Through the Arch MAGAZINE

PUBLISHED BY

SSM Communications

Shattuck-St. Mary’s School

1000 Shumway Avenue Faribault, MN 55021 | 507.333.1599 www.s-sm.org

EDITORIAL TEAM

Editors

Alyssa Christian

Megan Maschoff

Contributing Writers

Matt Cavellier

Alyssa Christian

Megan Maschoff

Ellie Ray ’14

Laurel Simer ’07

DESIGN TEAM

Layout and Design

Alyssa Christian

Contributing Photographers

Matt Addington

Maggie Osterbauer Lee ’03

Stella Kuhlman ’23

Megan Maschoff

Ashley Russo

Laurel Simer ’07

SUPPORT TEAM

Kim Bakken

Fr. Henry Doyle

Maria Hanson

Maggie Osterbauer Lee ’03

Our School Mission

We are a global learning community that honors tradition while embracing innovation. By cultivating creative, independent thinking, we foster the transformation of our students to become citizens of integrity for an ever-changing world.

Shattuck-St. Mary’s School community, with its strong commitment to protecting human rights and dignity, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national or ethnic origin in its admissions and scholarship programs, the administration of its educational, athletic, or other school programs, or its employment practices.

FATHER DOYLE’S WORLDWIDE REACH

How one man has helped forge SSM connections all over the world for more than three decades.

We

Celebrate 20 years of International Day with a look at how the special event came to and an insightful Q&A with a group of our current international students.

35

Sabres Claim Victory

Four SSM hockey teams ended their seasons on a high note with national championship wins.

ON THE COVER: Eight SSM international students proudly show off their countries’ flags and apparel. Turn to page 17 to learn more about their individual experiences, favorite foods and customs, and what they’ve found most interesting about living in the U.S.

PHOTO: MATT ADDINGTON

CORRECTIONS:

We apologize for the following errors that appeared within the Reunion feature of the Summer/Fall 2022 edition:

Danelle Fillipi Thomas was misidentified as Nicole Glover Stroud.

Rachel Bixler Cunningham was incompletely identified as Rachel Bixler. We encourage you to email us at communications@s-sm.org with story ideas, letters to the editor, corrections, and class note submissions.

Matt cavellier | head of school

In1867, the Reverend James Dobbin made a bold statement for the future of Shattuck School: “Our plans are not limited to holding today’s vantage ground; they contemplate continued growth and improvement, and, in their implementation, we have no fears of being counted visionary.” These words were shared not long after St. Mary’s Hall opened its doors to the first group of young girls whose families trusted the promise of a stronger education and increased opportunities for their daughters. As the two schools grew up together in the late 1900s, they did indeed continue to grow and improve, and the visionary spirit espoused by Rev. Dobbin guided the way.

Over the next 150 years, as one would expect, there were eras when the schools experienced profound leaps, and, as one would also expect, there were eras when the challenges of the day demanded the schools look inward and reassess their place in the independent school landscape. In each of those moments in time, it took tireless leadership from the Board of Trustees and the schools’ leaders to course correct and move us into a better version of Shattuck and St. Mary’s Schools.

At times, those adjustments were minor tweaks and at other times they brought about a sea change, but each step brought us to the Shattuck-St. Mary’s School we have today. And each step required the community of SSM employee, student, parent, and alumni bodies to not only align with the vision of the future but also be a part of its implementation. There is nothing more important to a vision than the commitment of people to see it through.

While the history of Shattuck-St. Mary’s has always included contributions from individuals from around the world, the last twenty years have catapulted SSM onto the international stage, in large part because of the vision of former Head of School and President Nick Stoneman and the Board of Trustees during his tenure. Their leadership helped quite literally bring the world to Faribault, Minnesota, and, as students graduated from SSM and went on to enjoy great college experiences and begin successful careers, those alums have helped bring Faribault, Minnesota back to their homes and communities. Nick and the Board had the vision, and our community threw its support behind their vision. Without that support, SSM would not be what it is today.

So what is SSM today? In 2023, Shattuck-St. Mary’s is truly a global learning community committed to the transformation of its students into citizens of integrity in preparation for life in an everchanging world. This edition of Through the Arch is dedicated to sharing with you the people, programs, and vision that bring us to this point in our history. As you will read in our Strategic Plan (page 9), our plans, like those of the School’s leaders in Dobbin’s day, are not limited to resting on our laurels and maintaining status quo. And, as presented in our Shattuck-St. Mary’s Educational Services (SSMES) update on page 8, just like Reverend Dobbin, we continue to have no fears of being counted visionary.

Shattuck-St. Mary’s is committed to continue the tradition of growth and improvement—hallmarks of our School from the outset. We look forward to your continued support as we seek an ever-higher vantage ground.

In partnership,

Matt Cavellier SSM Head of School