SETON LASALLE - slshs.org · SLS COMMUNITY CHRONICLE 2 529 Plan Update Beginning in 2018, tax-free distributions from 529 Plans can now be received by students enrolled in private

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

William E. Lestitian, Esq., ‘80Chair

Michael P. Kuntz, ‘90Treasurer

Kathleen BenchSecretary

Fr. James Farnan, ‘82 Vice ChairFr. Michael CaridiSr. Dorothy Dolan, ‘53David Stanek, ‘85Ed Vavro, ‘89William Talerico, ‘89Nancy GillespieJames Reilly, ‘97

EX OFFICIOSr. Patrice HughesLauren MartinLisa Osterhaus

We are delighted to announce that we will be integrating the most robust Learning Management Software system (Blackbaud) available today into our school for the 2018-19 school year. Funding for this initiative was made possible with the receipt of a Church Alive! grant from the Diocese of Pittsburgh, which will cover the implementation and Phase 1 fees. We are very excited to bring this to the school and look forward to the opportunities it will present to allow us to do our job in a more effective and efficient way.

Based on information provided from Blackbaud, we are the first school within the Diocese of Pittsburgh to utilize their full suite of products. This new software will allow us to utilize an integrated approach to our constituents from their first contact with the school as a prospective family through alumni relationship management. We are looking forward to successfully integrating the new system with our teachers, students, parents and alumni.

COMMUNITY CHRONICLESPRING EDITION

SETON LASALLETHE SOUTH HILLS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

SLS to Integrate Blackbaud Learning Management Software

10:00 am: Registration and Bloody Mary bar opens

11:00 am: Lunch is available

Noon: Shotgun start

5:30 pm: 19th Hole Happy Hour, followed by dinner

Click HERE for complete details.

Click HERE for sponsorship information.

Click HERE to register online via credit card.

Click HERE to print a paper registration form.

SLS COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

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529 Plan UpdateBeginning in 2018, tax-free distributions from 529 Plans can now be received by students enrolled in private elementary or high schools who pay tuition expenses. Click HERE for more information, or contact Lisa Osterhaus at (412) 561-3583 ext. 1009 or [email protected].

EITCIf you are a business owner who pays state tax dollars, you can desgnate those tax dollars to tuition assistance at Seton LaSalle through the EITC/OSTC program, at no additional cost to you. For more information about the EITC/OSTC program, please contact Lisa Osterhaus at (412) 561-3583 ext. 1009 or [email protected].

Are you a CPA? We need your help! Please reach out to Lisa Osterhaus at your convenience using the information above. Click HERE for more information.

Important DatesApr. 7: Forensics Tournament at SLSApr. 10: NHS Blood Drive | 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.Apr. 15: Women of Seton Luncheon | 1 p.m.Apr. 20: Snow Makeup Day | 11:44 a.m. release Prom | 7 p.m.May 6: Class of 2022 Family Picnic May 11: No School English Festival at SLS (grades 4-6)May 14: Rebel Classic | South Hills Country ClubMay 19: Youth Football Camp | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.May 25: Graduation | St. Valentine Church | 7:30 p.m.Jun. 8: Last day of schoolJun. 15-16: SHC Class of 1968 Reunion WeekendJun. 16: Rebels Football Cornhole Tournament

Merrick Field | 4 p.m.

2018 Mardi Gras Gala UpdateWe are proud to announce that the 2018 Mardi Gras Gala raised over $125,000 for the school! Thank you to all who contributed to making a difference in the lives of over 400 students.

We are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate Mr. Chuck Rutter, who has dedicated much of his time and energy to Seton LaSalle Catholic High School, touching the lives of all students who are blessed to cross his path.

Interested in SLS? Schedule a Shadow Day for your child!

Follow a current student during a regular school day for

a closer look at "a day in the life" of a Rebel.

Register                       Register HERE

SLS COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

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BOYS BASKETBALLThe boys finished with an undefeated 10-0 section record and took the section championship. The team was the WPIAL runner-up, losing the championship game to Lincoln Park at the Petersen Events Center on Pitt’s campus. The boys made it to the PIAA second round, where they were eliminated by Fairview. The boys had an overall record of 20-6.

GIRLS BASKETBALLThe Lady Rebels finished their season with a 6-6 section record, placing 4th in their section. The girls were a playoff qualifier for the WPIAL playoffs, where they placed 6th. The girls made it to the first round of the PIAA playoffs, but lost to Penns Valley Area. The girls finished with an overall record of 10-15.

BOYS BOWLINGThe boys’ team finished the regular season with a 9-1 section record, finishing as section champions for the first time in the team’s 16-year history. The team finished 6th in the WPIBL playoffs, and advanced to the Western Regional of the state playoffs, but did not qualify for the State Championships. Marcus Huetter, ‘18, and Xavier Huetter, ‘19, advanced to the WPIBL Singles Championships based on their overall individual regular season averages, where Marcus finished in 3rd place and qualified for the Western Regional Championships. Both boys advanced, but neither Marcus nor Xavier earned medals at the State Championships.

Congratulations to all on a record-setting season!

GIRLS BOWLINGThe Lady Rebels bowling team finished the regular season with an 8-2 section record, qualifying for playoffs as a 2nd place team. This was the girls’ first playoff appearance in 10 years, but unfortunately, the team did not advance in the playoffs.

SWIMMINGCongratulations to Cullin Baker, ‘18, who was named an All-State Honorable Mention for his times in the pool this year. Cullin placed in the top 16 for both the 50-Free and 100-Free events, breaking both school records for his times.

SLS Winter Sports

SLS Athletes Commit to Play College Athletics

Layni Ziegler, ‘18, (pictured below) of the Girls Basketball team, will continue her academic and athletic career playing basketball at the University of Mount Union in Ohio. The Mount Union Raiders are an NCAA Division III school. Congrats, Layni!

Bridget Hart, ‘18, will be playing volleyball and basketball in addition to her studies at Washington and Jefferson College. The W&J Presidents are a NCAA Division III college. Congratulations, Bridget!

Darryl Daniels, ‘18, who has been a top performer for the Rebels Boys Soccer team has committed to continue playing as a Messiah College Falcon, an NCAA Division III college in Mechanicsburg, PA. Congrats, Darryl!

SLS Athletics Upcoming Events

YOUTH FOOTBALL CAMP Saturday, May 19 | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Merrick Field Ages 9-13 | $10/player | Shirts & food for players Register by 5/4 to [email protected] More info available HERE.

CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT Saturday, June 16 | 4 p.m. registration | Merrick Field Includes a pig roast and cigar bar! $100/team or $25/guest | Must be 21 to attend RSVP by 5/18 to [email protected] More info will be available on our website at a later date

Spring Sports UnderwayGood luck to our spring sports teams, as their seasons are getting underway: Baseball, Boys and Girls Lacrosse, Softball, Tennis and Boys and Girls Volleyball! Go Rebels Go!

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In RemembranceWith prayerful remembrance, we list the following alumni, who have passed away. May perpetual light shine upon them.

AlumniConrad Charles Dugan, SHC ‘63Thomas Gallagher, SHC ‘63David F. Gordon, SHC ‘60Thomas Sitowsky, SHC, ‘63

This list may not be complete. If you have information on any Elizabeth Seton, South Hills Catholic or Seton LaSalle alumni who have passed away, please contact Kristin Snapp, Alumni Relations/Multimedia Coordinator at (412) 561-3583 ext. 1141 or [email protected].

SLS Alumni Class Notes1960sBarbara Peciukas Galiszewski, ‘64, has been spending her days cruising with her husband, taking beach vacations, relaxing with her basset hound Lucy, and singing in St. Catherine’s Adult Choir with her daughter, Debbie.

Ronald Gimigliano, ‘64, and his wife Jane have six children and three grandchildren. Ronald is president of Euro Concepts International, a residential kitchen design company that has designed the homes of many famous Pittsburghers. Jane is the technology Director at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit. Ron still loves and plays his trumpet in several of Pittsburgh’s musical orchestras.

James C. Hayes, ‘65, has begun his fourth year as official scorekeeper and public address announcer for the East Coast Wizards in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL), and the Eastern Women’s Hockey Conference (EWHC).

Dorothy Conroy, ‘66, has retired from her job with the American Institutes for Research.

Marianne Hudzik, ‘66, became a grandmother in October 2017, when her daughter, Jamie Hudzik (Coughlin), ‘01, gave birth.

Richard Ambrose, ‘67, retired from Time Warner/Charter Communications, where he worked in Washington, D.C. in Political Media. He and his wife Connie are ecstatic to be away from the chaos that is political life in Washington, D.C. and have permanently moved to their Lake Minnetonka, MN home. The couple has been married 42 years and has four granddaughters.

James Bradley, ‘67, moved to Lake Monticello, Virginia in September 2017.

Norbert Staniszewski, ‘67, and his wife have six grandchildren and have retired to North Carolina.

William Seiss, ‘67, retired from Raytheon Missile Systems in Arizona in 2006, and then relocated to Round Rock, Texas. He and his wife of 43 years enjoy spending time with their 9 grandchildren, boating and flying.

James Leasure, ‘68, was made manager of “Finches Aloft,” which specializes in all things finches and canaries. The store is an off-shoot of Sugar Creek Bird Farm.

Robert Slinskey, ‘68, has been married for 30 years and has a daughter, Jessi. Jessi and her husband run Robert’s family business, a commercial cleaning company in the Wexford/Cranberry area since 1991.

1970sLTC[R] John Wargo, ‘70, is in his 22nd year as the Senior Army JROTC Instructor at Hubbard High School and has led his drill team to its 4th consecutive city championship and 6th in 8 years.

John Maciejczyk, ‘72, recently completed 25 years of service with the Department of Justice.

Corinne Ricci, ‘72, is planning to move back to Pittsburgh.

Tim O’Brien, ‘78, was recognized by the Public Relations Society of America for his contributions to the National PR Field through his company, O’Brien Communications.

Stephen Flaherty, ‘78, was featured on BroadwayWorld.com for his Broadway composition of musicals like Ragtime, Suessical, Anastasia and more.

Frank Cardiello, ‘79, was appointed Vice President of Finance, Treasurer and CFO of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, which includes: Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center and The Andy Warhol Museum.

Alumni EventsWomen of Seton LuncheonThe Women of Seton will hold their 11th Annual Scholarship Luncheon on Sunday, April 15 at 1 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel near South Hills Village Mall. The Women of Seton will be presenting an incoming SLS female freshman with a $1,000 scholarship. The cost to attend is $35/person, which includes a complete lunch and five raffle tickets. This luncheon will specially recognize the SLS classes of 1990-1994. The SLS Trebels A Cappella Group will be performing. For more information, contact Marianne Hudzik at [email protected] or (412) 400-8914.

Class of 1968 50th ReunionFriday, June 15 | Stag Night SLS Cafeteria | 6 p.m.Saturday, June 16 | Reunion Calabria’s | 6:30 p.m.Contact: Randy Castriota [email protected]

1980sJohn W. Skirtich,‘81, was named administrator of St. Gabriel Parish in Whitehall, PA. Many alumni and classmates are in the parish, and John enjoys being with them.

Georgine Javornick, ‘83, is the owner of Dig It Dog Collars & Leashes. Her website is dig-it-store.com. Dig It was established in 2015. All products are made in the USA.

William Caye II, ‘87, is the September 2017 Legal Excellence Awardee, W. PA Classic Events; July 2017 launched private law, consulting and government relations practice in W. PA; May 2017 Democratic Primary Candidate for PA Superior Court of Appeals; May 2017 appointed to Executive Board of PA Sports HOF, Western Chapter; Elected to Board of Governors, Duquesne University School of Law Alumni Association; and appointed to Duquesne University Alumni Association, Board of Governors.

Erin Murray, ‘88, and her husband Matt Berardi, ‘88, became grandparents in August 2017. They also moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands as Expats, where Matt is a VP at FedEx. The couple plans to live in Amsterdam for the next 3-5 years.

1990sCassie Majetic, ‘98, is a professor at Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana. She teaches environmental science and biology and was recently presented with a STEM award.

2000sTimothy McElhone, ‘00, is currently working as the Director of Talent Acquisition, where he oversees workplace hiring for 84 Lumber.

Bruce Gradkowski, ‘01, is now working as an NFL Network analyst.

Alexander F. Mericli, M.D., ‘01, now resides in Houston, TX with his wife, Lindsay. Alex is an assistant professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he dedicates his practice to the reconstruction of patients who have been disfigured by cancer. Alex and Lindsay have a 6-year old son, Malcom, and welcomed another baby in November 2016.

2010sJoshua Wright, ‘14, is a senior at Point Park University and will be graduating with a degree in Cinema Arts. He is on a Track and Field scholarship. Josh was a silver medalist his sophomore year, and a bronze medalist in his junior year at Javelin. He also made all-conference his sophomore and junior years.

Toni Torchia, ‘14, is attending LaRoche College. She was the fourth LaRoche volleyball player to reach 1,000 digs this year (2017). She was LaRoche’s Player of the Week (2017). She won All Tournament Conference Player (2017), All Sportsmanship Team (2017), All Second Team Conference Player (2015), All Third Team Conference Player (2017), Defensive Player (2015) and MVP (2015).

Laura Nath, ‘15, is attending LaRoche College, where she plays volleyball. Laura was the first LaRoche volleyball player to reach 1,000 kills this year in the history of the college (2018), and the first LaRoche player to win Hero of The Week for Division III (2017). She won All Tournament Conference Player (2017), All First Team Conference Player (2016, 2017), All Second Team Conference (2015), All Sportsmanship Team (2016), LaRoche’s Player of the Week (three times), and AMCC Player of the Week (three times). She was the AMCC Preseason Player for the first time in LaRoche history (2017), AMCC Player to Watch (2016, 2017), AMCC Conference Leader with kills and hitting averages (2016, 2017). She was captain of the volleyball team for two years (2016, 2017), and she won offensive player three years (2015-2017) and was MVP two years (2016, 2017).

Ben Grefenstette, ‘15, and Dominique Cognetti, ‘16, traveled from England and Austria, respectively, to meet with Nancy Denman, who retired from SLS last year. All three are meeting in Assisi for the Easter Triduum.

Alexis Cooke, ‘16, was invited into Beta Gamma Sigma national honor society at Duquesne University. Invitations are extended only to sophomores, juniors and seniors in the top 10% of their class, making it the highest recognition a business student can receive.

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Do you have news?

Help us keep our info up to date!

Are you living at a new address? Did you get a new job? Did you receive an

award, or participate in something you’d like to

tell us about?

Contact Kristin Snapp, Alumni Relations/

Multimedia Coordinator at [email protected]. or (412) 561-3583 ext. 1141.

SLS Alumni Class Notes

You may also update your information

online HERE.

SLS COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

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In mid-February, 10 SLS students visited Everpower Wind Holdings, a wind farm in Patton Township.

Students got an up close and personal look at the technology behind renewable wind energy, including 300-meter tall wind turbines.

Michael Hoffman, the Highland Assistant Site Manager of the farm, explained to students the process of turning wind into electricity.

To read more about the students’ trip, click HERE.

SLS Students Visit Wind Farm

STREAM in World CulturesStudents in Mrs. Schmidt’s Honors World Cultures class got to use the school’s 3D printer to enhance their lesson on seige warfare. Mrs. Schmidt taught students about Alexander the Great and how catapults used at the time helped shape history.

Then, Mr. Gianoutsos, Director of Innovation, showed students how to use the 3D printer to make a catapult of their own to study the parts and physics behind the devices even closer.

To find out how SLS is incorporating STREAM into our curriculum across the board, schedule a visit with Suzee Talerico, Admissions Director at (412) 561-3583 ext. 1127 or [email protected].

Three Students Honored as Christian Athletes

Fifteen area athletes were recognized at the 20th Annual South Hills Christian Athlete Recognition Breakfast held at Christ United Methodist Church, including SLS juniors Danny Sentner, ‘19, Venessa Peretin, ‘19, and Faith Kisker, ‘19. The athletes were nominated by their church’s youth pastors based on church and community involvement, as well as their athletic and academic achievements. The event featured a motivational speech by NFL veteran and director of Locking Arms Men, Leo Wisniewski.

Congratulations to our students! Read about them HERE.

“Into the Woods” RecapCongratulations to the cast and crew of “Into the Woods,” this year’s spring musical. The students put on three stellar performances and continued the legacy of the Spring Musical.

March for LifeOver 100 Rebels traveled to D.C. in January to participate in the national Pro-Life march. Below, they are in front of the frozen Washington Monument reflection pool. Meanwhile, back at SLS, Fr. Farnan, ‘82, delivered a pro-life mass to all students who did not attend the March for Life in D.C.

Freshman Looks to OlympicsNate Zini, ‘21, attended final try-outs for U.S. Men’s Youth Volleyball Team for ages 14-15. If he makes the team, he will then advance to the Under-18 team, which is an Olympic feeder team. Good luck, Nate!

SLS COMMUNITY CHRONICLESLS Tuition Emergency Support Fund

Dear Friends of Seton LaSalle:

Every year, we are faced with difficult decisions regarding the future of students who cannot afford to pay their outstanding tuition bills. Senior students in tuition arrears are not permitted to walk at graduation or receive transcripts for college, and underclassmen are unable to return to SLS the following year. Currently, we have a number of families behind in tuition payments, creating a significant gap in our operating budget.

At Seton LaSalle, we strive to provide a high-quality, faith-filled Catholic education to our students. We believe that all students who come to school each day, demonstrate a serious commitment to learning and participate in the life of the school deserve a chance to complete their education here at Seton LaSalle.

Many parents willingly make significant sacrifices to meet their agreed upon tuition obligations. Yet, sometimes difficult situations occur during a student’s four years at Seton LaSalle. Job losses, catastrophic medical emergencies and deaths in the family are among the compelling circumstances that make it impossible for families to completely fulfill tuition commitments. As a school family, we need to come together to support and care for these students.

To assist our families in crisis, we have created the SLS Tuition Emergency Support Fund, which provides supplemental financial assistance. We ask that you prayerfully consider a gift of education to the SLS Tuition Emergency Support Fund today. Your donation in any amount will make a meaningful difference in the lives of struggling students and their families, and will be so greatly appreciated by the entire Seton LaSalle community.

In addition to individual donations, if you are a business owner who pays state tax dollars, you can designate those tax dollars to tuition assistance at Seton LaSalle through the EITC/OSTC program, at no additional cost to you. For more information about the SLS Tuition Emergency Support Fund or the EITC/OSTC program, please contact Lisa Osterhaus at (412) 561-3583 ext. 1009 or [email protected].

Sometimes difficult situations occur during a student’s four years at Seton LaSalle Catholic High School.

Job losses, catastrophic medical emergencies and deaths in the deaths in the family are among the compelling circumstances that can make it impossible for families to completely fulfill tuition commitments.

As a school family, we need to come together to support and ca and care for these students. Give the gift of education to the Seton LaSalle Tuition Emergency Support Fund today. Every gift has an impact.

Click HERE to make your donation online.

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Class of 2018 Scholarship and Award WinnersEach year, a number of SLS students receive scholarships to help cover the cost of their college tuition. While each student’s award is featured on our website separately upon winning, we frequently update a comprehensive list of all our scholarship and award winners. The list is updated as new recipients are selected. Check it out HERE.

• Mofoluke Obiri, ‘18, was named a University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning Prestige Scholar, which is a full-tuition merit award valued at $133,000.

• Victoria Hudson, ‘18, received the Allegheny College Trustee Merit Scholarship, which is an award valued at $120,000.

• Ellie Grefenstette, ‘18, is a Fairfield University Magis Scholar, which comes with a scholarship worth $100,000. Ellie will play lacrosse at Fairfield next year.

• Matt Banbury, ‘18, is a John Carroll University Magis Scholar, which comes with an award of $92,000.

• Zoe Baumcratz, ‘18, received the New York Institute of Technology Presidential Scholarship, worth $80,000. Zoe is interested in majoring in communications arts.

• Gabrielle Bedner, ‘18, was recently accepted into the Business Management program at Elmira College, and received the Langdon Award, which provides her with an $80,000 scholarship.

• Carmen Wilson, ‘18, received a scholarship to Duquesne University from the Tamburitzan’s, the longest-running live stage show in the U.S. This scholarship will supplement the merit scholarship Carmen received from Duquesne. She will perform 60+ shows each year with the Tamburitzans, while she majors in Speech Pathology.

• Jasur Jiasuer, ‘18, was named an Arizona State University New American Scholar, wh• ich includes a scholarship worth $7,000.

• Mark Mitchell, ‘18, received the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Award, which comes with a $1,000 scholarship.

• Alyssa Trivus, ‘18, and Layni Ziegler, ‘18, received Club Z! scholarships, each receiving $250.

• Layni Ziegler, ‘18, won the Diocesan Office for Priestly Vocations Essay Contest. Her award-winning essay appeared in the Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper. Layni wrote about a tragic experience helped her strengthen her faith. Read her complete essay HERE.

Easter blessings to you and yours from

the faculty, staff and

administration of Seton LaSalle Catholic High

School.