Honor St. Edmund 85th Anniversary

22, 2018 WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and commend those institutions of true purpose and high achievement whose exemplary programs and accomplishment clearly demonstrate an enduring pursuit of excellence in the education of the youth of the Empire State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 85th Anniversary of St. Edmund Preparatory High School to be celebrated with a Gala on Sunday, April 22, 2018, at Giando on the Water, Brooklyn, New York; and WHEREAS, On February 2, 1932, St. Edmund Preparatory High School was opened as St. Edmund Academy, a two-year high school for girls with a class of just 60 students; four years later, the name was changed to St. Edmund Commercial High School, offering a two year commercial program; and WHEREAS, In 1962, the now four-year school was once again renamed St. Edmund High School, accredited by Middle States; and WHEREAS, During the period from 1932 to 1962, classes for the school were held in part of the building that now houses the grammar school and church; on June 12, 1960, ground was broken for a new high school building; the new school building opened in September of 1962, and graduated its first class of 232 students in June of 1964; and WHEREAS, In September of 1994, the school was again renamed as St. Edmund Preparatory High School and became an independent entity run by a Board of Trustees; during this time, the school became a co-educational institution dedicated to preparing boys and girls for entrance to college; and WHEREAS, From its opening, the administration of St. Edmund Preparatory School was in the capable hands of the Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of the Rosary of Sparkill, New York; in

1986, as the number of Dominican teaching faculty decreased, the administration of the school was turned over to the equally capable hands of the Congregation of The Sisters of Saint Joseph; and WHEREAS, In September of 1999, Sister Barbara Doyle was appointed Campus Minister and James Benson was appointed as the first lay Assistant Principal; due to an ever increasing student population it was determined that another layer of administration was required and Tom Maher and Ray Malafronte were appointed Academic Deans; and WHEREAS, On February 14, 2007, St. Edmund Preparatory High School took the first step towards expanding its physical school building with a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Library and Media Center Wing; and WHEREAS, Responding to the needs of its students, St. Edmund Preparatory High School cemented its place as an institution dedicated to rigorous academic study when the school officially became an International Baccalaureate World School in September of 2008, and began teaching IB courses in the Fall of 2009; and WHEREAS, In June of 2014, Reverend Edward Brophy retired as Pastor of St. Edmund Parish and ended his tenure as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, a post he held since coming to the Parish in 2001; on June 30,

2014, Reverend David Dettmer took over as both Pastor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees; and WHEREAS, On March 8, 2017, after 22 years as Principal of St. Edmund Preparatory High School and 48 years in Catholic education, John Lorenzetti announced his retirement; Allison McGinnis took over as the school's 11th principal beginning at the start of the 2017-2018 academic year; and WHEREAS, St. Edmund Preparatory High School has continually demonstrated an impressive dedication, an unparalleled devotion and an unremitting enthusiasm for the quality of educational programs and opportunities offered for the benefit of its faculty and students as well as for the entire community; and WHEREAS, St. Edmund Preparatory High School is proudly aware of its distinguished past, eager to fulfill its present commitment to parents, students and the community, and planning with vision and purpose for the ebb and swell of growth and change it will encounter in the years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the 85th Anniversary of St. Edmund Preparatory High School to be celebrated on April 22, 2018; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to St. Edmund Preparatory High School.