Friends,

A new school year that many of us once thought impossible is now upon us. And we are back on Morrissey Boulevard with an abundance of caution and safety! It could not have been done without the hard work of the Board of Trustees, COVID Response Team, Enterprise Risk Task Force and Committees, School Task Force, our nurses, our school leadership, our Teachers Association, the Jesuit Community, Mayor Walsh and his team, our Jesuit School Colleagues, the Archdiocese, the Jesuit Network, our experts, faculty, staff, students, parents, coaches, moderators and alumni.

In these exciting past few weeks, we first welcomed faculty and staff back onto campus for professional development in preparation for our hybrid Connected Learning model. All of our faculty and staff also participated in a powerful full day learning and discussing implicit bias, diversity, equity, and inclusion with PDT Global and Courageous Conversation, beginning an in-depth commitment to the work this year. I want to thank the many members of our community who also participated in the second annual National Anti-Racism Teach-in hosted by BC High.

Last week, our students returned for orientation sessions and shared the Mass of the Holy Spirit with their classmates. And, yesterday, we began our first official day of classes!

At the Mass of the Holy Spirit, I urged each class to "stand in solidarity, find the Magis in the Margins and accompany one another standing side by side," in the words of Principal Lewis. I followed up on our commitment to walking with our brown and black colleagues and students and commitment that Black Lives Matter. We want BC High to be a beacon - an anti-racist school committed to being men and women for others committed to a faith that does justice. Because we also need to be safe, I asked students to think about their masks, distance and hand-washing not as a burden, but as good citizenship.

In Micah 6:8 we connect our faith with our actions: “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” I would add, and we walk with each other. This was no more realized than in the petitions we shared at each Mass of the Holy Spirit.

I hope you will join me in praying for safety and success as we strive to walk together this year as one community with one mission.

AMDG,

Grace Regan P'12

With more than $1 million dollars invested into classroom infrastructure this summer to support our hybrid Connected Learning model, our students are safely back on campus and in the classroom while still being connected to their classmates at home!

Two weeks ago, we were thrilled to introduce to you our seven new Board of Trustees members. If you missed that communication, you can read bios on each of our new Trustees here. These new Trustees were voted in unanimously, and now comprise the most diverse Board in our school’s 157-year history.

Additionally, three longtime Trustees have retired: Board Chair Kelly Verrochi P’15, Vice-Chair Tim O’Donnell ’83 and John Ferraro ’73. I must share special thanks to these former Trustees for their incredible partnership and steadfast leadership in our community. I am excited to work alongside our new Chair, Rev. Michael McFarland, SJ, and new Vice-Chair, Serge Georges, Jr. '88. Fr. McFarland is a Jesuit with an incredible depth and breadth of experience - who will be known to many as the former President of the College of the Holy Cross. Serge Georges is, of course, a pillar of our community at BC High, in Boston, and beyond.

We asked five short questions to help those in our community who may not know them to get acquainted! Click on the pictures below to read the interviews.

Two years ago, Rob Galibois '88, P'20, '22, in the Jesuit tradition of helping others, created a private group on Facebook for BC High parents to share their experiences and help their sons during their journey on Morrissey Boulevard. The forum provides informal space for conversations and support.

When COVID-19 hit in March, Rob, like many of us, looked around the community to see where and how the community could try to support those in need during these unprecedented circumstances. A local group known as the "Outreach Program" popped up on the radar with a mission to end hunger in New England. The program is heavily dependent on volunteers to assemble meals for distribution throughout New England.

A post was made in the group seeking volunteers - and the response was overwhelming! Students, parents, and their families traveled to Pembroke and stepped up to the challenge, taking over the warehouse for the entire day, three times!

To date, nearly 300 volunteers serving almost 600 community hours have prepared over 185,000 meals.

Recently, Fr. Ron Perry, SJ learned of these efforts and reached out to support the project by setting aside the upcoming October 1 Mite Box Collection to support the Outreach Program.

In Rob's own words: "This concerted effort between the parents and our school launches inspiring momentum for the entire BC High community to serve the population struggling with the most basic necessity: food. Together we - the students, teachers, staff, alumni, and parents - are stronger in our service for others."

Thank you to Rob, a true Man for Others!