The Trinity Leader Su mmer 2001 Ne ws for the Trinity Fami l y TRINITY WELCOMES THE CLASS OF 2001 Tr i n i t y High Schoo l Nat i ona l l y Recognized Schoo l of Exce l l e n c e Lou i s ville, Kentucky On March 31, 2001, Trinity held its annual celebraTio n dinner and auction. Here’s a look at the fun! (And there’s more on the inside back cover!) Lois & Ray Woock Siobhan Sheehan, David Power’89, Faye Power, Mike Power 1 Pr e s i de n t ’s Note b o o k By Dr. Robert (Rob) J. Mullen ’7 7 et me illustrate the primary rea- students who experienced our revamped Advanced curriculum. son I love Tr i n i t y. The easiest The results produced by our restructuring are staggering. Al l way to do this is by sharing the seven of our National Merit Semi-finalists became Finalists. We Lfollowing two anecdotes. are sending a school-record 13 juniors to the Governor’s Scholars The first is found in this letter program. Standardized test scores for advanced students are set- from the parents of a graduating senior: ting new school standards. We currently have graduates matricu- lating in the honors programs at Harvard University, the Univer- Dear Dr. Mullen, sity of Pennsylvania, the University of Vir ginia, Michigan State A few months ago, when reading your article in the winter edi - Un i v e r s i t y , the University of Notre Dame, Wake Forest Univer- tion of the Trinity Leader I felt overwhelmed with emotions when si t y , Rose Hulman University, the University of North Carolina I read the lines, “Any school can crea t e at Chapel Hill and Purdue University— success for those who find learning “Our Doors have been to name only a few. ea s y . An excellent school is one that cre - Our doors have been wide open since ates success for not only the academi - wi d e open since the day the day we began in 1953. It is the cally talented but for those challenged charism we were given and the mission we began in 1953. Our by everyday school tasks.” we embrace to this day. We are an These words speak to my son who will strength lies in that excellent school because of the array graduate in just a few days…he has of students that sit at our table. As a received very few academic acknowl - ab i l i t y and comm i tm e n t . Catholic school we are called to act edgments in his school caree r … W h e n justly and to teach as Jesus did—with you have a son who is dyslexic you soon No one in this com- compassion and love. learn his talents are many that are not mun i t y does it better. ” I am glad we are who we are. We necessarily academic. Trinity has em- carefully and successfully serve all who braced him from the beginning with the seek our advantages. Our strength lies ve r y first shadow visit, to being able to in that ability and commitment. No one play in the state title football game, to in this community does it better. We his initial experience with ice hockey can look ourselves in the mirror and be to his Senior Retreat… He is leaving very satisfied . Trinity with a very high self-esteem and a strong sense of fair - Mike Higgins ’80 is a successful businessman with his brother ness, family and friends. We want to say THANK YOU TRINITY Matt ’80. I consider both to be my good friends. Recently Mike for being our partner in the development of our son. He is emerg - retold me a conversation he had with someone who grew up in ing into a terri fi c young man. Louisville but did not graduate from Tri n i t y . It seems as if this Thankful Paren t s . person was dumbfounded as to why Trinity alumni he encoun- tered were so passionate about their alma mater. Mike related The second is tied up in my reflections on a recent awards cere- that this outsider was almost angry at the passion he saw in mony held at school. Trinity alumni toward their alma mater. He said it wasn’t that I recently spoke at the end-of-the year awards assembly given way at his school. to honor underclassmen in our Advanced Program. Over 200 The guy Mike was talking with just doesn’t get it. He doesn’t strong, these young scholars are encountering the most rigorous understand what the Trinity spirit is about. fo u r -year advanced studies curriculum in our school’s history. We have a busy summer ahead of us. Students will return in Under the leadership of Mr. Frank War d , director of the Ad - the fall and encounter dramatic changes and improvements. I vanced Program, we just graduated the first class of four-y e a r continued on next page Mi s s i on State m e n t Trinity High School’s mission is to provide students with a superior high school education in a supportive atmosphere based upon Christian values in the Catholic tradition. 2 want to share some information I recently sent to parents of our we now enjoy the results of the single greatest building boom in returning students. These are great days at Tri n i t y . our school’s history (R.W. Marshall Sports Center, Shamrock Hall, Floersh Hall renovation and extension, and site improve- Class size: Our beginning school enrollment will be our large s t ment projects) we are attacking a new $1.5 million renovation in more than 15 years. In order to continue to provide the high- project. Students will enjoy new heating and air conditioning est quality education possible, we have hired additional teachers systems in Old Trinity Hall and Shamrock Hall, a third floor con- to allow us to lo w e r our average class size. There are also several nector between Floersh Hall and Sheehan Hall, and the benefits te a c h e r- c e r t i fi ed administrators who are returning to the class- of a new video/voice/data cabling project. All of Old Trinity Hall room this fall, including me. Our return to the classroom con- and Sheehan Hall will receive a facelift with new lighting, ceil- tributes to our lower average class size. Based upon the actual ings, flooring and painting. Several enhancements will be made first day enrollment, our average class size should be in the 22- to building exteriors and further upgrades will be made to out- 23 student/class range. Ask around. I believe this is the lowest door campus sites. Steinhauser Gymnasium will receive its firs t average class size for a school our size in this community—pub- major renovation since opening in 1968. lic, private or parochial. Research indicates that smaller class You can expect continued dramatic changes to our campus in sizes significantly enhance the teaching/learning environment. each of the next several years. Personal attention: Through a unique, creative and innovative Im p r oved communication: We have several initiatives under- system of Houses, we are actually making our large school way to improve parent-school communication. The Curriculum community sm a l l e r . Many student activities will be orga n i z e d Committee endorsed, and I approved, several sweeping changes through our 10 Houses. We have significantly increased the in grading standards and communications with parents. Th e s e number of student government leaders to foster greater teacher- will be explained when school begins. Starting sometime in the student contact and dialogue. “Adults as mentors” will take on fall, parents and students will be able to access the student’s own new meaning through the house system. I have never encoun- current class grades on-line. For those without on-line access, we tered such a high degree of student enthusiasm about a new pro- will continue to mail frequent grade reports. All teachers will con- gram. School spirit and a student’s feeling of belonging should tinue to have their own e-mail address. Every classroom will have be at all-time highs. Our Campus Ministry Department will con- its own telephone and every teacher their own “direct dial” phone tinue its tremendous offerings of prayer, worship, Scripture nu m b e r . Teachers will continue to have voice mail. Beginning in st u d y , charity and retreat experiences. July we will publish an eight-page monthly newsletter for parents. It will contain the most relevant and up-to-date information nec- Student services: We have added two new professionals to our essary to help parents guide their son’s journey through Tri n i t y . Counseling Department, lowering our student-counselor ratio to the best level in our school’s history. The new counselors will New talent: As we have replaced teachers and staff members work in the areas of college counseling and special education that are not returning and expanded our staff to lower class size, services. These hirings coincide with a six-month self-study con- I have been astounded at the level of talent we have attracted to ducted by the Counseling Department. Our focus is clear and we Tri n i t y .