Letters from the Board

Dear St. Catherine’s Community,

We are thrilled to announce that our Board of Directors has officially approved the expansion of our main campus with a $10 million build and renovation project! This milestone paves the way for more space, new opportunities, and an even richer learning environment for our students from early childhood through high school.

The upcoming renovations and new construction will include:

• A dedicated space for Creative Expressions
• Additional nap space for Early Childhood students
• An added Atrium for Lower School students
• New conference rooms for meetings and tutoring
• A renovated kitchen for faculty/staff
• A brand-new Upper School building to serve our Adolescent Community and High School students

What’s next?

• Fall 2025: Hire an architect and a construction company, start design for construction
• January 2026: Begin fundraising 
• 2029-2030 School Year: New facilities and renovations in service

This is a major step forward for St. Catherine’s, and we could not be more excited about the future it creates for our students, families, and faculty/staff. Please join me in celebrating this important milestone for our community!

If you have any questions or would like to chat more about the expansion, we are always happy to connect.

Here we go!

Dear St. Catherine’s Community,

As the school year begins again, we are met with a renewed sense of purpose, hope, and joy as old friendships are rekindled, and new friendships are in the offing.  It is a time when aspirations take root and the energy of the community gathers in anticipation of what lies ahead.

In this spirit, the St. Catherine’s Montessori Board of Directors also commences its work for the 2025–2026 school year. 

This year, the Board is composed of nine dedicated members:

• Kevin Smith (President, Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee Chair, Finance Committee)
• Angie Gubitz (Vice President, Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee)
• Sarah Scherschel (Secretary, Committee on Directors Chair)
• Lauren Wasielewski (Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair)
• Misty Matin (Advancement Committee Chair)
• Chad Mavity (Committee on Directors)
• Sam McGlone (Buildings & Grounds Committee Chair)
• Eric Rodriguez (Buildings & Grounds Committee)
• Denise Stasio (President Emerita, Committee on Directors, Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee)

We invite you to visit the Board pages on the SCM website to get to know us a bit better and learn how we operate.  We have been together as a team now for almost three years and along with our amazing Head of School, Lina Delgado, are well positioned to guide St. Catherine’s Montessori toward its vision as a national leader in Catholic Montessori education deeply rooted in the Dominican spirit. 

This year, in addition to our regular Board responsibilities, we have two main goals:

1. Develop a strategy and roadmap for the execution and financing of the campus expansion project that considers the on-going financial security of SCM. 
2. Continue to support the Head of School, Faculty & Staff in the implementation of the Strategic Plan.

Thank you for helping us keep our important mission alive and thriving through your prayers, financial support, and being a champion of St. Catherine’s Montessori. We look forward to seeing you at various community events and to all the blessings this year holds in store for us.

With gratitude,

Kevin Smith
President

Dear St. Catherine’s Community,

The month of May is always such a busy time of the school year.  It’s also a great time to stop and reflect on the milestones and successes we have achieved together. Thanks to the dedication of our students, faculty, staff, parents, and broader community, St. Catherine’s continues to thrive as a place of learning, growth, and discovery.

Throughout this school year, our Board of Directors has remained committed to supporting the long-term vision of St. Catherine’s Montessori. Guided by a shared mission and purpose, the Board focused on three key priorities:

1. Facilities and Capacity Planning – We supported a comprehensive facilities and capacity study to assess and plan for the current and future needs of our school. As our community continues to flourish, it is essential to ensure that our physical spaces support an optimal learning environment for all students.
2. Strategic Plan Implementation – We continued to stand behind our Head of School, faculty, and staff as they carried out the objectives outlined in our Strategic Plan. This plan serves as a roadmap for the future, ensuring that we remain aligned with our Montessori and Catholic Dominican values to meet the needs of our students.
3. Board Committee Structure and Membership – In our ongoing effort to strengthen governance and effectiveness, we assessed our Board committee structure and membership. By making strategic adjustments, we aim to ensure that our leadership remains well-equipped to guide St. Catherine’s Montessori into the future.

We want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to Lina Delgado for her unwavering dedication and exemplary leadership. Lina continues to inspire our community through her steadfast commitment to fostering an environment of collaboration, curiosity, and development. Her ability to lead with vision and purpose ensures that St. Catherine’s remains a nurturing and enriching place for students and educators alike. We look forward to the exciting initiatives that will unfold under her continued guidance.

At St. Catherine’s Montessori, our strength lies in our community. Every individual—whether a student, parent, guide, staff member, donor, alumni, grandparent, friend, or volunteer—plays a vital role in shaping our school’s culture and success.

Your unwavering support throughout the year has made a lasting impact. Whether through your participation in the SCM Annual Fund, the Glitz & Glam Gala, a parent education event (I especially enjoyed the Montessori Journey this year), a PSO event, or a monthly Mass with Fr. Richard or Fr. John — simply by being an engaged and active member of our school community — your contributions have been invaluable. It is this collective spirit that allows our Montessori approach to thrive, providing students with a rich, well-rounded education that nurtures their intellectual, emotional, and social growth.

We are excited about the future and eager to continue building on our strong foundation. With your ongoing support, we are confident that the coming year will bring even more opportunities for learning, growth, and community engagement.

Thank you for being an essential part of the St. Catherine’s Montessori family. Your dedication and involvement make all the difference, and we are deeply grateful for each and every one of you.

Wishing you a joyful, restful summer, and we look forward to seeing you in the fall!

With gratitude,

Denise Stasio
Board President

Dear St. Catherine’s Community,

With the start of the school year comes the promise of new beginnings, fresh hopes, and dreams, creating an infectious air of excitement! As our community embarks on this fresh start, the St. Catherine’s Montessori Board is also commencing its work for 2024-2025.

This year, the Board is composed of nine dedicated members:

• Denise Stasio (President, Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee Chair, Finance Committee)
• Angie Gubitz (Vice President, Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee)
• Sarah Scherschel (Secretary, Committee on Directors Chair)
• Lauren Wasielewski (Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair)
• Misty Matin (Advancement Committee Chair)
• Chad Mavity (Committee on Directors)
• Sam McGlone (Buildings & Grounds Committee Chair)
• Eric Rodriguez (Buildings & Grounds Committee)
• Kevin Smith (Committee on Directors, Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee)

We invite you to visit the Board pages on the new SCM website, which looks amazing! A special thank you to everyone involved in creating this beautiful reflection of our Catholic Montessori community, deeply rooted in the Dominican spirit.

This year, in addition to our regular Board responsibilities, we have three main goals:

1. Support a facilities and capacity study to meet the current and future needs of St. Catherine’s Montessori.
2. Continue to support the Head of School, faculty, and staff in implementing the Strategic Plan.
3. Assess and adjust Board committee structure and membership to achieve the goals of St. Catherine’s Montessori.

Thank you for helping us keep our important mission alive and thriving through your prayers, promotion, and financial support of St. Catherine’s Montessori. We look forward to seeing you at various community events and to all the blessings this year holds in store for us.

Gratefully,

Denise Stasio
President

1. Supporting the Implementation of the New St. Catherine’s Montessori Strategic Plan 

The Strategic Plan serves as a dynamic roadmap for our institution's future as a Catholic Montessori school rooted in the Dominican tradition. Crafted meticulously by our dedicated team, led by Lina and SCM faculty and staff, this plan ensures our adaptability in a rapidly changing world. We extend heartfelt gratitude to Lina and her team for their exceptional work in formulating and carrying out actionable plans for each strategic goal.

2. Engaging the Board of Directors in Risk Analysis and Strategic Thinking to Identify and Develop Holistic School and Board Responses 

• Denise Stasio (President, Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee Chair, Finance Committee)
• Angie Gubitz (Vice President, Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee)
• Sarah Scherschel (Secretary, Committee on Directors Chair)
• Lauren Wasielewski (Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair)
• Misty Matin (Advancement Committee Chair)
• Chad Mavity (Committee on Directors)
• Sam McGlone (Buildings & Grounds Committee Chair)
• Eric Rodriguez (Buildings & Grounds Committee)
• Kevin Smith (Committee on Directors, Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee)

1. To support the implementation of the new St. Catherine’s Montessori Strategic Plan.
2. To discuss scenarios that engage the Board of Directors in risk analysis and strategic thinking to identify and develop holistic school and Board responses.

Dear St. Catherine’s Community,

It is hard to believe that we have come so quickly to the end of another successful school year at St. Catherine’s! In September, the Board of Directors shared with you its two main goals for the 2022-2023 school year:

1. To continue to support Lina Delgado as she settles into her first year as Head of School. 2. To create the next Strategic Plan.

The Board is pleased to share that, with your community support, these goals have been met. The Board believes Lina has done an excellent job in her first year as Head of School. This year has been incredibly busy with all the pre-pandemic community events back up and running, a gala, and strategic planning. Lina joyfully joined in the work and led our community through another wonderful year. We have found her to be an excellent partner in school leadership and are excited about what is to come next year.

The Strategic Plan is almost complete. The Board extends its appreciation and gratitude to Kathy Hijazi and Chad Mavity, the Strategic Planning Committee Co-Chairs. They have done an immense amount of work in leading us in this process. We are also very grateful to the St. Catherine’s community for filling out surveys, attending focus groups, and actively participating in this process. Once finalized, the Strategic Plan will be posted to the Board page of the website. We are excited for what the future holds and the work that we will do together.

In addition to being grateful to you for helping us to meet our goals, we appreciate the many ways you support St. Catherine’s from contributing to the SCM Annual Fund to volunteering for Advancement and PSO-led events. We feel blessed to be part of the St. Catherine’s community and continuing to fulfill the mission and vision set forth by our foundresses, Sr. Edna Ann and Sr. Shirley.

We hope this summer brings you opportunities for rest and relaxation, and we look forward to seeing you in the fall. 

Sincerely, 

Ryan Patterson

• Ryan Patterson (President)
• Angie Gubitz (Vice President; Chair of Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee)
• Misty Matin (Secretary; Chair of Advancement Committee)
• Lauren Wasielewski (Treasurer; Chair of Finance Committee)
• Kathy Hijazi (Co-Chair of Strategic Planning Committee)
• Chad Mavity (Co-Chair of Strategic Planning Committee)
• Sarah Scherschel (Co-Chair of Committee on Directors; Buildings & Grounds Committee)
• Kevin Smith (Head of School Support & Evaluation Committee)
• Denise Stasio (Co-Chair of Committee on Directors)

1. To continue to support Lina Delgado as she settles into her first year as Head of School.
2. To create the next five-year Strategic Plan for 2023-2028.