Faculty and Staff Awards Presented

June 7, 2018

Each year, faculty and staff gather to celebrate the end of the year with a luncheon and presentation of awards to deserving colleagues.  The 2018 award recipients and their hard-work are shared below.

Values Award Recipients

Each year, faculty/staff members are recognized as exemplifying one or more of the values of Cretin-Derham Hall: Catholic, Academic, Leadership, Community, Service, Diversity, Equity. Their peers nominate them for the awards.

Christina DeVos is “one of the most empathetic teachers I have met. She spends endless hours helping kids find the right tools to be successful and the right people to help them in times of crisis. I have never seen so many students in one teacher's room before and after school. She treats everyone with equal respect and honors each person’s journey and story. She makes team teaching not only effective but also fun and inspiring. Our school is a brighter place because of her energy, kindness, and collaboration.”

Br. Douglas Hawkins “models the values ‘academic’ and ‘service.’” He provides a valuable service to students who cannot find success in the regular math curriculum and individualizes a math curriculum for each student. He engages each student with perseverance, humor, and understanding, and his classroom is a welcoming and comfortable place to learn. His students have definitely grown in competence as well as confidence.”

Patty Moellner is “efficient, generous, and willing to do whatever she can to assist you. She is selfless and kind. This year, she has done an extraordinary thing. With absolutely no explanation or special fanfare, she has baked a small, individual cake for each member of our faculty/staff for their birthday. Everybody gets his/her own Patty-cake. There is an appreciation of each individual person in the building on their special day.”

Jim O’Neill is “one of the unsung heroes in our building. His dedication has been constant and unwavering in so many ways and over so many years. His involvement goes far beyond his role in facilities; he is a great role model and leader in this community, both to students and colleagues. Over the years he has invested an impressive amount of time and energy into coaching, helping develop many young people into successful adults. Always positive and willing to help with anything asked of him, he really cares about people and the well being of all of us at CDH.”

Carole Loufek is “first and foremost a teacher. She may have left the classroom years ago but at her core, she is always teaching. She strives to provide and assist teachers and students with support to enhance all learning. Her knowledge of technology, understanding of processes, and commitment to academics has been and continues to be, instrumental. She has not been here very long, but has made a big impact and contribution to our community.”

Dan Rosen was “one of the first members of this staff to raise awareness about mental illness and to help CDH educate our staff and students about it. He helped our school to form the Student Assistance Team. He is compassionate towards everyone he meets. He truly educates the whole student and probably coined the phrase, ‘I teach students, not subjects.’ He models the values of Catholic and Community.”

Mary Robison is “a master teacher. She knows her subject matter so well and conveys her passion for it to her students. Her deep desire to educate our students and to help them realize that they can make a difference has been invaluable to our community Her classroom is alive with challenging discussions. She has high expectations of students and always seeks ways to accommodate them so they can find success. She has led the social studies department with skill, energy, and determination for the past decade.”

The Br. Leonard Kromhout Memorial Award

This award is presented annually to the person who best exemplifies the value of Cretin-Derham Hall. The endowment fund was established by the Cretin Class of 1951 in celebration of their 40th Jubilee.

Mark Syman’s “cerebral and calming influence extends beyond the classroom. He embodies the values of CDH and has contributed so much to this school both in and out of the classroom and yet, does not want to be recognized for it. Most importantly, he is an outstanding classroom teacher and his students love and respect him. He is truly committed to the mission of the CSJs and has been instrumental in our justice work at CDH. He is also one of the founders of our senior service model.” 

Class of 1949 Awards

These awards are presented annually to a teacher who best exemplifies the values of Cretin-Derham Hall. The endowment fund was established by Cretin members of the Class of 1949 in celebration of their 40th Jubilee.

Na Ye is “quiet and unassuming but always taking in all of the information and action that happens around her. She is devoted and loyal to her family and to her students. She goes above and beyond to create culturally relevant lessons that leave a lasting impact on her students. She incorporates a high level of technology into her lessons but also understands the importance of old-school drill and practice. Her students admit that they are lucky to have such a knowledgeable teacher that has truly answered the vocational call of teaching at CDH.”

LTC Jamie Fischer “models all of the CDH values, but the ones he best exemplifies are leadership and community. On a daily basis, he is one of our best role models, not only to the faculty and staff but, most importantly, to his students. He educates and instructs them on what it is to be a real leader. They grasp this, and when they leave Cretin-Derham Hall, they go out into the real world and become leaders of society. He also leads by example with the hundreds of hours he has put himself and his students out into the community, volunteering in many ways at funerals, alumni masses, or simply holding a door for anyone entering a building. Their presence is felt, and it all starts with their leader and role model.”

The Derham Hall Carondelet Faculty and Staff Leadership Award

This award, created by Derham Hall alumnae, honors one female faculty or staff member who exemplifies the spirit and educational mission of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

Mamie Fabel “consistently displays a deep interest in every student entrusted to her care. Whether it is through tutoring students long after hours (and often times on weekends), or, providing a safe space and environment in her classroom, she has been the epitome of a generous, selfless, and caring community member of this school. The Sisters of Saint Joseph and Consociates are proud of her commitment. While this is not a longevity or retirement award, this woman has given this school and its corresponding mission, the best of herself as a loving, caring, educator for the past 42 years.”

The Values of Cretin-Derham Hall

CATHOLIC - A conscious focus on Judeo/Christian traditions and Gospel values and Catholic doctrine as understood, celebrated and lived in the Catholic Church. Within a community of faith, we explore our relationship with God through worship, prayer, study and service promoting the dignity of each individual to ensure and care for the common good.

ACADEMIC - The process of imparting an identified curriculum for the purpose of preparing students for opportunities in post-secondary education.

LEADERSHIP - Provide an environment in which students learn about, develop and exercise the skills necessary to positively affect their community.

COMMUNITY - A body of diverse and inter-related individuals who support, care, and respect each other and seek to demonstrate these values in society.

SERVICE - A commitment to ministry within the church, school, and community at large to develop a sense of stewardship.

DIVERSITY - A conscious focus on and a shared responsibility to understand and respect the differences in abilities, religions, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds of the school community and society.

EQUITY - A conscious focus on and a shared responsibility for the development of a gender-fair environment