Dear Star Moms,

With Mothers’ Day coming this Sunday, I have spent a few moments reminiscing about my own Mom and the other women in my life who have been like Moms to me. The list is rather lengthy and the vast majority of these women have gone on to their heavenly reward, but both my faith and my “gut feeling” remind me that they have never stopped being a part of my life. Their encouragement, their love, even the times they made it clear that I hadn’t quite lived up to their expectations, all helped to form me into the man I am today.

I have no doubt that if Sandra (my wife) were ever able to have a conversation with my Mom; I would not want to be in the room. Neither do I doubt that their conversation would end with both shaking their heads and saying, “I don’t know why I love him but I do.”

I have also been thinking about the Moms I work with here at Star. So much of our success as a school community comes directly from the time, energy and love that our school Moms put into every day. Social events, fundraisers, new ideas, great classes (10 of our faculty / staff are Moms), and so many other activities are successful because of our Moms. And I would be remiss if I did not point out that our school is dedicated to Mary, Star of the Sea who was chosen to be the Mother of God.

Thank you all for being the Moms you are. God bless you on Mothers’ Day and every day of the year.  As a spiritual Gift to you, you will be remembered in the Masses offered in our church in observance of Mothers’ Day.

Sincerely,

Terrence Hanley

Dear Parents and Students,

In a few weeks, I will be flying back to Massachusetts to attend my daughter’s graduation.  Kelly attended Good Shepherd, Sacred Heart Cathedral and went on to College of the Holy Cross.  There have been many times when I really hated the geographical distance between us these last four years, but Holy Cross was the perfect school for her.

I won’t bore you with the details of Kelly’s education or career plans.  Nor will I list the many people to whom her Mom and I need to say, “Thank you”.  But I will ask you to read the following letter, written by a Holy Cross grad in which she expresses her gratitude and appreciation to those who made her education possible.  I’m sharing this with you because it touched me deeply and I thought you would love to read it.

Sincerely,

Terrence Hanley
Principal

‘AN OPEN LETTER OF GRATITUDE”

 I started my second year at Holy Cross in a free fall.  My mom died on August 7, 1992, just two weeks before the start of school, leaving unresolved questions about whether I’d return to the Hill and how I’d pay for it if I did.  After escaping to the College from a run-down city high school in Medford, Mass., my first year on Mount St. James had convinced me I’d reached the Promised Land.  The possibility of not returning was the only thing that could intensify my already-searing grief.

My financial aid package, calculated earlier that year on the assumption of two living, working parents, resulted in a bill that was impossible in the context of my family’s new reality.  In those chaotic days between the funeral and the first day of class, my father and I reached a half-solution about my future.  I would return to school – but with only a fraction of my tuition for the semester paid.

A month later, after evading a continual flurry of pink notes from the bursar’s office requesting my immediate attention, I went in to meet my fate.  The conversation began predictably enough with a mini-lecture on the importance of promptly responding to “official College business.”  But then it took an acute turn – for the better.  I wasn’t being tossed out of school.  On the contrary, an alumnus had heard of my situation and wanted to pay my tuition for the remainder of the year on the condition that he (or she) would remain anonymous.  Stunned, I accepted.  In that moment, the trajectory of my life was permanently altered.

A week later I was asked back – surely to retract the offer, I thought.  Again, my assumption could not have been more wrong.  The donor decided to extend the offer and cover my tuition through graduation.

My memory of that day is dominated by a feeling of overwhelming gratitude – but at the time that gratitude wasn’t for the future I’d been given.  I couldn’t comprehend that then.  I had just turned 19 and the scope of my perspective didn’t extend much beyond the present tense.  What I remember is running to lunch at Kimball, silently thanking God for the chance at a second life with my friends and a pass out of the sadness of my home life.

Today, with the distance of almost two decades, it is impossible to describe how much this event permeates the core of who I am.  I have two daughters.  I have a Ph.D.  I think about my anonymous benefactor every single day.  Making good on that person’s investment frames my worldview and motivates me to live a purposeful life.

An individual I will presumably never know gave me Holy Cross – the education, the degree, the experiences – as a gift.  It is strange not to be able to say thank you.  I wonder if this person assumes that the poignancy of this gift, made so long ago, has faded over time.  I feel compelled to write publicly that it has had the exact opposite effect.  I appreciate it more every day.

This gift set the context for my last three years of college and helped me to take advantage of the lessons Holy Cross aspires to instill in all students: intellectual curiosity, civic responsibility and faith.  Certainly my faith was part of that dark time in September 1992, when my future hung in the balance.  I have distinct memories of lying in my bed in Clark, scared, and invoking a prayer more universal than the Our Father:  “Dear God, if you just grant me this one wish I promise I’ll never ask for anything ever again.  Please let me stay at Holy Cross.”  Somehow my less-than-pious prayer was answered.  I can’t help but attribute that, in part, to divine intervention.  Yet the facts are clear:  Someone in our community came to my rescue.  At a time when my faith was greatly shaken, I received the greatest blessing of my life.  It’s not easy to reconcile why a gift from one person to another solidified my faith in God.  I just know it did.  It’s also not easy to try to see God in everyone I encounter.  But how could I not?  That person I just passed on the street could be him or her.

Since graduating, I’ve learned that an education is the most profound gift one human being can give to another.  Opportunities compound over time, each enabled by its predecessor, all originating from a common starting point.  Holy Cross was the point of origin in my life that shaped the arc of possibility for everything that has come after it.  My donor must have known the incalculable value of his or her gift then.  It has taken me half a lifetime to grasp – and I know it will take me the rest of my life to adequately say thank you.

Celine Coggins ’93 is the founder and CEO of Teach Plus, a national nonprofit organization that strives to provide urban students access to effective, experienced teachers.  To learn more about Holy Cross’ current financial aid policies, visit holycross.edu/financialaid. (Miss Coggins enthusiastically approved of Mr. Hanley sharing this letter.)

Dear Parents and Students,

Several years ago Dimas Diningrat started second grade at Star of the Sea School. His parents had not been pleased with the nearby public school he had attended and his Mom had heard good things about Star. One major concern of his Dad’s was that he wasn’t sure how a Muslim child would be treated in a Catholic school.

Every morning before the bell rang, Dino (Dimas’ Dad) would ask Miss Roche about what was being taught in Religion class and how she was treating his son. She actually gave him an extra Religion book so he could read exactly what was in our curriculum and be able to tell Dimas where Islam and Catholicism differed and where they were the same. Every morning after the bell rang, he asked me the same questions.

After about a month, Dino came to me and said that he loved Miss Roche, he loved his son’s classmates, he felt comfortable with the Religion curriculum, but he still worried about “that building”. He pointed at the Church when he said that.

Dino had grown up in a place where Muslims and Christians did not respect each other at all. I told him that 9^th Avenue was different. I also offered to sit with him in the back of the Church during our next student body Mass and explain each part of the liturgy to him. He agreed to do that.

Unfortunately, just a few days later, Dino had a heart attack while at work. The ambulance took him to the nearest hospital, Saint Mary’s on Stanyan Street. As is our custom, we prayed for his health and quick recovery.

A few days passed and Dino called me. I clearly remember his concerns. He was a good Muslim trying to raise his son to be a good Muslim. But he was sitting in a Catholic hospital all day while his son attended Catholic school and he heard that we had prayed a Hail Mary for him.

I assured him that God didn’t “hear” prayers so much as felt our needs and wishes. That Star of the Sea also wanted Dimas to grow up to be a good Muslim, and that our prayers were from the heart without any political agenda.

Four years went by and Dino and I spoke often. Dimas was growing up to be the good Muslim his Dad had hoped he would be. At the beginning of sixth grade Dino came to my office, closed the door, looked me in the eye, and said, “How do we get my son into a Catholic high school?” It had taken awhile, but Dino had learned that Catholic education is about loving all of God’s children.

Sadly, Dino passed away last year. Several of us attended the Muslim service followed by our own service here at Star of the Sea Church. Dimas and his parents had shared a lot of love with classmates and other parents. Dimas and his Mom moved back to Indonesia shortly after Dino passed. The Diningrat family will remain in our prayers, especially this year as Dimas’ classmates graduate.

During Easter vacation, the Mayren family was able to visit Dimas and Ida. They spent time sharing stories about the rest of the class and I’m sure Dino’s name came up too. I’m sharing all of this with you because Dimas sent us a gift, a beautiful Koran. It makes me very hopeful that a few of us were able to overcome fear and prejudice and share two great faiths with each other.

God Bless,

Terrence Hanley
Principal

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This year the summer 2012 program will run from June 11th through July 6th.  Download the summer school 2012 application.

Dear Parents and Students,

I would like to share with you an update on our plan to replace the windows throughout the school. This plan was mapped out a few years back as we prepared to celebrate our centennial. Phase I was the new Father William Duggan Science Lab and thanks to the generosity of two foundations, one very generous alumni, and our own families, the funds (approximately $320,000) for that project were raised even before the lab opened. Phase II is to replace the windows throughout the school. The vast majority of these windows are the original ones from the early 1930s. They are old, drafty, and ugly. Replacing them will not only make the school more attractive, it will reduce our energy consumption and provide a more suitable working environment for teachers and students.

About six weeks ago a representative from the Archdiocesan Building Department came out to evaluate our needs and he then contacted Bonelli Windows and Doors, a South San Francisco company who has done work for the Archdiocese before. Bonelli manufactures windows and frames but they do not install them. Working together we created a plan for replacing all the windows in the main school building and then the Archdiocese put the project out to bid. Three window installation companies submitted bids and the Archdiocese has decided to use the services of Progress Glass Company.

The next step is for us to raise the funds needed to complete this project. We need just over $290,000 to pay for materials and installation. (That amount also includes an extra 10% as a contingency.) I have already spoken with a few generous alumni and will be contacting several foundations in an effort to raise funds. Past experience tells me that major donors are going to expect us to raise at least 50% of that amount here in our own community.

Father Brian has offered $100,000 loan from the parish. That leaves $190,000 for us to raise as a school community. This is a large amount, but I am confident that we will be able to raise it, because when we started Phase I (four years ago) we were very successful. Below, I will outline our initial steps in raising these funds.

The first step is to participate in our Spell-A-Thon. Our goal is to raise $10,000. The joy of a Spell-A-Thon is that there are very few expenses involved. The vast majority of funds raised will go directly into the window replacement project. The annual Spring Gala is the next step. Please get involved in any way you can. Soliciting auction items or donating some yourself would be a great help. Even better, join us for the event and bring some friends. If you have not yet sent in this year’s pledge, please consider being just a bit more generous.

Replacing these old windows has many obvious benefits, but one that may not occur to you is that when prospective families come to visit Star, some are turned off by the dilapidated windows. I firmly believe that new windows will impress some of these families enough to keep an open mind about looking inside our school. And once they meet our family and get to know our program, I have no doubt that enrollment will increase. This too will help our fundraising activities.

I’ll be writing more about this in the next few weeks and sending letters to all our alumni, neighbors, and friends. Thank you for your constant support of Star of the Sea School.

Sincerely,

Terrence Hanley
Principal

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome back! I hope you all had a pleasant Easter vacation and that you took some time to reflect on the love God has for all of us. His incarnation shows that He loves us so much He wants to live among us, His resurrection proves that His love conquers even death.

In just the last few days, I was told that our pastor, Father Brian Costello has been asked by the Archbishop to take on the responsibility of being the pastor at Most Holy Redeemer Parish.  This came as a surprise to Father Brian and to me. In general, pastors are appointed for six-year terms, but Most Holy Redeemer has not had a pastor for the last year or so and the Archbishop felt that Father Brian would be the right man for the job.

This appointment will be effective as of July 1, 2012 and at that time Star of the Sea will welcome our new pastor. At this time no decision has been made as to who that will be, but I will keep you apprised as plans develop.

Sincerely,

Terrence Hanley
Principal

Dear Parents and Students,

Holy Week is one of the most solemn times on the Catholic calendar. Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday and remembered Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, but historically that joy was short lived. In the course of this one week, Christ found himself abandoned by some of his best friends, denied by the man He would hand pick to lead His Church, and betrayed by Judas. This led to His arrest, beating, and execution.

By any reasonable human standard, we would have to say that Jesus was a failure. All of His good works didn’t save His life. Feeding the hungry, forgiving the sinners, healing the sick, even raising the dead made no difference to the Roman government.

Legend has it that at the moment of His death, the curtain in the Temple (which separated the ark of the covenant from the people) was torn, symbolically destroying that which separated God from His children.

Since Jesus died as the Sabbath was approaching, his friends asked if they could take the body off the cross and bury it. They were granted permission but had little time to prepare the body for a proper burial. They returned Sunday at first light to clean and anoint His body but it was not there. An angel told them that Jesus had been raised from the dead.

To sum it up, we Catholics believe in a God who came to live as one of us. But He chose to do so as one of the poor, politically oppressed. He spent His public ministry in service to others, following the Law of Moses, but overcoming the prejudices of His time. He had the audacity to refer to the Lord of all creation as “Abba” (which translates not to “father” but to “daddy”). He told us that we are all children of the one loving God. In the end, He made the ultimate sacrifice, but even death did not stop Him. Through His resurrection His message of peace and brotherhood is still preached though we often fall short of His example. He is alive! We are His sisters and brothers! Happy Easter!

Sincerely,

Terrence Hanley
Principal

Dear Parents and Students,

Two years ago each school in the San Francisco Archdiocese was visited by a team of Catholic educators from Saint Louis. The purpose of their visit was to evaluate each school and make recommendations that they felt would lead to increased enrollment at each site. There were several suggestions made to Star, the most important of which was to create a Principal’s Advisory Board. Actually this was suggested to every school in the Archdiocese.

The purpose of the PAB is to have an advisory group (beside the Parent Club) that would help the principal visualize where the school should be ten to twenty years from now. They are not here to work on this year’s projects or fundraisers (though some may do that in another capacity). Nor are they here to establish the everyday details of running the school. Their goal is to think outside the box. Others will determine how, when and if to execute the plans.  The PAB consists of educators, business people, and alumni who have connections to the school but for the most part are not currently actively employed by the school and not currently parents at Star. At this point we still do not have a full group and are continuing to look for people who have experience that might be useful to the community.

Meetings are held quarterly, and are usually right after the Finance Committee meetings. PAB members are certainly aware of the overall financial situation of the school, but do not get into budget building or day-to-day financial concerns. If you know someone who might be interested in joining the PAB, please contact Mr. Hanley. Quite bluntly, we could use people in the fields of education, finance, technology, public relations, and philanthropy.

On a related topic, enrollment at Star has increased from 203 just before this visiting team came to 233 today. Their suggestions were helpful, but I still believe the driving force behind our success is the enthusiasm of the Star community. Thank you all.

Sincerely,

Terrence Hanley
Principal

Dear Parents and Students,

Let me begin by wishing you a happy Saint Joseph’s Day! Over a hundred years ago the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet came to 9^th Avenue and Point Lobos (later renamed Geary Blvd) to build a school on the edge of a town that had recently been rocked by a major earthquake and then burned by several fires. To the south, refugees were still living in tents in Golden Gate Park. To the west, sand dunes stretched to the Pacific. To the north there was a body of water separating San Francisco from Marin and some “foolish” dreamer was beginning to talk about building a bridge across it. And here at 360 9^th Avenue a small group of Sisters led by Mother Germaine Miskelle, CSJ started building a great little school! One hundred, three years and thousands of graduates later, Star remembers the courageous women who brought Catholic Education to the Richmond District.

Even then, many of our graduates would matriculate to some fantastic high schools. Among them were Sacred Heart, Saint Ignatius, and Lowell. Times have changed, demographics are constantly changing but Star students still aspire to attend the best high schools in the Bay Area. By the time you read this, our eighth graders will have received their letters from the various high schools to which they applied.

Please let me share some numbers with you. Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep has accepted 16 Star students (six with “Distinction”, three to the prestigious De La Salle Scholar Program). Saint Ignatius College Prep has accepted 6 Star students (two with Honors, three with Distinction).  Lowell High School has accepted 5 Star students. Mercy High School has accepted 3 Star students. Convent of the Sacred Heart, Immaculate Conception Academy, Archbishop Riordan and Bishop O’Dowd have each accepted 2 Star students. Stuart Hall, Serra, Holy Names, and Saint Joseph/Notre Dame have accepted 1 Star student each. (With the exception of Lowell, public schools do not inform us of placement of our grads.)

Star of the Sea is proud of all of our students for many reasons. And we look forward to the next ten weeks leading up to graduation! The Class of 2012 has been, and will continue to be, a shining star at Star of the Sea!

Sincerely,

Terrence Hanley
Principal

click here for notes and flyers

Dear Parents and Students,

Over the last several weeks the Finance Committee has been meeting to establish our budget for next year. We reviewed Final Statement of Operations for the last several years, a list of Budget Building Factors published by the Archdiocese, and our current financial statement that shows our planned budget and actual income and expenses for this school year. Our primary goal has been to create a financial plan that allows us to provide a superior education for your children; that enhances our already great programs and activities; and that responsibly plans for our future infrastructure needs. All the while we strive to keep Star affordable and accessible to our families.

I am proud to say that as a result of good financial planning and increasing enrollment, Star’s financial condition has become increasingly solid over the last several years. Enrollment growth is a great indicator of our success: Star has gone from a low of 203 students in 2007 to 233 this year! The vast majority of new families come because you have told them how much you love Star. Tuition increases have been modest and we have worked hard to offer a great education. While we share many challenges that affect the rest of our economy (most notably rising operating and facility costs), we have put in place a strong plan that will keep Star on a steady path of financial health.

As in all Catholic schools, Star’s most important source of income is tuition. Veteran parents know, however, that tuition in Catholic schools rarely covers the full cost of education. In our current budget the actual per pupil cost at Star is about $1500 more than the tuition rate. Through Parish subsidies for the school and for physical plant upgrades, scholarship and financial aid programs, grant writing and gifts from alumni and friends, and particularly your generous gifts to our Pledge Program, we expect to continue to close the gap between tuition income and costs. I have no doubt that you agree the quality of a Star education is well worth the cost. The new tuition rates are listed below, as is the description of the Pledge Program. Thank you for your constant support of our school.

Sincerely,

Terrence Hanley
Principal