The Jesuit football program and faculty will look a little different for the 2020-2021 school year. Ed Daniels, left, could not wait to announce the news as WGNO held a Q and A with former Jesuit head football coach and current prefect of discipline Mark Songy and interim head coach Scott Bairnsfather on June 22 to talk about their new roles. Be on the lookout on Wednesday afternoon on WGNO for the airing of the exciting interview. Both are ready to tackle new challenges and triumphs, and we cannot wait to see these Jays fly into their new positions.  

The Retif Oil and Fuel American Legion varsity team faced off against the junior varsity squad on June 18th in the grueling heat. While the game was only a scrimmage, the competition was intense from both sides.  The action is set to begin on Saturday at John Ryan Stadium with the JV team scheduled to play at 10 a.m. and the Varsity at 1:30 p.m. All signs are pointing toward excitement and success at The Ryan. 

Rock’em, Sock’em, Jayson? That’s right, with the superior sketching skills of interim president Rev. John Brown S.J., Jesuit’s Robotics team has a new mascot in room 307 to add to an already tremendous program. Check out how the Jays made it all way to the 2019 Louisiana State Championship here. 

Construction continues at Carrollton & Banks as the frame for the administration wing is put into place. Last week the concrete foundation was laid in the footprint adjacent to the boiler room and the 1926 Banks Street wing. The administration wing is one of the enhancements to Jesuit’s campus brought about by the generosity from donors to the Minds & Hearts Enlightened capital campaign.

What do crows and blue jays have in common? What many might know is that both are members of the same family of birds known as Corvids. What few will know is that, with the hallways more spacious than normal during Covid-19 restrictions, both have made a home a Carrollton and Banks. One of the crows that regularly circles campus made its way into the school building on Monday and flew the hallways normally trafficked by Blue Jays. Good thing Jesuit’s interim president, Fr. John Brown, S.J., is no stranger to handling eccentric animals. Watch the video of Fr. Brown releasing the crow into the school yard.

On May 1 one of Jesuit’s own, Major William J. Walker, III ’03, could be seen flying high over New Orleans and Baton Rouge as part of a four-plane squadron with the Louisiana Air National Guard at Belle Chase. The squadron flew over the cities to honor health care workers that are in the fight against COVID-19. Piloting an F-15C on the left wing of the lead B-52, Walker said “It was an absolute honor to be a part of the event and have an opportunity to show how much our community appreciates the sacrifices that our first responders and frontline medical workers are making during these trying times.”

As New Orleanians embraced Jazz Festing in Place on the last weekend in April, junior Mason Wulff and his father, Steve, delighted neighborhood listeners with a socially distant pop-up Jazz Fest tribute concert. Held in Park Places Triangle in the Navarre neighborhood, the father-and-son-led group “Dos Lobos” (Two Wulffs) powered through a mix of cover songs and original material for an appreciative audience. Civics teacher Jay Combe ’83 was in attendance and captured a video that supplied this Wild Photo. 

Everyone in the Jesuit community is settling in to new environments for work and study. For no one is this more true than Morty, Jesuit’s germ-zapping robot. Instead of training areas and locker rooms, it is now bedsides and medical equipment that the robot is working hard to sanitize. At last report, Morty is certainly holding up to the challenge.

Jesuit’s interim president, Fr. John Brown, S.J., signs diplomas in his office as a sign of hope for a return to the school’s beloved traditions. Keep your eyes on the prize, Blue Jays!

Long-time maintenance member Kent Broussard puts the finishing paint touches on the “switchboard” entrance on Banks Street. The entrance to the school had been temporarily relocated during construction of the pedestrian walkway. Now that the project is in its final stages, the switchboard is open once again for visitors to check in to the school.

Mr. Wade Trosclair ’07 always brings a worldly perspective to class. But these days he’s calling on his own real-world experiences to connect with students during these challenging times. As he shared with his world history charges, Trosclair was a junior at Jesuit when Katrina shuttered the school for several months of 2005. Before returning to campus to complete the academic year, Trosclair studied at a high school in Thibodaux and a satellite Jesuit school on the campus of St. Martin’s. Trosclair is embracing today’s challenge as he did the one 15 years ago, and is doing everything he can to give his students the confidence they will need to succeed in a different “world.”

Mr. Darryl Roule is used to wearing headsets, just not in the classroom. Roule, who coaches linebackers for Jesuit football, is now using his headset to teach math through home learning. “Truth be told, I feel a lot more comfortable designing a blitz package than I do teaching online introductory algebra. The more I practice, though, the better I am working in this new format.” It’s the same lesson he’s been teaching in math class and on the football field since he started at Carrollton & Banks in 2012.

Jesuit students and alumni deliver Mardi Gras bead donations to St. Michael School for recycling.  The adult clients at the Joy Activity Center at St. Michael’s sort and resell the beads. Graduates of St. Michael Upper School continue to thrive in a safe, Catholic environment for as long as the needs of the participant can be met. Working with families, the Joy Center promotes choice for program participants in a variety of activities and classes on and off campus.  

Thursday’s exams are Science and Theology. View the 3rd Quarter Exam Schedule.

Other announcements: Students should not be in the hallways during the exam period or between exam periods. Once you complete your exam you should exit the hallways quietly.  You may remain in the Commons, Resource Center, or the yard during this time. Students participating in the Annual FIFA Tournament need to bring their money to the Campus Ministry Office by Thursday. If you have any questions, please see Carter Montalbano or Connor Quaglino.

…in Art class when it is used for a project reference! Of course, students at Jesuit are not allowed to use cell phones during the school day (see Bulletin), except the rare occasion that a teacher or club moderator gives permission to use a phone to take a photo of the board or when covering a student activity. In this case, interim president and art teacher Fr. John Brown, S.J., allows senior art class member Chase Winston to take a picture that will be used as a reference for their art project. The visual reference was portrayed by Christian Wild, who ironically earned a spot on today’s Wild Photo.

Preston Roark tosses the football with Jacob Tobler as a friend of theirs attempts to intercept the pass. Blue Jays relax and play football after school in Traditions Courtyard as they settle in to the last regular week of the third quarter. For upcoming student life events such as Carrollton Clash, see the Weekly Calendar of Events!