2/25/22 - Friday Forget-Me-Nots by Jim Silcott

Photo Caption: Student winners of the “guess the number of cheeseballs” contest.

Dear Our Lady of Peace Family,

One of the benefits of the Covid era is a large cash infusion given to us by the federal government. The money is administered by the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio. We have spent some of our money on chrome books and upgrades to our classroom smart boards, but what I really wanted to use our funds for was additional personnel to assist our students and teachers. One of the positions I desired was a math tutor.

Hiring people through the ESCCO has proven to be very difficult. Like most industries, it is hard to attract candidates. They were not able to find anyone but told me that if I knew of someone they would employ them to work in our school.

Just before the school year began I attended the funeral of Katy Munhall’s grandfather at St. Michael. After the service concluded I had lunch across the street at Villa Nova with my good friend, Dan Garrick, principal of St. Francis DeSales. There I ran into an old friend, Mrs. Katy Paolini.

I mention all of these details because when we say that “God works in mysterious ways,” or “God hears our prayers,” I think that one of the ways He does this is by bringing people together in random ways which creates opportunities to answer our needs. I have known Katy for many years in many different ways. I taught her daughter, Leesa, Latin at Watterson. Her brother, Jimmy, taught with me at Watterson. . Her sister, Patty, works with education students at Otterbein. I hired her nephew when I was principal of Hartley. And her father, the legendary Coach Jack Ryan, although retired when I was the principal at Bishop Hartley, was a frequent presence, watching football games at the stadium that bears his name.

Katy taught math at St. James, St. Michael and Westerville schools. She taught study skills at Watteson and St. Charles. She is a teaching legend and so, when we got to talking at Villa Nova, the subject of needing a math tutor came up. She applied through the Study Council and, after a mountain of paperwork, reported to duty towards the end of September.

Katy is 79 years young. She is a force of nature. Although bearing an Italian name through marriage, she is an Irish Ryan for all the images that come to mind. A lover of life and of people, a friend to all, a lady who speaks her mind, and a master teacher with over 50 years of experience in the education of children.

Katy hit the ground running from the day she walked in our door. She tutors math to students of all ages here, but she also has woven herself into the fabric of life at Our Lady of Peace. She tutors one on one during the school day and after, teaches in small groups all over the building, as well as assisting students in the classroom in conjunction with our teachers. Students who see her coming down the hall know that they may be asked to recite a math fact before they get to where they are going. She has embraced our school and our students and is passionate about contributing to their education.

The whole Tuesday, the 22nd of February, 2022 was her handiwork. Yesterday, she gave me a list of all the activities that were done surrounding the number “2”. The list is so long that I lack the space to list it here. The list was also handwritten as she eschews computers, so it would take me most of the day to type it all out (see cheeseball counting contest picture above as one of the many activities that took place on Tuesday). Although she is the oldest person on our staff, she is like finely aged wine…no wine is too mellow a comparison for her…she is like aged Glenlivet Scotch; Firery and smooth at the same time.

My most important job as your principal is in the hiring of good people. While I have many faults, I think God has put in my direction some wonderful hires in my five years here: Mrs. G., Kathy Haninger, Corrie Sheshull, Katy Munhall, Dee Dansack, Laura Hartman, Caitlyn Kelly, Kristin Miller, Kyle Davis, Mike Norling and Pam Bartosic.

Katy Paolini is the latest, among the greatest, the oldest, perhaps the boldest, of a group of teachers and staff who care about your children. We are lucky to have them at Our Lady of Peace!

Jim Silcott