A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made Celebrating the Spirit 2026 such a tremendous success! A special thank you to committee chairs Caitlin Brown, Kelly Bontempo, and Megan Weber, along with the entire CTS committee. It was a fantastic evening for our entire community!
From our event sponsors and well-wishers, to ad sponsors, party board hosts, auction donors, paddle raise donors, and all who placed bids on auction packages or signed up for party boards or teacher parties—your involvement made all the difference.
Thanks to your collective support, we raised more than $140,000 in net proceeds! This achievement is a testament to the strong partnership between our parents, teachers, staff, and community members. Thank you for coming together to create a lasting impact for our students and school community.
We are especially grateful that 100% of the funds raised directly benefit every member of our dedicated faculty and staff, whose tireless efforts and countless hours are devoted to educating and nurturing your children.
We are proud to continue the tradition of the St. Paul of the Cross School Legacy Award, an annual honor established last year to recognize a current or former member of our community who has made a lasting, positive impact on SPC. This award celebrates individuals whose contributions, accomplishments, affiliations, and careers reflect and uphold the mission and values of St. Paul of the Cross School.
The SPC Legacy Award will be presented at Celebrating the Spirit each year.
It is with immense pride and gratitude that I announce Mrs. Mary Ruth Rinaldi as this year’s SPC Legacy Award Recipient.
As principal, it is truly an honor to recognize such an extraordinary educator whose life’s work has helped shape the very heart of Saint Paul of the Cross School. For more than 35 years, Mrs. Rinaldi has dedicated herself wholeheartedly to SPC, laying a strong educational, spiritual, and emotional foundation for generations of children and families.
Mrs. Rinaldi is best known as an exceptional kindergarten teacher who brings energy, joy, patience, and compassion into her classroom each day. She forms lasting relationships with her students and their families, often becoming one of their earliest and most influential connections to school. Her impact reaches far beyond the classroom, as she also created and continues to faithfully lead our Extended Day Program, supporting SPC families with care and consistency—often working long days with unwavering positivity.
Mary Ruth is a beloved colleague, mentor, and friend. She is endlessly supportive of her fellow teachers and staff, always leading with kindness, empathy, and a joyful spirit. Her smile, encouragement, and steady presence are a daily gift to our school community. As one nomination beautifully stated, “She is the monarch of SPC.” Few phrases capture her legacy better.
Deeply rooted in our parish, Mary Ruth’s love for SPC extends to her own family, whose connection to the school remains strong. She is one of SPC’s greatest cheerleaders—faithfully promoting our mission, welcoming new families, and living out the values we strive to instill in our students: faith, kindness, patience, loyalty, and love.
Through decades of service—whether teaching young minds, mentoring colleagues, volunteering countless hours, or supporting families before and after school—Mrs. Rinaldi continues to leave an indelible imprint on SPC. Her dedication never wavers, even in challenging years, and her influence will be felt for generations to come.
Please join me in congratulating Mrs. Mary Ruth Rinaldi, a most deserving recipient of the SPC Legacy Award, and in thanking her for the immeasurable gift of her life’s work at Saint Paul of the Cross School.
In Faith & Education,
James White
Principal
It gives me great pleasure, along with the St. Paul of the Cross Advisory Board, to announce the first St. Paul of the Cross School Legacy Award recipient, Mrs. Maggie Burke. Mrs. Burke’s over 40-year commitment to St. Paul of the Cross School as a former parent, parishioner, school board member, Athletic Director, and Kindergarten Aide was evident among the many nominations received. Mrs. Burke’s passion for the parish and school has been a continued presence for almost two generations. Her love for her students and colleagues was paramount in her advocacy and devotion to St. Paul of the Cross school. When we received the nominations, testaments to Mrs. Burke’s passion for St. Paul of the Cross School were evident in each nomination.
Here are a few testimonials highlighting what a gift her legacy has been to the St. Paul of the Cross community.
“I am nominating Maggie Burke. Maggie’s love and dedication to SPC have shown brightly in so many ways. Maggie’s three children are graduates of SPC. Maggie was the athletic director for several years. She worked very hard to make sure all SPC students felt successful in sports. She worked hard to get District 64 services here at SPC. She felt strongly that our students here deserved the services offered in the district. Maggie’s dedication to her students as an aide is unmatched. She touched the hearts of all her students. She loved and cared for each one of them. Maggie loved being in the drop-off line to help kids out of the cars and maybe yell at a few people, too. Even after retirement, Maggie still found a way to support SPC. She started the SPC Women’s Golf Outing with her guild as a fundraiser for the social service ministry. This golf outing has brought so many people together and is a huge success. I nominate Maggie because she isn’t only a legacy but also the heart of this school and parish community.”
“Few people are as unflinching in their devotion and advocacy to St. Paul of the Cross than Maggie Burke. As an athletic director and teacher’s aide, she proved herself time and again to be a trusted and enthusiastic leader in promoting the educational and spiritual growth of St. Paul. Her presence as a guiding force to a myriad of students, many of whom are our children, has created a permanent place in the hearts of many.”
“We feel Maggie deserves this legacy award because, a parishioner for almost 40 years, she has been involved in nearly every aspect of the parish and school. As a parishioner, she has worked on multiple committees over the years; she’s part of a very active guild and worked on the parish council while always trying to bring parish and school together.”
We don’t think there’s any member of the parish or school who wouldn’t recognize the name Maggie Burke!!
Peace,
Dr. Erika Mickelburgh
Principal
Check out some of the photos from CTS 2024 on page 2.