December 22, 2016 – On the students’ last day before the Christmas break, La Salle hosted Bishop DiMarzio from the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, a diocese where many of La Salle’s students live. The students enjoyed a beautiful Mass said by Bishop DiMarzio while the student band and chorus provided reflective music. The Bishop gave a homily in which he talked about the true meaning of Christmas; a time to give of oneself.

Valentine Lehr ’58, Board Chair as well as Board member, Brother Ralph Darmento joined in the Mass. Both Trustees thanked the Bishop for visiting La Salle and saying Mass for the student body. Principal Conroy also spoke about preparing for Christmas by welcoming everyone, no matter their status.

La Salle is so grateful for this special occasion with Bishop DiMarzio. It was a beautiful way to help remember the true meaning of the Christmas season. La Salle wishes everyone a very merry and blessed Christmas holiday!

On Friday, December 2, 2016, La Salle dedicated The McGee Science Center in honor of the McGee family. Because of their generosity, La Salle is able to have four hydroponic towers and two 3D printers in the classroom. Nearly 20 members of the McGee family were able to attend this dedication ceremony as well as students and many friends of La Salle and the McGees.

La Salle is tremendously pleased to recognize the McGee family for their dedication to a life of learning, education and faith. Dr. T. Howard McGee ’58 sits on La Salle Academy’s Board of Trustees in addition to graduating from La Salle. Dr. McGee, his wife, and their family have shown their commitment to La Salle with their time and generosity. La Salle is grateful for their gifts.

Over Halloween weekend, La Salle Juniors enjoyed a hands-on learning experience in Salem, Massachusetts. Every year, La Salle Juniors read The Crucible in Ms. Toney’s English class. As part of La Salle in the City, a group of Juniors visit Salem, MA to see the book come to life!

This year, over 30 students traveled to Salem by bus. While in Salem, they made stops at many different sites, including the Salem Witch Museum, the Witch History Museum, Witch Dungeon Museum. They also stopped by the Rebecca Nurse Homestead, a site from their literature. These sites brought the classroom to reality. One student said he even talked to a witch!

The Juniors trip to Salem, MA is just one of the many La Salle in the City trips offered at La Salle Academy. There will be many others throughout the year including local museums, the Seniors trip to Washington, D.C. and many more!

The young men of La Salle Academy were all over the New York area this weekend. La Salle boys could be seen in their red sweaters at recruitment events, speaking engagements, and praying and serving at an alumni Mass.

On Saturday, two young men were in the field recruiting for the 2017-18
academic year. The young men were hard at work, telling prospective students and families why La Salle is the right choice for high school. Middle School students and their parents were able to have their questions answered, receive informational hand-outs and hear first-hand what La Salle can do for them.

Then, on Saturday night, two other La Salle young men attended Our Lady of Good Counsel for the Class of 1980 Reunion & Michael T. Carroll 9-11 Memorial Fundraiser Dinner Dance. The two young men are the recipients of the Michael Carroll 9/11 Memorial Scholarship. Both young men spoke in front of the large group of attendees to express their gratitude for their scholarships which provides the opportunity for them to attend La Salle Academy.

On Sunday morning, five La Salle young men joined a group of alumni and friends on Long Island for the 1st Annual William F. Despagna Memorial Mass, a Mass to remember the deceased friends and family in the La Salle Academy community. The young men greeted the attendees, served as alter servers during Mass, helped prepare the dining area, and met some of La Salle’s great alumni and friends.

At La Salle, students are able to receive a well-rounded education through experiential learning. We are grateful to have young men that are willing to serve. La Salle was represented in a variety of places this weekend, and we could not be prouder of our students!

La Salle Academy hosted an Open House over the weekend on Saturday, October 15th. It was the biggest open house in years as the “house” was packed. Student ambassadors proudly led groups of prospective students and parents through the school and into each classroom.

Each classroom was home to a different program here at La Salle Academy, including La Salle Works, La Salle in the City, La Salle @2:30, and La Salle’s Athletic Department. Not to mention all of our curricular departments. Mr. Pagidas’ science room caught much attention as his students dissected cats, showed off their 3D printer, and presented the produce growing through hydroponic technology.

Close to 700 prospective students and their parents toured the halls of La Salle Academy on Saturday. La Salle looks forward to welcoming another large incoming freshmen class in academic year 2017-18. A big congratulations is in order for La Salle Academy’s Admissions Director, Anthony Chin.

Thank you to all who made this year’s Open House such a huge success, including La Salle faculty, staff, parents, students, and volunteers. Go La Salle!

On Saturday, October 8^th, 10 young men traveled to St. Joseph of the Holy Family in Harlem to assist with their “Faith Walk”, including the set-up & breakdown of the breakfast and lunch.

The “Faith Walk” is the parish’s annual event, gathering the English and Spanish communities to literally walk a mile within the parish boundaries while praying, singing and expressing the faith to the larger community. Our young men did a phenomenal job and were praised incredibly by the parishioners.

“I had a very fun time at the Church of St. Joseph of the Holy Family. All my life I’ve lived near the church never to experience the kind of community that I’ve experienced there. I saw people online waiting to receive food from the church’s pantry that were very unfortunate that made little to no income that needed help and I felt very sorry for them. The people that were serving the food were very nice and pleasant. Coach Pannell told me about one of the people that served there that went through 3 heart surgeries and had a stroke and it made him grateful, almost like reconciling or repenting. The man can’t move one side of his body but he comes every Saturday to serve these poverty-stricken people. Watching him do this made me think to myself and want to give more as a young man growing up in a Catholic school, especially a prestigious school like LaSalle Academy. On the spirit walk I had a lot to think about. One of the things that I thought about was that I’m really grateful to be in the position I’m in as a young man because I have a home to come to and lay my head and at least 2-3 meals a day. I spoke to some of the elders on the walk and they told me about challenges that they’ve overcome in the past and how they feel about their lives in the present. In the short time with this community I learned a lot about myself and how to become a more selfless individual.” ~Jervon Warlick ’17

Yesterday, La Salle hosted it’s annual La Salle Works Reception. La Salle Works, the school’s intensive internship program, offers students paid and unpaid internships to prepare for and in the world of work. Students gain real-world experience and begin to think about their future careers.

During the dinner, many representatives from different agencies all over New York City presented the opportunities for work they offer at their sites. La Salle offers over 100 internship sites to choose from. Students have the opportunity to work with real estate agencies, technology companies, city council, law firms and much more.

Among the many speakers was Mr. Bernard McElhone, La Salle Academy Board of Trustee Consultant and major supporter of the school. Mr. McElhone started the La Salle Works program three years ago, recognizing the need and the great potential in the young men at La Salle. While McElhone did not graduate from La Salle, he is a proud member of this community. He encouraged the young men to work hard and to represent La Salle well. La Salle thanks Mr. McElhone for all of his support and for beginning this invaluable program.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016: La Salle Academy entered into the second year of its tablet program with one of the biggest La Salle classes the school has seen in years, the Class of 2020. Thanks to La Salle’s robust partnership with Microsoft, 105 freshmen received Microsoft Surface Tablets to enhance their academic experience for four years. These young men were all smiles as they unveiled their tablets and spent the day training up on how to use the tablets to their advantage.

The sophomores also received their tablets this morning after leaving the devices in the safety of La Salle for the summer. The sophomores received a training as well to refresh their technology skills and knowledge of best practices.

Both the freshmen and sophomores will participate in a tablet-based curriculum which enables students to learn digital literacy, navigate social media and share content with the world. The first year of the tablet program was so wildly successful that the school’s tablet program made it into the New York Times! Students were seen getting competitive in the classroom while taking quizzes on their tablets which are linked to the SMART Boards in the classrooms. This is just one sign of the increased student engagement that these devices promote.

La Salle is leading edge. With a world that has become increasingly digital, the use of technology in schools has become increasingly relevant and necessary. There is a rather large trend of digital learning and La Salle is at the forefront.

La Salle Academy has always prided itself on teaching our students to be college-minded and to prepare for the next steps during their high school careers. We continue to do that throughout the school year as well as over the summer. This summer, La Salle has launched its very own SAT Prep and college readiness program.

La Salle College Explorers are a group of thirteen rising juniors from La Salle as well as a few other high schools. This week, the group is touring various college and university campuses around New York City including Manhattan College, Baruch College, Fordham University, St. John’s University, Berkley College, St. Francis College, Malacauy Honors College and The Cooper Union.

The group will spend the remainder of the three-week program in the classroom preparing for the SATs, a test that can be the deciding factor between an acceptance or a rejection from certain colleges and universities. La Salle has partnered with The Ivy Key to make sure students are taught by the best of the best in the field of college test-preparation.

The La Salle administration is confident that these young men and women will enter into their junior year of high school feeling prepared for their college search. Check out some photos of the students taking in the college experience!

On the evening of Thursday, June 2, 2016, La Salle graduated the Class of 2016, the 168th class in the school’s history. This was a special day for the nearly 100 students who walked down the aisle of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral to receive their high school diplomas, marking the end of their La Salle career and the beginning of new and bright futures. Many students received special awards for their achievements at La Salle. The student body president spoke about the great lessons that he has learned and the memories he has made as a brother’s boy. The valedictorian added some humor to his speech and inspired everyone to strive to always be the best version of themselves as they go forward from high school. Each student was called by name to receive their diploma. It was a joyous day for everyone. Everyone at La Salle Academy would like to wish every graduate the best of luck in their next endeavors. Remember…You are La Salle.

Today, the senior class of 2016 finish their high school careers and move on to their next big endeavors. On Tuesday, the seniors celebrated this momentous week with breakfast and an awards ceremony. The students enjoyed a slide show commemorating their time at La Salle and heard inspiring words from Chief Executive of Big Brother Big Sisters of N.Y.C., Mr. Hector Batista. They also received some academic awards as well as superlative awards that the students had voted on including “Most likely to get married first” received by William Moore and “Most likely to be on television” received by Shameek Smith. Alumni from many different classes assisted in pinning each senior with a special alumni pin. Congratulations to the Class of 2016! Remember…you are La Salle!

Estimados padres de familia. Tutores:

El mañana en la noche, la clase de 2016 se graduará de la Catedral de St Patrick. Les felicitamos por este gran evento. Estamos agradecidos a ellos por todo lo que han hecho durante sus cuatro años y les desean una feliz y con más éxito siguiente etapa de su vida.

Final y regentes exámenes comenzarán en junio 14^th. El horario del examen se publicarán en la Página Web. Las boletas serán enviadas hacia fuera hacia el final del mes. Sin embargo, cualquier estudiante que puede no haber un curso se notificará el 25 y 26 de junio por teléfono. La Salle Academy a no ser que ofrece escuela de verano. Maquillaje se puede hacer en otras High Schools secundarias de católica, escuela de verano, o en línea. Formulario de inscripción para escuela de verano estará disponible en la oficina de orientación. Si usted desea maquillaje un fracaso en línea, ver Ms Conroy.

El lunes, 13 de Junio, los estudiantes saldrán de clases a las 12:55 para una reunión de Facultad. Este es un cambio en el calendario.

La Asociación de padres tendrán dos eventos este mes. El lunes, 13 de Junio, proporcionará helados para los estudiantes durante los períodos de almuerzo. El 17 de Junio, habrá una noche de Bingo familiar. Ellos enviarán los detalles específicos poco.

Como que se jubilará a finales de junio, esta será mi última carta como Principal. Ha sido un honor y un privilegio servir en Academia La Salle y trabajar con tu hijo. Gracias por todo el apoyo que han dado me y La Salle en los años. De hecho he sido bendecido por Dios.

Que Dios los siga bendiga a usted y su familia. Siempre serás una parte de mis oraciones.

En directo, Jesús en nuestros corazones. Por siempre! 

Atentamente,

Hermano William Johnson FSC Principales                      

We’ve selected our new Principal, Ms. Kerry Conroy!

As the current Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs, Ms. Conroy is ready to hit the ground running and take our school to new heights! She’s demonstrated her dedication to our Lasallian mission and to building a nurturing learning environment for all of our students.

Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Ms. Conroy came to New York City in 1999 to become a Lasallian Volunteer at La Salle Academy. After two years as a Volunteer, she went back home for a year, but joined La Salle again in September 2002 as a Guidance Counselor. She was later promoted to the Director of our Guidance Department, and in 2013, was named Assistant Principal of Academic Affairs.

Ms. Conroy has a Master’s Degree and a Professional Diploma in School Counseling, as well as Professional Diploma in School Building Leadership, both from Manhattan College. She has also attended the Lasallian Leadership Institute (LLI) and the Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies.

Ms. Conroy’s years of experience and learning, along with her special talent for building welcoming communities for our students, will guide La Salle into its next phase of academic greatness!

Congratulations to Principal Conroy! We all look forward to working with you.

SENIOR EXAM SCHEDULE
DIRECTIONS FOR STUDENTS
1. Please note the day, time and room for each of your exams. Your teacher will remind you of your section number if there are multiple sections of your class.

2. You do not have to report to homeroom. When you come to school, remain in the cafeteria until you are sent upstairs by Mr. Polanco.

3. If you are late for school, you must report to the main office for a late pass. DO NOT GO DIRECTLY TO THE EXAM ROOM AS YOU WILL NOT BE ADMITTED WITHOUT A LATE PASS. You will not be given extra time for the exam.

4. If you are absent, you must bring in a doctor’s note explaining the reason for the absence before you will be permitted to make-up the exam(s). A call to the school must also be made on the day of the absence by a parent or guardian. All make-up exams that have been pre-approved by Ms. Conroy will be given on Thursday, May 26th, beginning at 8:30 am.

5. You will be in the exam room for the full time scheduled time. When you are finished, do not linger in the halls as classes are going on for the underclassmen.

6. Take care of all obligations including book returns before the start of exams.

Click here for the Senior Exam Schedule 2016.

Yesterday afternoon, nearly 20 students took the floor to present poems from various authors including John Greenleaf Whittier, Robert Frost, Alexander Pope and many more. Some young men even presented their own poetry. La Salle has always incorporated poetry into the English curriculum, but this was the first time they were given the chance to participate in Poetry Out Loud. Each student gave it their all as they showed off their skills of theatricality, conviction, and articulation.

After much deliberation, the winners were determined as such:

1st Place: Ricky Jagroo, Barbara Frietchie by John Greenleaf Whittier

2nd Place: Nelson Millwood, The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost

3rd Place: Luis Tejada, The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost

On Saturday, April 16^th, a group of La Salle boys took part in The Pilgrimage of New York with Brother Ed, Brother Peter and interim Campus Minister, Mr. Billings. This city-wide pilgrimage was in honor of the year of Mercy, established by Pope Francis. The students and chaperones visited the 5 doors of mercy in the Archdiocese of New York, designated by Cardinal Dolan. Check out the picture of the group in front of the shrine of La Salle’s founder, Saint John Baptist de La Salle.

Learn more about the pilgrimage here!

On his feast day, we are reminded of the man behind our mission at La Salle Academy, Saint John Baptist de La Salle. As an educational reformer, Saint John Baptist de La Salle dedicated his life to the education of poor boys in France. Saint John Baptist de La Salle was born into a wealthy family, but gave up everything to give the necessary educational opportunities to boys who would otherwise not have the resources to do so. At La Salle Academy, we strive to embody his selflessness and his dedication to do God’s will.

Saint John Baptist de La Salle is the patron saint of teachers. Today, please pray for teachers, especially those at La Salle Academy, that they can continue to educate our Brothers’ Boys in the Lasallian spirit. Happy Feast Day! Live, Jesus, in our hearts…forever!

On Friday, March 18th, La Salle hosted its Annual Career Day. Over 70 representatives — alumni and beyond — from different walks of life spoke to our boys, including keynote speaker John Catsimatidis. He spoke about what went into building his billion-dollar business and inspired our students to reach for the stars!
       

On Thursday, March 17th, over 50 La Salle Alumni gathered for brunch before heading out to march in the Annual NYC Saint Patrick’s Day Parade along with La Salle students, staff and faculty. The brunch was hosted at Avison Young, courtesy of Marty Cottingham ’88. Kind words were spoken by Dr. Cathy Guerriero (La Salle President), Valentine Lehr (Board of Trustee Chair), Ismini Scouras (Vice President for Institutional Advancement), and Marty Cottingham ’88. Marching in the NYC Saint Patrick’s Day Parade is  a storied tradition for La Salle. A big ‘thank you’ goes out to alumnus Reilly Dundon ’72 who makes this tradition possible every year. It was quite a special moment as 400 from the La Salle family marched down 5th Avenue. Thank you to everyone who participated!

As a result of our year-long work with Cooper Union, our boys came in 2^nd place at the Rube Goldberg Robotics Competition on Sunday at the Fieldston School in Riverdale. Our team – a combined effort with St. Joseph’s HS for Girls (another collaborative in motion) – created a kinetic machine of sorts that was titled “War and Peace” which framed the connection between the duality of push / pull to that of pushes of war and the return to peace …

This was our first competition of this sort and we – literally – almost made it to the national competition. Great thanks go to the LaSalle Academy science department, Cooper Union Engineering Dean George Delagrammatikas who worked on this project with our boys all year, and especially the LaSalle students who did the work.

We also got a special award for a two-school collaboration (with St. Joe’s) which the judges created on the spot and thought was particularly “science-worthy.”

On Sunday, February 28th, La Salle Academy hosted its first ever Memorial Mass in Manhattan in loving memory of our deceased alumni, families, and friends. Students and alumni served at the Mass held at Holy Redeemer Church on 3rd Street. Everyone who attended, joined together for an early Sunday dinner at our Second Street Alumni Center. It was a blessed and wonderful afternoon!