Family Profile

Morin Family

Meet the Morin Family

Parents Names:
Caroline and Jeff Morin

Where did you grow up and where do you live now?
Caroline grew up in Woburn. Both she (’97) and her brother, Paul (’00), are alumni of St. Charles.
Caroline was even a cheerleader! Jeff grew up in Dorchester, MA. They moved to Billerica after getting
married, but moved back to Woburn before their oldest child, Cole, started school.

Parents' Occupations:
Caroline is a nurse practitioner in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Boston Children’s Hospital where
she has worked since after graduating from nursing school. Caroline graduated from nursing school at
the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s in Nursing and Minor in Nutritional Studies. She was
inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society for nursing and received the President’s medal upon
graduation. She started as a new nurse in the CICU in 2005 after graduation. She received her Master’s
degree in nursing from Boston College in 2010 becoming certified as a nurse practitioner in that same
year. Right after having Cole, she transitioned roles in the CICU and became one of their first nurse
practitioners. Jeff is a Research Scientist for Pfizer in Research and Development. Jeff received his
undergraduate degree with a concentration in Biology from Boston College in 1998. He working as a
veterinary technician for several years before returning to school to pursue a Master’s Degree. He
received his Master’s degree in Biology from St. Joseph’s University in 2002.

How did you meet and how long have you been married?
Caroline and Jeff met on a Catholic Youth Organization Boston Harbor Cruise in the summer of 1998.
Dating long distance while Caroline, and then Jeff, were in Philadelphia for school. They married at St.
Charles in 2007.

Childrens' Names and Ages:
Cole (12), Finn (9), and Mackenzie (5)

Grades kids are currently in at SCS:
Cole is in 6 th grade, Finn in 3 rd , and Mackenzie is in Preschool 4. Mrs Ferlisi has taught all three kids (and
Caroline) and Mrs Hayes has had both boys!

What your family does for fun:
HOCKEY! Both boys play hockey and we have season tickets to Boston College Hockey. Between the
months of September and April you will most likely find us at some rink. Mackenzie is into swimming
and dancing too. We are also a Disney family. We go every year and love it every time.

Why did you initially choose SCS:
We moved back to Woburn with SCS in mind. All three kids were baptized at St. Charles and we were
married there. We also knew the education from Caroline and Paul and felt like the strength in
academics combined with faith and morality would be exactly what we wanted for our kids. We have
never regretted our decision to send our kids to SCS.

What parents love about SCS:
The close knit community. Families get to know each other well and you see them grow through the
years. The teachers are really connected to the kids and genuinely look out for their wellbeing academic,
spiritual, and social. We have always felt like we have great community within the walls of SCS.

What kids love about SCS:
Cole: “I like getting to see my friends”
Finn: “I like playing with my friends at recess. I like learning too I guess”
Kenzie: “Mrs. Ferlisi”

O'Mahony Family

Meet the O'Mahony Family

Parents Name(s):
Julie and Ruairi O’Mahony

Where did you grow up and where do you live now:
Julie grew up in Wayland, MA but spent a lot of her childhood in Woburn as her grandparents lived in Woburn, and her Grandfather owned and operated the Marashio Funeral Home. Julie’s father Joe is a proud St. Charles School alum. Ruairi grew up in Cork City, Ireland. We live in Woburn, less than half a mile from St. Charles School and love walking our kids to school when possible!

Parents’ Occupation (college graduated from and degree earned):
Ruairi is the Executive Director of the Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He received both his undergraduate degree (BA Geography & English) and his Master’s (Planning and Sustainable Development) from University College Cork where he played the Irish National Sport, Hurling. Julie is a School Counselor at Billerica Memorial High School. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut where she was a Division 1 Ice Hockey player. Julie completed her Master’s degree in School Counseling at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education, and obtained a second Master’s degree in Education Organization Management from Endicott College.

How did you meet and how long have you been married:
We met in the Summer of 2007. Ruairi was living in Boston for the summer playing with a local hurling team. Following that summer we dated long distance for a couple of years before Ruairi moved to the United States. We have been married since 1/1/11 and were married at St. Charles Borromeo Parish (another reason St. Charles is so dear to us).

Children names and ages:
Maeve (9), Nessa (8), Tara (5).

What are your children’s interests:
Our girls love Irish dance, the fiddle, soccer, and hockey. Every day is a balancing act between the two. They especially love skating on our outdoor rink which has been going strong every winter for four years now. They Irish dance at Miss Louise’s School of Dance in Woburn. Maeve and Nessa compete in Feisanna, and Tara just stared recreational Irish Dance.

Family Life (what do you like to do as a family):
We love going to North Conway, Story Land and Santa’s Village. Golf too has become a great family activity for us.

Grades kids are currently in at SCS:
Maeve is in fourth grade, Nessa in third, and Tara is in kindergarten. We feel so fortunate that our girls have been able to come through the St. Charles School system with the same caring teachers at each grade. From Maeve’s first week in Pre-K we knew St. Charles School was a special place where our kids would be happy and supported from an academic, emotional, and spiritual perspective.

Why did you initially choose SCS:
Ruairi went to catholic schools in Ireland and was very focused on the girl’s having the opportunity to have the same experience. Julie’s father is a St. Charles alum, Julie’s parents were married at St. Charles, we were married at St. Charles, and all three girls were baptized in the parish. We were curious about the school, and had talked about wanting to give our children a catholic education. However, it wasn’t until we went to our first Pre-K Open House with Mrs. Ferlisi that we got a sense of how special a place St. Charles School is. We received a tour from an upper school student that evening and couldn’t believe how polished, poised and proud the St. Charles student was! Since we have become a part of the St. Charles School community we now know that this is the norm. The school’s students excel academically, but it is their social, spiritual and emotional growth that continually stands out to us. We know a St. Charles School student immediately when we see them. Polite, humble, and grounded. We feel lucky that our family is a part of this community and that our children have such wonderful role models at St. Charles.

What parents love about SCS:
We have been welcomed with open arms into the school community. Our daughters come home every day happy, fulfilled and, full of energy. St. Charles is not just a school, it’s a community. The girl’s best friends are their classmates. Many of our best friends are their parents. Families get together outside of school and everyone is committed to the continual growth and development of the school. Ruairi is fortunate enough to serve on the School Board. The amount of work that the School Board gets through on a weekly basis makes it no surprise that the school has been around since 1884!

What kids love about SCS:
Maeve: “Seeing my friends, seeing my teachers, and learning a lot. My favorite subjects are math, writing and vocabulary.”

Nessa: “Seeing my friends, recess and doing my work.”

Tara: “Lunch and playing at the playground.”

Konig Family

Meet the Konig Family

Parents Name(s): Eric and Debora Konig

Where did you grow up and where do you live now:
Eric and Debora (Ferraz) Konig were both raised in the greater Boston area: Eric was born and raised in
Arlington, MA and Debora grew up in nearby Somerville, MA. We currently live in North Woburn.

Parents’ Occupation (college graduated from and degree earned):
After graduating from Arlington High school in 1992, Eric received his bachelor’s degree in English from
the University of Massachusetts (Boston) in 1997. Debora graduated from Arlington Catholic High
School in 1994, and in 1999 graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor’s degree in
Business Administration and Marketing. Eric is currently a Data Analyst for Analogic Corporation in
Peabody, MA and Debora is the Area Director of Marketing for both the mall at Copley Place in Boston
and the Shops at Chestnut Hill.

How did you meet and how long have you been married:
Although Eric and Debora both grew up in nearby towns, it was Burlington, MA where they initially met.
In 1996, they both worked jobs at the Burlington Mall in Burlington, MA. Debora was working as an
intern for the mall office as part of the Northeastern Co-Op program and Eric worked at a pushcart
which sold sports photography while attending college. After meeting and dating for several years, they
were eventually married at St. Catherine’s of Genoa in Somerville, MA in October of 2003.

Children names and ages:
Angelica (10), Adrian (8)

What are your children’s interests:
When not in school, Angelica enjoys dance, drawing, and talking with her friends and Adrian enjoys
karate, basketball, riding his scooter, and playing board games.

Family Life (what do you like to do as a family):
Although the recent pandemic has kept them mostly confined, the family certainly looks forward to
continuing their traditional outings to places such as Canobie Lake Park, Story Land, and Santa’s Village.

Grades kids are currently in at SCS:
Both children, Angelica (Grade 5) and Adrian (Grade 3) have attended St. Charles school since Pre-K 3.

Why did you initially choose SCS:
Debbie went to catholic schools and was very focused on her children having the opportunity to
have the same experience. The first encounter with the pre-school faculty was supportive and
loving. It is a pleasure to be part of such tight knit community.

What parents love about SCS:
Our experience at St. Charles school has been enriched with quality education and genuine, continual
support from teachers and faculty alike. The educators at St. Charles school reinforce their students’
learning with the goal of giving students the tools and esteem to strive and succeed academically. St.Charles school preserves tight-knit values of respect, togetherness, and purpose; with a devoted goal
towards the principles of providing a quality Catholic education.

What kids love about SCS:
Angelica: “Seeing my friends and learning from my awesome teachers”
Adrian “Playing with my friends, recess, and reading.”

Britto Family

Meet the Britto Family

Parents Name(s): John and Rufina Britto

Where did you grow up and where do you live now: I grew up in India and migrated to the US in 1991. John grew up in India and migrated to the US in 1998. We currently live in Burlington.

Parents’ Occupation (college graduated from and degree earned): John is a Certified Public Accountant. He completed his Chartered Accountant Certification in India and completed his CPA in the US and Masters in Taxation from Bentley University. I am a Senior Project Manager for IT Implementations at NaviSite (a Time Warner Cable Company). I graduated from University of Massachusetts, Lowell with a degree in Computer Mathematics.

How did you meet and how long have you been married: I met John in India in 1995. John’s brother went to school with my brother. We have been married since 1996.

Children names and ages: Jennifer (12), Joel (7) and Jessica (5)

What are your children’s interests: Jennifer loves candle pin bowling. She has been bowling for 4 years and is part of a youth league at the Woburn Bowladrome. She also is part of the travel league. She competes in all bowling competitions. She loves to sing, play the piano, sewing and does many volunteering activities. Joel loves to play soccer. He is also part of the youth league at the Woburn bowladrome. He loves to play minecraft and program video games. Jessica loves to sing and dance. She takes ballet and tap lessons and always likes to be the performer.

Family Life (what do you like to do as a family): The children enjoy bowling, so we spend a lot of weekends at the Bowladrome.

Grades kids are currently in at SCS: Jennifer is in 7th grade, Joel is in 2nd grade and Jessica is in Kindergarten.

Why did you initially choose SCS: John and I went to catholic school as children, and we wanted our children to attend catholic schools. Jennifer started preschool at Mount Hope Christian School in Burlington and completed her Kindergarten there. We wanted our children to continue to learn about our faith, experience and live it every day. I firmly believe in this scripture, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

What parents love about SCS: Everyone feels welcome in the school. The class size is smaller, and the teachers and parents are involved in their children’s education.

What kids love about SCS: They like being in a safe environment where children are treated with respect for each other.

Anderson Family

Meet the Anderson Family

Parents Name(s): Margaret Pinkham and Michael Anderson

Where did you grow up and where do you live now: Margaret – Woburn, Michael- Framingham. We are raising our kids in Woburn.

Parents’ Occupation (college graduated from and degree earned): We are both lawyers. I, Margaret, graduated from Harvard College in 1988 with an Economics degree. Mike graduated from Trinity College in 1988 with a degree in Political Science. We both went to Suffolk Law School. Mike graduated in 1991, and I graduated in 1992.

How did you meet and how long have you been married: We met in law school and have been married for 20 years.

Children names and ages: Lauren 18; Luke 16; Lydia 15; Lily and Lance 12

What are your children’s interests: Sports! Lauren is a runner and also played soccer and lacrosse at Woburn High School. She is now at George Washington University, where she is on the Dean’s List and continues to compete in cross country and indoor track and will do outdoor track in the spring. Our other kids play hockey, soccer and lacrosse. Luke does cross country and outdoor track at Woburn High. He is on the Varsity hockey team and also plays soccer in the spring with the Woburn Youth Soccer U18 team; Lydia played field hockey for the first time this fall as a freshman at Phillips Exeter Academy and is on the girls Varsity hockey team. She will also play lacrosse in the spring. Lily and Lance play hockey, are in Woburn youth soccer programs, play basketball at SCS, and play lacrosse in the spring.

Family Life (what do you like to do as a family): We spend way too much time in hockey rinks and at other games, track meets, etc. In the summer, we spend time in Mike’s family’s summer cottage in Old Lyme, CT, and we also try to do a trip or experience for the whole family.

Grades kids are currently in at SCS: Lily and Lance are in 7th grade.

Why did you initially choose SCS: Mike attended a private elementary school and wanted the kids to have that experience. I grew up attending St. Charles Church and wanted the kids to learn more about their faith.

What parents love about SCS: It was also hard to top the experience of having Mrs. Blanchard as a kindergarten teacher, and Lauren lead the way for the other kids to progress through SCS. We are outnumbered, and when the kids were little, we needed all the help we could get with teaching them to have manners, to listen to adults, to be respectful to teachers and students alike, etc. The lessons that we were trying to instill at home were always reinforced at school. That was immediately appealing to us, and a setting in which students are held to academic and behavioral standards was especially important to us as they got older.

What kids love about SCS: All of the kids point to their friends and teachers. The older kids noted that because of the small size of their classes, they got to be very close with their favorite teachers. It was easy to ask them questions or for help. “Teachers really care about the kids.” Lauren loves Mrs. Maher, which is funny since when she first had her in sixth grade she complained that Mrs. Maher made her class re-write a paper three times!! She couldn’t understand why her parents were so pleased with that news. By the time she was in high school, she identified Mrs. Maher as her favorite SCS teacher. The Anderson kids who graduated from St. Charles remain very close with some of their SCS friends, and still hang out, have sleep-overs and see each other as often as their schedules allow.

Paganis Family

Meet the Paganis Family

Parents Name(s): Michelle Lipczer (maiden name) and Stathe (Steven is his middle name and uses it because people don’t know how to pronounce his first name) Paganis but all the Greeks do!!

Where do you grow up and where do you live now: I, Michelle, grew up in Bedford. Stathe grew up in Arlington and moved to Bedford when he was going into 8th grade. We did not know each other, just by name because Bedford was small back then. It reminds me of SCS. You know of everyone, because it’s a small school.

Parents’ Occupation (college graduated from and degree earned): Stathe is a small business owner in Malden, bought and took over his father’s business, Meineke Discount Mufflers. He sold it in 2011, started another small business, internet sales, buying and selling products of his own and others. I graduated from UMass Lowell with a BS in Exercise Physiology and also graduated from Lasell College, Newton, Ma, as a Physical Therapy Assistant. I have 3 jobs: first, mother of 3 boys; second, therapeutic massage therapist where I get to use all of my knowledge from my degrees to give a great therapeutic massage; third, coach for Beachbody. Again, I get to use my knowledge from my degrees to help people get on a specific workout program at home, educate people about healthy life styles, and teach people to be proactive in their lives instead of waiting until injury. My favorite part is being a motivator on how to achieve their goals through weight training/resistant training and stretching.

How did you meet and how long have you been married: We bumped into each other at his sister’s wedding. My mother and grandmother were at his sister’s wedding because they were great friends with my now mother-in-law. I was checking out the wedding, and we crossed paths at the right time and place. That was November 4, 1995!! We have been married since September 27, 1998, 17 years.

Children names and ages: Steven, age 15; Nikolas, age 13; and Jason, age 11

What are your children’s interests: All 3 having been riding dirt bikes since they were 3. Steven is now playing hockey (just started to play after playing football since he was 7) and lacrosse. Nikolas plays football, QB, basketball and lacrosse. Jason, give him a ball, stick, glove you name it he’ll play it!! He just took up hockey as well and is playing goalie. He plays football, basketball and lacrosse. Would do more, but there is not enough hours in the day.

Family Life (what do you like to do as a family): Dirt bike ride! Watch football!

Grades kids are currently in at SCS: Steven has graduated from SCS in 2014 and is now attending Malden Catholic, Nikolas is in 7th grade and Jason is in 5th grade.

Why did you initially choose SCS: Full day kindergarten for Steven, then fell in love with the school, felt like my school when I was growing up in Bedford.

What parents love about SCS: Loved the small classroom, loved all the values and morals that were taught, same as what we try to do at home. Loved that the teachers really looked out for my kids. They get the individual attention when they need it.

What kids love about SCS: Their friends!! Some of their friendships began in preschool – pretty amazing!

Domingos Family

Meet the Domingos Family

Rui Domingos was born in Mangualde, a small village 3 hours north of Lisbon, Portugal, and moved to the U.S. in 1988 to further his education. Helena grew up in Cambridge, MA. They have been living in Woburn for the past 14 years with their two children, Nathan and Olivia.

Rui and Helena met at a Naveo Credit Union work event. Rui, at the time, was working as a teller and going to Bentley University while Helena was a member of the credit union. Helena’s cousin, who worked with Rui, introduced them. Rui and Helena celebrated their 20th Anniversary this past August.

Rui F. Domingos is Chief Executive Officer of Naveo Credit Union in Somerville, MA. Naveo is a 115 million dollar local financial institution that serves nearly 10,000 members in the greater Boston area. Rui began his professional banking career 24 years ago when he joined CPCU as a PT Teller while attending college. During his tenure at Naveo Credit Union, he has held various executive positions including VP of Operations, VP of MIS and Compliance, Interim VP of Finance, Interim VP of Lending and Mortgage Officer. After several years of demonstrated professionalism and leadership skills, Rui was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in 2005. Rui has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Bentley University in Waltham and a Master’s Degree in Management from Cambridge College. Helena currently is working as the Kindergarten Aide at St. Charles School and loves working with Ms. Silveira. Prior to working at St. Charles, Helena worked for 25 years as an Executive VP for Flagraphics Inc. located in Somerville MA. Helena attended Salem State College (now Salem State University) and earned a Bachelor’s in Business Management.

Their son, Nathan, graduated from St. Charles in 2012 and is currently a Senior at Matignon High School. Their daughter, Olivia, is currently in the 8th grade at St. Charles School. She started at SCS in the 3 year old preschool program! Both Nathan and Olivia love to travel to Portugal. They also love the game of soccer. Nathan has been on the Matignon Varsity Soccer team since freshman year. Olivia loves to play goalie for the NE Rush Division 1 soccer team. She also loves to play piano and basketball for St. Charles School and Woburn Travel. Nathan just received an award for the National Merit Scholar. He is currently applying to several colleges including MIT, RPI, BU, Brown and Columbia. Olivia is currently applying to Catholic High School for the upcoming school year.

Aside from watching Nathan and Olivia play sports (soccer and basketball), the Domingos Family loves to travel to Portugal. This past summer, they spent 3 weeks in the islands of the Azores. They also travel to Florida quite frequently and enjoy golf, boating, karting, water activities and, of course, the beautiful beaches. Rui enjoys coaching soccer for the Woburn travel team and plays soccer for the Woburn Tanners.

When asked why they initially chose SCS for their children’s education, Helena had this to say, “We initially chose St. Charles School because we moved to Woburn, and we knew that we wanted our children to attend a catholic school that would provide them with a great education. When we went in for a tour, we felt welcomed and class sizes were small. After meeting with the teachers and parents, we got a feeling the education was good and the teachers were vested.”

When asked what they all love about SCS, she said, “What Rui and I love about St. Charles is that the school is small, the teachers are fantastic and we feel like we are part of a family. What Nathan loved about St. Charles School is that it was very inviting, the teachers cared about the students and got to know them as a person and the teachers made students work to their potential. What Olivia loves about St. Charles is that she feels like part of a family, loves the teachers and has made the best of friends at St. Charles School.”

Balandan Family

Meet the Balandan Family

Emil and Marietta Balandan grew up in the Philippines. Emil was born and raised in Batangas City while Marietta was born in Quezon City and grew up in San Pedro, Laguna. Emil and Marietta both have Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering. Emil graduated from University of Sto.Tomas in 1997, and Marietta graduated from Mapua Institute of Technology in 1998. They met at their first job after college at TDK Philippines Inc in May of 1998, where they both were working as Photolithography Process Engineers. Currently, Emil is a Photolithography Process Engineer at Analog Devices in Wilmington, and Marietta is a Photolithography Process Engineer at Skyworks Solutions Inc in Woburn. They’ve been married and living in Billerica for 11 years now.
The Balandans have 3 boys, all of whom are currently attending SCS; Aiden, 10 (Grade 5), Zach, 8 (Grade 3), and Trevi, 6 (Grade 1). The boys used to love Superheroes, Ninjas, Skylanders and video games but recently, they spend most of their free time playing basketball and watching NBA games. Aiden also loves Taekwondo while Trevi and Zach love soccer.

The Balandan family has a very active lifestyle. They spend a lot of time doing outdoor activities, and trail hiking is at the top of their list. The entire family loves obstacle course racing. While Emil and Marietta have participated in several Spartan race events, the boys completed their first two Spartan Kids races this year, held in NJ and Lake Tahoe. The Balandans are also big fans of the television show, American Ninja Warrior, and yes, they all dream of being participants someday. They also love exploring new places and trying new foods, although Filipino dishes and Chinese dimsum remain as their favorites. Above everything else, they value their time spent together, especially during weekends and holiday vacations.

Since Emil and Marietta both went to Catholic schools from pre-school to college in the Philippines, there is no question that Catholic education is what they want for their children. They would like their boys to establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, value the Catholic faith, and learn to treasure their Church. “As parents, we know we can’t do it alone. Sending them to St. Charles School ensures us not just academic excellence for our children but also the peace of mind knowing that our kids are in a safe, supportive and ‘Christ-centered’ environment,” says Marietta.

From the moment they enrolled their kids in St. Charles School, they felt as if their family became members of a special community, where everybody is accepted as they are. Over the years at SCS, they have established lifelong friendships with so many fellow SCS parents and to the Balandans, it is very important that they have friends to share that same journey, same faith and same values while their kids grow together. When asked what she loves about SCS, Marietta has this to say, “As a devoted Catholic, I am happy that SCS taught my kids that Easter is about Jesus’ Resurrection and not just merely about the Easter Bunny or egg hunting. I am happy that SCS taught my kids that we celebrate Christmas primarily because it is the birth of Christ not just a holiday for gift giving. I am happy that my kids know that Holy days of obligation will involve going to Mass and Lent is not just about school vacation but it’s a time for penance. Just like any parent, I am all for learning! I love how the SCS teachers have successfully instilled effective study habits into my boys. The high quality of education and strong focus on moral values is the primary reason why we entrust our children to SCS!”

The Balandan boys also love SCS. Given the fact that Emil and Marietta were not raised here in the US and that the majority of their close relatives live outside of Massachusetts, the boys consider SCS as their extended family. They have very high regard for their past and present teachers. They enjoy the company of their classmates and have special bonds with them, especially those that they’ve known since pre-school. Every day, they look forward to going to school and learning new things. They take such pride in going to SCS, and although it’s quite a commute for them on a daily basis, they wouldn’t change a thing!

Carbone Family

Meet the Carbone Family

Steven and Abbey met at a college mixer while Steven was attending M.I.T. and Abbey was a student at Wellesley College. Steven is currently doing software consulting and starting a software business. Abbey, with a M.Ed. from Lesley College, has taught English at the high school and middle school level. She currently happily teaches Art to all students, K-8, at St. Charles School.

Steven and Abbey were married in Tustin, CA, Abbey’s hometown, and they celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary in July. They and their children, Ava, Charles, and Weston, live in Woburn, Steven’s hometown, next door to Steven’s parents. Having such a close relationship with the grandparents has been a special blessing. They enjoy traveling together, helping around the house and yard, and hearing stories and words of wisdom around the dinner table. Steve, Abbey, and the kids also love to travel, camp, fish, hike, watch movies, and play basketball and other games in the yard together.

All three Carbone children have attended Saint Charles School since they were in preschool. Ava (14) is in eighth grade and spends her time outside of school either on the soccer field or the basketball court. She has played for the girls’ SCS basketball team since 5th grade, with her dad as coach. She also plays for the Woburn Travel team. When not on a field or court, Ava is playing piano, cooking, baking, and hanging with friends. Charles (12), a seventh grade student at St. Charles, also enjoys soccer and basketball. He plays Woburn Travel soccer and has played on the SCS boys’ basketball team since 5th grade. Charlie also likes playing piano and guitar and spending as much time outdoors as possible. Weston (9) is in fourth grade and is the baseball player of the family. He has played Little League for several years and enjoyed playing with some of his schoolmates in the Jimmy Fund program over the summer. Weston is an avid reader, writer, and artist, and he is also a very gifted pianist.

The Carbone family initially came to SCS for its first year of the preschool program on the recommendation of a friend. The friend, herself a Saint Charles graduate, had been planning to send her children in kindergarten and was thrilled when the preschool option became available. “Private school was honestly not at all on our radar,” says Abbey, “but our friend could not say enough wonderful things about Mrs. Ferlisi and about the school’s loving, family-like atmosphere and the high academic standards. She told me that her fondest childhood memories were from Saint Charles. We decided to give it a try and fell immediately in love. Eleven years later, with three kids enrolled, we feel blessed to have been led to here.”

The Carbone children love their school. They have all made life-long friends, and while they appreciate their academic classes and love their teachers, they enjoy being able to have Art, Music, Technology, and P.E. every week, all year long. Saint Charles also has many special traditions that the kids look forward to, such as Class Night, the Christmas Concert, and the Halloween Party, and they especially love it when their parents get involved in helping out. Finally, they really do appreciate going to a school where they can celebrate their faith with their friends and teachers.

What keeps the Carbone parents in love with Saint Charles School, first and foremost, says Abbey, “is the top-notch education the children have received. Their teachers have helped them grow in knowledge and ability, and they have instilled in them study skills and life skills. But Saint Charles teachers don’t just concern themselves with what their students know; they also care about who their students are. There is a lot of character building and personal and spiritual development at Saint Charles that you just don’t get other places.” What also makes SCS special for the Carbones is the family feeling. “You can see it and feel it,” according to Abbey, “in the classrooms, on the playground, at assemblies, concerts, and parties, and especially at school masses: SCS students and families are FAMILY. When a class graduates eighth grade after a possible eleven years together, it is a very bittersweet and teary-eyed celebration. I’m already an emotional wreck over Ava graduating… and it’s only September!”

Fazio Family

Meet the Fazio Family

Mike and Fran grew up in the Medford/Somerville area and met as Lectors at St. Clement Church. They have been married for 29 years and now live in Burlington.

Mike graduated from Boston College with an A.B. in English and History, a Master’s Degree in European History, and a J.D. from Suffolk Law School. He is an attorney with his own firm specializing in real estate, estate planning, probate and business contracts. Fran has been in graphic design her entire life. She loves her craft and working with clients such as the Museum of Fine Arts.

Mike and Fran have two daughters. Marie is 20 years old and attended St. Charles from Kindergarten through 8th grade. From there she spent her high school years at The Newman School in Boston, graduating with honors. She is now a Sophomore at Simmons College majoring in economics with a minor in finance. Marie has been dancing since she was 3 years old with Ellen’s School of Dance focusing on jazz, ballet, and lyrical. She also dances with the Colleges of the Fenway in Boston performing Hip Hop and Jazz. She enjoys crew and rowed in the Head of the Charles for Newman. This year she worked as a tutor for children ages 6-10 at the Tobin School in Roxbury.

Tori was part of the first 4-year-old preschool class at St. Charles and will be graduating from eighth grade this year. She has chosen Matignon for high school. Tori loves dance, also having been with Ellen’s School of Dance since she was 3. She has recently started a pointe class and was awarded “Best Pointe Student” for her grade level. Tori has been on the basketball team since 5th grade and is also thinking of returning to soccer next year after playing for the Town of Burlington for a number of years.

The Fazio family loves spending time together which is sometimes difficult with Marie at College. They usually vacation in the summer with a week or two at the beaches of Cape Cod or Maine. Holidays are especially treasured with large gatherings at their home fulfilling family traditions.

When asked why they chose SCS for their daughters’ education, Fran had this to say, “We wanted our children to have the benefit of being in a Catholic School, which brought us to St. Charles. Since we lived in Burlington, we thought we would be a little out of the loop. Once there, we saw how wrong we were. St. Charles is a family. It didn’t matter where you came from, you were part of the family. I see it in the closeness of Tori’s eighth grade class. They are there for each other in good times and bad just like a family. The teachers are nurturing and have a deep caring for each child’s success. It will be sad to leave St. Charles after being there for a total of 14 years, but we will be back. You never really leave your family!”

Silveira Family

Meet the Silveira Family

Antonio and Paula Silveira met in high school. While Tony grew up in Arlington, MA and Paula grew up in West Medford, MA, they both attended Arlington Catholic High School together. Tony then went on to Bentley University where he graduated and is currently working as a software engineer. After high school, Paula attended and graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She is now the Kindergarten teacher at SCS. They have been married for 26 years, living in Woburn, MA.

Tony and Paula have four boys; Patrick (25), Luke (23), John (20), and Timothy (12). Patrick, Luke, and John graduated from SCS in 2003, 2005, and 2009, respectively. Timothy is currently in 6th grade at SCS. Following graduation from SCS, Patrick attended Arlington Catholic High School and Emmanuel College. He is currently in his second year of study at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. Luke attended Malden Catholic High School and Boston College. He is currently in his second year of study at Boston University School of Medicine. John attended Malden Catholic and is currently in his second year of study at the College of the Holy Cross in Worchester, MA.

When not working or studying, the Silveira’s love spending time together. Many of their fondest family memories were made vacationing together in the summer at Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester, MA. Tony and his four boys also have enjoyed countless backyard basketball games together and, on occasion, they still do.

When asked why they initially chose SCS for their children and what they love about SCS, Paula said SCS first appeared to be the ideal fit for their two older boys, as the small class sizes and daily integration of prayer seemed like a comforting and suitable environment to build one’s academic foundation and foster one’s personal growth. They had high expectations for this small school, and they were all surpassed. Sending their younger boys to SCS seemed like an obvious choice. Those qualities that originally drove them to choose SCS as a school for their children are the same qualities they continue to love about SCS. They love the dedicated faculty and staff that help make SCS the loving community it is. The SCS education is unmatched in terms of preparing students to excel in high school and beyond. They appreciate the SCS commitment to educating students both academically and spiritually, and they can readily testify to the character development that comes with eight years of SCS education.

Paula adds that their boys love SCS as well. “Each of our children had his own wonderful experiences at SCS. All four of our boys enjoyed playing on the SCS basketball teams. They formed great friendships with their classmates, and learned unforgettable lessons from their teachers.”

Grech Family

Meet the Grech Family

Sal and Jenn Grech currently reside in Billerica, MA with their three children. Sal is a technician with Verizon Communications and is currently pursuing his Master of Science degree in Internet Technology. Jenn works part-time as a hairstylist in Winchester. Sal’s cousin introduced him to Jenn, her co-worker at a salon in Lexington, in 1999. After dating for nine months, they got engaged and were married a year later in October of 2001.

Their son, EJ, is 11 1/2 years old and is currently in the 6th grade. They also have two daughters. Lauren is 10 years old and is in the 4th grade while Danielle is 5 1/2 years old and is currently in the Kindergarten class at SCS. Life with three kids is hectic but fun, especially when they have a wide variety of interests. EJ loves anything and everything technology! He’s a computer whiz, a skilled pc gamer, and enjoys design/build activities involving robotics, circuits and all things industrial science. When he’s not dreaming about going to MIT, he likes hanging out with friends, playing sports outdoors, riding his new scooter around the neighborhood, and cheering-on the Patriots! Lauren loves the Arts. She plays piano, loves to sing, is a talented dancer, and likes dramatic play and performing. She enjoys playing with her American Girl dolls, taking pictures, doing arts & crafts, and being a good role model to her little sister. Danielle loves to go to school, play with friends, do arts & crafts, and sing in the car. She also enjoys her dance class, flying high on her swingset, playing with AG dolls, telling funny jokes, and eating ice cream with sprinkles!

The Grech Family loves to entertain. The kids especially love when they host a holiday or have a party with friends or extended family. Their favorite family t.v. shows are Mythbusters and America’s Funniest Videos. They like to go to the movies, attend sporting events, and do fun things in Boston like go to the theater, museums and the aquarium, or go out to dinner at their favorite Japanese steakhouse. In the summer, they spend a lot of time poolside and look forward to their annual vacation to Lake Winnipesaukee and North Conway. The kids love their tradition of taking them to Story Land since they were little babies.

Sal and Jenn initially chose SCS for their kids’ education for reasons relating to their own personal experiences. Although Sal grew up in Revere and Jenn in Billerica, they had similar academic upbringings where they were both educated in very large public school systems. Looking back, they feel they were both students who did not meet their full academic potential and simply slipped through the cracks. Jenn says, “We were bright students and made good grades with little effort, but eventually, advanced classes in high school were met with great challenges when our lack of study skills, time management, and organization prevented us from keeping-up.” When the time came, they decided that a smaller, nurturing, yet rigid, learning environment for their children, where these basic, yet crucial, foundations for academic success would be taught and expected at the elementary level, was exactly what they wanted for them. And they found it at SCS.

When asked what her and Sal love about SCS, Jenn has this to say, “We couldn’t be happier with our choice! Besides the early introduction of strong study habits and self-organization that is fostered at SCS, there are so many other reasons why we love sending our kids here. It’s such a great feeling to know that our family values of faith, kindness, manners and things like teaching our children to respect others, is reinforced at school, when it seems like the rest of the world is trying to teach them the exact opposite of what’s being taught at home. We feel that educating our kids alongside other like-minded families, gives our parent community a feeling of camaraderie, because we have the same values and expectations. It has also enriched our lives with the opportunity to meet so many amazing families, who will be lifelong friends to us and our children!” Jenn also notes, “The teachers, administrators, and staff at SCS are always professional, easily approachable, and available to address any concerns or questions from parents. We find the curriculum is challenging, and the student evaluations and assessments are thorough and always constructive. We are very confident that our future SCS grads will be ready for high school and beyond!”

Sal and Jenn are not the only ones happy with their choice. The kids are happy too. Jenn says they love everything about SCS. Academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually, they are growing and thriving. EJ, Lauren and Danielle adore every single teacher they have ever had. They love the new classes and activities being offered in the after-school program, and year after year, they look forward to participating in all the fun family socials, and the special assemblies and field trips. They love it when their mom volunteers in their classrooms, and proudly share their knowledge and devotion to their Catholic faith, and look forward to celebrating mass and religious holidays with their class. When asked to choose the one thing they liked best about SCS, EJ said, “Everyone there is nice.” Lauren said, “I like the fun activities we do to help us learn.” Danielle said, “PLAYTIME!”

MacCutcheon Family

Meet the MacCutcheon Family

Michael MacCutcheon grew up in Woburn and attended St. Charles School from Grade 1 through Grade 8. Ashley MacCutcheon grew up in Scituate, but they both attended Merrimack College. Michael graduated in 1995 and is currently a Sales Team Manager at Admiral Metals in Woburn while Ashley graduated in 1997 and is a Service Coordinator for the Commonwealth of MA Department of Developmental Services.

Michael and Ashley have been married for ten years and have three children. Brady, age 8, is in the second grade at SCS. Nora, age 6, is in the SCS Kindergarten class, and Caitlin, age two, is a busy toddler! Brady loves sports and enjoys playing baseball, hockey and football. Nora likes to dance, figure skate, sing and play musical instruments. Caitlin likes dolls and movies. Frozen, Tangled and The Lorax are her current favorites.

Like most families with three active children, the MacCutcheons have a hectic schedule that typically revolves around transporting their kids to and from the hockey rink, baseball field, football field, dance studio, or figure skating rink. In their spare time, they enjoy going to the beach, taking bike rides, and hanging out with family and friends.

When asked why they chose SCS for their children’s education, Michael says that, as a former SCS graduate, he was very happy with the education, atmosphere and relationships forged there. “I always said if I lived around this area and had children, I would like for them to attend St. Charles School. It gave me a great educational, religious and personal experience that I felt my children would benefit greatly from. Ashley went to public schools, but she was on board with trying St. Charles and has been very impressed with the experience so far,” adds Michael.

Michael and Ashley love SCS because, to them, it feels much more than a school. Rather, it feels like its own community. They have become friendly with SCS families, and there is a great spirit of community amongst all. They feel their children are receiving a top notch education in a faith based school. They also feel that their children have integrated seamlessly since attending SCS. They praise the “buddies” program for the younger children and think it really makes the transition to school that much easier. Michael says, “I can’t tell you how many times we have seen older SCS students at the hockey rink, or baseball field, and they always say hello to our children and seem to take an interest in them. That makes a young child feel like gold. As they get older, they will have the opportunity to mentor a younger student and give them the same feeling of belonging in the SCS community. Our children have also made numerous friendships at SCS, and they are excited about learning new things every day in the classroom.”

Pollard Family

Meet the Pollard Family

Mark and Joanne Pollard met in Boston a couple of years after college. Mark graduated from Saint Thomas University with a Bachelors in Sports Administration and has worked in Corporate Finance for the last 20 years. He is currently employed by Jones Lang LaSalle. Joanne graduated from Babson College with a Bachelors in Marketing and works in Strategic Execution at Sun Life Financial, U.S.

Mark and Joanne have been married for almost 16 years and live in Woburn, MA, Mark’s hometown. They have 3 children; Matthew, age 14; Isabelle, age 13; and Sophie, age 6. Matthew graduated from St. Charles last year and is now a Freshman at Woburn Memorial High School. Matthew was the Student Council President in his last year at St. Charles and is currently Vice President of his class at the High School. He loves sports and has played everything but currently is playing football, basketball, and lacrosse. Isabelle is in the 7th Grade at St. Charles. She has also been active in the Student Council since 5th Grade. Isabelle spent many years in competitive dancing but more recently enjoys soccer and basketball. Sophie is in the Kindergarten class at St. Charles. She is a ballerina but plans on trying soccer in the Spring.

The Pollards love to be together as a family. They like traveling (Aruba is a favorite spot) and watching the Patriots games on Sundays. They try to have dinner every night together, to catch up and talk about everyone’s day.

They chose St. Charles School for their children because it was a small community Catholic school, and they knew it would nourish their children, take care of them spiritually, and encourage their academic growth. The teachers and families have the same values they’ve instilled in their own children. They also like the fact that St. Charles is part of the local community and very active in town programs. Joanne has said that not a week goes by that they don’t bump into people in their 70′s and 80′s that went to St. Charles themselves, all with great memories.

Additionally, because Mark and Joanne both work, they love that St. Charles has a before and after school program right there in the school, run by the teachers, and available when they need it. Many of the local public schools require students to get on a bus to go to an after school program, which was not what they wanted for their children, so this has been a life saver.

When asked what their kids love about St. Charles, Joanne has this to say, “Matthew made great friends at St. Charles. It was a place that encouraged his individuality, and he had the confidence to wear wigs, sing, and have a blast in front of his classmates. Isabelle has made great friends as well. She enjoys the academic challenges of each of her classes and has always loved all of her teachers. Sophie is new to St. Charles, but every morning she’s energetic to get to school early, often found running to the door to be one of the first kids to start their day.”

Donovan Family

Meet the Donovan Family

Joe and Jen Donovan have been married for 23 years. Joe was born and raised in Lexington, MA and is the youngest of 9 children. He went to a college in Kansas and is now Owner of Mechanical Technologies N.E. Jen was born and raised in Windham, CT and went to Northeastern University. She is the St. Charles School Secretary.

They have five sons, all of whom are either graduates from or still attending St. Charles School. After graduating from St. Charles, Corey, 22, went to Arlington Catholic High School and UMASS Amherst where he graduated with a degree in Finance. He currently works at a software company in Marlboro called Unidesk. Shane, 20, also went to SCS and ACHS and is currently attending Westfield State University as a Junior where he studies Business. Connor, 19, also graduated from SCS and ACHS. Today, he is a Freshman attending Plymouth State University and studying English and Pre-Law. Riley, 13, is in the 8th Grade at St. Charles School where he is the Student Council President. His younger brother, Aidan, 12, is in the 6th Grade at St. Charles School.

The Donovans are certainly a busy family, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. Jen says, “Life with a house full of boys revolves around physical activity, sports and food. There are always friends and family at the house. It’s normal to have an extra half dozen kids (ages 12-23) hanging out on the weekends and during the summer.”

When we asked Jen what makes St. Charles School special to her, she said, “Our family has met life long friends at SCS. Families we met when the older boys were at SCS are families we still are close to today. The older boys are still very close with many of their fellow SCS classmates.”

Miller Family

Meet the Miller Family

Maureen Mulrenan Miller and Dusty Miller are proud parents of a family of five including; Shawn, Kyle, Caitlin, Taylor and Rose who will be in 8th grade at St. Charles this fall. Maureen is a Sales Finance manager for Juniper Networks and Dusty is an MIT Police Officer and also is a composite sketch artist and a DJ. Maureen and Dusty both grew up in Woburn and still live in Woburn.

The Millers have two children on opposite ends of the country with Kyle in Seattle, WA and Shawn in Franconia, NH but they still find time to get together as a family for various functions and Holidays. In their spare time the Millers enjoy spending time with their extended family and love going boating at their lake house in Sunapee, NH.

Rose Miller, 13, loves music, spending time with family and friends and playing piano. As she enters 8th grade this fall, it will mark her 10th consecutive year at SCS. She was one of the very first children to be enrolled in the newly established St. Charles Pre-School back in the fall of 2005. Rose and her classmates that also attended pre-school at St. Charles will be the first graduating class from that original Pre-School class this school year. Ironically, her mother Maureen was enrolled in the very first Kindergarten class way back in 1970 and graduated from St Charles in 9th grade in 1980.

When asked about why she chose SCS 10 years ago, Maureen replied “Initially we enrolled Rose in the Pre-School because it was close to home with the assumption that just as her siblings did, she would go to the Woburn public schools. After she was at St. Charles for a very short time, we were happy with the teachers & faculty, the community and how well Rose adapted to St. Charles. One of the factors we kept Rose at St. Charles for all these years is that Rose is a 4th generation family member to graduate from St. Charles. Rose’s (maternal) great-grandmother graduated from St. Charles in 1930. Her grandfather and grandmother graduated in 1951 and 1953 respectively. Rose’s mother and 8 siblings also attended St. Charles school. St. Charles is part of an everlasting foundation for the McLaughlin/Mulrenan family members and will continue through Rose and her three cousins who are also enrolled in SCS.”

Maureen says of her early connection to the SCS staff, “From the time we dropped Rose off as a four year old with Mrs. Ferlisi and Mrs. Buckley, we knew she was in a safe, happy, and supportive educational environment. What we have really loved over the years is the strong sense of community and consider the St. Charles faculty to be an extension of the way we would want Rose to be nurtured into the young woman she has become.

Miller notes that St. Charles has been a safe place for Rose to go to every day for the past 9 years. Rose treasures the friendships she has made and the childhood memories she has created. And the commute is pretty sweet too!