Lynn Journal

We have made many enhancements to our curriculum. We have been a 1:1 school since 2013 and our students are on I-Pads. Digital Citizenship is complicated and we have embraced a research based curriculum and we are introducing many new features to train our students on data and research based scholarship. We move to a STEM curriculum in 2013 and introduced the PLTW (Project Lead the Way) curriculum. Many of our faculty have enhanced their STEM skills by attending academic programs at WPI. This year, we added a Mandarin option for language. If a student has an interest in finance, business or economics, Mandarin is key. We have mapped our curriculum which was a significant undertaking, but our faculty embraced the process. We are working to expand our Guidance program and services. St. Mary's invested in Naviance, which is a robust and industry standard formation and Guidance and College Counseling tool to help our students discern their vocational paths and college search. We also introduced an International Program to align with our goal of being a global and urban school in Lynn. We welcomed 19 students from China, Vietnam and Brazil to our school. St. Mary's is a truly global and urban school and diversity at our school is organic. A challenge for every school is unplugging in this digital edge and we are committed to teach our students how to communicate with conversation, creative writing, letter writing and service. What do you want to say about the continuing achievements of the St. Mary's sports teams and hockey coach Mark Lee on the verge of his 400th career victory? Athletic Director and Coach Jeff Newhall has assembled a quality athletic staff of talented men and women and he has brought the program to a new level. The success of the teams and coverage is amazing with Coaches like Coach Newhall, Coach Jim Foley, Coach Mike D'Agostino, Coach Durgin hitting career milestones and teams winning Soccer North Finals, Football North Final and state championships. It is remarkable when you look at the past five years and our athletic success with the Girls and Boys State Basketball titles, State Softball titles, Girls and Boys North Soccer Finals, Football North Final, CCL Boys Cross Country and the State Baseball title last year. We have talent, but what is more impressive is that our coaches take these young men and women and shape them into a team that embodies sportsmanship, scholarship, teamwork and faith. Many of our teams celebrate a weekly mass and fellowship before a game. Mr. Newhall is all about sportsmanship and our student captains and leaders participate in a Leadership Summit each year. We are proud of all of our coaches and athletes as they truly embody our pillars for success: Catholic, Excellence, Integrity and Respect. We are also proud of our student, parent, faculty and alumni fans who always show up to show their Spartan Pride. This week is special as we celebrate Coach Mark Lee as he will achieve a career milestone of 400 wins over his 30 year tenure at St. Mary.s It is a storied week with Mark being an alumnus with a very successful hockey career as a player and coach, as well as being a life long Lynn resident and police officer. The 2015-16 team is an exceptional group of young men on and off the ice and Mark and his coaches have worked to mold them into leaders and role models at St. Mary's. Captains Conor Foley, Dante Maribito and Andrew Kreamer are true leaders and represent Spartan Pride. I am actually picking up Mark's parents tonight to go to the BC High-St.