the hannan way - fall 2013

Hannan The

WayFall 2013 Volume 6

from the Principal’s Desk | Alumni News | Curriculum CornerIn This Issue:

On The CoverLindsay Wagner ’04 fondly holds the

Meraux crest as she embarks on her

new position as Development Director at

Archbishop Hannan High School.

Back CoverSeniors, accompanied by Campus Minister

Joseph Pistorius, greet Archbishop

Aymond at the 50th Anniversary of the

March on Washington Archdiocesan

celebration.

Publication InformationEdited by Nancy Baird

Assistant Principal/Alumni Director

Archbishop Hannan High School

Pictures by Jill Hogan

Registrar/Special Events Coordinator

Archbishop Hannan High School

Contributions to Archbishop Hannan High

School are tax deductible under Section

(501) (c) (3) of the U.S. Tax Code.

Copyright 2013 Archbishop Hannan High

School - All rights reserved

The Hannan Way ...A Quarterly News Magazine for and about the

Archbishop Hannan High School Community

Table of Contents ...

From the Principal’s Desk ..................... 3

Goodbye and Good Luck,

Class of 2013 ........................................ 4

Smoooooooooth (o10) Opening! ............ 6

Believe in Hannan ................................. 7

Alumni Spotlight ...................................... 8

Admissions’ Season ........................... 10

Engineer Your World ........................... 11

Meet the New Faculty/Staff ............... 12

Home is Where the Hawk is ............... 14

Fall Sports Update ................................ 16

Hawks React To Change ....................... 17

A r c h b i s h o p H a n n a n H i g h S c h o o l P a g e 2

Hannan The Way

From the Principal’s Desk

Charting the course for excellence

By nature I am not a “map guy.” You know, I’m not the kind of person who feels uncomfortable not knowing exactly how to get somewhere. No, if I’m visiting a new city I’m the kind of person who has no problems asking others for direction and figuring out my own. I realize, however, that this approach does not work when it comes to running a high school. A school is similar in many ways to a person. It needs direction and purpose. Instead of a map, schools use their mission statement and results from their accreditation process to help chart their course and ensure that they reach their goals. Archbishop Hannan is currently in the process of creating these two very important maps for success.

In August 2012, we began the process of drafting a new mission statement for Archbishop Hannan. A well-drafted mission statement provides a “living” set of words that underlies and drives every major decision, as well as the day-to-day happenings at the school.Over the course of the following year, we solicited input from every group of stakeholders – parents, students, faculty/staff. Finally in May 2013, what emerged was a mission statement that truly reflected the heart and soul of what we aim to do at Archbishop Hannan.

School leaders have long recognized that a school’s capability to improve is directly related to its ability to recognize, acknowledge, and act on its strengths and limitations. As result, every five to six years schools willingly undergo a comprehensive internal and external evaluation by a regional accrediting agency – in our case AdvancEd/SACS - in an effort to recognize the school’s strengths and challenges. Ultimately, the process is all about fostering excellence in every school.

This past August, the Hannan faculty and staff began preparing for our re-accreditation evaluation. Although our visit by the AdvancEd/SACS external accreditation team is not scheduled until March 19-20, 2014, we have begun the exhaustive, but rewarding self-evaluation process. By the time we present our report to the AdvancEd/SACS visiting team, we will have gathered input and data from all the members of the Hannan community. This data, along with the visiting team’s observations and comments, will highlight the school’s strengths and growth areas. The result will be a five-year strategic plan that will guide Hannan in a continuous path toward academic excellence.

Although I am not a map guy, I recognize the importance of knowing your destination and how to get there. With our new mission statement and the information we gather from our reaccreditation process, Archbishop Hannan High School will have the map it needs to continue its long tradition of providing young men and women with a Catholic formation and college preparatory education rooted in excellence. Thank you for your continued support of Archbishop Hannan.

Fr. Charles Latour, O.P.P r i n c i p a l

T h e H A N N A N W a y P a g e 3


Hannan The Way

Each May, the Hannan administration, faculty, and staff

experience the bittersweet moment of saying goodbye to

another class. Saying goodbye to the Class of 2013 was

no different. Though we are sad to see them move on from

their Hannan career, we are proud of everything they have

accomplished and will achieve in their futures.

On May 14, the 54 seniors, dressed in caps and gowns,

celebrated one last mass together as a class. The mass,

held at St. Anselm Church, was officiated by Father Charles

Latour. Rebekah Day opened the ceremony with a welcome

and the presentation of the symbols that represent the mission

of Archbishop Hannan High School. After the celebration of

the mass, many awards were presented to the graduates. In

addition, Liam Wells was recognized with his United States Air

Force Academy Appointment, and Nick Pounds received his

United States Military Academy Appointment. Following the

mass, the students participated in the tradition of crowning

Mary outside the church as well as singing the Alma Mater for

the last time as Hannan students. They then gathered together

with family, friends, and faculty members to enjoy a reception.

Many thanks go out to the parents who helped serve drinks

and cake at the event.

On May 17, the Class of 2013 donned their tuxedos and white

gowns and crossed the stage of First Baptist Church to receive

their diplomas. The evening began with the presentation of

colors as well as the singing of the national anthem by Kate

Jones. Father Charles delivered the Invocation and Rebecca

Sigler, salutatorian, then delivered her speech in which she

urged her classmates to “take the light that Hannan has ignited

within each of [them] and go set the world ablaze.” Then

came one of the highlights of the evening, the presentation

of Crystal Awards by Father Charles. Crystal Awards winners

were Kim Nilsson, Outstanding Female Student-Athlete; Mike

Hess, Outstanding Male Student-Athlete; Matthew Sens,

Sybil W. Skansi Outstanding Service Award; Liam Wells,

Paulette L. Krause Award for School Spirit; Rebecca Sigler,

Monsignor Robert Massett Leadership Award; Greg Cooper,

Larry J. Martin Award for School Loyalty; Rebekah Day, Claire

R. Landry Social Studies Excellence Award; Emily Bissel,

English Excellence; Emily Marcotte, Mathematics Excellence;

Kassadi Monica, Religion Excellence; Matthew Sens,

Science Excellence; Rebecca Sigler, Fine Arts Excellence;

and Rebekah Day, Foreign Language Excellence. Once the

Crystal Awards were presented, Bryton Gunther entertained

everyone with a beautiful singing of “Time to Say Goodbye”

after which Rebekah Day delivered her Valedictory Address.

The graduates, full of joy and pride in all that they had

accomplished throughout their years at Hannan, then received

their diplomas and were officially inducted as Hannan alumni.

Father Charles left the graduates with an inspiring message in

his Principal’s Address in which he encouraged them to go out

into the world, share their gifts and talents, and serve as a light

that will inspire others. Before the conclusion of the ceremony,

he presented two last awards, the Archbishop Philip M. Hannan

Outstanding Graduate Award, to Rebekah Day, and the first

Goodbye and Good Luck, Class of 2013By Ashley PuntilaSenior Class Moderator


ever John Serio Heritage Award to Rebecca Sigler. Archbishop

Aymond concluded the festivities with an address to the

graduates. The graduates sang the Alma Mater for the first

time as Hannan alumni. Just like the Alma Mater says “like the

trees our roots grow deep,”. The Class of 2013 has left roots

and a lasting impact on Archbishop Hannan High School.

After graduation, the Class of 2013 experienced the second

annual Project Graduation, which provided the graduates one

last chance to bond as a class. The new alumni celebrated in

the gym after graduation all throughout the evening and into

the next morning. A snowball machine and an assortment

of food kept the alumni full throughout the evening. Casino

games, video games, Cash Cab, and a photo booth kept them

busy as the night went on. To help the graduates prepare for

college, prizes were given away throughout the night. Each

graduate walked away with a goody bag and the memories of

one last night spent together with classmates. The event could

not have been possible without the help of numerous parents

and teachers.

We would like to wish the Class of 2013 the best of luck

throughout their college careers, and we look forward to

seeing them return to their Hannan home at our various events

throughout the school year.

Smooooooooooth (o10) Opening! By Dr. Donalyn HassenboehlerDean of AcademicsThis is my fourth opening of a school year at Archbishop Hannan and my 24th school opening in my career. With no hesitation, I can report that school year 2013-2014 has begun with the best preparation, easiest transition from summer, students in their schedule on the first day of school, all teachers ready to teach, and students ready to learn. Despite all the changes, and there were many, the school year opened like one of Mrs. Gioe’s beautiful, blossoming roses. Let me count the ways of newness for this year:

• Therotatingschedule• Thursdaysasactivityperiod• Advisor/Adviseeprogram• Self-studyforAdvancEd/SACSAccreditation• PowerSchoolandPowerTeacher• MyLessonPlanner• Moredualenrollmentclasses• EnvironmentalScienceAP• Newcounselors(2)newteachers(10)newstudents(144),andnew

support staff (1)• StudentperformancedatadisaggregationofEXPLORE,PLAN,and

ACT• Applei-Padinservice• SmartBoardstaffdevelopment• MoreselectiveHonorRolls• LatearrivalonfirstTuesdaysofeachmonth forAdvancEd/SACS

meetings • Transformation of Departments to Professional Learning

Communities • Moreteacherobservations• TheStateofLouisianaFourCoreCurriculumforgraduation• CollegeReadinessBenchmarkScoresasnewacademicgoals• MathEXCEL• ButterflyandHummingbirdGarden• HannanWritingStyleSheet

As I list them here, I am renewing my awe over having such a smooooooooooth opening.

On the first day of school the students were greeted with posters all over the hallways and classrooms with the new rotating schedule. We are in our eighth week of school, and both teachers and students are adjusting to all the newness. Many are even finding the advantages for the changes. PowerSchool and Power Teacher are user friendly. Parents are reporting that they are pleased to be able to see all classes with one click. I like the e-mailing capability to both my students and their parents. I can quickly see students’ grades and then go right to the assignments so I can determine where problems might be.

Teachershaveworkedwith thedata fromEXPLORE,PLAN,ACT,andPSAT. They have the scores of the students they now teach. These test reports also provide activities for teachers to improve their student performance score. This disaggregation of the data brings teachers closer to preparing their students for the ACT. The goal for each Hannan student is reaching or exceeding the College Readiness Benchmark Scores on the ACT by senior year: English = 18; Mathematics = 22; Reading =22; Science=23. We are tracking each student through the EXPLORE,PLAN,andACT.Thisyearourhonors10thgraderswilltakeboth the PSAT for practice for the National Merit program and the PLAN so we can track and compare to their previous scores. In this way we can determine where students are losing ground and where they are excelling and why. The answers to these questions will drive changes in the curriculum in the future.

Hannan students continue to score higher than both the state and the national averages on the ACT in English, Science, and Reading, but not in mathematics. Hannan does score higher on the ACT than the state average in Mathematics also, but we need to improve; thus, we initiated Math EXCEL to give students more practice and instruction in math.Our math teachers must meet students at their various skill levels while still challenging the students with rigorous course work. Students will have homework in math. They will have challenging word problems in math. They will have to understand more abstract concepts, beginning with Algebra I. Students will not exceed an ACT score of at least 22 by senior year if teachers spend too much time filling in background gaps or staying too long on one concept. It is a fine line to walk, but we will need to move forward. Students will feel some pressure in their math and science classes for higher critical thinking levels. Also, grades may not be as high as usual in math and science. But that is fine, as long as the teaching and learning is at a rigorous level. It is NOT the grade that is important as much as it is how much the students are learning. Our educational goal is to teach for deep learning through academic rigor, homework with impact, projects that encourage critical thinking and application, writing assignments, and close reading.

We are looking forward to a highly successful school year as we develop the children spiritually, physically, emotionally, and academically. Our Mission Statement embodies this idea of whole child growth through their years at Archbishop Hannan High School. As Assistant Principal and Dean of Academics, I hold myself and the academic staff responsible for fulfilling that Mission every day in every way.


Hannan The Way


There is no other more influential force in the human behavior than belief. If you truly believe in something great, others will be compelled to believe with you. Believing in Hannan is what this year’s Annual Fund is all about.

“We Believe” is the theme of the 2013-2014 Hannan Annual Fund simply because the faculty, staff, alumni and student body of Archbishop Hannan High School believe in a bigger picture. They believed that what could have possibly been a memory became a reality right before their eyes in Covington, Louisiana.

For just over 25 years, parents and guardians put their faith and trust into Archbishop Hannan High School by allowing their most precious gifts, their children, to receive a high level of excellence in both education and Catholic formation. They did so because they believed in the school’s mission, vision, and educational philosophy that is ever so grounded in Christ’s work. Providing such a high level of excellence can at times be costly. In order to maintain a competitive and attractive tuition, the Annual Fund was established.

Just in its second year, the Hannan Annual Fund was created for parents to play an integral role at Archbishop Hannan High School. Tax-deductible donations are specifically designated to fund educational programs that prepare each Hannan student for success, such as the Hannan Robotics Team, UTeach Engineering Program, and the Blackhawk Players. Donations to the Annual Fund also provides the faculty with the necessary ongoing professional development programs to ensure they offer the best college preparatory education possible.

The Hannan Annual Fund cannot be a success without the belief and faith of our parents, guardians, and grandparents. If you believe in the bright future that Archbishop Hannan holds, please contribute a gift that will directly affect every student that walks through the doors of Archbishop Hannan High School.

For more information on how to make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.hannanhigh.org/giving or contact Lindsay Wagner, Development Director, at [email protected].

Believe in Hannan : Family and The Hannan Annual FundBy Lindsay Wagner ’04 Development Director

Leave Your Legacy: Hawk Walk Brick CampaignCalling all past, present, and future Hawk fans!

Do you want to leave a legacy at a place that you or your favorite Hawk fan called home? Commemorate your Hawk pride and history by purchasing a personalized brick! Your donation to the Hawk Walk campaign will not only visually show your commitment to Hannan Hawk athletics but will leave your legacy at Hannan High School for years to come.

Donating to the Hawk Walk campaign will purchase you a custom, engraved brick to be placed in Hawk Field.

• 4X8Brick$100–maximumofthreelinesoftext

• 4X8Paver$250–maximumofsixlinesoftext

For more information on purchasing a Hawk Walk brick, visit www.bricksrus.com/order/hannan or contact Lindsay Wagner, Development Director, at [email protected] for an order form.


Hannan The Way

Alumni SpotlightBy Nancy Baird Assistant Principal and Alumni Director

Archbishop Hannan High School is proud to announce the hiring of Lindsay Wagner ’04 as the new Director of Development.

Lindsay attended Archbishop Hannan High School, in Meraux, from 2000-2004, was a member of the Hawkettes Dance Team, and, in senior year, was the co-captain of the Grand National Champion Hawkettes. She attended Southeastern Louisiana University and received a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and Finance. While at Southeastern, she was a member of the nationally ranked Southeastern Lionettes Dance Team. Before coming to Hannan as the Hawkette coach last year, Lindsay was a head instructor for the Universal Dance Association.

Lindsay states, “Being a graduate of Archbishop Hannan means more the words can describe. There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not thankful for the experiences and education I received, both in and out of the Archbishop Hannan walls. Graduating from Archbishop Hannan gave me the opportunity to not only pursue strong course work, but

allowed me to involve myself in numerous extracurricular activities. My time at Hannan was THE four most cherished years of my life and has shaped me into the person I am today.

Since the day I stepped onto Hannan’s campus as a freshman, something started to develop in me that I knew would resonate for the rest of my life. Since that day in 2000, Archbishop Hannan became part of my life forever. Now that I am hitting my 10-year mark as an alum, Hannan has become an even bigger part of my everyday life. Coming back several years later to a place that meant so much to me was an aspiration and is an honor. I truly feel blessed that I am able to give back to the home and community that gave so much to me. I am and will be forever gracious to be part of Archbishop Hannan today.”

When asked about the future of Archbishop Hannan High School, Lindsay says, “I truly believe that Hannan’s greatest days are up and coming. The school is thriving more than ever and making an impressive name for itself. Being Director of Development, my goal to continue this growth is to communicate why Hannan is special and hope that families and alumni, like myself, give back to something that formed their future so thoughtfully.”

Lindsay will work with Alumni Director Nancy Baird to establish a strong Alumni Association that will offer more events for alumni to enjoy. The goal is to bring alumni “back to Hannan” to share with us the important legacy began by John Serio in 1987.

Lindsay believes that alumni, Hannan families, and friends can make a difference and impact the future. She believes, “There are several ways that Hannan families and alumni can give back. Whether it be attending the annual gala or financially participating in Hannan’s Annual Campaign, there is always a way to show your pride and dedication to the school. Alumni, especially, I challenge you! Please come back and see how your memories have transformed into something bigger. Come see how your memories and legacies that were created in your four years at Hannan have been brought to life again. If you haven’t done this already, I know, from personal experience, your sense of Hawk pride will come rushing back!”

Other Alumni NewsClass Reunions

The Classes of 1993, 1998, and 2003 held class reunions this year.

Fun was had by all as they reminisced, shared photos and videos,

and made new memories. Thanks to Dana Vidal, Ranie Jarrell, and

Melissa Donahoe for taking the lead in organizing these events.

Next year’s reunions will be the Classes of 1994, 1999, 2004, and

2009. Please contact Nancy Baird at [email protected] if you

are interested in organizing these events.

Homecoming 2013 Alumni Gathering

Seventy-five alumni enjoyed a night at Hawk Field recently as the

Alumni Association hosted its annual Homecoming gathering “under

the tent.” Jambalaya, tea, and good times were on the menu as

alumni stopped by throughout the night to chat and say hello. This

year we had representatives from the classes of 1991, 1992, 1993,

1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009,

2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013!

Monica Savoie Scholarship

Each year, the Savoie family presents the Monica Lynn Savoie ’97

scholarship to a deserving senior who excels in the arts at Archbishop

Hannan High School. For 2013, the scholarship was presented to

Rebecca Sigler ’13. The Savoie family attends the graduation each

year to present the award.


A r c h b i s h o p H a n n a n H i g h S c h o o l P a g e 1 0

Hannan The Way

Admissions’ SeasonBy Craig Fiedler Admissions Director

Another exciting Admissions season is already underway. Four hundred and fifty three students now navigate our Archbishop Hannan High School halls. The addition of the new library, classroom building, and newly configured “quad” has the students comfortably moving from class to class. I’d like to welcome the many new students and families that I’ve had the opportunity to meet over the past year’s admissions process – you are now a Hawk! It’s an exciting time of the year to be at Archbishop Hannan High School. Our Hannan family is growing and our community is buzzing.

The Shadow program opened this last month with visiting students exploring the halls at Archbishop Hannan. Each student has the opportunity to attend 3 classes, meet teachers, administrators, coaches, and students and is provided a free lunch at the end of their visit. On the Admissions horizon (and as you read this note) is Open House – Thursday, October 24th—and Academic Information Night – Thursday, November 7th. The application process opens with the release of the Archdiocesan Application just weeks before Thanksgiving on November 11th. The first quarter months move fast!

Each year, as I’ve witnessed the number of applications increase (We have been blessed over the past 3 years) I must acknowledge three groups who are largely responsible for our continued growth: our parents, our faculty, and our students. It should come as no surprise that our parent voice has been and is being heard in our community. I am often contacted by parents who have heard of the positive happenings at school. Our parents are recommending Hannan and the community is inquiring.

Our faculty deserves many thanks too. They selflessly dedicate hours upon hours to the wellbeing of our high school. They stay late tutoring, grading, and spending much time supporting our students at various athletic competitions and extracurricular events. It is clear that the faculty’s commitment to providing a stellar educational experience is bearing fruit— students are challenged, they are achieving high academic marks, and they are happy.

Lastly, our students, as if they aren’t busy enough with schoolwork and sports. Our students are committed and involved. They are dedicated to the academic challenges and rigors that our faculty presents them. They too are spending many hours working hard to achieve great success—it is paying off. Our students ACT’s score are increasing and they are proceeding to reputable colleges and universities that will continue to form each of our graduated students.

I am grateful to have seen our Hannan family become what it is today. I thank you all for your ongoing support. I eagerly look forward to this upcoming school year, to its memories, and to its ongoing traditions. It certainly is a great day to be a Hannan Hawk (all day, everyday!).

T h e H A N N A N W a y P a g e 1 1

Let’s turn our classroom into a giant camera obscura,

or maybe build small structures and shake them apart

on quake tables, simulating what a building experiences

during an earthquake! That is precisely what we are

doing this year at Hannan. Archbishop Hannan High

School has been accepted into the Engineer Your World

program, which is a joint effort of UTeach Engineering

at the University of Texas at Austin and the National

Science Foundation, and includes a national network of

Engineering Your World schools.

This past summer, Jane Harkin, an engineering and math

teacher at Hannan, attended a summer course at the

University to Texas in Austin to learn the curriculum for

Engineering Your World. The course itself integrates

science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)

content into one class, allowing students to experience

first hand what engineers actually do and gain a deeper

understanding of how the STEM disciplines integrate in

the extensive field of engineering.

Engineering Your World is structured so that students

learn how to work, think, and problem solve as a team.

They also learn and define the design process itself,

applying it in greater depth throughout the curriculum. It

is completely project-based learning. By the end of the

course, students understand how to define a problem or

design challenge, investigate the problem, come up with

and test solutions to it, and create unique solutions to meet the challenge. These skills will

prepare students to be better problem solvers, both inside and outside the classroom, in

addition to piquing their interest in the fascinating field of engineering.

We are offering two Introduction to Engineering classes this year at Hannan. The goal of

this program is to introduce students to the field of engineering and encourage the pursuit

of STEM careers in college.

Engineering Your World Comes to HannanBy Jane Harkin

Engineering Your World Comes to HannanBy Jane HarkinMath and Engineering Instructor


Hannan The Way

Archbishop Hannan High School is happy to welcome an impressive group of experienced, passionate, and dedicated individuals to the faculty and staff.

Mr. Adam Kelley teaches World Geography part-time and serves as the Assistant Dean of Discipline at Archbishop Hannan High School. He also serves as the co-moderator of the 8th grade class, co-sponsor of the History Club, and co-chair of the Accreditation Committee. Mr. Kelley is originally from Marietta, GA, but recently moved from Charlotte, NC to Mandeville this summer with his wife Kristen and one-year-old daughter Ava to be closer to family. Mr. Kelley has an undergraduate degree in Social Science Secondary Education from the University of Central Florida and a graduate degree in School Leadership and Curriculum from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He enjoys reading, teaching, learning, food, rugby, family, travel, Mark Twain quotes, the beach, the mountains, and UCF sports.

Mr. Steven Bradley serves as the counselor for grades 8-10 (with last names beginning with A-L), as well as the INC Chair for students that require academic accommodations at Archbishop Hannan High School. Mr. Bradley has given faculty presentations at St. Charles Borromeo School on topics such as bullying prevention, positive discipline in the classroom, responsive classroom philosophy, teacher language, and safe environment for children. He is trained through the Archdiocese of New Orleans to teach safe environment for children and has taught the material to all students. Mr. Bradley has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Loyola University, a Master of Science in Counseling from Loyola University, and a Master of Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Member of Project Fleur-de-lis at Mercy Family Center, and a Member of Louisiana Counseling Association (LCA). Mr. Bradley spent ten years at St. Stanislaus

College Preparatory, located in Bay St. Louis, MS teaching Psychology, Sociology, World’s Religions, Religion II, Religion IV, and Eighth grade religion and serving as Prefect. He also spent seven years as School Counselor at St. Charles Borromeo School located in Destrehan, LA.

Mr. Steven Shepherd teaches all Louisiana History classes and a Speech II Elective at Archbishop Hannan High School. He also serves as the Assistant Intramural Director. Mr. Shepherd Graduated from Holy Cross High School and from Tulane University. He taught and coached at Holy Cross for 14 years. For the last 7 years, he was the Disciplinarian at Our Lady of the Lake in Mandeville and also taught U.S. History. Mr. Shepherd is in his 22nd year of teaching, and is very happy to be in a high school again.

Mrs. Laura Rudiger teaches 8th grade English, Reading, and Theology at Archbishop Hannan High School. Mrs. Rudiger will soon begin a new club for girls and is co-moderator of the 8th grade class. After receiving a degree from UNO in Secondary English Education, Mrs. Rudiger taught at St. Mary’s Dominican High School in New Orleans before moving with her family to Raleigh, NC, where she taught English 8 and Religion 7 for six years. Returning to the area to be closer to family in 2012, Mrs. Rudiger taught Religion at St. Peter’s last year, and is thrilled to be a faculty member at Hannan. Mrs. Rudiger has been married for 22 years and is the mother of three sons. Her hobbies include cooking, reading, gardening, playing tennis, and writing. Mrs. Rudiger also volunteers with St. Peter’s youth group, TORCH.

Mrs. Beth McInnis Alford teaches an Algebra I honors course, and serves as a technology integration specialist, which involves working with teachers as a resource to help integrate technology into the curriculum at Archbishop Hannan High School. Mrs. McInnis Alford has been teaching for 24 years, and has recently moved from Baton Rouge to Bush, where she lives with her husband. She has a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Math Education from the University of New Orleans and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, also from the University of New Orleans, and an MNS with a concentration in Math from Louisiana State University. She is also a National Board Certified Teacher who is happy to return to Archbishop Hannan, where she began her teaching career.

Meet the New Faculty & StaffBy Camille BrennanEnglish Instructor


Mr. John Thacker teaches Physics, Chemistry and Physical Science at Archbishop Hannan High School. Mr. Thacker and his wife Louisa are from Connecticut and have been married 37 years. They have nine children (five of whom Mr. Thacker delivered himself with the help of a midwife) and have lived in Louisiana since 1997. Mr. Thacker is a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, and has a Master of Science in Physics. He was also an NCAA Div III Cross Country All American. After 27 years of service, Mr. Thacker retired from the Coast Guard and began a teaching career. He has taught physics and mathematics from the university level down to 8th grade. He is certified in physics, mathematics, and chemistry. He was a member of CALTECH’s professional staff and was in charge of the educational outreach program for a sophisticated physics lab known as LIGO Livingston. As the Education and Outreach Program Leader, he helped commission a new Science Education

Center. He spent four years in that informal learning community before going back to the classroom, and is happy to be teaching here at Archbishop Hannan.

Ms. Laura Lowe teaches Geometry and Algebra II at Archbishop Hannan High School. She also serves as the Mu Alpha Theta sponsor. Ms. Lowe is from Mandeville, LA. She has two bachelor degrees from Louisiana State University—one in Mathematics and one in Secondary Education with a concentration in Math. Ms. Lowe then earned a Masters in Mathematics Education at the University of Georgia Athens, and then a Specialist in Mathematics Education. Ms. Lowe taught math in Evans, GA for four years. She is certified in Gifted Education, and taught gifted courses as well. Ms. Lowe returned home to Louisiana in 2011.

Mr. Thomas Braud teaches Choir, Band, and Fine Arts Survey at Archbishop Hannan High School. He is from Covington, LA, and has a Degree in Music Education from Southeastern Louisiana University. While at Southeastern, Mr. Braud studied percussion and voice, and performed with many ensembles, some of which include The Southeastern Wind Symphony, The Southeastern Concert Choir, and The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. His most recent adventure brought him onto the stage with Broadway star Ivan Rutherford in the Fuhrmann Performing Arts production of Les Miserables. Mr. Braud is ecstatic to become a member of the Hannan Family. Mr. Braud stated, “Performing is an amazing experience that can never be replaced, however, my true passion is teaching.”

Mr. Paul Smith teaches World History and World Geography at Archbishop Hannan High School. He also serves as the Girls Basketball coach. Mr. Smith has Bachelor of Arts in History and a master’s degree from Southeastern Louisiana University, where he also taught as a history professor. Mr. Smith taught at Oak Forrest Academy in Amite for three years, and in Charlotte, NC for two before spending ten years at Varnado High School. Mr. Smith had the opportunity to study Abraham Lincoln in Gettysburg with some of the top scholars in the field, as well as spend a week living on James Madison’s plantation while studying his career with The National Endowment for the Humanities. He spent one summer studying in Costa Rica with Ole Miss as well. Mr. Smith has taught Social Studies as well as Spanish for 17 years. He is married with three children, and he is a dedicated Atlanta Braves fan.

Mrs. Joan Bellefontaine Dittman is an Administrative Assistant at Archbishop Hannan High School. Mrs. Dittman and her husband CDR Paul Dittman, a USCG officer, have four children who are in the 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grades. Three of them, Gus, Katie, and Maggie, currently attend Archbishop Hannan. Mrs. Dittman has a degree in Radiologic Technology/Mammography, and has worked in the field for almost 10 years, at which point she became a stay at home mom to raise her children. Mrs. Dittman moved to Covington in 2008. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, which involves serving as Chair of Pastoral Council, serving as ministry head of Extraordinary Ministries of Holy Communion (EMHC), serving on EMHC and Hospitality, and serving on the Executive Board of the Parents’ Club, of which she was a President. She also spends her time serving at the nursing home and hospital.

New Student Orientation

This past summer STUCO (student council) officers came

back to school a little early –in June that is - to introduce and

welcome the incoming students who attended the popular

“Propel Program.” They also organized and implemented the

3rd annual New Student Orientation. This year, there were

152 new students so the STUCO officers had their hands full.

Working as a well-oiled machine, the new students enjoyed

every minute as they participated in games, went on school

tours, learned some Hannan history, and ate some marvelous

snacks.

Back to School Dance

STUCO also hosted our annual back to school dance. The

theme this year was “Welcome Back to College Prep.” There

were over 300 students in attendance – dancing the night

away to the beats from DJ Garrett Klotz.

Leadership Seminars

Archbishop Hannan hosted District II’s Rally day based on

the theme of “Leaders Toy Around.” Coordinator of Events

Lilly Pittman and District II Vice-President Keighley Kelley

decorated and planned this successful day. Participating

high schools included Archbishop Hannan, St. Scholastica,

St. Paul’s, Ponchatoula High School, and Christ Episcopal.

STUCO moderators Charles Baird and Katie Robinson saw

a need to teach all the student leaders of Hannan what it

means to lead and how to be successful at leading an club,

Home...Where the Hawk IsBy Charles BairdDirector of Student Activities

athletic team, or the entire spirit body, so they hosted a

special leadership workshop in September. Special guest

speaker Mr. Phil, the Executive Director of LASC for the

past 43 years, came to Hannan. After the workshop Phil

exclaimed, “Thank you, for giving me the opportunity to work

with such an exceptional group of student leaders today.

Your students’ eager participation, enthusiasm, attentiveness,

and flawless cooperation made the workshop a rewarding

speaking experience for me. I truly appreciate all that you

did to have everything prepared in advance. Trust me, this

doesn’t always happen in other schools. You made my

day!!!!”

Pep Rallies

Friday, August 30th was the Fall Sports pep rally which

was a tremendous success. MC’s Lilly Pittman and James

Estopinal led players from the six fall sports as they

competed in a variety of activities involving all six sports

techniques. As the pep rally came to a close, the seniors

were victorious as they displayed the most spirit, followed

very closely by the freshmen.

Homecoming 2013

Homecoming 2013 was a rousing success. Monday – Friday

STUCO sponsored lunchtime activities during which each

grade competed against one another for spirit points. On

Wednesday a new tradition was begun as the juniors, seniors,

and faculty competed in the first ever Homecoming Volleyball

tourney, in which the faculty emerged victorious! Thursday


Hannan The Way

was the Annual Powder Puff game – seniors versus the juniors

on Hawk Field. Students enjoyed ice cream and watched the

seniors defeat the juniors. On Thursday evening, hundreds

rocked the house as the Hawks enjoyed their 3rd annual Parade,

Pep Rally and Bonfire, hosted by Samantha Bissel and James

Estopinal. The Homecoming Court was presented and the

queen Morgan Manfre and king Brent Powell were crowned.

Sophomores emerged victorious as they had the best floats and

the most spirit. Friday night, the Hawks beat the Pine Raiders by

a score of 49-26. The exciting week ended on Saturday with the

semi-formal dance, “This is Home….Coming.”

National Honor Society

The National Honor Society members are into well into their

tutoring duties. These students are available every Tuesday

morning in the Library beginning at 7:15 AM. Some teachers

take notice of who attends the sessions, so if you are having

trouble in a class, visit the Library to get some assistance from a

peer and maybe some extra points from your teacher!

Environmental Club

The Environmental Club has been very busy maintaining our

Hannan Habitat. In addition to working on Phase 2 of the

garden, they have been planning to apply for National Wildlife

and Fisheries Schoolyard Habitat certification, NABA Butterfly

garden certification, and Eco-School certification. In addition, as

the current Louisiana State Recycle-Bowl champions, the club is

getting ready to kick off this year’s Recycle-Bowl events.

Student Ambassadors

The Ambassador program has grown from its 2012-13 figure

of 107 to its current 2013-14 figure of 162. The Student

Ambassadors are now led by the Student Ambassador Board

comprised of students Carly Caballero, Emma Rabensteiner,

Anthony Doyle, Danielle Ledet, Abby Knight, and Hannah

Summersgill. This elected group is responsible for overseeing

all components of the Student Ambassador team—from Shadow

Days to Campus Tours; from weekly meetings to fundraising

opportunities—the Board is kept involved.


Fall Sports UpdateBy Joe Hines Athletic Director

Football – The Hawk football team is looking forward to a successful season this year, and they are off to a great start!

There are fifteen senior players who have been on the Hawk team since eighth grade. Our offense is led by quarterback Korey Zeigler. One featured running back is senior Michael Froeba, and the other is Jason Brooks, who plays both running back and wide receiver. Heading up the team’s defense are seniors Bruce Dimartino, Zach Castelluccio, and Jack Witte.

Coach Pat Lambert is entering his forth year as head coach of the Hawks. “He is an outstanding football coach, and he has a brilliant offensive mind,” said Hannan’s Athletic Director, Coach Hines. The team is also in a new district this year: District 8-2A. Hannan’s new rivals include Northlake Christian, St. Thomas Aquinas, Pope John Paul, Pine, Springfield, and St. Helena.

Cross Country – We are excited about starting a new cross country season. The team is the largest it has been in a few years. Our goal this year is to qualify for state. We have several strong runners who have been with the team every year they have been at Hannan. Team captains Elisabeth Hess, Jason Graziano, and Daniel Chacon help lead the team. Cooper Jordan and Aimee Gulliot are new members who have shown great ability.

Swim Team – The Hannan swim Team is now in its second year. When Hannan started the team in 2012 we had 9 swimmers, and we have grown this year to 14. The interest in the team is still growing. We have four key swimmers. They are Brian Berns, Cooper Jordan, Lizzie Larrieu and Holly Rodgers. The great thing about these swimmers is they are all freshman! After our first meet of the season we have 5 qualified for state in November. Our team is coached and trained by Bill Babcock and Debbie Larrieu. We practice out of Kehoe-France in Covington. We have a terrific group of young swimmers who will definitely make Hannan proud!

Volleyball – The Archbishop Hannan volleyball team is working hard in preparation for their journey to another district championship. The district is new and will prove to be tougher than the previous district. It’s nothing the Hawks can’t handle! With an extremely tough pre-season schedule including numerous former state champions, state finalists, and other state tournament qualifiers, the Hawks are no strangers to hardy competition. On Wednesday, September 25, the Hawks competed in their first district match of the season against a sure to be rival, Pope John Paul II. Starting for the Hawks is their only senior, Hannah Naquin, junior Madison Wolf, sophomores Danielle Ledet and Hannah Summersgill, freshman Julia Fecke, and 8th grader Hailey Cabeceiras. The team is young and is going through some adjusting and learning. However, because of the Hawks’ robust schedule and drive to win, they intend to be very successful in the end! The Hawks’ first home district match is Thursday, October 3, against St. Thomas Aquinas. Junior Varsity starts at 4:30 with Varsity following.


Hannan The Way


Hawks React To ChangeBy Anthony DoyleSophomore, Archbishop Hannan High School

Archbishop Hannan’s alternating block schedule with 90-minute classes has changed to a new rotating schedule. This schedule allows students to see all teachers three times a week for 73 minutes a class.

Last year students had alternating A days and B days, each consisting of four classes with two in the morning and two in the afternoon. The new schedule has students in three classes in the morning and two in the afternoon, with a small time block at the end of second period cut out for morning announcements. The rotating schedule begins with A period Monday morning and continues in sequential order for five periods a day until H period, and then it repeats. Each morning picks up where the previous afternoon left off until Friday afternoon, which ends with H period.

The period before lunch on Thursdays is not a class. In the past, time had to be taken from classes to make time for assemblies, school mass, advisory, and professional development. Now, the time is built into the schedule.

When not being used for mass, professional development, and assemblies, advisor/advisee period is when classes of around fifteen students meet with a teacher and have discussions on topics that depend on their grade level. Eighth graders focus on the life of Archbishop Hannan; freshmen, adjusting to high school; sophomores, looking at college; juniors, choosing colleges; and seniors, life in college. In this manner, students have another adult available to help them at school.

Father Charles Latour told the school at an assembly that studies have shown that having a relationship with a teacher has positive effects for students. Students will remain with their Advisory teachers throughout their time at Hannan and this time gives teachers a chance to talk about things that are not taught in a typical class.

As with all change, there are those who like it and those who do not, and the new schedule is no exception.

Among those upset with the new schedule change is volleyball player/junior Madi Wolf. She says, “The four period schedule needs to come back. It’s hard on the athletes to juggle five periods of homework per day!”

Sophomore Braelyn Leggett says, “I like it because I think we get more work done. The classes are shorter and if we have questions we don’t have to wait two days to see the teachers.”

Maddy Mares, also a sophomore, likes the change. “It makes me stay organized and the day goes faster. The only downside is lots of work. It does, though, make me feel confident in my work because I see each teacher three times a week.”

Shaun Seiler, junior, likes seeing his teachers more often as well. He also says, “It’s very consistent.”

Librarian Susan Yates also likes the schedule for its consistency. “I like knowing that I have a class on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday,” she says.

Theology teacher Lelia Benoit agrees with Yates. She says, “The new schedule took some time to get used to but I think I like it. It’s nice to have consistency having the same classes on the same day each week and also to teach students at different times during the day.”

Most students like Megan Baker and Destiny Simon, like the new schedule for the shorter length in classes. “You don’t spend as long in class,” Simon says.

Then there are those, like Mr. Anger, who are on the fence. “It’s taking a while to adjust,” he says. “I like having classes at different times. I guess there are pros and cons to each.”

71324 Highway 1077

Covington, Louisiana

70433

P 985-249-6363

F 985-249-6370

aRCHBISHOP Hannan

HIGH SCHOOL

Hannan The Way

Calendar of Events October 24, 2013 Open House

October 28, 2013 Hannan Golf Classic

November 7, 2013 Academic Information Night

November 16, 2013 Winter Dance (9th – 12th grade)

November 25-December 1, 2013 Thanksgiving Holidays

December 5, 2013 Christmas Concert

December 16-20, 2013 Semester Exams

December 23-January 5, 2014 Christmas Holidays

Looking Ahead March 29, 2014 Crimson and Navy Gala and Auction

the hannan way - fall 2013

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