Principal's Welcome

Heart & Mind, the magazine of Kellenberg Memorial High School, is published twice a year and distributed to all alumni, parents, alumni parents, faculty, administration, and friends of KMHS.

ADMINISTRATION

Principal Bro. Kenneth M. Hoagland, S.M.

ADVANCEMENT

Director of Advancement Mrs. Denise Miles Director of Alumni Mr. Thomas Huggard

EDITORIAL

Editor in Chief Mrs. Erin (Byrne) Cicalese ’98 Editorial Assistant Mrs. Beth Campbell

Contributors Mr. Douglas Cioffi ’97 Mrs. Erin (Toscano) Citrano ’03 Mr. Eric Harnisch

DESIGN

The Blank Page

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mr. Jeff Harris ’03, Director James Campbell ’ 24 Nicolas Castelli ’17 Maeve Duggan ’22 Ernesto Feliciano’22

A LETTERFROM THEPRINCIPAL

Dear Kellenberg Memorial Family,

Kellenberg Memorial celebrated its 35th Anniversary on July 1, 2022. It is with a spirit of gratitude for God’s blessing on our foundation, faculty, students, alumni, and parents that we remember this anniversary. We have grown from being a school for grades 9-12 with 1,400 students to a robust middle and high school grades 6-12 with nearly 2,700 students registered for this fall.

Kellenberg has not only seen growth in enrollment over the past two years, but our campus has also expanded as well. Thanks to our first-ever capital campaign, we have added a retreat house in Islip, additional fields and tennis courts on Glenn Curtiss Blvd., state-of-the-art science labs in the Jim and Diane Rowen STEM Center, improved bleachers on St. Matthew Field, and a resurfaced track. By the start of school this fall, students and families will be greeted with a beautiful new entrance on Glenn Curtiss Blvd.

Another area of growth is our curriculum. We have shifted the Biology, Chemistry, and Physics sequences to begin in freshman year, thus allowing for electives during senior year. Current electives in science include Engineering, Geology, Astronomy, Health Sciences, Sports Medicine, Environmental Science, and Forensics. The Math curriculum has also been adapted to allow the opportunity to study Precalculus, Calculus I, Calculus II, and Statistics and Finance. Students also have the option of earning college credits for many of their junior and senior level courses. Finally, in the last issue of Heart and Mind you read extensively about the Writing Lab that is now a requirement for all freshmen.

We often speak of the education of the heart and the mind. We have made great strides in the curriculum and technology that directly impacts the mind. The education of the heart is more challenging and, in many ways, the more important aspect of Catholic education. COVID is not the only social issue we have had to address over the past two years. The social awareness of race, culture, and equality are also areas where we have been making changes, adaptations, and expanding our programs. This issue of Heart and Mind provides an in-depth look at a new club at Kellenberg Memorial High School called “One Heart, One Mind, Many Cultures.” This club is a direct

result of listening to many students and alumni who would like to see more opportunities for learning, dialogue, and sharing across cultural and racial groups. Two years ago, we opened a Student Life Office under the direction of Mrs. Jennifer Marr Mulligan ’96. Many sensitive conversations have taken place through mutual dialogue and active listening. Conflict resolution plays a big part in the office. It is a place where students can turn if they experience bullying, bias, disagreements, and confrontations. Part of our Kellenberg Culture program for freshmen further develops lessons on civility, order, and respect.

We have further responded to the call for greater social recognition of multiple cultural experiences by expanding our Advisory Board to include an Equity and Excellence Committee. Claudy Damus Makelele ’93, P’23,’26 chairs this committee. Our Assistant Principal for Academics, Mrs. Angela Watson Cameron ’03, is a member of this committee with several other graduates, parents, and alumni parents. Many excellent recommendations have come from this committee including bi-lingual tour guides at Open House, translated school information available in Spanish and Creole, and a cultural survey of our students which yielded a very interesting fact that our student body traces its roots to 78 different countries!

To address the mounting socialemotional and mental health needs of our students, we now have two fulltime social workers, full-time guidance counselors, and anticipate a school psychologist in the Fall. These supports play a key role in ensuring that we have met all the needs of our

students so that they can flourish academically, socially, and emotionally. Our efforts to be more sensitive and welcoming have only strengthened our already strong Catholic identity. We are all God’s children. We are all created in the image and likeness of God. “ The education of the heart is more challenging and, in As we deepen our Catholic roots at Kellenberg Memorial, we know that there will always be more work to be done. In our pursuit of educating minds and hearts, we recognize that educating minds is many ways, the more often the easy part. Educating important aspect of hearts, especially to recognize and respect the dignity of each Catholic education. person from the moment of conception to the time of death, is a constant and ongo ing effort. Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare the next generation to be faithful Christians, loyal citizens, and loving spouses. ” To Jesus through Mary,

Brother Kenneth M. Hoagland, S.M.

Principal