anthony A. Giordani '55, of Cape Coral, Florida, passed away on Friday October 28th, 2011.  His life included teaching Music at Junior High School 127 in the Bronx, NY as well as being Drummer and a Travel Agent. He is survived by his Sons, Anthony Jr. and John, his Daughter-In-Laws, Stella and Jo Anna, his Sister, Lucille Domini, his Brother-In Law, Nick Domini, his Grandchildren and his Companion, Marilyn Erickson. A mass of Christian burial was held on Wednesday, November 2nd at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at 754 East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx.

Joseph R. Fiorella '96 currently works for McAfee (an Intel company) as a senior systems engineer. He lives in Yonkers, NY with his wife and newborn baby boy.

Mobile computer labs provide excellent support for science investigations and research by allowing students to participate in real world data collection and science research, just like career scientists.

Because they are compact and on wheels, the labs allow students to roll the lab wherever and whenever they want to collect and analyze data in authentic settings outside the classroom, such as school grounds and elsewhere. Says Napolitano, "The Lab can utilize electronic devices for sound, speed, heat, and time. With advanced training the science department can utilize this tool for the enhancement of our science curriculum and the enrichment of our students." 

Program coordinator Elena Bohn with 7th grader Yaw Mensah

7th Graders Yaw Mensah and Ahmid Chaudhry look forward to the program. Chaudhry's mother is attending college to pursue her marketing degree at the College of Westchester, and attends classes while Chaudhry gets together with his schoolmates. 

Our Annual Fund helps to bridge the gap between tuition and operating   expenses.  Annual giving is the financial lifeline of any school.  Simply put, the annual fund is the best way possible for alumni, parents of alumni, faculty, staff and friends to help make a difference in the future of Mount St. Michael Academy. Your investment, on an annual basis, will help raise needed funds for programs, activities and other expenses that the school incurs.

Regardless of its size, your gift to the Annual Fund enables the Mount to:

• Offer need-based financial-aid
• Maintain its own school buses
• Provide state-of-the-art technology in our classrooms
• Maintain and improve classroom and student facilities
• Hear specifically how the Annual Fund is used to help Mount students!

Bro Steve Schlitte, Mount St. Michael Academy Principal

Our new AP European History class makes use of a wide range of scholarships not otherwise available. Teachers are empowered to help students in school and at home - a great way to enhance student achievement school wide.

Gus Berger '12

Gus Berger '12:  I am a senior at the Mount. My family has struggled with the economy and with tuition. This year we received financial aid from the Mount. 

It has made a big difference for my family and me. I can study and not worry so much. I can concentrate on applying to college and my future. 

I am grateful to the generosity of the alumni. I will not forget this help. I look forward to helping a student in the future after I get a job.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE!!!!

2011

Friday November 18th:  Career Day

Saturday November 19th: Class of '86  25th Reunion

Click Here to Register

Thursday November 26th: Annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Bowl

Calling all MOUNTAINEERS from the Classes of 1987 and 1972 

Click Here to Register

2012

Thursday April 26th: Legends Dinner

May: Washington D.C. area Reunion

Friday June 1st: Class of '62  50th Reunion

June: MSM Annual Golf Outing

After graduating from the Mount in 1960,  Dr. Greco attended and graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Yale New Haven Hospital. Dr. Greco served for many years as professor of surgery and chief of surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School before moving to Stanford in 2000. During his time at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Dr. Greco authored an often-cited national survey on surgical sub-specialization.

"I have devoted my professional career to patient care, research and education. For the last 25 years my highest priority has been the training of general surgery residents. Recently a great tragedy befell all of us at Stanford. A graduating chief resident in 2010, who was a man with a limitless future, took his own life four months after leaving us for a fellowship in a another institution," said Dr. Greco. "Since that time I have devoted my work to working with Stanford residents and faculty to develop a program to 'create balance in the lives of our general surgery residents.' It seems to me that we have done a great job of teaching them how to take care of their patients. Now it is time to teach them how to take care of themselves."

Dr. Greco will be honored on March 2 at a luncheon held during the ACGME's 2012 Annual Educational Conference.

The ACGME is a private, nonprofit organization that accredits approximately 8,900 residency programs in 133 specialties and subspecialties that educate 113,000 residents. Its mission is to improve the quality of health care in the United States by assessing and advancing the quality of resident physicians' education through exemplary accreditation.

Ernie DelGatto '77, Stephen Dougherty '77 and Brian Clarke '76

 As our Director of Alumni affairs Michael Mickey Duignan '76 cited, "The important aspect of The Harvard Colloquium is its location and convenience for our New York City based alumni commuters."

 The evening was a nice opportunity for those alumni Mountaineers who are busy with their work careers, to take time on their way home to stop by 44th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, meet some old friends at our cocktail reception, listen and learn from a speaker of note, and reacquaint themselves with the Good News happening on Murdock Avenue every day."  

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

"It was surreal because I never knew if she was going to get a kidney," he said. "I never knew if she was going to make it." Bryan would visit his mom at night after he interned at Einstein Medical Center while she was receiving treatments there. But things started looking up this past spring as Bryan's bachelor's degree in pre-medicine was within reach. In February, after nearly seven years of endless hospital stays and doctor's visits, his mom finally got the kidney transplant she needed to save her life.

Last Friday, she watched her son at the medical school's "white coat ceremony" - a ritual marking the start of a student's medical studies. "She sacrificed a lot to get me here," Bryan said. "It was phenomenal that she could see me at the ceremony."

Although he knew at a young age that he wanted to become a physician, watching doctors tirelessly care for his mother gave him an added boost of inspiration. "My mom is a nurse, too, and she used to take me to the hospital and I could see how she positively impacted her patients and how much better she made their value of life," said the bespectacled, bookish Bryan. "I wanted to be able to help people like her after everything she's done for me and everything she's been through," he said."

Director of Development

Mount St. Michael Academy