CM's Essential Elements 

For the past fourteen months, each constituent group within the CM community has been has been involved in a collaborative process of reflection

Dr. James Keane '82

centered upon the "Essential Elements of a Christian Brother Education." The Essential Elements are a series of standards and benchmarks created by the Congregational Office of Educational Services to help ensure quality programming, academic excellence, and an embrace of Catholic identity in Edmund Rice Christian Brother schools.

We formed an Essential Elements Steering Committee to help organize and manage an Essential Elements self-study. The committee included Principal Richard Chisholm, Vice Principal Dr. James Keane, Director of Campus Ministry Debra McCourt, Assistant Athletic Director James Cerbo, Theology Department Chair Andrew Malionek, and Director of Students Activities Patrick Murray.

The committee members coordinated several surveys with CM students, parents, faculty, and members of the Board of Directors. They also ran community in-services and presentations and wrote a detailed "Essential Elements Self-Study" document that compiled findings and articulated recommendations. Thanks to the thorough and timely involvement of everyone who contributed to this effort, the committee completed its final draft in September.

In late November, an Essential Elements Visiting Team, comprised of Congregation leadership and representatives of other Edmund Rice  schools will visit campus for a series of meetings and to receive the findings of the Steering Committee. Their findings will be published in Knightline at a later date.

Save the Date: Casino Night! 

Please join parents, alumni and friends at Catholic Memorial's Parent Council fundraiser on March 16, 2013. This year's event, Casino Night, will be a great opportunity to socialize with parents and friends and benefit CM. All proceeds to benefit upgrades to the liturgical and performance spaces at the school.  

Doors at 6:30pm, games open at 7pm. We hope you can make it!  

Faculty authors 

Congratulations to fine arts chair Craig Spaner on the publication of his play The Morning Bird Sings, published earlier this year by JAC Publishing. 

Also good reading: Librarian Ann Magyar, who had three poems published in the fall/winter edition of The Aurorean, a literary journal published in Maine. You can also read Ms. Magyar's latest essay, "Art and Writing," in the National Association of Independent Schools Independent Teacher newsletter, whose focus is the Picturing America program at CM. Click here to read it. 

CM Club News

The first BERSI trip of the year departs on December 1 en route to Camp Glenmary, Kentucky where they will work with students from other Edmund Rice Christian Brothers schools in service to those in need in rural communities.

The annual Christmas Sale at the CM Bookstore will take place on Sunday, December 9 from 10:00am - 2:00pm. Click here for more information and to print an exclusive coupon! In case you miss the sale, the Bookstore will be open from 2:30-3:30pm each day in the two weeks preceding Christmas break (Dec. 11-22). You can also shop online at the CM Bookstore's online store.  

The CM Speech/Debate team began its season on October 28 at the Manchester-Essex tournament, where Kevin Lynch '15 earned a 1st place trophy in declamation and the team earned 4th place overall. On November 10, the team competed at Natick High, with Antoine Kandalaft '15 leading the team in declamation with a 1st-place trophy. The next full-team tournament is on December 1. 

The Model UN team hosts its first-ever home conference this Saturday, November 17. 

Athletics News

The Friends of CM Athletics invite you to stop by our table at the Annual Bookstore Christmas Sale on Sunday, December 9th from 10:00am-2:00pm. We  have some great gift ideas for the whole family and many holiday specials. Come by and check out the new CM tote bags, our 16-oz. stainless steel travel mugs, and brand new this year, in our own CM silver and red: Christmas ornaments. All items proudly display the CM logo. Read more...

The 7th Catholic Memorial Athletic Hall Of Fame will take place on Friday, November 23, 2012 at Moseley's on the Charles. Register for the event by clicking here.

Congratulations to Ryan Reid '13, who led the varsity cross-country team at states on November 10 at the Wrentham Development Center. Reid came in 32nd place with a personal-best time of 17:10 on the 3.1-mile course, with Corey Snow '14 finishing 2nd for CM a minute behind Reid.

 Get the latest scores and news on the CM Twitter feed, or in-game updates and commentary from @CMSuperFan.

  Exhibit A: Superfans.  

CM's cheerleading team, coached by Ms. Cells, hosted a spirited pasta dinner for the varsity football team on November 14. Join them in cheering on the Knights at Morrissey Blvd. when they face BC High in the 51st annual Turkey Bowl on Thursday, November 22 at 10:!5am. Student tickets are on sale through Tuesday in the cafeteria for $5.      

The varsity soccer team earned a postseason berth after an injury-plagued regular season where they earned a record just about .500. They faced #11-seed Franklin on November 2 on its home turf and lost 2-0. Despite the loss, Coach John Finn '88 was positive about the team's efforts and the prospects next season. "We'll have seventeen returning players and our starting goalie returning," said Finn, "so if we can live up to expectations we should be above average.

Trending on the CM site

Admissions Profiles  

Leaving it all on the grid and green 

With the fall athletics season coming to a close, it's time to celebrate the achievements of some extraordinary athletes in our midst. 

Despite weather delays and fierce November wind, Mike Mason '13 eked out a 78, the third best score of the day, at the MIAA State Championship golf meet on Monday, November 5.  Mason (left), joined by his co-captain Matt Wessenberg '13, described the scrappy fall conditions at Beverly Country Club as "tough."   

"I just tried to go into it with a positive attitude," he said, "and get it done..." [read more]   

Coach Kiernan Joyce '99 and the JV golf team earned an undefeated 12-0 record this season. Also of note, though, is the Middle School Program football team, which earned the winningest record of the program this fall, in Coach Chris Boyle's tenth season at the helm. The team outscored their opponents 272-88 in nine games, finishing on November 6 with a dominant 42-8 defeat of BC High. Their secret? "Everyone showed up to practice and was 100% every game," said Zach Trombley '17. "Even our secondary and third teams scored [often]...everyone played with heart."

Coffee & Dialogue 

The Middle School Program welcomed clinical psychologist Jane Brodie, director of Behavioral Health Division at the Whittier Street Health Center, on November 14 at its third morning coffee of the fall. Brodie specifically addressed the needs and issues facing middle-school aged boys and then fielded questions and led a conversation along with guidance counselor Mary Concannon.

"This was a great open dialogue for our parents," said Concannon. "It was an open and frank dialogue that we hope will continue."

This was the third in the fall series of morning coffees, all featuring professionals from Whittier Street in conjunction with an interdisciplinary unit on health and wellness for the Middle School Program. The coffee series will continue in the spring term.

Fooling with words 

Writer in residence workshops

Graduate students at BU pay $50,000 a year for small writing workshops with poets like Barbara Helfgott Hyett.    

Around the seminar table in the Doyle Conference Room this fall, however, a handful of CM students had the same privilege.  

In a free after-school workshop with Ms. Helfgott Hyett (above), who also serves as Catholic Memorial's writer-in-residence, students got a closer look at the art of poetry.

In her second year of residency at CM, Helfgott Hyett began this year by offering two workshops: one for students and one for faculty. This winter, she will judge the Picturing America writing contest, which will award over $400 to students for their poetry, fiction and non-fiction. And this spring...[read more] 

Heads or Tails?

CM Drama presents Tom Stoppard's award-winning play Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead this Friday and Saturday, November 16-17, 2012. 7pm. Tickets: $5 at the door.  

Click here to see some outtakes from rehearsal.

The power of participation...think of the impact on the current Knights if each of our graduates  made a gift to CM!  Last year alumni making a gift to the school increase 39%.  Let's keep it going.  Make a gift and make an impact! 

Kevin Hines '66 was recognized as a 2012 Honoree by Ursuline Academy, Dedham, MA.  Kevin was honored at the school's annual "Brescia Ball" held on November 17.  Kevin's daughter, Melissa, is a 1993 graduate and he also served on the Board of Ursuline Academy.

A.J. Doyle '12 is having a great first year at UMass, where he is on the football team. Read more...

 What's new with you?  Share your news with us!   

Read More 

Ed DeLuca '13 turns goals into fundraising goal (Weymouth Patch)

Alumni honored at Westin Copley (West Roxbury Patch) 

Varsity football v. Brockton recap (ESPN Boston)

Parting Shot 

Can you identify this teacher, who celebrates his birthday every Halloween by trying to scare his students into loving English class? Answer in the next issue. October answer: Joe Masterson '18.