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THE IMPORTANCE OF ACHIEVING OUR GOALS
Annual goals for the Alumni & Development Office are set each fiscal year based on the financial needs identified by the Board of Directors and the Administrative team that allow us to continue the tradition of excellence here at Xavier. Although we do everything in our power to achieve these goals during each fiscal year, we are totally dependent on the generosity of our alumni, parents, parents of alumni, and friends as to whether we achieve our goals.
We have three (3) major goals in this Office for the 2025-2026 fiscal year: to raise $625,000 in Annual Fund donations to support our academic, athletic, and campus ministry programs; to secure $525,000 for the Financial Aid Fund to provide tuition assistance to needy and qualified families who otherwise would not be able to afford a Xavier education for their son(s); and to reach 20% participation of alumni who financially support Xavier so that we will be better positioned to apply for corporate and foundation funding. We currently are at $425,000, $475,000, and 13% respectfully.
We are going to need additional help from many of our constituents, especially alumni, to achieve our goals this year and provide Xavier High School with the necessary funds to continue to maintain its level of excellence for all who wish to attend. Only three (3) months left to get it done! Any donation you make will be greatly appreciated, especially by the young men who directly benefit from your generosity.
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Steve Scionti '81 Returns Home for Farewell Performances of A Shoemaker’s Tale
Alumnus Steven Scionti '81 returns to Middletown, CT, for the final performances of his deeply personal, critically acclaimed one-man show, Hear What's in the Heart: A Shoemaker;s Tale, on May 8th and May 9th at 7:00 PM at the Mercy High School Auditorium. Doors open at 6:00 PM and seating is General Admission.
This beloved show celebrates the life and legacy of Scionti's grandfather, Angelo Morello, who was the longtime owner of Angelo's Shoe Repair on Main Street in Middletown. Set against the backdrop of a post-funeral gathering to celebrate the life of his grandfather, Scionti paints a theatrical family portrait in a series of humorous and poignant vignettes transforming himself into various family members and friends, jumping back and forth through time to affecting moments on his journey into adulthood. Eight characters are portrayed in all, including his grandfather; his father Sebastiano; his mother Rosetta; brother Antonio; uncles Amadeo and Manny; Jerry, the local neighborhood pizza-maker; and Brother Connelly, a teacher from Xavier High School.
A Shoemaker's Tale has been performed to sold-out audiences across the country. While rooted in the story of an Italian-American family, the show resonates universally, exploring themes of family, identity, resilience, and the courage to follow one's passion.
General admission tickets are on sale now. Please use the link below. The price is $50 per ticket, with $40 from each ticket going directly to Xavier High School, making this special hometown performance both an evening of powerful storytelling and a meaningful opportunity to support the Xavier community.
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CLASS OF 1970 AND 1983 MAKE MAJOR MOVES - 1975 AND 1981 INCREASE LEADS IN CLASS COMPETITION
As of April 1, the Class of 1975 increased their lead by moving from 37% to 48% participation through the 3rd quarter of the fiscal year. The Class of 1970 moved into 2nd place with 33%, up from 27%. The Class of 1976 made their first appearance in the top five by moving into 5th place.
The Class of 1981 continues to lead in the dollars contributed category with $223,947. The Class of 1983 made a major move by going from 6th to 2nd with the Class of 1975 holding third place.
Below are the top 5 classes in each category.
Percentage of Participation Dollars Contributed
1. Class of 1975 – 48% 1. Class of 1981 - $ 223,947
2. Class of 1970 – 33% 2. Class of 1983 - $ 45,449
3. Class of 1967 – 27% 3. Class of 1975 - $ 42,737
4. Class of 1974 – 24% 4. Class of 1974 - $ 37,927
5. Class of 1976 – 23% 5. Class of 1979 - $ 24,169
If you are not included in the totals above, there is still time to help your Class improve its position or make the top 5 for the first time. The 2025-2026 fiscal year ends on June 30, 2026.
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NEW YORK CITY ALUMNI SOCIAL ON APRIL 16!
The Xavier High School Alumni & Development office is heading to the Big Apple for our New York City Alumni Social on Thursday, April 16. Join us for a night of networking, reconnecting, and brotherhood at Olde City Cheesesteaks & Brew. This is a FREE EVENT!
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THE XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL APRIL WISH LIST
There are items we would love to purchase to improve the quality of our academic, athletic, and spiritual programs, but just can’t afford them within our current operating budget.
- Football Program: Set of 12 Plastic Obstacle Barrels - $500; 10' x 20' Mobility Chute - $3,000; 12" Landing Mat - $1,200.
- Art Department: High-powered PC, Monitor, and Drawing Digitizer - $2,000 (5 needed).
- General School Needs: Folding tables for Open House, SAC Fair, etc. - $100 each (30 needed).
- Wrestling Program: New Practice Mat - $12,000; Wall of Champions Display Board - $4,500. Great items for former wrestlers to support.
- Computer Science Department: Set of hand-held “Micro-Bits” used by students for coding - $800.
If you see something on the list above that gets your attention, and you would like to direct a tax-deductible donation to purchase any of these items, please call Rich Feitel (office: 860-346-7735, ext. 732 or cell: 860-324-1689).
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GREG JASKOT TO BE HONORED AT YOUNG ALUMS GOLF OUTING - EVENT FILLING UP QUICKLY
Greg Jaskot '00, a dedicated faculty member and football coach since 2005, has been selected unanimously by the Young Alums Golf Committee to be the first honoree of the Service to Xavier Award. He will be honored at the outing to be held at Portland Golf Course on Saturday, May 16th.
Greg has worn numerous hats at Xavier High School. Besides teaching Spanish since his initial hire and serving as an assistant football coach, he was the Associate Director of Alumni & Development from 2018 to 2024 and currently holds the position of Director of Student Programming & Marketing. He was also promoted to Associate Head Football Coach when Head Coach Sean Marinan returned in the fall of 2025.
If you would like to join many members of the Xavier Community in honoring Greg, you may do so by securing an event sponsorship or donating in his name. Many of the sponsorships offered have already been secured by businesses and friends.
As of April 1, we have 20 foursomes signed up to play. Only alums that graduated from 2000 to 2025 are eligible to play. Spots are filling up quickly so if you want to participate, please call the Alumni Office (860-346-7735, Ext. 733) to sign up!
The event registration will begin at noon followed by a shotgun start at 1:00 p.m. The fee is $100 which includes golf, cart, and ongoing lunch and beverages from noon to 4:00 at the Gazebo (on 10th tee).
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SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW
Baseball: The baseball program had a healthy number of kids try out for the team. In total there are 51 athletes within the program. The Varsity Team returns some key players and looks to improve on the 13 wins recorded last year. They open the season on Saturday, April 4, against Darien High School on Pat Kidney Field in Middletown at 1:00 p.m.
Golf: The team started their season on Tuesday, March 31, with a win against Notre Dame, West Haven. The team is coming off back-to-back Division I State Championships and returns almost everyone from last year’s team.
Lacrosse: The program saw a rise in their participation numbers this spring. They have 48 athletes on the team and are looking forward to building off the improvement they made as a team last season. They have already participated in a jamboree at Guilford High School during which they won all three contests. Their first regular season game is on the road Tuesday, April 7, at Hamden High School.
Tennis: The team opens their regular season on Saturday, April 4, against Guilford High School at the Wesleyan courts. The team recorded a 13-win season in 2025 and looks to repeat as SCC Division Champions for the third consecutive season this spring.
Track & Field: The team was the 2025 Class L State Champions and have strong hopes for this outdoor season as well. With 71 athletes in the program, they have plenty of depth across all events to make a strong push this spring. They open the season on April 8 in a tri-meet vs. Cheshire and Lyman Hall.
Volleyball: The team saw their participation numbers grow from last season. With some new talent joining the team and some strong returning players, the team believes they have a strong chance of making the SCC Conference final this season. They open the season on the road at Newington on April 10.
Ultimate Frisbee: The Frisbee Team has high hopes of returning to the State Finals this year and bringing home another State Championship title. They get things started on Tuesday, April 7, at home against city rival Middletown High School.
Sailing: The Sailing Team has returned to Pettipaug Yacht Club for the spring season. During the fall season, the sailors learned about the technical side of sailing and will now use those skills to compete against other schools.
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MIDDLETOWN SPORTS HALL of FAME to HONOR XAVIER ATHLETE and XC TEAM
Tim Boyle '13 and the 1970 Xavier Cross Team will be inducted into the Middletown Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday, April 19 at the Middletown Elks Club, 44 Maynard St in Middletown. A social hour will begin at 12 noon followed by the induction ceremony at 1 p.m.
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MISSING MEMBERS OF REUNION CLASSES -
1991 AND 1996
We are chipping away at finding missing members of reunion classes so that we can inform them of plans for their special events. Currently, we do not have contact information for many members from the Classes of 1991 and 1996. If you know the email address, physical address, or phone # for any of the missing alums listed below, please contact [email protected] or Suzanne at 860-346-7735, Ex. 737. We are getting ready to send out reunion information and would like to reach as many alums as possible from these classes.
Use the same contact information to let us know if you are interested in serving on your reunion committee.
Class of 1991
Jon Cannon, Scott Carta, Steve Christmas, Chris Cragin, Malachi Davis, Brian DeLude, Brian Eggleton, Pail Gilman, Caine Kaar, John Kiley, Seth Maynard, Jeremy Medina, Lester Nurse, Cliff Parker, Marc Rosano, Brian Savage, Jason Snyder, Marc Tardiff, Guido Tine, Kyle Wells, and Ryan Ziolkowski.
Class of 1996
Mark Castiglioni, Mike Cavallaro, Michael Chesnes, Shawn Clapp, Thad Karatkewicz, Pat Kellaher, Eric Lepoutre, Elihu Lyman, Derric Moore, Pat Planeta, Steve Ricci, Tashi Rodriguez, Jared Steffman, Eric Summit, Gerard Tucker, Dave Varni, Jon Winslow, and Brian Zelesky.
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IN MEMORIAM
We honor the lives and legacies of our dearly departed alumni, family members, and friends, whose impact on our community will forever be greatly appreciated.
- Brian Flynn '94.
- Mr. Richard Boucher, former faculty member. To view the obituary, CLICK HERE.
- Mrs. Theresa Pierce, former faculty member. To view the obituary, CLICK HERE.
Each month we remember those who have died recently and those who are called to our attention. Please keep them, their families, and friends in your prayers. The full list of alumni, faculty, and staff memorials is on the webpage at MEMORIALS.
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