Category Archives: Faculty and Staff

Middle School Music Teacher Advances to the Quarterfinals for the Music Educator Award

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Kathy Rohrs, Chaminade’s middle school music teacher, has advanced to the quarterfinals for the first–ever Music Educator Award. A total of 217 music teachers from 195 cities across 45 states have been announced as quarterfinalists for the Music Educator Award presented by The Recording Academy® and the GRAMMY Foundation®. In total, more than 30,000 initial nominations were submitted from all 50 states.

The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten – college, public and private schools) who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. A joint partnership and presentation of The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation, this special award will have its inaugural presentation at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony and Nominees Reception honoring recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustee Award, Technical GRAMMY® Award during GRAMMY Week 2014.

As announced on the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards® by President/CEO of The Recording Academy and GRAMMY Foundation Neil Portnow, TV and radio host/producer and GRAMMY Foundation Honorary Board Chair Ryan Seacrest, and six-time GRAMMY® winner Justin Timberlake, the award was open to current United States music teachers, and anyone could nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans and administrators. Teachers were also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers were notified and invited to fill out an application.

One recipient will be selected from 10 finalists each year, and will be recognized for his/her remarkable impact on students’ lives. The winner will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the award, attend the GRAMMY Awards ceremony, and receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists also will receive matching grants. The honorariums and grants provided to the finalists and schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Foundation’s Education Champions Converse, Ford Motor Company Fund, General Mills Box Tops for Education, and Journeys. The semifinalists will be announced in August. For more information please visit www.grammymusicteacher.com.

Middle School Music Teacher Receives the Creative Arts Teacher Award

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Kathy Rohrs, Chaminade’s middle school music teacher, will receive the Creative Arts Teacher Award at the 13th Annual Unforgettable Educator Recognition Dinner, on Thursday, April 18 at the Odyssey restaurant in Granada Hills. Presented by the Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce and Facey Medical Group, the dinner celebrates and honors local teachers and school administrators whose dedication and active role in the community inspire and motivate their students to grow, learn, excel and give back.

The chamber reached out and asked the community to nominate the individuals they strongly believe deserve to be recognized. The Creative Arts Teacher award is one of several awards that will be presented, in addition to, the Unforgettable Educator Award, Principal of the Year Award, Science and Technology Teacher Award, and PTA President of the Year Award.

A vocalist, guitarist, harpist, conductor, composer and teacher, Mrs. Rohrs has been teaching and performing in Southern California for over 30 years.  Mrs. Rohrs currently holds a Bachelor’s degree in classical guitar and a K-12 Secondary Music Credential in Music Education from California State University, Northridge. In 2001, Kathy joined the Chaminade family where she serves as the music director and choral director of the Chaminade C-Notes.  Under her instruction, the Chaminade C-Notes have had the honor to travel Washington D.C. to perform at the America Sings! festival, and to New York performing as the solo feature choir for the National Children’s Festival at Carnegie Hall.

Chaminade Selects New High School Principal

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President James Adams announced on February 12 that Stephen Lepire has been appointed as the new high school principal of Chaminade College Preparatory.

After a three-month long, nationwide search, Mr. Lepire has been selected and will begin his tenure on July 1, 2013. He is currently principal of Redwood Middle School in Thousand Oaks, where he has served since July of 2009.

Mr. Lepire will be replacing Bro. Tom Fahy, Chaminade’s high school principal for the past 11 years, who announced his intent to step down at the end of this school year. Bro. Tom will continue to work at Chaminade, in a yet-to-be defined capacity.

“In selecting Stephen Lepire, we have been blessed with an opportunity to bring a gifted educator on board to provide leadership to our high school community,” said President Jim Adams. “I am confident that he has the experience, skills, and personal characteristics necessary to continue our proud tradition of Catholic/Marianist education in Southern California.”

“I want to first thank and congratulate Bro. Tom Fahy for his 11 years of service to Chaminade. Following in his footsteps will be a daunting task,” said Mr. Lepire. “As a product of Catholic schools from first grade through college, and now a proud parent of two students in Catholic schools, I am deeply honored and humbled with the opportunity presented before me as the new principal of Chaminade College Preparatory’s High School. Chaminade is blessed with an outstanding balance of rigorous academics, recognized service to the surrounding communities, a comprehensive campus ministry program committed to service and justice, excellence in athletics and a commitment to student co-curricular programs. I am excited to have the responsibility to continuing these superior traditions. However, I am deeply focused on upholding all of the Marianist principles that are the cornerstone of Chaminade.”

Mr. Lepire is a San Fernando Valley resident and a graduate of local Catholic elementary and high schools. He is also the proud parent of a Chaminade student. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies from Loyola Marymount University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from California Lutheran University. Mr. Lepire started his career many years ago as a coach at Chaminade and has compiled a long and impressive track record as a teacher and administrator.

Mr. Lepire began his administrative career as a dean of students at several different schools in Los Angeles and Conejo Valley. In 2003, he was appointed assistant principal at Newbury Park High School where he served until 2008, when he was appointed to the assistant principal position at Westlake High School. Mr. Lepire has extensive experience in many areas of school leadership, grounded in a passion for student success. He has developed strong administrative skills and a collaborative style that complements our Marianist philosophy. In January of this year, Steve was selected as the Administrator of the Year for Ventura County by the Association of California School Administrators. This prestigious award will be presented in March at the Association’s annual conference in Solvang.

Speech & Debate Coach Earns First Diamond Coach Award

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Marianne Rosen, the high school’s speech and debate coach, has just earned distinction as a first diamond coach in the National Forensic League. J. Scott Wunn, Executive Director of the National Forensic League, sent Marianne a letter announcing this distinction. Under Marianne’s instruction, Chaminade students have earned more than 15,000 credit points through speech and debate presentations, competition, and service. The National Forensic League national office has added Marianne’s name to the select list of coaches who have earned diamonds for their NFL keys and a certificate will be presented to Marianne at the national tournament. A press release will be forthcoming from the NFL announcing the newest diamond coaches, and Marianne’s name will also be featured in Rostrum magazine as a new diamond coach.

Coach Croson Named as Finalist for ABC7/NFL Coach of the Year

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At the close of the 2012 regular season, with a record of 9-1, Chaminade College Preparatory’s Head Football Coach, Ed Croson, has been named as one of five finalists for ABC7/NFL Coach of the Year.

Finalists must have reached the playoffs to be considered, and were selected based on won-loss records during the regular season, and then on the number and quality of e-mail nominations ABC7 Sports Zone received. The finalists include Coach Coley Candaele of Vista Murietta High School, Coach Russel Gordon of La Salle High School, Coach Robert Garrett of Crenshaw High Schol, and Coach Bill Zernickow of San Dimas High School.

The Chaminade family can help Coach Croson be selected as Coach of the Year by sending an email to coachoftheweek@abc7.com and telling their stories of why he should be chosen. This can make the difference during the final decision because the number of e-mails and quality of the stories shared will be considered. E-mails must be received by Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 22, 2012).

Coach Croson was selected as the first ABC7/NFL High School Coach of the Week for the 2012 season in September. His selection included a $1,000 grant from the NFL Youth Football Fund to Chaminade’s football program.