Dear Students,

Tomorrow will be a day unlike any that we have experienced at Salesianum. We have lost one of our brothers. Some of us are feeling this loss more intensely than others, but we show our solidarity by being present at school, drawing strength from the brotherhood, and supporting one another. This is our sacred duty to one another as Salesians.

In honor of Tyler Brown, the day will be unique. There will be no bells. When you arrive at school, I would ask you to place your books, iPad, and other belongings in your locker. The gym will be open at 7:30 AM, where we will have Tyler’s artwork, copies of his recent Salesian reflection, and opportunities to light candles for him and his parents. There will be three stations set up with posters and markers, one designated for Tyler’s family, one for Kelly Muschiatti and her family, and one for John Kirsch. Each of these families need special prayers and support at this time.

Everyone is asked to gather in the gym no later than 8:15 AM. There will be no Padua or Ursuline exchange. No one will call students to the gym; all are trusted to arrive on time and in a reflective spirit. Our day will officially begin with a prayer service. Underclassmen are to sit with their houses, and seniors in the senior section, as we would for Mass. The prayer service will be 15-20 minutes. At the end of the service, underclassmen will be dismissed to their homerooms in silence. Seniors will remain together as a class in the gym. At the end of the homeroom period, seniors will move the remembrances of Tyler to the Chapel.

At 9:10 AM, first period will begin. For some, it may be difficult to return to a normal schedule. Throughout the day, we will have counselors in Centenary Hall willing to speak to anyone in need of extra support. Members of the Center for Faith and Justice will be in the Chapel area to provide comfort to students who come for quiet prayer and reflection. Tyler’s artwork and remembrances, and the posters for the Brown, Muschiatti, and Kirsch families will all be in the Chapel area as well. Students will be free to come to either Centenary Hall or the Chapel as needed at any point during the day.

Throughout the week, we will have prayer services for the many groups and teams that Tyler was part of. We will make more announcements about these services tomorrow.

As we begin the week, I ask us to remember Tyler, Kelly, and John in our prayers tonight and throughout this difficult time. I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow and although this is a tough time, it will be good for us to be together.

Your Salesian brother,

Fr. Chris Beretta, OSFS

Schedule for Monday, March 14

Please Pray for Tyler, Kelly, and John 

V+J

Dear Students,

Today after school, Tyler Brown’s mother and father came to campus to ask if they could have their son’s funeral at Salesianum. They want you, his brothers, to share in this difficult moment with them and celebrate Tyler’s life. On your behalf, we told Tyler’s parents that we would be honored to stand with them as we pay our final respects to our brother. I know the family will find your presence to be a healing moment of consolation and comfort in what has otherwise been such a terrible loss.

The funeral and burial arrangements are as follows:

Visitation
Thursday, March 17
Salesianum Chapel
5:00 – 8:00 PM

Funeral Mass
Friday, March 18
Salesianum Gym
10:00 AM

Burial
Following Friday’s Mass in New Jersey

By tomorrow evening, we will provide additional details regarding how these days will work. Thursday will be a normal school day, with the Visitation to follow in the evening for those who choose to come back to campus and pay their respects. The family wants to bring Tyler to the same chapel where so many of us have come to pray and seek comfort since the news broke Saturday. As hard as this will be for some of us, it is an important part of acknowledging our loss and our grief.

Friday will be a unique day with a special schedule to accommodate the family and properly celebrate the funeral mass. Your presence at school has never been more important than it will be on Friday. Tyler’s family told us that though they have lost a son, through this tragedy they now realize Tyler had a thousand brothers. As his Salesian family, it is our sacred duty to be present and mourn together.

When Mrs. Brown was asked what she wanted to be printed on the prayer cards that will be distributed in memory of Tyler, she wanted to include the familiar phrase, “Be who you are and be that well.” We are called to be the living reflection of these words by grieving with the Brown family, who have chosen to bring Tyler back to Salesianum one last time, and be with the brotherhood that he will always be part of.

Rest well tonight. Continue to pray for Kelly and John. We will talk more about the plans for Thursday and Friday in school tomorrow. I am proud of all of you, and it will be an honor to stand with all of you and the Brown family as we say goodbye to Tyler on Friday.

Tenui nec dimittam,

Fr. Chris Beretta, OSFS

Dear Parents,

I want to begin by thanking everyone for being so supportive during a trying time. Also, to let you know how mature, generous, and supportive your sons have been these last few days. From the moment we first learned of Tyler’s death, Salesianum has behaved as a true community. It is very important that we finish the week strong, not only for Tyler and for his family, but for ourselves. I know that for many of our students, this may be their first funeral, or may be a sad reminder of a recent family loss. But the sad reality is that we have lost one of our own, and a community must acknowledge the reality of any loss. I just want to thank you in advance for trusting that these experiences are part of your son’s growth and maturation into a Salesian gentleman.

There is a lot of information below. Please read it carefully as we prepare to lay our brother to rest.

Fr. Chris Beretta, OSFS 

THURSDAY

Visitation
Location: Chapel
Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Parking: Parking on campus is limited. If possible, please carpool with friends and family. If street parking be sure to respect our neighbors by ensuring that you are not blocking driveways.

Visitation: In keeping with tradition, we will join the Brown family the night before Tyler’s funeral, and keep watch with them in prayer. School will open at 5:00 PM and all should enter through the front door of the gym. There may be long lines waiting to reach the chapel. After greeting the family and paying respects to Tyler, you will have the opportunity to enter the Marian Garden, light a candle, and say a silent prayer for him and the family.

Support and Grief Counseling: This night can be a difficult part of the funeral experience, because it challenges all of us, especially our students, to truly confront the reality of Tyler’s death. But in a loss as sudden as this, visiting the family and praying for our lost brother are important parts of the process. And the community is here to support you in every way possible. Counselors will be available in the Raskob Room throughout the evening if you would like to talk, either as an individual or with a group of friends. Many of your teachers will also be here to talk.

FRIDAY

Arrival: All students should arrive at the normal time for school. Prayer and announcements begin at 8:15 AM as on other days.

What to wear: Students should dress up in their best suit, preferably black or dark colors.

Class Schedule: At 8:15, all students will report to C-2 class, followed by C-3 and homeroom.

Seniors: Seniors will be called to the auditorium just a few minutes after the prayer and will remain together as a group throughout the morning as they prepare for special roles in the funeral.

Parking: Students who normally park in the lower lot, on Broom Street, or in the State lot should use the Baynard Stadium lot on Friday morning. This will allow us to have parking readily available for family members and guests.

About the Day: It is important that students take the time to eat breakfast and stay hydrated on Friday morning. The funeral will begin at 10:00 AM, which means that they likely won’t have lunch until 12:00 PM. The Dining Center will be open for breakfast until 8:15 AM and then again for lunch.

For Parents Attending the Mass of Christian Burial
The wishes of the Brown family are to celebrate their son’s family with the entire Salesianum community. While wish to accommodate all who wish to mourn his passing, the priority for remaining seating needs to be given to Tyler’s family and friends. Thank you for your understanding.

Location: Gymnasium
Time: 10:00 AM

Parking: Please carpool whenever possible. We are trying to make as much parking available for Tyler’s family as we can. If street parking be sure to respect our neighbors by ensuring that you are not blocking driveways or right of ways.

Guests are asked to arrive through the front door of the Gym. Bleacher seating is reserved for Salesianum students. Tyler’s family will sit in the three front rows on the gym floor. All other guests are asked to sit in the remaining chairs on the floor.

After Mass and Dismissal
To allow our guests to leave campus, students who do not attend services at the cemetery will remain at school and be dismissed from school at 1:00 PM. Students will not return to class after the long morning but need to remain at school. Lunch will be served and NCAA basketball games will be on in various locations on campus. Grief counselors will also be available. Parents are asked not to come to campus for student pickup until 1:00 PM in order to allow mourners to leave campus. Buses will pick-up at their regular times and the library will be open until 4:00 PM.

Burial
Tyler’s burial will take place in New Jersey. Many students may want to join the family at the cemetery. To keep traffic manageable, both in the procession and with parking at the small cemetery chosen by the family, we have arranged for busses to transport students who wish to attend the burial. If demand warrants, we may designate a bus to stop at the gathering at the Brown’s home to follow. We have asked students to assist with planning by signing up for the bus by 11:00 AM on Thursday. Online signup - http://goo.gl/forms/JvqXgXu5lD.

HONORING TYLER’S MEMORY
The love and support from the community has been inspiring as many have inquired as to how they can assist the Brown family in their time of need. In lieu of flowers, we strongly suggest making contributions to charities designated by the Browns. We will make this list available to you next week.

My Salesian brothers,

On this Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, my thoughts and prayers are with all of you. I know we are all heartbroken for Tyler’s mom and dad, and that we stand in awe of what we experienced last week. As the church throughout the world prepares to reflect on the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus, I can’t help but feel like we just had our own version of Holy Week at Salesianum, filled with shock and grief, sadness and tragedy, courage and gratitude, inspiration and hope.

One of the things that makes Salesianum so special is that feeling that you are part of something bigger than yourself. That no one person is bigger than the S we all wear on our chest, whether you are the principal of the school or the shyest freshman. We are all in this together. And Tyler’s death has reminded us that we all matter.

This week, we lost a brother. It didn’t matter if you were Tyler’s close friend, or if you only knew him as another Salesian in the hallway. We all felt it. And we didn’t run and hide. We didn’t pretend life was normal. We faced the reality of death. We were humbled by the awareness that this could have been any of us. And we came together as never before, we grieved and shed tears, and we found strength in the brotherhood. We refused to leave the side of Tyler's family. In the grief and anguish of Tyler’s mom and dad, we all felt how much a parent loves a child. And the fact that you, as Tyler’s Salesian brothers, were able to share your sadness and grief so openly with them meant more than any of you could know.

Then we took all our sadness, and all our love and loyalty, and all the competitive fire that Salesianum has ever mustered, and we set our minds and hearts on one goal: giving Tyler Brown the best damn funeral anyone has ever seen.

It was a moving tribute to someone who died far too young, but who lived a full life and truly reflected the words, “be who you are and be that well.” Tyler never sought special recognition, but he was a shining example of that Salesian Gentleman and renaissance man we are all called to be. And we not only mourned his death, we celebrated his life. No matter where you sat in the gym, every last one of us mattered and had an important role.

As long as I live, I will never forget some of the moments we shared together this week. How so many of you showed up Saturday and Sunday at the House of Sales. How so many of you came to the viewing on Thursday night and faced the most difficult and terrible reality with Tyler’s parents. How some of your teachers - Mr. Ryan, Mr. Dever, and Mrs. Godfrey - took turns staying in the chapel all night so Tyler would never be alone. As we were reminded this week in our toughest moment, we have the most caring and dedicated teachers and staff anywhere.

Then on Friday, on the most difficult of days, we all stood tall, even if we had to lean on each other like never before. I’ve never felt a mix of grief and pride in the same way. The senior honor guard that lined the hallway. Tyler’s last Direction of Intention in the hallway as the procession stopped at his locker. The gifts that were brought up by Tyler’s Wrestling, Rugby, Model UN, Art Class, and Birkenheuer brothers. The way in which our sister schools stepped up and stood by us in our time of need. The eulogies given by Tyler’s friends and by our president, Mr. Brendan Kennealey, who never left the family’s side from the time we first learned of this tragedy. And Joe Miller, whose moving song after communion gave a voice to the grieving of an entire brotherhood.

Most of all, I will never forget the moment that our seniors, the Class of 2016, through their tears, led us in the alma mater. How all of you throughout the gym locked arms and sang those sacred words that bind us. How the eight senior pall bearers placed their hands on Tyler’s casket so that he would not be alone at that moment. And how every senior touched Tyler’s casket a final time as they formed the final honor guard that would lead Tyler out of Salesianum for the final time. It was the Salesian Brotherhood at its finest hour, broken but stronger than ever. “There is nothing so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.” When we walked out of school into the beautiful sunshine on Broom Street, all I could do as I walked by the seniors was to say “thank you” through my own tears. There were no other words to say.

On the way to the cemetery, the Delaware State Police made sure that Tyler’s final ride home to New Jersey would be a memorable one. Incredibly, they shut down I-95 and the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and rode with us all the way to the tiny, beautiful old cemetery in New Jersey that Tyler’s mom and dad chose as his final resting place. Tyler’s parents told Mr. Kennealey as they rode together in the limo, “Tyler never liked a fuss being made over him, but he would have thought this was pretty cool.” And I think everyone who witnessed it agreed.

There are heads of state who never received a funeral as beautiful and heartfelt as this. But then again, Tyler was better than a king or a president. He was a Salesian brother. And he always will be.

I know we all have many other memories that we will hold in our hearts forever. Someday, you will experience death again, and you will remember what this week taught us: that we are called to go through life’s toughest moments together. In your family, or among your friends, you may be the one who gently keeps everyone together. At those times, remember the words of our patron saint, Francis de Sales: “It is not necessary to always feel strong. It is sufficient to have hope that we will be strong enough at the proper time and place.”

And so, this Holy Week, we are left with a lot to reflect on, and an Easter break that couldn’t come at a better time. At times such as this, our faith is so important. Not because it gives us easy answers, but because it leads us to stand together and a way to express our sadness, our gratitude, and our hope when words fail us. Sadness at having lost a brother. Gratitude for having been a part of Tyler’s life, and for the reality that each day is truly a gift from God. And the hope that Tyler lives on, and that one day we will be reunited with him. For in the face of death, we have experienced that we are not alone. God is with us. And more will be revealed.

Tenui nec dimittam,

Fr. Chris Beretta, OSFS

Social Studies teacher Colbe K. Klein '04 was recently awarded his second Holocaust Education grant through the Jewish Federation of Delaware (Arnold D. Kerr Holocaust Education grant). Mr. Klein used the grant to purchase curriculum materials and to take his history class on a May field trip to the United States Holocaust Museum.

At Mr. Klein’s invitation, local documentary film maker Steve Gonzer held a screening of his documentary No Denying: Delawareans Bear Witness to the Holocaust at Salesianum this past May. With more than 70 students among the audience members, Mr. Gonzer provided context for a few of the interviews in the documentary and held a Q&A session.

Look for Mr. Klein’s article on the use of grant funding and the importance of emphasizing Holocaust education in an upcoming issue of the Jewish Voice.

Three Salesianum film students were finalists for the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Mid-Atlantic High School Emmy Awards.

Senior Jeffrey Sweeney was nominated for Father Brian Zumbrum and the Clippers of Fire.

Juniors James Blackwell and Jacob Biedermann were nominated for Raymond Lambert '79: Pursuit of Perfection.

All three students were honored at an awards ceremony held at Neumann University on April 28. The awards were presented as part of an educational day for students with lectures by industry professionals and demonstrations on film technique.

After weeks of creative campaigning and thoughtful consideration of next year's goals, Salesianum students voted for their 2015-2016 student leaders:

Student Council

Mark Gallagher (President)
Riley Montgomery
James Blackwell
Andrew Hally
Chase Truitt

Black Student Union

J.P. Rene (President)
Davar Bost (Vice-President)
Terrell Williams (Underclassman Representative)

Salesianum students donated hundreds of children’s books to a Wilmington city literacy program jointly run by Book 'em - Cops and Kids Literacy Initiative and the Prekindergarten Reading Encouragement Project (PREP). Thanks to librarian Rachel West for organizing the drive!

On May 18, Salesianum hosted a college admissions case study program, where real admissions representatives and students from area schools collaborated to accept, deny, and waitlist fictional applicants. The “committees” weighed the applicants’ academics, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and essays in order to make an informed decision.

The case studies were followed by a college fair.

Attending colleges and universities includes: Albright College, American University, Case Western Reserve University, Colgate University, College of Charleston, Columbia University, DeSales University, Emory University, Fairfield University, Franklin & Marshall College, Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins University, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Marist College, New York University, Northeastern University, Providence College, Purdue University, Saint Joseph's University, Seton Hall University, Swarthmore College, Temple University, The College of New Jersey, The College of William & Mary, The Ohio State University, The University of Arizona, The University of Chicago, University of Delaware, Union College, University of Maryland, University of Notre Dame,  University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, Villanova University, Washington College.

Students in Bill McGowan ('97)'s world and U.S. history classes created these videos as part of their final projects.

D-Day Invasion

9/11 Montage

WWII - The German Point of View

American Foreign Policy During the Vietnam War

On May 30, 2015, the 238 graduates of the Salesianum Class of 2015 graduated in the Rev. John Birkenheuer, OSFS, Memorial Gymnasium. The class earned $18,729,510 in merit-based aid to top colleges and universities around the world. The average scholarship per student was $78,695 over 4 years.

Bishop of Wilmington Most Rev. W. Francis Malooly, D.D. gave the Benediction. The Introductory Address was given by senior Connor Moore and the Commencement Address was given by senior Joey Bader. Senior Class President Josh Croney received his diploma on behalf of the class, prompting the traditional raucous cheer from his classmates.

Very Rev. James J. Greenfield, OSFS, Provincial Superior of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales and Chairman of the Salesianum Board of Trustees conferred the Provincial Medal of Honor to senior Justin McCartney.

Salesianum presents: "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" Directed by Aaron Bogad

Tix are available for purchase online: https://www.showtix4u.com/#!/page_Events

-or- at the door: adults - $10, students/seniors - $5. Get YOURS today!

OPENS this Weekend:
April 22 at 8:00PM (with a Q&A to follow) April 23 at 8:00 PM
April 24 at 2:00PM

SECOND WEEKEND
April 29 at 8:00PM (with a Q&A to follow) April 30 at 8:00 PM
May 1 at 2:00 PM

682 runners and dozens of volunteers made this year's Szczerba Memorial 5K Run & Walk the best one yet.

New Castle County mounted patrolmen watched over the starting line, as the Delaware State Police helicopter took off from the upper parking lot and circled the course to announce the start of the race.

New this year, a post-race party under a tent on the front lawn featured libations provided by Frank's Wine, Grotto's Pizza and live music from Bryen O'Boyle, formerly of Mr. Greengenes.

Click here for event photos.

In the latest installment of the Salesianum Breakfast Speaker Series, leading advocates, reformers and experts met to discuss one of the least understood social issues of our time–incarceration.

Click here to see News Journal coverage of the event.

The United States is home to five percent of the world’s population, but, disturbingly, nearly a quarter of the world’s prisoners: 2.3 million in 2013.  The negative social and economic impacts of this mass imprisonment are affecting everyone – not just the minority populations whose rates of incarceration are far higher than white Americans. 

Panelists consisted of:

The Hon. John Gleeson (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York)

A federal judge in the Eastern District of New York, Judge Gleeson earned notoriety as the lead prosecutor in the United States vs. John Gatti, et. al.  More recently, Judge Gleeson has made news for his efforts to raise awareness surrounding mandatory sentencing.  His innovative “drug court” is a pretrial program that aims to use sobriety as motivator to keep non-violent offenders away from harsh mandatory sentences.

The Hon. Christopher A. Coons (D-DE)

Delaware’s junior senator, Chris Coons (D) is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus.  He has been an advocate for sentencing reform and is focused on a justice system that imposes fair penalties, devoid of a one-size-fits-all approach.

The Hon. Charles Oberly, III (U.S. Attorney for the District of DE)

For nearly five years, Charles Oberly has served as the United States Attorney for the District of Delaware.  Prior to that role Mr. Oberly has a 20 year career in the Delaware Attorney General’s office where he held the positions of criminal deputy, appellate chief, state prosecutor, in 1982, was elected to the first of his three four-year terms as Delaware’s Attorney General.

Moderated by Chief Justice Leo E. Strine, Jr., P '17 (Delaware Supreme Court)

Now in his second year as Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, Justice Strine previously served as Chancellor of the Court of Chancery. An outspoken jurist on a number of social issues, Justice Strine has repeatedly raised awareness about inequities in sentencing across racial and social lines

SALSTHON is honored to announce St. Patrick's Center in East Wilmington as its 2017 beneficiary. Founded in 1971, St. Patrick's Center provides emergency food, meals, respite for the homeless, clothing, and transportation for people in need on Wilmington's east side. Since its inception in 2013, SALSTHON has reaised nearly $500,000 for charitable organizations and the 2017 fundraising goal is $150,000. 

Funds from SALSTHON 2017 will provide St. Patrick’s Center with the option of moving to a larger food distribution facility with ground floor access and a loading dock. The second phase of the St. Patrick’s project will renovate the current food distribution space on the third floor into medical offices staffed by resident physicians and social workers. The hope is that by providing regular medical treatment and access to social service navigators that St. Patrick’s can assist in catching medical issues upstream and reduce preventable and costly emergency room visits.

 But we can’t do this without you! Through March 18, Salesianum, Padua, and Ursuline students will be on a fundraising blitz in an effort to raise over $150,000 to put the first dollars down for St. Patrick’s Center to move its food distribution program to the new planned facility. You can assist St. Patrick's Center by making a donation to SALSTHON via our website salsthon.org through March 18.

Salesianum Summer EDGE [Education, Development, Growth, and Enrichment] is a uniquely designed summer program that offers full and half credit courses for students entering ninth through twelfth grades. The primary goal of EDGE coursework is to create opportunities in student schedules during the traditional academic year, allowing students to prepare for more advanced coursework within a discipline, add flexibility for elective courses, and embrace an immersive experience in a chosen subject. Salesianum Summer EDGE is an extension of the school’s mission to “educate and develop the whole person” in the spirit of Saint Francis de Sales, fostering a culture of academic excellence and lifelong learning.

Questions about Salesianum Summer EDGE can be sent to the leadership team of Mr. Bill Sutherland, Mr. Colbe Klein, and Mrs. Caitlin Garton at edge@salesianum.org.

“Those who have made great progress will constantly press ahead, never for a moment thinking they have reached their goal.”  Saint Francis de Sales

Salesianum School has released its preliminary2017 / 2018 Major Dates Calendar. A version of the full academic calendar is forthcoming.

Be sure to 'catch' one of Salesianum Theater's great performances!  March 3,4, 10 & 11 at 7:30 PM. March 5 & 12 at 2 PM.  To purchase tickets, please click here.