St. Dominic Catholic School

Alumni News

(article by Marie Ulrich, spring ’07)

We all know that St. Dominic School is a wonderful educational and values-based environment. But what happens after a student graduates and moves out into the world?

“St. Dominic taught me outstanding Christian morals and values that I strive to live by every day of my life,” said Derek Duessing, St. Dominic class of 2003. “It also provided me with leadership skills from reading at Masses to giving presentations in the class room.” Duessing graduated from North High School earlier this month as a class valedictorian.

Chris Hinz, St. Dominic class of 1986, is now a St. Dominic parent whose two daughters, Emma and Olivia, will be in second grade and kindergarten this fall. “I feel my experience from St. Dominic helped to make me the great husband and father that I am today. That is why I choose to send my two precious daughters to St. Dominic so they have the same opportunities I had growing up, and I believe that by attending St. Dominic's they will have a advantage when getting to high school and in life.”

“I think the faith-centered schooling of my early years helped me to make more moral choices as I moved into high school,” said Kathy McGinley Henderson, St. Dominic class of 1974. “After leaving St. Dominic, I remember it was always comforting to know the people from my class were there for me if I needed them,” she added.

All three former students had fond memories of their time at St. Dominic School.

Duessing enjoyed “singing and making donuts with Mr. Frank, hearing Mr. Wright yelling out words to make sure you were paying attention, attending Mass every Wednesday, hanging out with the Three Musketeers (TJ Spaeth, Josh Klink, and me), and listening to Mrs. Tschanz read to the class during literature class (best reader ever!).” Duessing, who went on to a very high-profile, successful athletic career at North High School, also had a few favorite sports-related memories: “Going 12-0 and winning the parochial league on the 5th-6th grade basketball team, participating in two all-star games in seventh and eighth grade, being named to the first all-parochial league team in sixth grade, and practicing in a different place almost every practice since we didn't have a gym (thank God we do now!).”

“I have lots of memories,” noted Hinz. “Doing ‘Bye Birdie’ and ‘Wizard of Oz’ for the spring concert, making friendships that are still going, and playing flag football with my classmates on the school team.”

McGinley Henderson, whose three children, Katie, Lucas, and Tyler, also attended St. Dominic School and are current North High students, remembers having “a nun for eighth grade named Sr. John Marie. She was tough and seemed like she had eyes behind her head. She could be writing something on the board with her back to the class and when someone would act up she would whirl around and throw a rubber super ball that looked like an eyeball, and hit the offending student right in the head. Most of us learned quickly to straighten up and fly right!” She added, “I remember putting together a carnival for the rest of the school while we were in eighth grade. We turned the tunnel into a spook house. I remember eighth grade graduation as being a very big deal.”

“Attending St. Dominic for 10 years of my life definitely made a strong impact on the person I am today,” said Duessing. “With smaller classes, it allowed me to have more one-on-one time with the teachers to enhance my skills in various subjects, particularly math and social studies (my two strongest subjects).  Also, smaller class sizes allowed me to not be afraid to ask questions on subjects I didn't quite understand,” he said.

“The curriculum that St. Dominic has is very tough,” continued Duessing. “It creates a sense of the kind of work ethic one needs to have every day of his life. Being challenged every day by a tough curriculum enabled me to create the kind of work ethic that I will carry with me throughout my life. It also set me up perfectly for high school.”

“A St. Dominic education influenced my life by teaching me religion, family values, self esteem, and academics, to name a few,” said Hinz. “The teachers were always helpful and understanding. After leaving St. Dominic and going to high school there were many situations where my teachings helped me to make the right decisions.”

“People say that their kids need a bigger school to better their child's social skills, but I think that statement is false,” stated Duessing. “St. Dominic allowed me to create relationships with kids of all ages. It not only gave me better social skills with my classmates, but also with younger and older students.”

So go ahead and ask any former (or current) student how he or she feels about St. Dominic School, and it is clear that St. Dominic is a special place. All are welcome to call the school office at 920-452-8747 for more information.

“Throughout your life, people are going to look up to you as a role model,” reflected Duessing. “I have no doubt that I have been a great role model for many students, or children, and I have to thank my parents, teachers, St. Dominic, and most importantly God for making me the person I am today and the person I will become in the future.”