Advancement

While the pandemic has led many school districts to offer only Remote or Hybrid Learning this year, we are pleased to have been able to welcome our student body back to school for daily in-person learning since August 18.  To make this a reality and to protect our students and staff, we made a significant investment in health and safety.

This included transitioning the school nurse to a full-time position, buying masks, face shields, hand sanitizer for each classroom, thermometers, and budgeting for regular rigorous cleaning of both the Elementary and Jr. High buildings, all of which impacted our operational budget.

As a further precaution, we took measures to ensure that we had additional technology in the event we would ever have to revert back to Remote Learning.   We thank God our children have been safe, healthy, and able to have some normalcy to their school routine.

As the accompanying Infographic clearly demonstrates, the tuition charged families only covers approximately 60% of the true cost of educating each child at Saints Peter and Paul.  The balance comes from contributions from the parish, endowment earnings, and fundraising.  A key component of fundraising is our Annual Fund Drive.  The Annual Fund supports every aspect of the Peter and Paul experience—academic offerings, faith development, the Arts, Technology, and Faculty and Staff.

Your support of the Annual Fund Drive will be utilized to first fulfill the Advancement Board’s commitment to contribute $40,000 to the school’s operational budget and help fund our Strategic Plan.  After that goal is reached, donations will be applied to one of the following options in accordance with donor wishes:

Our new Pre-Kindergarten which will open in August 2021.  The Pre-K will play a critical role in providing a new source of students for kindergarten which will help sustain enrollment and mitigate large tuition increases.

Our Teachers’ Endowment.  Attracting and retaining outstanding teachers is critical to academic excellence and sustaining Saints Peter and Paul as the preeminent choice for a Catholic school education.

Area of greatest need.  The school’s operational budget cannot anticipate the reality of what each school year brings.

Last year’s Annual Fund Drive raised $181,000 which is critical to ensuring our mission endures.  We hope to raise $200,000 this year.  Your generosity allows us to meet our annual operating expenses while building the financial resources we need to address unexpected needs and capitalize on opportunities to build upon the 167 year legacy that has been a gift to all of us.

If you would like to donate online, we encourage you give now. For online donations, we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express credit cards.  Visa, MasterCard, and Discover debit cards are accepted as well.

As always, you can use the following pledge card for your donation and mail it to the following address:

Saints Peter and Paul School Advancement Office

Finance Manager

36 N. Ellsworth Street

Naperville, IL 60540


Prayerfully,

Tricia Weis ’83                 Frank Glowaty

Principal                           Advancement Director

As Jim Nantz would say, “Hello, Friends”!

On behalf of our students, families, faculty and staff, the SSPP Advancement Board is pleased to invite you to the 33rd Annual Harold and Margaret Moser Saints Peter and Paul School Golf Outing.

This year, the outing will take place at Cress Creek Country Club on September 9, 2021.  As many can attest, it is a day filled with fun, fellowship, and all too many bad golf shots.  It is also a day with a very clear call to action – to raise funds for tuition assistance.
The 2020-21 school year was one filled with incredible challenges.  As school districts locally and across the country remained in remote learning environments, our children were fortunate enough to attend school every day and learn, with their peers, in a classroom setting.  The SSPP leadership, teachers and staff worked tirelessly to ensure that this could happen while continuing to prioritize the community’s health and wellbeing.  By any standard, it was an incredibly successful year!

Our goal is to ensure that any student and family that would like to be a part of the SSPP community can do so, regardless of financial situation.  To that end, this year’s golf outing will have a goal of raising half of the $100,000 in tuition assistance that has been requested for the coming school year. 
We hope that you will consider joining us at Cress Creek in September.  Not a golfer?  No worries; not many who will play are!!  Don’t have a foursome?  Again, not to worry – sign up as an individual and the committee will place you with a group.  Truly not a golfer??  There are other ways to get involved, and we would invite you to consider sponsorship opportunities or donating items to be used in our silent auction.  One last way to support tuition assistance in a tax efficient way is to contribute to Empower Illinois. For more information on this you can contact Michael Leitner at michael.leitner@gmail.com.

Please find more information at the following link:  CLICK HERE

We thank you for your consideration and look forward to seeing you on the links!

In this digital age, it is easier, timelier, and more cost effective communicate with our graduates electronically rather than using print.

Below are the archives of articles we emailed during the current and past school year.  Generally we send out one issue per week during the school year. Feel free to peruse them to  learn more about what has been happening at your alma mater.

If you have a sibling or classmate who is not receiving the ‘e’ Blue and Gold, please have them forward their email address to pbusron@sspeterandpaulschool.com

Let us know what is going on in your life and we will include it in an upcoming Alumni Briefs article. 
Simply email pburson@sspeterandpaulschool.com with your pertinent information and we'll take care of the rest.

Your teachers and classmates would love to hear about you.

Here is the list of previous articles:

DINNER DANCE TO CELEBRATE CATHOLIC EDUCATION

A.L.L.I.A.N.C.E. FOR TOMORROW XXXI

Alumni & Leaders, Linked to Insure A Necessity: Catholic Education.

This year, our school community will gather at the Cress Creek Country Club to celebrate the 166th anniversary of the founding of our school by Fr. Charles Zuker.  We will also recognize the achievements and accomplishments of the current school year by acknowledging the many individuals who have played a vital role in making our school the success it is today.

A highlight of the evening will be the induction into our Hall of Honors of Jim Oehlberg.

There are also six members of our faculty and staff  who are celebrating milestone anniversaries will also be recognized for their combined 90 years of dedicated service.

LINDA GRIFFITH ANNOUNCED AS 2018 HALL OF HONORS INDUCTEE

 Advancement Board president Will Hemsworth recently announced that former school parent, Linda Griffith, has been chosen to be this year’s Hall of Honors inductee.   Linda, and her husband Gerry, had three of their four children, Megan ‘08, Kyle ’10, and Noelle ‘14 graduate from Saints Peter and Paul after relocating here from Michigan.  Their oldest child, Carolyn, was already in high school when they bought their Naperville home.

Linda is no stranger to the spotlight having received the Mike Simmons Good and Faithful Servant award in 2013.  “During the nine years her children were enrolled in our school,” observed former principal Frank Glowaty, “there were many times I feared Linda would need Tommy John surgery from repeatedly raising her hand to volunteer any time a committee, project, or program needed help.”

Most parents would readily love to pitch in for any endeavor from which their children benefited.  Linda readily admits she was fortunate to be in a position to consistently do so.  “I learned about service early in life from my parents, Ruth and Chuck Dow,” she stated. “My parents were very active in the 4H program, and for years my mother was president of the League of Women Voters.  Both were elders in their church and didn’t just talk about inclusiveness and diversity but we welcomed both international students, as well as students of color, to live in our home at a time when it raised the eyebrows of some neighbors.”

“I can still hear them tell my sister, brother, and I that “If you aren’t willing to do your part to further a cause than you have no right to be critical of an organization or those that do respond to the call.”

And respond to the call she did.

Starting with Fun Fair at the beginning of the school year and going through Timberlee, Day of the Dead bread baking, Secret Santa Breakfast Shop, Blessings, Kindergarten Round-Up, Auction, School play, Fish Fry, Fine Arts Festival, and Founder’s Day, Linda could be found every year either chairing, greeting, serving, leading, baking, chaperoning, and/or monitoring in one form or another.

She was not only a volunteer but one who willingly accepted leadership responsibilities as well. She was Home & School treasurer for four years, Auction co-chair in 2012 with Julie and Jamie Relihan, and Fine arts Festival coordinator for four years.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of New York, Linda, who was an outstanding baker, also received a degree from the University of Illinois-Champaign in Restaurant Management. “One of the best Christmas presents our faculty received each year were her homemade cinnamon bread peanut butter cookies,” remembers Pat Burson, our former school secretary.  Her expertise in the kitchen was also on display during Back to School lunches, Teacher Appreciation Day, Parent-Teacher conferences, and throughout the holidays.

But it was her willingness to answer the call for assistance also carried over to St. Francis High School where each of her children attended.  At the Wheaton school she enjoyed a 3 year term as Treasurer of their Parents Club and spent another 3 years as president of that organization as well as a member of the Teacher Appreciation committee.

In recognition of her dedication, loyalty, and service Linda Griffith was inducted into our Hall of Honors at our annual dinner dance this past Friday, April 20, at the Cress Creek Country Club.

Nominations for the 2018 Hall of Honors inductee will take place in December.

Hall of Honors Award Previous Honorees
 

IN NOMINE MEO AWARD NOMINATIONS SOUGHT

Each spring Saints Peter & Paul School recognizes former school parents who made an immeasurable impact on our school during the years their children were students. Through their ongoing volunteer efforts, these parents displayed leadership, dedication, and service to our school.  Because of their efforts, our school and children benefited greatly.

The In Nomine Meo award is named in honor of Harold and Margaret Moser who left the school a major bequest as part of their ongoing commitment to helping Saints Peter & Paul School maintain a quality faith-filled education to our parish children.

If you would like to nominate a husband and wife that you feel demonstrated an unwavering spirit of dedication and were devoted to helping Saints Peter & Paul School grow and improve, please submit their name to Advancement Director, Frank Glowaty, at fglowaty@sspeterandpaulschool.com

The 2019 In Nomine Meo award will be presented to the honored family at the 8:00 a.m. upcoming all school Mass.

IN NOMINE MEO NOMINATING FORM

IN NOMINE MEO AWARD PREVIOUS HONOREES

Our school has been blessed with many school families who have been extremely generous and supportive of helping our school by devoting tremendous amounts of their time and talent.  None, however, has a stronger resume than Mike Simmons.

Mike and his wife, Diane, sent three children through our school.  Between the time their eldest daughter, Katie, entered kindergarten in 1995 until their son, Jonathan, graduated in 2008, Mike amassed an amazing body of work in terms of the leadership he brought to our school.  All told, he served for six years each on both the School Board and Advancement Board, and was president for three years for each body.  Between those stints he spent a year on the Athletic Association.

Under Mike’s leadership there were many improvements to the physical plant including having the City of Naperville passing an ordinance that allows us to block Ellsworth St. to through traffic during school hours.  He also oversaw the transformation of the lower level of the elementary building from REO office space to a library and computer lab. His most notable achievement, however, was as the architect of the Professional Educators Benefit Plan (PEBP) renamed the Teachers Supplemental Income Plan in 2018.

The creation of the PEBP was an acknowledgment to the reality that we were going through a period in the late 1990’s when excellent teachers were resigning at an alarming rate.  Their exodus had nothing to do with lack of parent support, class size, or leadership.  Rather it was due to low salaries and teachers  being at the stage of their lives when they needed to begin preparing for upcoming college costs, provide for their retirement, and enjoy some of the creature comforts most take for granted.

Upon analyzing the situation, Mike informed his fellow School Board members that our teachers were earning, on average, only 60% of what they could earn in Naperville School District 203.  Our teachers were degreed, certified, and competent to be hired by any public school system but were being penalized for seeking to work in a faith-filled environment.  In essence, their low salaries were funding 40% of the true cost of educating our children.

As both a matter of social justice as well as a practical incentive to maintain a quality staff, Mike Simmons led the charge for the PEBP.  With a goal of bringing the teachers’ salaries, as an aggregate, to 80% of what they could make in D. 203, the bold plan he conceived supplements the diocesan based salaries and also builds in incentives for teachers to seek more education.

When Mike joined the Advancement Board, one of their main tasks was working with diocesan officials to rewrite the Trust Agreement which governs endowments for all school in the diocese.  The existing document at the time was so generic that it would leave all schools and parishes vulnerable to lawsuits.  Mike put together a team of knowledgeable finance people that served on our Board and who were also able to lead the diocese into a new trust document that not only protects assets, but also allows schools to do a three-year cost averaging of endowment balances as of December 31, thus ensuring that revenues will be available at all times, not just in the years when the stock market was strong.

For all of his efforts, Mike was inducted into our school’s Hall of Honors in 2012 at which time Advancement Director, Frank Glowaty, announced the creation of the Mike Simmons Good and Faithful Servant Award.  This award is presented annually at an all school Mass to a school parent who goes above and beyond in providing leadership for our school.
 

Mike Simmons Good and Faithful Servant Award Previous Honorees

2012 – Dave Fox

2013 –  Linda Griffith

2014 –  Shelly Jaros

2015 –  Jenny Knapp

2016 –  Denise Petty & John Scanlon

2017 – Jana Kubacki

2018 –  Brad Drendel

JEANNETTE GEHRS ‘89 

2021 NCEA DISTINGUISHED  GRADUATE

If you had to guess what kind of costume Jeannette DiGiovine Gehrs ’89 would be likely to wear on Halloween, you would be pretty accurate if you suggested the Energizer Bunny.

A dynamic individual, Jeannette has served our school community so faithfully and with such excellence over the years that she has been selected as the recipient of this year’s National Catholic Education Association’s Distinguished Graduate Award.

This annual honor, which has been a fixture since 1995, was bestowed upon Gehrs during the school 1:00 p.m. school Mass on Friday, April 16.

The mother of 4 alums, (David ’11, Daniel ’14, Isabella ’16, and Samuel ’20), she shows no signs of limiting her volunteering with Francesca (Gr.8), Carmen (Gr. 6), and Joseph (K) still in school.

When her oldest children were still in school, she helped out with the annual Auction by chairing Class Projects.  She was also a room mother and, since running was one of her passions, she began coaching cross country and track and continues to do so 8 years later. In 2018 she initiated the Mighty Trojans Run Club for our K-4 students who are ineligible to compete in interscholastic sports.

Prior to the 17-18 school year, Jeannette was elected Vice-President of the Home and School Association with the knowledge she would ascend to the Presidency the following year as that body’s Constitution stipulates. Because of the demands and responsibilities of the position, the term of both President and Vice-President are for only one year. However, circumstances led Fr. Brad to ask Jeannette to remain at the helm for two additional years. She, thus, has the distinction of working with three different principals----Karen Meskill, Frank Glowaty, and our current school leader, Tricia Weis.

“Jeanette's beautiful spirit, dedication, and humble leadership has truly made a difference at SSPP. I had great confidence knowing she was at the helm for HSA during my first year," noted the 1983 grad.

During the 2019-20 year, the inability to find an Auction chair meant the fundraiser fell to the parent organization. Jeannette readily pitched in not knowing what fate had in store for the Caddyshack themed event. One day prior to 350 parents gathering at Arrowhead Country Club to raise money for our school, the pandemic closed much of our society in turn causing Jeannette and her team to pivot away from an in-person fundraiser to a virtual one.

Rather than bemoan this predicament, she and her committee embraced it, worked tirelessly over the next 24 hours, and were still able to raise considerable money for her alma mater. “Our parents responded so enthusiastically in large fashion because of Jeannette,” noted Glowaty. “They knew how hard she had worked on the school’s behalf and wanted to support her efforts.” That virtual auction netted $113,500.

A restructuring of the four Leadership Boards last year also led to the Presidents of the Home & School, Advancement Board, and Athletic Association being appointed to a term on the School Board as voting members. Among Jeannette's newest responsibilities was helping the Board develop a new Strategic Plan for our school which included 35 impact action items.

With the Home and School committed to providing $85,000 to the school’s operational budget this year, and with the continued limitations on gatherings, Jeannette and her H&S officers again adjusted accordingly.

This fall saw the first-ever Trojan Stampede, a fun run, that netted $60,000. A mum sale brought in an additional $10,000, and another new offering, the Trojan Rally resulted in over $95,000 in profits. Besides meeting their financial obligation to the school, Jeannette and her Board approved allocating $39,000 toward the creation of a new Guided Reading Room and $10,000 to our new Pre-School which opens in August. This is on top of $10,000 they presented to Mrs. Weis last summer for various summer projects.

Lastly, Jeannette has also served the Naperville community with distinction. Years ago she was appointed my Mayor Pradel to the Transportation Advisory Board for which she served six years. She was also a member of the Bike Pedestrian Council. During her four years of service, BPAC expanded the DuPage River Trail from Cress Creek to Bolingbrook.

In recognition for her service to our school and Naperville community, we are proud to present the prestigious NCEA Distinguished Graduate Award to Jeannette Gehrs.
 

NCEA Distinguished Graduate Award Previous Honorees

Each year, during Catholic Schools Week, we recognize one of our successful alums by presenting the National Catholic Education Association’s Distinguished Graduate Award.

Previous inductees include:

2018      Tom Hayes ’80

2017       Kevin Neis ‘81

2016       Bill Hayes ‘84

2015       Bill Takahashi ‘88

2014       Lou Drendel ‘51

2013       Fr. Mark Mannion ‘78

2012       Marianne Lisson Kuhn ‘69

2011       Veronica Wohead Porter ‘72

2010       John Schmitt ‘63

2009       Ruthy Cooper O’Malley ‘85

2008       Jim Hayes ‘76

2007       Gary Baumgartner ‘64

2006       Mary Brahler Kuhn ‘74

2005       Dr. Tom DeLacey ‘74

2004       Judy Rechenmacher Chapleau ‘69

2003       Bill Esser ‘66

2002       Dave Rechenmacher ‘58

2001       Rob Koller ‘74

2000       John Case, Jr. ‘68

1999       Carolyn Lauing Finzer ‘61

1998       Sr. Suzanne Doolin ‘50

1997       Sr. Nancy Ulrich ‘52

1996       Jane Hein Moylan ‘64

1995       Teresa Doolin ‘52