Families in Action Program a Huge Success

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s High School Parent-Teacher Council held their third annual “Families in Action” program on Monday, October 29th at the Vaughn Road Campus. Over 400 parents and students attended the event. There were three separate sessions for parents and students on various topics facing families today. The student listened to presentations on internet safety from Mr. Daniel Harbin of Harbin Consulting, defensive driving from Mr. Alan Deighton of New London School of Driving, and teen choices and their legal consequences from Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Tracy S. McCooey ’83. The parents listened to presentations by Lt. Brian McCullough of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department on drug awareness, Mr. Charles Anderson of The Anderson Law Firm on civil and criminal issue of underage drinking, and Mr. Faustin Weber, President of Montgomery Catholic, spoke about the MCPS Parent-to-Parent pledge.

Following the parent presentations, each parent was invited to sign the Parent-to-Parent pledge which opens the lines of communication in our community. Parents who sign the pledge are willing to contact and be contacted regarding their children by other parents in our community. A reception for parents and students was hosted in the cafeteria following the evening program. To view photos from Families in Action, click here: http://family.webshots.com/album/561250571uPgVtZ

Pictured: PTC Representative Colleen Dugan hands out the MCPS Parent-to-Parent Pledge cards during the 3rd annual Families in Action program at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School.

High School Town Hall Meeting, Monday, November 5th

The High School Advisory Council will host a "Town Hall Meeting" on Monday, November 5th from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. in the Belke Building's Media Center located on the Vaughn Road Campus.

On the agenda, discussion of the parent survey results from the 2006-07 academic year, the high school council's priorities for 2007-08, small group discussions, and an open forum.

Please make plans to attend this important session. For more information, contact the high school campus office at (334) 272-7220.

Montgomery Catholic’s JV Squad Receive Top Awards at NCA Camp

The Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Junior Varsity Cheerleaders returned from the National Cheerleading Association’s camp at Auburn University with numerous awards. As part of the four day event, NCA selects award winners for individual and team accomplishments. Montgomery Catholic’s JV squad received numerous awards including The “Herkie” Team Award for spirit, Superior ribbons for their cheers and chants, the Technical Excellence Award for motions, and a bid to compete at the National Championship Competition in Dallas, Texas. In addition, the girls won the “Spirit Stick” for their enthusiasm and school spirit.

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Junior Varsity Cheerleaders, row 1: Rachel Ingram, Jessica Mount, Sara Lyerly, and Morgan Foxworth. Row 2: Liz Armstrong, Christine Spotswood, Caitlyn Sears, Nandi Ramirez, Brittney Wilkinson, and Marissa Marmolejo.

Montgomery Catholic Crowns Homecoming Court

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School crowned their Homecoming Queen and King during the half-time festivities on Friday, October 19th. Homecoming week was filled with spirited theme days and activities which kept the enthusiasm strong through the weekend.

The 2007 Homecoming Court is Freshmen Attendant Liz Armstrong, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brett Armstrong, escorted by Barr Younker, son of Col. and Mrs. Barr Younker. Sophomore Attendant is Jessica Barranco, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Barranco, escorted by James Dugan, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Dugan. Junior Attendant is Grace Carl, daughter of Lt. Col. and Mrs. John Carl, escorted by her twin brother Peter Carl. Senior Attendant is Patricia Larriuz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Larriuz, escorted by Alex Taylor, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Taylor. Senior Attendant is Gaybrielle Moore, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Moore, escorted by James Watkins, grandson of Mrs. Annie Watkins. Senior Attendant is Lena Bachstaedter, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Gerhard Bachstaedter, escorted by Nick Moussalli, son of Drs. Samir and Cinzia Moussalli.

The 2007 Homecoming Queen is Meridith Anile, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Anile, escorted by the 2007 Homecoming King Brad Kondrak, son of Mr. and Mrs. Tomas Kondrak. The 2006 Homecoming Queen & King, Kristin Sutton and Bob Weber, crowned the 2007 court during the football game. The Homecoming Dance was held the following night at the RSA Activity Center. To view pictures from the game, click here: http://mcpsknights.org/football/homecoming.htm

To view pictures from the Homecoming Dance, click here: http://family.webshots.com/slideshow/561138497KFFQVU;jsessionid=abcqWHTPJuG_y95-hsjxr

PICE Golf Tournament Tops $100,000

The Partners In Catholic Education 7th annual Charity Golf Tournament held at the Robert Trent Jones Capital Hill Course in Prattville, AL on September 21st was a smashing success. The proceeds from the tournament will benefit Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School.

Tournament Co- Chairperson Liz Sutton announced that there were 65 sponsors for this year’s tournament, topping all previous years. The Tournament Sponsors were Dr. David Bronner, CEO, Retirement Systems of Alabama and Ben Walker, Smith Barney. There was one Platinum and several Gold Elite Sponsors. The Gold Sponsor was Knights of Columbus Councils 893, 10731, 12011, 12150 & Jim McDonald, FICF.

Silver Sponsors include: Mara Family, Montgomery Family Practice, PC, Lopez & Webster Family, Precision Land Development, Sinclair’s/Montgomery Catering, The Anderson Law Firm, Arthur & Maureen Britton, Delta Consulting Group, J. Michael Karst, MD, PA, Jenkins Brick, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., Baptist Health, Capitol Container, AKD, Inc., EnterConference, OB/GYN Associates of Montgomery, and GKN Aerospace.

Hole Sponsors were Baker Family, McPhillips & Shinbaum, LLP, Larry & Beth Russo, John Lee Paint, Ialacci Family, Robert D. Reynolds – Attorney, New England Financial, and Carnival Cruise Lines & Alabama World Travel. Half-Hole Sponsors included: Pat Mullen, Wilson, Price, Barranco, Blankenship, & Billingsley PC, Fowler Family, Commercial Door Products, Cash Cars, Southern Linc, Church of the Holy Spirit, Murphy Chiropractic, McKee & Associates, Bass Lumber, Pinecrest Brokers Realty, Galassini & Associates, Quality Assurance Testing Labs, United Food & Fuel, Air Force Reserve, Azar & Azar LLC, Chappy’s Deli, Goins Sisters, Leon M. Kelley & Co., CPA, Bob & Gloria Robinson, and The Copy Center.

Beverage Sponsors were AllState Beverage and Coca-Cola Company. This year’s Hole-in-One prizes were a 2007 Hyundai Sonata from Capital Hyundai, and a trip for two to Scotland from Interactive Golf. Other Sponsors included Mary B’s, Peaches N Clean, Frier Planning Concepts, TCBY, and Michael Moore.

Special Guests this year included Al DelGreco, former Auburn University and NFL football player and welcoming by an LPGA player.

Serving on the committee with Liz Sutton were: Jerry Lopez, Co-Chairperson, Jim Baker, Mike Barranco, Chris Brunson, Ken Carlson, Dean DeLongchamp, Debbie Harvey, Mary Kelley, Mark Sadie, John Sadie, Bill Sutton, Gary Tomlin, Merrie Tolbert, Jimmy Tucker, and Bruce Szafran. The proceeds of the tournament will greatly enhance the Montgomery Catholic educational programs and capital improvements.

To view photos from the event, click here: http://family.webshots.com/slideshow/560822073aPGYzD;jsessionid=abcSzqvLF_6gCbKQyHixr

Colonel Jack Lauer named High School Dean of Students

One of the newest members of the Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s high school faculty is Colonel Jack Lauer. Colonel Lauer was an officer in the United States Air Force for 27 years, primarily working as a Logistician but also flying in an F-16 Squadron. His numerous awards include 4 Air Force Legion of Merit Medals and the Bronze Star Medal, among many other medals for superior service to our country. He is a veteran of two wars, the Vietnam War and the first Gulf War. After retiring from the Air Force in 1991, Colonel Lauer worked for an American company in Saudi Arabia for 5 year before returning to the United States in 1995 to teach Air Force Junior ROTC at a high school in Atlanta, Georgia.

After working for 12 years in the Atlanta Public School system, Colonel Lauer returned to his home in Montgomery and now serves as the High School Dean of Students. His duties include assisting the principal on all high school discipline matters and teaching 9th grade religion classes. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Mount Saint Mary’s University and a Master’s Degree from the University of Northern Colorado.

Although new to the MCPS faculty, Colonel Lauer’s ties to Montgomery Catholic reach back to when his children were students. His daughter, Kim, graduated from Catholic in 1984 and son, Kevin, in 1988. Colonel Lauer currently has five grandchildren, two of whom attend Montgomery Catholic.

Montgomery Catholic Breaks Ground on New Dolly Barranco Student Activity Center

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School broke ground on the Dolly Barranco Student Activity Center on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, on their Vaughn Road Campus as the culmination of a $3 million dollar capital campaign entitled "Faith in Education: FULL STEAM AHEAD!". This new building is named in tribute to our beloved cafeteria manager, Mrs. Dolly Barranco, who worked at Montgomery Catholic for over 30 years.

The Dolly Barranco Student Activity Center will be more than a cafeteria; it will be the center of student life for our school located in the heart of the Vaughn Road campus. This new center will be approximately 15,000 square feet and will provide for our students' needs for years to come. The Student Activity Center will serve as a "commons area" that will provide a climate controlled space to hold school-wide Mass, Parent-Teacher Council meetings, conferences, and any event that requires seating for up to 400 people.

All four of Dolly Barranco's children, as well as her numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, were on hand for this special occasion. Throwing the first dirt for the building named in honor of their mother were Nap Barranco, Carl Barranco '60, Bill Barranco '68, and David Barranco '72. The building's completion is projected for August 2008, just in time for the opening of the new school year.

To view photos from the event, click here: http://family.webshots.com/slideshow/560997545OcfFdS

To read the article in The Montgomery Advertiser, click here: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071010/NEWS01/710100325/1007/NEWS05

Carl Barranco ’60 Guest Speaker for Lunch with Leaders

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School honored the Middle School “Students of the Week” by hosting a luncheon with Mr. Carl Barranco ’60 through their “Lunch with Leaders” program. Students of the Week are chosen by their teachers not only based on their academic record, but leadership, overall attitude, and work ethic play a major role in the selection of each student. One representative from both the seventh and eighth grades is chosen each week of the quarter. At the end of the quarter, the students are treated to a catered lunch with a community leader in a relaxed setting. Of the weekly winners, a “student of the quarter” is also selected.

Mr. Carl Barranco is a member of the Montgomery Catholic Class of 1960, is the President and Co-Managing Shareholder of Wilson, Price, Barranco, Billingsley, and Blankenship, PC in Montgomery, and is Past-President of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Barranco shared his thoughts of leadership with the students and urged the students that leadership evolves from an early age and to get involved now. He said, “Leaders don’t really wake up one morning and say, ‘I’m a leader.’ Leadership takes time; it’s what you do, how you act, and how you conduct yourself. It starts at school, in your sports teams, and at church in your faith. It requires you to give up your time, to give back, and to sacrifice yourself. Building character is a large part of leadership and with leadership comes great responsibility.”

Students of the Week for the first quarter are seventh graders Jack Starr, Broghan Freeland, Fran Mount, Joanne Spotswood, Sydney Hash, and Zach Hulcher. Eighth grade students are Crystie Deuter, Drew Krantz, Samai Martinez, Josh Stark, Megan Foran, and Lexie Segrest. The “Student of the First Quarter” is seventh grader Jack Starr.

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic’s Middle School Students of the Week with Mr. Carl Barranco ’60 at “Lunch with Leaders.” L to R seated: Crystie Deuter, Sydney Hash, Joanne Spotswood, Broghan Freeland, and Fran Mount. L to R standing: Lexie Segrest, Drew Krantz, Mr. Carl Barranco ’60, Jack Starr, Josh Stark, Zach Hulcher, Samai Martinez, and Megan Foran.

To view photos from the event, click here: http://family.webshots.com/slideshow/561010217MaveTn;jsessionid=abc6aDSTPjGz9-ttgaqwr

St. Bede Third Grade Raises over $950 for the Montgomery Humane Society

After learning about the plight of a local pit bull, “Louis Vuitton”, who was badly burned and beaten, the third graders at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s St. Bede Campus felt called to help in the dog’s recovery. At the school’s third annual Bohemian Art Fling Arts and Crafts Show, the students held a bake sale and donated 100% of the proceeds to the Montgomery Humane Society to help nurse the animal back to health. The students raised over $950 from their sale. A representative from the Montgomery Humane Society will meet with the students and accept their generous offering on Tuesday, October 9th at 1:30 p.m. With great care from the Humane Society, Louis Vuitton is well on his way to recovery.

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic Third Grade students David Bender and Susan Foran sell delicious treats to benefit the Montgomery Humane Society at the Bohemian Art Fling.

Three Montgomery Catholic '07 Graduates Named Advanced Placement Scholars

Three 2007 graduates of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) Exams.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the more than 1.4 million high school students in more than 16,000 secondary schools worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar.
Students took AP Exams in May 2007 after completing challenging college-level courses at their high schools. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP Exams.

Thomas Herge qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Thomas is the son of John and Donna Herge and is a freshman at Ohio State University.

Erin Plate and Cynthia Weber qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher. Erin is the daughter of Jeff and Kelly Plate and Cynthia is the daughter of Faustin and Diane Weber. Both Erin and Cynthia are freshmen at the University of Notre Dame.

Photos: Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s AP Scholars Thomas Herge, Erin Plate, and Cynthia Weber.

National Hispanic Recognition Goes to Jacob Weatherly

Jacob Weatherly, a member of the senior class at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School, has been recognized by the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program, as announced by Principal Sue Vaughn.

The National Hispanic Recognition Program, established in 1983, is a College Board program that provides national recognition of the exceptional academic achievements of Hispanic high school seniors and identifies them for postsecondary institutions.
Students enter the program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) as high school juniors and by identifying themselves as Hispanic. This year, more than 196,000 PSAT/NMSQT takers nationwide identified themselves as Hispanic, and more than 4,000 of those students have been recognized as National Hispanic Scholars or Honorable Mention Finalists based upon their PSAT/NMSQT scores and their academic achievements. Last spring, Jacob scored a 2380 of a possible 2400 on the SAT test, placing Jacob in the 99.99th percentile of all students nationally.

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,200 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools and 3,500 colleges through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns.

McCall Named Girls Varsity Basketball Coach for Montgomery Catholic

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School is pleased to announce J’Varra McCall as the Head Coach of their Varsity Girls Basketball program. She replaces Coach Christine Robinson. Ms. McCall is a Program Manager with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. J’Varra McCall played college basketball for Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa before transferring to Auburn Montgomery in 1998 where she played until graduation in 2001. J’Varra began coaching in Montgomery with the Carver High School junior varsity team and was an assistant coach with St. Jude Educational Institute last season. She also coached with the AAU Alabama Twisters Squad. About the game, J’Varra said, “Basketball is like a family member; I won’t let my family down and I won’t let the game down either.”

This past summer she hosted the first annual J. McCall Leadership Basketball Camp at Auburn Montgomery. She said, “I focus on building individual fundamentals with the players and playing a defensive-minded game. I’m looking forward to hosting the camp again at AUM and a summer camp at Catholic.” About joining the Knights, McCall said, “I’m excited about this opportunity with Montgomery Catholic. I remember the girls from last year and Coach Christine Robinson had them ready. I’m already looking forward to basketball season this winter.” The Lady Knights won the Class 3-A, Area 4 title last season. Montgomery Catholic Athletic Director Jim Tolbert said, “J’Varra has a passion for the game and a passion for teaching the game. Her enthusiasm is infectious. I know she is going to be a great asset to our school.”