PRESIDENT’S BLOG: FROM PARENT TO VOLUNTEER TO EMPLOYEE

  • Steve Schmutz

The first day I arrived on the campus of AMHS was in April 2006 as I interviewed for a social studies position for the 2006-2007 school year. Heath Hall was not yet constructed and the main offices were then located in Holy Cross Hall in what is now the campus ministry office. Among the first people I met in this office were Sheri Conderman, Cathy Meehan, and Mary Thompson. Over their time at Holy Cross and AMHS they have witnessed their own children pass through our hallways along with hundreds of students and cherished colleagues. Each served as a parent volunteers prior to working full time at the school. I’m honored to include their interview for our oral history project. Before you listen to the interview I thought I would offer a bit more about their background and history at the school.

Sheri Conderman joined the Holy Cross community in the mid-1980s as one of the families who planned for the opening of the high school in 1988. Sheri and her husband John served on the board of trustees and she started volunteering at the school when their son Jay (HC ’97) enrolled in 1993, and was later joined by sister Melissa (HC ’99). Sheri was hired as the administrative assistant to Principal Kris Smith and worked in the main office with Mary Koltun and several parent volunteers, including Cathy and Mary. For many years the student attendance record was placed outside the classroom doors by teachers and Sheri, Cathy, Mary and other parent volunteers raced across campus after each period to gather the attendance sheets at both schools. When Holy Cross High School was renamed to Archbishop Murphy and moved to the current campus Sheri fondly recalls moving day with all hands on deck. After many years serving as administrative assistant and working in the business and marketing/communications offices, Sheri retired from AMHS in June 2018 and now volunteers one day a week in the main office.

Mary Thompson started as a parent volunteer at Holy Cross in 1996 where she was primarily in charge of attendance and the booster club. As her children (Jacob ’01, Nathan ’04, and Kyla ’05) matriculated from St. Brendan Parish School to Holy Cross and then AMHS, Mary transitioned into the role of school registrar and front desk receptionist. Mary reflects fondly on her children’s experiences at AMHS, especially with Jacob and Nate’s time with Terry Ennis and the football program. At some point along the way, Mary helped with the school admissions program and never gave it up, even when it meant serving simultaneously as the registrar and admissions assistant. Mary has now served in the office of admissions with three of our alumni staff members (Christine Wollin, Katy Cobean, and Jana Zitnik). For the past several years Mary also oversaw the Wildcat Buddies program where our student-athletes host a middle school student at our athletic events and a shadow day at AMHS.

Cathy Meehan enrolled her oldest of three children (Brian ’03, Shea ’06, and Molly ’11) at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help campus in August 1999 and witnessed the move to the current campus that October. She began volunteering in the main office that winter and by the following school year was working in the main office along with Sheri and Mary. As the school grew in enrollment, the main office became the true hub of activity and soon others joined the office to support the schoolhouse: Mary Koltun and Jan Riddle worked in the business office, and parent volunteers including Maryanne Ackerman, Helen Robinson, and Diane Daviscourt helped in a variety of areas—all in the current campus ministry space. Having her children at AMHS provided Cathy with some of her favorite memories including her children’s participation in athletics, drama, student government, and their love of Beowulf. Cathy has worked in various offices over the years and now serves in the business office and oversees graduation and our parent volunteer program.

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