Montini Catholic Honors Three Legendary Coaches

Barb Dawson • August 29, 2023

Coach Kavanaugh, Coach Cox and Coach McCann Honored

The Montini Football Program was pleased to honor three legendary football coaches, who, combined, have given nearly 90 years of service to Montini Catholic High School, and specifically the Bronco Football Program.

The Lasallian preparatory high school's first Head Football Coach, and founding father of the program, Mr Jim Kavanaugh† (represented by four his five children - all graduates of Montini Catholic)* and two long time dedicated assistant coaches Jim Cox and Dan McCann were honored at the first game of the season on Friday August 25th. Alumni, family and friends were invited to gather at a special reception at the Vince Gavin Stadium Club, at John L. Duffy Memorial Stadium prior to and during the varsity game.

Montini's Athletics Department arranged a special halftime ceremony on the field to recognize the coaches and their families.

"We had a great turnout and were so glad to welcome Coach Cox, Coach McCann and the family of Coach Kav," said Head Football Coach Mike Bukovsky '83. "These three men have truly impacted countless young men and families, during their service to Montini Catholic High School! It was such an honor for us all - and a great night to be a Bronco!"

Image Attached

At the Vince Gavin Stadium Club on Friday, August 25th - l to r: Coach Jim Cox, Coach Dan McCann, Dr. Ken Kavanaugh '79, Maureen Kavanaugh '88, Coleen Kavanaugh '89 and Chris Kavanaugh '80

3637 - honorees on the field at halftime with their families

*Coach Jim Kavanaugh was Montini Catholic's first Football and Wrestling coach. He passed away on July 1, 2023.

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Administration Attends LASSCA in California

By Barb Dawson • March 7, 2025

Montini Catholic President Kevin Beirne and Principal Chris Tiritilli recently attended the 2025 LASSCA (Lasallian Association of Secondary School Chief Administrators) Conference in Anaheim, California, from February 23 to 26. The LASSCA Conference provides a platform for Lasallian school leaders to collaborate, share best practices, and discuss the latest innovations in teaching, technology, and scholarship. This year’s event focused on the Lasallian mission and explored ways to integrate new approaches into education. One of the conference highlights was the keynote address by Dan Fitzpatrick, author of The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education. Fitzpatrick delved into the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance classroom learning, offering valuable insights for educators seeking to incorporate AI into their teaching practices. Tuesday’s keynote session featured Dr. Sarah Wannemuehler, Director of Clinical Practice and Associate Professor at the University of Southern Indiana. Dr. Wannemuehler presented real legal cases and provided crucial resources for school leaders to update and improve their school handbooks. Her session was an essential resource for administrators navigating legal challenges in education. “We are grateful for the opportunity to attend these keynote sessions, which provided invaluable insights on both technology and legal issues in education,” said Beirne. “The information shared will help us adapt to the evolving educational landscape and ensure that Montini Catholic remains at the forefront of academic excellence.” “The LASSCA Conference gave us the chance to connect with other Lasallian leaders and learn from experts in various fields. We’re excited to bring back practical strategies to continue enhancing our school environment and providing the best experience for our students.” Montini Catholic remains committed to fostering academic rigor, embracing innovation, and staying aligned with the values of the Lasallian mission to benefit its students. Image Attached: L to R: Montini Principal Chris Tiritilli, Brother Michael Fehrenbach, FSC of Christian Brothers of the Midwest District and Montin President Kevin Beirne

Students Celebrate Ash Wednesday and the Beginning of the Lenten Season

By Barb Dawson • March 5, 2025

Montini Catholic students, faculty and staff gathered on March 5th to celebrate Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season. Lent is a solemn forty day period of fasting and penitence, ending at sundown on Holy Thursday and observed by Catholics as they prepare for the resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday (April 20th). Fr. Larry Dreffein, OFM, celebrated Mass with the students. After Mass senior Isabel Evenson (Villa Park) gave a beautiful reflection on the three pillars of Lent—prayer, fasting and almsgiving - which are expressions of the fundamental purpose of Lent, which is to turn to God in a conversion of heart.

Conor Kaefer Earns National Merit Finalist Recognition

By Barb Dawson • March 3, 2025

Montini Catholic Principal, Chris Tiritilli, is proud to announce that senior Conor Kaefer (Lombard) is among the National Merit Commended Semifinalists (named in September of 2024) who have met all requirements to advance to the Finalist standing in the competition. Conor is currently being considered for National Merit Scholarship awards. In September of 2024, National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) was proud to announce the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors had an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered. To compete for National Merit Scholarships, Semifinalists advanced to the Finalist level of the competition by fulfilling several additional requirements. About half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title. Since its founding, NMSC has recognized over 3.5 million students and provided some 470,000 scholarships worth over $1.8 billion. The honors awarded by NMSC to exceptionally able students are viewed as definitive marks of excellence. United States high school students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which serves as an initial screen of over 1.3 million entrants each year, and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements.Recipients of Merit Scholarship® awards, Achievement Scholarship® awards, and corporate-sponsored Special Scholarships have increased the nation's respect for intellectual accomplishments and have contributed significantly to its talent pool of future leaders.