T OM SIPOWICZ: Mission as the “True North” of St. John’s

In June 2023, St. John’s said farewell to longtime faculty member and administrator Thomas Sipowicz. After 25 years at St. John’s, he has retired from teaching before embarking on new adventures.

In collaboration with SJC President Jeff Mancabelli, Sipowicz transformed SJC’s mission and ministerial programming to such a degree that St. John’s is now a model to other Lasallian high schools in the US.

Sipowicz arrived at SJC with a BA in economics and philosophy from the University of Texas, and an MA in theology from Washington Theological Union. When he joined the Religion Department, he was new to the Lasallian charism, so he eagerly set out to learn about it.

He initially taught Scripture, Jesus and Church, and Morality and Social Justice, and in 2003, he became the Religion Department chair—a post he held for 13 consecutive years. In 2008, he was instrumental in launching Poverty Education Week, the school’s annual Lenten program. Always willing to do whatever the school needed, he stepped up one more time to chair the department for a 14th year in 2016.

Sipowicz recalls that when he first came to SJC, campus ministry consisted of one Brother who directed class retreats, coordinated service trips, and taught religion. “At that time, there was an understanding that everyone—Brothers and laity—acted as campus minister, so a dedicated campus ministry office was not considered necessary,” he explained. However, with the decline in the number of Christian Brothers over the last 25 years and with the appointment of the school’s first Catholic Lasallian lay principal in 2001 and president in 2010, there was a need to add a strong lay Lasallian ministerial component to St. John’s.

As SJC’s mission and ministry programming continued to expand, Sipowicz took on the new role of coordinator of mission and ministry in 2011. In 2012, together with science teacher Brian McCarthy, he formed the school’s mission committee known as Signum Fidei. The committee, composed of Lasallian-formed faculty, meets four times a year to plan mission activities for St. John’s.

By 2016, Sipowicz was appointed St. John’s first director of mission integration, responsible for incorporating an awareness of mission throughout the campus. As part of the school’s leadership team, he took part in decisions, consulted on SJC’s publications, and advised during crisis situations.

“Tom’s knowledge of our Catholic identity and Lasallian mission has been a gift to this community and the leadership team. His deep concern for the faith development of the students and all in our community was witnessed by his thoughtful and strategic vision and in the numerous programs offered through the Mission and Ministry Office,” said SJC President Jeff Mancabelli. Sipowicz and Mancabelli worked closely together to create new programs and infrastructure [see sidebar].

Sipowicz also worked closely with St. John’s Board of Trustees’ Mission Committee. “Tom is the consummate educator: every activity he undertakes is designed to expand the students’ experiential horizons and reflective perceptions, all with the goal of creating compassion and empathy,” said Bro. James Butler, FSC, Mission Committee chair.

“I always count my blessings for having the opportunity to graduate from the most amazing school in Washington, DC, and often I think of my former teachers,” said former student Tom Koutsoumpas ’05. “When I think of Tom Sipowicz a few words come to mind: compassionate, patient, caring, and above all—mentor. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn from someone who is as extraordinary as Tom, and I’m grateful to call him a friend.”

Sipowicz will miss the students, the community, and all the laughter throughout the years. “I will always remember what a special place this is and that it’s been the blessing of my life to be a part of it,” he said. Upon leaving SJC, his immediate plans were to cook, garden, spend time with family, and explore the Adirondacks. Although he is relocating to be closer to family and retiring from teaching, he looks forward to staying connected to the Christian Brothers.

Reflecting on his time SJC, Sipowicz is most proud of solidifying mission at the school. “Over the last 20 years, St. John’s has become a true north, in faith, for our students,” he said. In turn his colleagues recognize his major role in creating that “true north.” “As he moves on to his next undertakings, Tom can leave St. John’s confident that the ever more widely-held and generously-made commitments to Lasallian mission are due in no small measure to his own hard work and the example of his life,” said Butler.

New Mission Initiatives, 2011–2023

Director of Mission Integration Tom Sipowicz and President Jeff Mancabelli have collaborated on many new initiatives that reinforce mission as the center of a St. John’s education:

• The Sophomore Seminar Series, with thought-provoking discussions to help inspire students to a Christian response to personal and societal challenges;

• The Christian Service Fund, which enables more students to take part in the Christian Service Immersion Program;

• The Annual Report on Mission Activities, a publication highlighting the school’s mission-oriented activities for the year;

• The creation and installation of two permanent exhibits, The Lasallian Educational Mission Around the World and Brothers of the Christian Schools at St. John’s;

• The Music Ministers Program, which uses the talent of SJC’s performing arts programs to provide beautiful music for school liturgies.

Sipowicz’s influence can also be seen in St. John’s entrepreneurial program, the Entrepreneurial Center for Innovation and Social Impact.