The picture above shows honorees from the 2016 St. Mary-St. Michael Recognition Awards. The event was held March 12 at Villa Bianca in Seymour.
In the front row, from left to right: Michael McFarland, Susan Goncalves, DNP, Frederick Ring, MaryAnne Michel, Marc J. Garofalo.
Back row, from left to right: Reverend Christopher M. Tiano, Pastor of St. Mary’s Church, Linda Coppola, Principal of St. Mary-St. Michael School.
Bios of each honoree, from a press release sent by the school, are below.
Sue Goncalves, DNP
Sue was born in in Ansonia, has attended Catholic Schools her entire life, and believes in the importance of a Catholic education. She attended grammar school at St. Joseph’s in Ansonia, high school at Marian Heights Academy in Monroe until their closure and Notre Dame in Waterbury. After high school Sue attended St. Vincent’s School of Nursing and attained her RN diploma. Being an advocate for “lifelong learning” Sue received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Sacred Heart University in 1990, her Masters in HealthCare Administration from the University Of New Haven in 1996, Geriatric Nurse Certificate Program Fairfield University 2007 and she earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Sacred Heart University being one of the first graduates in this inaugural DNP class of 2013.
During her 32 year nursing career, Sue has worked at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, holding a variety of different positions including, Registered Nurse, Nurse Manager, Interim Medical Nursing Director, Clinical Transformation Lead for the Cerner Electronic Health Record and currently holds a Clinical Informatics Specialist position. Additionally, she is a FT Assistant Professor at Sacred Heart University College of Nursing in the Undergraduate Nursing Program.
“Caring” is considered the crux of the nursing profession. Caring however extends outside of the nursing profession as it is an integral part of the mission of SMSM and the institution of Catholic Education focusing on learning centered on Catholic Social Teachings. Sue wholeheartedly believes that a strong Catholic education instills St. Mary/St. Michael’s core values of Reverence, Respect and Responsibility not just for the time a child is in the school but for a lifetime.
Sue has been an Ansonia/Derby resident her entire life. She is happily married to Daniel for 26 years and has two sons; Daniel class of 2006 and James class of 2013 both proud alumni at St. Mary/St. Michael School. Sue is a parishioner at St. Michael’s Church in Derby, CT and is an ordained Extraordinary Eucharist Minister 2013-present.
Sue currently holds several leadership roles in the community. She serves on St. Mary/St. Michael School Board 2011- present, St. Vincent’s College Advisory board, Platt Parent Faculty Organization (PFO) leadership board 2014- January 2016 as well as the Connecticut Nurses Association (CNA) Leadership Committee.
Sue has been the recipient of several awards including; Best Leader Award “Innovator” Advance for Nursing 2004, Connecticut Nightingale Award 2005, St. John Neumann HOPES award recipient 2011, Nursing Leadership Award St. Vincent’s Medical Center 2013, Dean’s Leadership Award First DNP class Sacred Heart University 2013, Nursing Research Award SVMC 2014, and Parental Involvement Recognition Award Connecticut State Education Resource Center (CT SERC) 2015.
Sue has several publications the latest being “Measuring Nurse Caring Behaviors in the Acute Hospitalized Older Adult” Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA). Vol. 46. No. 3, March 2016.
Sue has been active for St. Mary/St. Michaels School since 1997 being a room mother, chaperone, active HSA member, Strategic Planning Committee Member and a SMSM School Board member all while working full-time. She has volunteered at numerous events/committees including Memorial Day events, Christmas fairs, open houses, sport events, Catholic School Week, Bingo, Church fairs, Annual Derby Duck race, Back to School Mass in conjunction with the Office of Catholic Schools Archdiocese of Hartford and Alumni Recognition events. She is proud to continue to serve as a School Ambassador and Board Member and is very humbled and honored to receive this award.
Marc Garofalo
Garofalo is a life-long Derby resident and a 1981 graduate of St. Mary School. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary Church where his great-grandparents were married in 1907. Marc grew up as a member of St. Jude Church where he received his First Penance and First Communion, was a member of the CYO, the Parish Council and played the organ at 5:00 mass from 1986 to 1988.
On January 11, 1987, Marc led his first mass as organist at St. Michael Church where he continues as Director of Music. He has served as a worker and Chair of the St. Michael Fun-Fest and Parish Picnic. Marc was the long time Pizza Booth Captain at St. Mary’s Annual Food Festival. He volunteers time with his “Kitchen Krew” to help raise money for the St. Michael Church Organ Fund, Troop 3 Derby Boy Scouts of America, and to benefit St. Mary—St. Michael School. Marc is also a former member of the St. Mary – St. Michael School Board. He was also the guest of honor at the Annual St. Mary-St. Michael “Celebrity Roast” in 1991.
For more than 20 years, Marc has volunteered as an organist on the televised mass for the Archdiocese of Hartford.
Michael McFarland
McFarland is a lifelong resident of Derby, and a 1964 graduate of St Mary’s School, where his mother, Sarah McFarland was a 5th teacher for over a decade. Continuing his education at Notre Dame High School, in West Haven, Michael went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History Education at Providence College, with a continuation of studies at Southern Connecticut State University.
A well-respected and dedicated educator, Michael began his teaching career as an 8th Grade teacher, at St. Charles School, in Bridgeport, CT, where he met his wife, of 38 years, Georgette McFarland. Michael then went on to spend the next 30 years of his educational career, teaching U.S. History and Consumer Economics for the State Department of Vocational Education. He began teaching at J.M. Wright Technical High School, in Stamford, in 1979, and two years later, began working at Platt Technical High School, in Milford, which he retired from in 2009. During his time at Platt Tech, Michael was given the honor of Teacher of the Year (1987), was a member of the Social Studies Steering Committee for the State Department of Vocational Education, and was the Department Head for English and Social Studies. A former member of the Derby Democratic Town Committee, Michael is currently a member of the Commission for the Elderly, for the city of Derby.
Along with his wife, Georgette, Michael has two children, Kristen Delorenzo (Class of 1993) and Matthew McFarland (Class of 1995), who are both graduates of St. Mary-St. Michael School. Michael’s grandson, Jake Delorenzo, currently attends St. Mary-St. Michael School’s Pre-Kindergarten program, and his granddaughter, Gia will be attending the program in the fall. By beginning his academic studies at St. Mary School, Michael not only benefited from the preparation for further education, and spiritual guidance, that a Catholic Education provides, but he continues to pass this on to his family, as well.
Fred Ring
Fred attended Derby’s Lincoln school from grades 1 through 6, and then graduated St Mary School in 1954.
His family lived on Hawkins Street, graduated from Derby High School in 1958 and then moved to Ansonia. He attended both the Connecticut School of Electronics and the University of New Haven.
Fred worked at the Birmingham National Bank in Derby and after graduating from CSE moved into the electronics industry as a field engineer in the environments testing field during the “glory” days of NASA and the space race.
He then joined Pratt & Whitney’s instrumentation group in Experimental Engineering. He retired in 2003.
Fred has stated, “In all my years at P&W, there was never a day I did not look forward to going to work. During my entire working life, I always had work, and considered myself well-compensated for my efforts. I was blessed not only with a great career, but a wonderful wife, son, and daughter.”
Fred’s son, Fred Jr. lives in California with his wife Katerina, daughter Angelina age 7, and son Lucas, age 2 1/2. His daughter Mary Elizabeth lives in Hebron, CT with husband Robert, daughters Laura age 17 and Sara age 16.
MaryAnne Michel
MaryAnne was born in Derby, CT in 1960 to Edna and Nicholas Valentino. She was a student of St. Mary’s School and graduated in 1974. She graduated from Derby High in 1978 and went on to nursing school at Bridgeport Hospital. MaryAnne has been employed by Griffin Hospital, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Birmingham Health Center, and is currently an RN at Bishop Wicke in Shelton.
MaryAnne has held a few roles at St. Mary’s. She has been a Sunday school teacher, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, and has had a hand in the festival. MaryAnne has always been a dedicated supporter to St. Mary’s School and St. Mary’s Church.
MaryAnne married Allan Michel in 1982 and moved to Seymour in 1985. She has two children, Alex and Alyssa. She’s a strong a believer that when you’re blessed, there comes great responsibility. You need to give back to the community.
