June / July 2007

Dear Mariner Parents,

Congratulations & Farewell!   

As  we  wrap  up  another successful school year, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our senior class on their many accomplishments.  They have been an outstanding group of young men and women who I am proud to have had lead our school.  While I am sorry to see them go, their graduation on June 7th  at  Loyola  Marymount University  will  be  a  great culminating event of the years of hard work on the part of these students as well as their teachers and family members who have given them much support. 

This year’s valedictorian honors go to Frances O’Neill whose weighted GPA of 4.5 falls short of perfection with only one B in four years of full honors and AP coursework.  This year’s salutatorian, who was selected by the senior class members  from  all  eligible candidates with a GPA over 3.5, is Paul Kim, who completes his SMCHS career with a GPA of 4.45.  In the fall, Frances and Paul will attend USC and Northwestern University respectively.  Many other members of the class will be acknowledged at the senior awards ceremony following the Baccalaureate Mass on Sunday, June 3rd.  Whether recognized or not, each graduate has been an integral member of our Mariner family. 

One of the blessings of our community is the support we receive from you, our parents.  Not only have you entrusted us with your most beloved, you also  go  above  and  beyond  to  support  them  in  their  endeavors.  Whether you were a  leader  for  one  of  parent organizations or answered the call to help as needed, you too are integral members of our family.   While many senior parents feel like they “graduate” with their sons and daughters, please know that just as any of our alumni, you are always welcome here.

This year also brings the departure  of  two  veteran  faculty members who, since 2000, have contributed much to make our community stronger.  Liz McKillop, who currently serves as the Director of Admissions, is returning to her home state of New York to be with her family.  Over the years, Ms. McKillop has brought an unparalleled sense of spirit and Mariner pride to students  through  her  work  in campus ministry, activities, admissions,  and  as  a  religion teacher.  Many  of  her  innovations  such  as  the  Mariner Madness Week and its activities like the basketball tournament and “blacktop classics” have become  traditions  and  will continue to engage Mariners for years to come.  In the fall of 2000, when Linda Wallace was hired as St. Monica’s first Technology Director, SMCHS had about 80 computers, but few teachers were using them for  student  instruction  or parent communication.  This year, as Ms. Wallace leaves St. Monica, our resources include 160 student and teacher computers, two computer labs, five servers, and ten Smartboards.  Ms. Wallace was instrumental in  setting  up  many  of  the systems  that  keep  you  our parents connected such as the website, ABI gradebooks, and Edulink auto-dialing message software. Our St. Monica community has been blessed by the work of these two dedicated women.  We wish them well in their continued ministry.

Finally, I would like to thank all members of our community for making this such a positive  year.  Our  pastor, Monsignor Torgerson and the many parishioners and staff, as well as the elementary school community, provide a unique support and experience for our students. Of course, we are deeply indebted to our faculty and staff for the life they have breathed into our community.  We are blessed to have such a talented,  dedicated  and     passionate corps of educators who care deeply about our young people. Thank you all for sharing in the formation of Mariners  who  are  more  prepared to navigate the journey ahead.

God Bless,

Mr. Thom Gasper
Principal