good news spring 2015

GOOD NEWS FROM PERALTA PARK 1

ON DECEMBER 27, HERMAN SHUM, Vice Principal for Student Life and beloved member of the Saint Mary’s community, was killed in a tragic cycling accident, leaving behind his wife and two daughters, along with current and former colleagues and students whose lives he touched during his career as a Lasallian educator.

During his time at Saint Mary’s, Shum wore many hats. He was first hired by former Principal Kathy McGuire to coach the girls’ volleyball team, and taught history for a year before moving to Jesuit High School in Sacramento. In 2004, Shum returned to Per-alta Park as Vice Principal of Student Life, a position he held until his death late last year. In addition to his administrative role, Shum taught the senior government class and was planning to teach a class on Asian History this Spring.

“Herman was always steady,” says Prin-cipal Pete Imperial, who joined Saint Mary’s one year after Shum and benefited from the insights and guidance of his younger colleague in his first months on campus. “He really helped to shape the whole environment here, to make sure it is a safe space and a place where students know they can trust the adults to treat them fairly.”

During the school day, and especially dur-ing breaks and at lunchtime, Shum could frequently be seen on the steps of Saint Joseph’s Hall. From that position, he would

H E R M A N S H U M

Saint Mary’s Mourns the Loss and Celebrates the Life of Long-Time Administrator

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Top: Herman Shum - Vice Principal for Student Life. Left: Cathy Molinelli, Vice Principal for Academics, Dr. Pete Imperial, Principal, Brother Edmond, President, and Herman Shum, Vice Principal for Student Life, stand proudly with the school mascot.

2 GOOD NEWS FROM PERALTA PARK

keep watch over the campus and keep a close and steady eye on his “charges,” the students of Saint Mary’s.

“He was really trying to build a community that was safe for students,” says friend and colleague Connor Banks ’00, who assumed the Dean of Students position after Shum’s death. “He was committed to building a community where students could be individuals without having to worry about getting picked on,” he adds. “In many ways, it’s the kind of community that doesn’t exist anywhere else.”

As students and staff have reflected on Shum and his unique role at Saint Mary’s, time and again they have repeated the same four words, “He had our back.” For students, that meant trusting that the same person who was often re-sponsible for meting out disciplinary measures was also someone who was looking out for their best interest.

“The same person they might be mad at one day for giving them detention would be the person students would go to when there was someone on campus they didn’t recognize or if there was something going on at school or at home,” says Amy Gonzales, a counselor and close friend of Shum’s. The two first met while students at Saint Mary’s College.

Students like Roman Grace, who were part of Shum’s “parking and traffic crew,” developed a special bond. “I was just the average transfer student trying to fit in and Mr. Shum came up to me and asked if I would work for him,” recalls the senior. “I was going through some difficult times and it felt like sort of a gift from God for him to go out of his way and offer something,” he adds.

Colleagues, too, often viewed Shum’s support and counsel as “a gift.” For English Department Chair and Director of Student Services Jenny Peters, Shum was a mentor who helped her grow in confidence and ability, first as a new teacher and then in her student services’ role.

“Herman had faith in me. He was really help-ful in saying, ‘I am here for you if you need me, but I think you can be effective in your own way,’” says Peters. “He helped me really grow as an educator. The more you know someone has your back, the more you can focus on being really good as a teacher.”

Shum approached discipline as more of an art than a science, always looking at an issue from different sides to try to understand the many factors that influence and contribute to student behavior. He would go out of his way, say colleagues, to talk with teachers, coaches, and

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other adults on campus to better understand what was happening in a student’s life before deciding a course of action.

“Herman really grew in his time at Saint Mary’s to look beyond a student’s behavior,” says Molinelli. “I saw him learn to meet each child where they were and to try to help them understand and grow.”

Although most parents and students knew Shum as an administrator, to colleagues he was also a friend and mentor and to seniors, to whom he taught government, he was an excel-lent and engaging teacher who knew each of them by name.

On January 9, the Saint Mary’s community came together for a memorial service for Shum. Students and staff paid tribute to their teacher, colleague, and friend through song, dance, and personal reflections.

Herman Shum, Vice Principal for Student Life, was a vital part of the Saint Mary’s community. Clockwise: 1. Shum, who taught the senior Government class, was an enthusiastic and engaging teacher. 2. Let Us Remember: Herman Shum Memorial on Campus. 3. A birthday surprise! 4. Dismissing students from school-wide liturgy. 5. Joining in the fun on Twin Day during Spirit Week. 6. Awarding a detention pass as a prize during the student fundraiser. 7. Celebrating graduation with former Principal Kathy McGuire. 8. Enjoying a moment with young alumni.

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S T U D E N T P R O F I L E

Senior Panther Challenges Cyber BullyingPEER PRESSURE AND THE EVERYDAY stresses of balancing school and home and friends can make it difficult for teenagers to trust their own voice and stay grounded in their values. But throughout his four years at Saint Mary’s, Senior Peter Sekona has man-aged to do both, demonstrating leadership as a student and as an athlete and earning the respect of peers and adults alike.

A four-year varsity football player, Sekona has been a steady source of inspiration and a role model for his teammates, says Connor Banks ‘00, Dean of Students and defensive coordinator for the varsity football team.

“He is a special kid. He goes to the beat of his own drum and is someone who people naturally follow,” says Banks, who has worked with Sekona since his freshman year.

Sekona demonstrated that same leadership off the field earlier this school year when he responded to an instance of cyber bullying of a fellow Panther. As he was checking his Twitter feed one evening, Sekona came across an offending Tweet, which had been making its way around social media popular with area high school students. Although he could have ignored the Tweet, or just deleted it and gone about his business, Sekona

decided instead to respond – calling out the offending posters as small and cowardly.

Sekona’s willingness to step up gave other students the courage to do so, as well. With-in a couple of hours, the offending Tweet and the account that distributed it were both taken down.

“It wasn’t right,” says Sekona. “Shut-ting the account down not only benefited our school, but the security of many other high school students.” Indeed, Sekona has received support from many students since taking a stand against the offending Tweet.

For Vice Principal of Academics Cathy Molinelli, Sekona’s actions were a reflection of the values that are core to Saint Mary’s. “The message is we don’t treat each other like that. We treat each other with love and respect.”

Sekona agrees, sharing that prior to com-ing to Saint Mary’s he and his siblings often felt the impact of stereotyping and discrimi-nation because of their Tongan culture. “All of that disappeared when I came to Saint Mary’s, though,” says Sekona.

All four of the Sekona children are Panthers. Peter’s older brother Lonergan graduated in 2013. His younger brother Golden is a junior and his sister Annabella is a freshman. Without the support of financial assistance, says Sekona, a Saint Mary’s educa-tion would not have been possible. “We’ve received way more than we could ever ask for,” says Sekona. “It’s a blessing to have do-nors and alumni give back and invest in our future, and the future of Saint Mary’s.”

One of the most important aspects of Saint Mary’s, he adds, is that “everyone here just accepts others for who they are,” without concern for race or socioeconomic status.

“People don’t really care if you’re a mil-lionaire or live in a small house in Richmond with a family of six,” adds Sekona. “Saint Mary’s brings together different people and that is where the best learning is done.”


Campus Life0Future Collegiate Athletes Congratulations to the Saint Mary’s seniors who will be continuing their athletic pursuits next year at colleges around the country. On average, these scholar-athletes earned over a 3.4 GPA. Among the colleges and universities offering Panthers’ scholarships include: Brown Univer-sity, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Swarthmore College, University of Richmond, University of Northern Colorado, Alabama A & M University, University of North Dakota, San Diego State University, Denison University, and Briarcliffe College.

0Music Students Participate in Disneyland Workshop The Saint Mary’s Band and Chorus, partnered with the Boyle Heights Community Youth Orchestra for a concert and participation in a Soundtrack Session at Disneyland. Students also had the opportunity to attend a concert at The Walt Disney Concert Hall and to enjoy some fun at the theme park.

0Making the Cut This year, 21 Saint Mary’s students participated in the “Make the Cut” program, donating eight or more inches of hair to be used for wigs for indivdiuals with health-related hair loss. This annual event took place on Ash Wednesday. Special thanks to the students who donated, to teacher Clare McCormick, for her dedication to the project, and to the stylists who donated their time to cut and style the hair of donors.


10Hagler Court On January 20, the basketball court was dedicated in honor of Bob Hagler, a teacher and coach at Saint Mary’s from 1950 to 1955. A group of alumni from the 1950’s spearheaded the project, which included upgrades to the gym facilities. Together, they raised more than $150,000.

2Crab Feed and Silent Auction The annual Crab Feed, sponsored by the Parent Association, was another sold-out affair. This year’s event raised over $15,000 for use by the Association and brought together the entire Saint Mary’s Community -- current parents, alumni, past parents, and friends of the school -- for an evening of good food and fellowship. The accom-panying Silent Auction raised over $54,000 for tuition assistance. Special thanks to the parent volunteers, especially: Nancy Torres, chair of the Silent Auction; and Bob and Maria Barchard, co-chairs of the Crab Feed. And thank you to everyone who supported the Silent Auction.

1Connor Banks ’00Connor Banks ’00 has been appointed Dean of Students. Banks has worked at Saint Mary’s for seven years as a teacher of history and epistemology. Most recently, Banks has also lent his talents to supporting the work of the Admissions and Alumni offices. He is also the defensive coordinator for the varsity football team. Principal Pete Imperial commented, “Under challenging circumstances, Connor has shown an extraordinary ability to relate to students, while providing the structure they need.” For his part, Banks says of the new position: “I am enjoying working with the students in a different capacity.”


0gWinter Term Lasallian Days Winter Lasallian Days are a time for seniors to explore their rights and responsibilities as they turn 18 years of age. Alumni and parents lead presenta-tions to seniors and facilitate small-group discussions focused on key legal issues, such as financial dos and don’ts (including money traps for college students), and knowing how to manage college life, both in and outside of the classroom. Pictured here: Brandon Banks ’94 (left) and Bill Boselli, cur-rent trustee and former Dean of Students, meet with seniors in small groups to answer questions. Thank you to all the alumni, parents, and friends of Saint Mary’s who share their expertise with our seniors.

1Student Fundraiser! The Annual Student Fundraiser provides an opportunity for Saint Mary’s students to live out one of the school’s core values: caring for one another. Before the fundraiser begins, stu-dents learn of the strong support for financial assistance -- 44 percent of their peers have been awarded over $2 million this year -- as well as the significant unmet need. At the closing of the fundraiser, students had raised $81,275, under the direction of student leaders and with support from Jenny Peters and the entire faculty and staff. Since then, the total has increased to $86,884, with more than $79,000 going to tuition assistance and $7,000 support-ing student clubs and organizations. Thank you students, parents, and friends of Saint Mary’s for your support of the stu-dent fundraiser and your dedication to Saint Mary’s and her Mission.


BOB ANDERSON PASSED AWAY ON FEBRUARY 8, IN Berkeley at the age of 78 after a brief and brave fight with lymphoma.

A member of the Class of 1954, Anderson had a long his-tory with Saint Mary’s College High School. He arrived at Peralta Park from Garfield Junior High School in Berkeley, his father hoping he would study harder and “get more discipline in his life.” After high school, Anderson attended Saint Mary’s College. All roads eventually led back to Peralta Park, where Anderson began teaching and coaching in 1962.

During his 32 years at Saint Mary’s, Anderson taught Eng-lish, Spanish, history, and physical education and held several administrative positions, including Athletic Director, Dean of Students, Dean of Student Activities, Director of Student Programming, and Head Basketball Coach. He retired from the faculty in 1994 and promptly became involved in alumni activities, including serving on the alumni board and coaching the alumni basketball team for many years.

As Anderson used to say, “While college memories are okay, there is really nothing like the days when you were part of a special experience that you still hold dear. Get back to Saint Mary’s!”

The Anderson family requests that those interested in mak-ing a donation in Bob’s name please send their contribution to Saint Mary’s College High School.

Let Us Remember

B O B A N D E R S O N

Devoted Alum, Longtime Educator

J O S E P H C A U L F I E L D

JOSEPH OR “BIG JOE” CAULFIELD AS he was fondly known, passed away peace-fully at home with his family on January 9. Born and raised in Oakland, Caulfield at-tended Saint Mary’s College High School where he played football and baseball. He had a special love for the Christian Brothers and always reflected fondly on his time at Saint Mary’s. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Loretta, and four children. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial dona-tions to Saint Mary’s College High School – Scholarship Fund.

M A R Y R A C H A E L C U R L E Y

MARY RACHAEL CURLEY, MOTHER OF Brother Kenneth, passed away on January 28 at the age 95. She was a woman of great faith who enjoyed life to its fullest, including bowling in two leagues until she was 90. Brother Kenneth would like to thank all those who lent their prayerful support over these past five years and requests in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Brother V. Kenneth, F.S.C. Scholarship Fund.


17Young Alumni ReunionEach year, Saint Mary’s welcomes its new alumni back to campus during their Winter break from college. The trip back to Peralta Park gives the young men and women a chance to visit with teachers and current students.

Alumni News

7Class of 2004 ReunionThe Class of 2004 enjoyed one of the most successful 10-year reunions in a long while, thanks to the hard work of the planning committee and the support of Lawrence Puck, Alumni Director. Special thanks to Darrin Williams for his leadership in organizing the event.


2 Enjoying the Crab Feed

Alumni from the 1960’s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and 2000’s attended the An-nual Crab Feed and Silent Auction. It is always great to see alumni, who as students worked at the event, come back now as guests. Upper right: Members of the Class of 2007 and friends: Jill Wicher, Jessica Kershner, Kurt Schlueter, Patrick Har-rington, and Anoushka Daska-Coyle.Bottom left: Elisabeth Carr ’01, Isabelle Boone ’99, Phoebe Boone ’02, Brian Lee ’99, Sarisa Ransom ’99, Samantha Stonework-Hand ’99, and friends.Bottom center: The generations of Guillory’s are always represented. In-cluded at the Guillory table are: Marc Guillory ’89, Felise Guillory Moglia ’00, Matthew Moglia ’00.Right center: Danilo Garcia ’06, Mia Engalla ’06, and Alfonso Garcia ’12 at the Silent Auction.Bottom right: Christian Curry ’89, includes Lawrence Puck ’78, Samir Nassar ’93 and Suheil Nassar ’99 in a group selfie.


1Alumni Basketball GameEach year, alumni varsity basketball players enjoy a friendly game against Saint Mary’s current girls’ and boys’ squads. The match-up happens on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving and is a great way to start the holiday weekend.

Saint Mary’s College High School1294 Albina AvenuePeralta ParkBerkeley, CA 94706-2599

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Belles of Saint Mary’s Luncheon April 11

Alumni Night at the Theatre April 24

Class of 1965 Reunion Weekend June 6 & 7

Gold Club Lunch June 13

Upcoming Events

Is it time for your reunion? Please email Lawrence Puck ’78 at [email protected].

good news spring 2015

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