Lifelong Learners

Campus minister Fr. John Blazek ’58, C.S.C. guided two week-long directed retreats for the Notre Dame Sisters in Chardon.

Art teacher and dorm proctor Ms. Brown taught PreK-Adult art classes at the Solon Center for the Arts and worked in the dorm as a proctor.

Boys prep hockey coach and Director of Hockey Coach Chiellino attended the three-day USA Hockey Coaching Development Academy Conference in Detroit. The conference was designed to teach existing coaches how to properly train new youth hockey coaches using today’s technology, best practices and style of play.

Girls prep hockey coach and PE instructor Coach Conway was selected as a head coach for the 15s age group of the USA Hockey’s National Development program (where she got to coach four of her current or new players!). Additionally, in June, she sat for five of the seven exams required to be qualified as a solicitor (lawyer) in Ireland.

Head varsity boys basketball coach and Director of Admission Mr. DeCrane hosted a retreat for the boys basketball program at Kenwood Farm, his family’s property in Grafton and one of the only private properties in the area with a chapel blessed by the Diocese of Cleveland. 

After 35 hours of studying and an oral exam, Director of Student Support Services Mrs. Fowler passed the State Board of Psychology exam this summer and is now a dual-licensed school psychologist.

Director of Academic Services and Latin teacher Dr. Gutowski wrote an article titled, Holy Cross Comes to Cleveland, which will be published in the fall edition of the US Catholic Historian.

Director of Speech and Drama Mrs. Janis served as a judge at the National Speech and Debate Association’s national tournament in Lexington, Ky., where she participated in several workshops on speech-related issues. 

Lower School religion teacher Ms. Joyce attended a three-day St. John Bosco Conference designed to help inspire and educate catechists passing on the faith to students.

Entrepreneurship teacher Ms. Kendall White was installed as the president of the NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) Cleveland Chapter Board. 

Kindergarten teacher Ms. Kenesey completed the IMSE Orton Gillingham training, a 30-hour, hands-on course that provides teachers with a complete understanding of IMSE’s enhanced Orton-Gillingham method, the essential five components to literacy and the tools necessary to apply OG in the classroom.

Theology teacher Dr. Montitello and a group of Gilmour students volunteered each day for four weeks as tutors at St. Adalbert’s School, working with students in Preschool through Grade 8. She also taught two sessions of summer Speech class.

Theology teacher Mrs. Pryatel led a mission trip with seven Gilmour alumni to Honduras. She also took two classes at JCU toward her master’s, which she will complete in 2023. 

Montessori Toddler Directress Ms. Schmidt earned a Master of Education with a concentration in Montessori from Xavier University.

Social studies teacher Dr. Vaughn attended two of the Ohio Department of Education’s programs related to teaching history - Teaching About Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks and Best Practices in Holocaust Education.

Director of Security Mr. Wylie attended the Ohio School Safety Summit.

Service and Pastoral Life Coordinator Ms. Ligas '09 and theology teacher Dr. Menkhaus ran with Alayna Toole ‘22 and Taylor Stirling ‘22 in a four-mile fundraiser run they helped coordinate as part of their Senior Projects.

Lower School teachers, Ms. Kenesey (Kindergarten), Ms. Briganti (Grades 1-2), Ms. Pilar (Grades 3-4) and Ms. Gajda (Grades 5-6), participated in a math workshop aimed at cultivating best practices in the teaching of math.

Interim Director of Institutional Advancement Mrs. Miller, Major Gifts Officer Ms. Musson and Upper School Director Dr. Tagliaferro, participated in the Partners in Mission National Conference for Catholic Schools.

Seven Upper School teachers participated in AP workshops - Mr. Greenfield (AP Psychology), Ms. Jeric (AP Calculus AB), Mr. Klein (AP Chemistry), Ms. McGrae (AP Language and Composition), Ms. Miller (AP French), Mr. Smith (AP Physics) and Ms. Zadai (AP Language and Composition) .