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Faculty

The McNicholas faculty is a team of educators who are dedicated to helping students discover and develop their God-given brilliance.  Our teachers are caring and supportive and our 12:1 student-teacher ratio allows them to give students the personalized attention they deserve.  

Faculty members are also committed to their own life-long learning; they meet weekly with their colleagues and, in the summer of 2020 alone, our faculty logged over 520 hours of professional development.

Teacher Spotlight

Teacher portrait of Julie Dill

February Educator of the Month
Ms. Dennemann models the McNicholas mission in her interactions with students and colleagues. Her commitment to academic excellence is evident in her openness to investigating and implementing effective new ways of teaching science.

Read More about Ms. Mary Dennemann
Teacher portrait of Julie Dill

January Educator of the Month
Mrs. Dill believes that all of her students can achieve academically and challenges them to learn and grow intellectually. She compassionately cares about the well-being of her students, both physically and emotionally. She genuinely wants the best for each student and works generously to advocate for their needs. 

Read More about Mrs. Julie Dill
Teacher portrait of Steve Dalton

October Educator of the Month
Mr. Dalton is the epitome of a student-centered educator. His deep math and pedagogical expertise powers his commitment to customize instruction in ways that guide and motivate each student to maximize learning. 

Read More about Mr. Steve Dalton
Teacher portrait of Ashley Brothers

September Educator of the Month
Mrs. Brothers works hard and happily for the McNicholas community – students, colleagues, and alumni alike. Her commitment to McNicholas, rooted in her experiences as a Rocket graduate and state-champion athlete, is inspiring and her upbeat attitude is contagious.

Read More about Mrs. Ashley Brothers
Teacher portrait of Angie Noble

February Educator of the Month
Mrs. Noble teaches with passion. She works tirelessly to create innovative, engaging learning experiences that challenge students to think critically, act compassionately, and write copiously. Students respond to her honest and passionate presence.

Read More about Ms. Angie Noble
Teacher portrait of Hannah Zeisler

April Educator of the Month
Ms. Schwab is a valued member of the SAIL team. She contributes to the collegial teamwork that sustains the excellence of the SAIL Program. She makes a distinctive contribution through her expertise as a Reading Specialist, expertise cultivated through dedication to completing a challenging program of professional growth for the sake of her students.

Read More about Mrs. Hannah Zeisler
Teacher portrait of Teresa Davis

March Educator of the Month
Ms. Davis works hard to meet the needs of all of her students by striving to take into account their individual God-given brilliance: their talents, interests, backgrounds, and learning styles.  She continually searches for new strategies to expand her instructional repertoire and challenge her students.

Read More about Ms. Teresa Davis
Teacher portrait of Renee Herndon

January Educator of the Month
Mrs. Herndon works tirelessly behind the scenes as an advocate for all SAIL students, both current and prospective.  She holds high expectations for them without enabling them.  She builds their confidence and classroom skills so they can achieve success.  

Read More about Mrs. Renee Herndon
Teacher portrait of Jenni Tumser

December Educator of the Month
One does not need to have a traditional classroom to be an educator. Mrs. Tumser works in the classroom of the heart by teaching students to think and lead with their hearts. The amount of time she devotes to educating CREW leaders, promoting school spirit, and enhancing the McNick experience for students is extraordinary.  

Read More about Mrs. Jenni Tumser

Our daughter has continued to be challenged by being placed in appropriate classes based on her abilities. With the smaller school setting, the teachers know her and what she is capable of. We have been very happy with our decision of sending our daughter to McNicholas High School.

Amy, Parent of Class of '23
 


 

The amazing community of people we have in the school makes McNick special. The community is more like a family. I love the relationship between the students and the teachers and how the teachers are invested in helping us grow.

Aimee, Class of '21

Academics News

Junior places third in state poetry competition

Junior Amanda Braig placed third in the Ohio state finals of the Poetry Out Loud competition. “Amanda was a clear standout at the State competition; her poise, confidence, and clear articulation were outstanding!” Poetry Out Loud coach and English teacher Mrs. Laura Rupp said.

Celtic cross at the front entrance to McNicholas High School

The McNicholas family is excited to welcome Mr. Robert Noll as the Principal of McNicholas High School, beginning with the 2023-24 school year. Mr. Noll has a total of 25 years of experience in Catholic education in the Diocese of Covington.

McNicholas crowns 2023 Mardi Gras King and Queen

McNicholas celebrated its 71st annual Mardi Gras on Sunday, Feb. 19 with the crowning of King Sam Noble and Queen Autumn Strebel. It was an evening full of festive tradition established by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1952.

Mu Alpha Theta honors students with a passion for math

Congratulations to the 19 students who were inducted into the McNicholas chapter of Mu Alpha Theta.

To be considered for this math national honor society, candidates must exhibit admirable character and excellence in math holding at least a 90% average in their honors-level math courses. They must also demonstrate a passion for math, for growing their skills, and for using their talents to positively impact the world around them. Members at McNicholas serve as math tutors as well as compete in math competitions to maintain membership.

Student shares Science Fair project

The Science Department hosted its annual Science Fair on Thursday, Jan. 26. 35 students were invited to present their projects to a panel of judges comprised of faculty, friends of McNicholas, and Science National Honor Society members. Science teacher Ms. Mary Dennemann said, “Students have been preparing science fair projects for the 18 last weeks. We are proud of their hard work." 

Engineering students work on project

McNicholas engineering students stepped up to the plate, helping Little League baseball players who use walkers and wheelchairs to field ground balls. The grabbers they designed, tested, and manufactured were delivered to the Mason Challenger Baseball team in December.

McNicholas CyberPatriot Team State Competition

Congratulations to the members of the McNicholas CyberPatriot Team who earned 2nd Place in the gold tier at the state level of The National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. Coach Mrs. Jolene Esz attributes their success to their enthusiasm and their hard work in the UC Early IT Program. “All of the students on the team are in the McNicholas cohort of the UC IT Early College Program so they have taken college level classes in Networking and Systems Administration. Their success is a testament to their hard work and the outstanding program we have here,” Mrs. Esz said.

Culinary chemistry offers a tasty new take on science

Rockets made delicious discoveries when they combined fundamentals of science and cooking in the inaugural semester of the Culinary Chemistry class. The goal of the class is to give students a different perspective on science and an appreciation for chemistry in our everyday lives. Trading beakers for mixing bowls and Bunsen burners for convection ovens, students participated in hands-on cooking labs where they used principles of chemistry to assist them in creating a variety of tasty treats.

McNicholas student tutors student at Sands Montessori.

More than 40 McNicholas students are skipping study hall for a good reason: They’re tutoring kids at Sands Montessori, Mt. Washington Elementary, and St. Joseph Catholic School. Through a program launched in the 2021-22 school year, our students provide reading enrichment at Sands, math and language arts support at Mt. Washington, and homework assistance at St. Joe’s.

McNicholas inducts 31 National Honor Society members

McNicholas High School celebrated students achieving their academic best by inducting 31 new members into the Altiora Chapter of National Honor Society on Thursday, Dec. 1. The National Honor Society recognizes the achievements of junior and senior students who excel academically and fill leadership roles in the school and community.

McNicholas students collect recycling

Students in the Environmental Science classes are caring for God’s creation and learning about sustainability by taking responsibility for the school recycling program. Science teacher Mr. Eric Hickman jump started the program as part of his Environmental Science curriculum. “My goal for this class is to make students aware of environmental issues and empower them to be a part of the solutions,” Mr. Hickman said.

Early IT contest winner holds up prize

Congratulations to freshman Louis Smith and sophomores Eli Holland and Jonathan Byrum who earned top awards in University of Cincinnati’s Early IT Fall Competition. Louis won first place in the Programming category for his Java script program that helps builders to calculate construction costs. Eli and Jonathan, who took second place as a team in the Web Development category, were challenged to create an original website that highlights the UC Early IT Program at McNicholas. 

Rockets enjoy Pumpkin STEM lab and creative fall fun

McNicholas students celebrated fall and Halloween with pumpkins galore inside and outside the classroom! Mr. Steve Dalton's class participated in the yearly pumpkin catapult STEM lab, the English Department hosted a literary pumpkin decorating contest, and CREWs carved out some time for fun with their own contest.  

McNicholas freshmen laughing together

The Theology Department held their annual Heritage Week, a mini course for the freshman class highlighting the history, legacy, culture and vision of McNicholas High School. Students learned about our founders the Sisters of Saint Joseph, our namesake Archbishop John T. McNicholas, and the values and mission we continue to strive toward today.

McNicholas HAC Youth Justice Award honorees

McNicholas student organization Hands Across Campus (HAC) was honored for their compassionate leadership by the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center (IJPC).  At their annual gathering, IJPC awarded the first Youth Justice Award to HAC for their work to promote justice, diversity, and inclusion at McNicholas and in the community.  

Group photo of students from Barcelona

McNicholas welcomed 5 students from Collegi Casp, a sister school in Barcelona, Spain, for a 3-week study abroad program. During their stay, Ariadna, Ana, Andrea, Biel, and Abel lived with McNicholas host families, explored Cincinnati, and experienced life as a Rocket. They participated in clubs, cheered from the Launch Pad, attended a full class schedule, and even helped in our Spanish classes.  

McNicholas President and Principal recording their conversation

President Dr. Denver Stanfield and Principal David Mueller touch base in this second episode of Conversation with the President & the Principal. Tune in to hear Dr. Stanfield discuss progress on the HVAC project and enrollment and to hear Mr. Mueller’s updates on our innovative programs such culinary chemistry and Leadership McNick.  Mr. Mueller also shares ways in which McNicholas is continuing to support students in all areas, including mental health.

McNicholas student shares during Leadership McNick seminar.

McNicholas is excited to unveil Leadership McNick, its newest initiative in the development of compassionate leaders. Leadership McNick is a four-year, intentional growth experience that combines high-quality leadership training with small-group relationship building, retreat programming, vocation and career exploration, and formal and informal mentoring.

McNicholas students pack hygiene kits to send to Manna from Heaven Outreach.

Partnering with Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, members of the RLC collected and packed hygiene kits to send to Manna from Heaven Outreach, a group working to support the people of Eastern Kentucky who were devastated by the recent flooding. With a focus on Community, Curiosity, and Creativity, the RLC provides students with the opportunity to learn through community engagement.

Portrait of McNicholas President, Dr. Denny Stanfield

McNicholas is pleased to welcome the school’s new President, Dr. Denver Stanfield, who began his tenure at McNicholas on July 1. Meet Dr. Stanfield and listen in on our first episode of Conversation with the President & the Principal.

Celtic cross at the front entrance to McNicholas High School

At McNicholas, we pride ourselves on helping students discover and develop their God-given talents, but students are not the only ones growing and challenging themselves. Teachers and staff members are also developing their gifts and finding new ways to use them to serve the McNicholas community.

As the 2022-23 school year begins, four faculty and staff members are taking on new roles and responsibilities: Mr. Bill Losekamp, Mrs. Emily Materna, Mr. Mike Orlando, and Mr. Dan Rosenbaum

McNicholas Class of 2022 Valedictorian shakes principal's hand

Congratulations to our newest graduates who received their diplomas at the PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation on Sunday, May 22. Student Body President Lauren Keith, Valedictorian Andrew Collette, and English Teacher Mr. Jeff Mulvey were nominated by the Class of 2022 to speak at the graduation ceremony.

McNicholas senior signs academic letter of intent.

At our annual Academic Signing celebration, we recognized the Class of 2022 Top 10. These 10 students have achieved the highest weighted cumulative grade point average up to and including the third quarter of their senior year: Jack Caccavari, Emma Clemons, Andrew Collette, Bobby Fechtel, Emily Fridley, Zach Geiser, Maria Klug, Ethan Koran, Arden Jakubovic, and Jason Munzel.

McNicholas students work cooperatively during leadership retreat.

The Class of 2025 grew in compassionate leadership this week as they bonded together during leadership formation. This day of formation laid the groundwork for the Leadership McNick program, a joint venture between McNicholas and the Xavier University Leadership Center (XLC), that will officially kick off next school year.

McNicholas student testing the strength of her bridge made of pasta.

At McNicholas, we build bridges...but sometimes we break them too! Ms. Gaskins’s Architectural Drafting students designed, constructed, and then tested the strength of their spaghetti bridges. Junior Caroline Mohahan’s brilliant design was the strongest, holding 14.1 pounds!

Candle lighting at the McNicholas NAHS induction ceremony

Twenty-six Rockets were inducted to the National Art Honor Society this April. NAHS inspires and recognizes students who have shown an outstanding ability and interest in art and supports members in their efforts to attain the highest standards in art scholarship, character, and service.

McNicholas students lead Angels through CANabiliites Program

As part of the Guardian Angels School’s CANabilities Program, McNicholas hosted the eighth grade class from GA, leading them through a morning of witness, reflection, and activities fostering kindness and compassion.

McNicholas students celebrate National Foreign Lanauge Week

The World Languages Department celebrated National Foreign Language Week with fun, food, and “Fallas.” Activities included "Ojos de Dios" crafts from Mexico, “Fallas" from Valencia, and a Greek temple building project.

McNicholas High School's three National Merit Semifinalists

All three seniors who were announced as National Merit Semifinalists in September have advanced to Finalist standing. Congratulations to our National Merit Finalists Ethan Koran, Erin McManus, and Jason Munzel!

McNicholas senior wins Poetry Out Loud competition.

Congratulations to senior Zach Geiser who placed first in our school-wide Poetry Out Loud competition for his recitation of “Dream Song 14” by John Berryman. Zach will move on to the regional semi-finals for an opportunity to compete at the state level.

Scholastic Gold Key Winners from McNicholas

Conner Dute ’22 and Conner Gibson ’22 were both awarded Gold Keys for their architecture work. Connor Dute was recognized for his pizza oven rendering, Rock-In Park, and Conner Gibson received his Gold Key for The Cozy Comb, a plan for sustainable living for displaced persons. Both Conners will move on the National Scholastic competition.

McNicholas welcome three new faculty and staff members.

Please join us in welcoming three new faculty and staff members to the McNicholas family. Mr. Pete Collopy joins the Athletic Department as a strength and conditioning coach, Mrs. Julie Miller has returned to McNicholas as full-time math tutor and co-teacher, and Mrs. Andrea Wheeler joins us as a full-time co-teacher in the English Department.

McNicholas High School's three National Merit Semifinalists

McNicholas High School is proud to announce that seniors Ethan Koran, Erin McManus, and Jason Munzel are semifinalists in the 2021 National Merit® Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) program. Semifinalists represent the top 1% of seniors nationwide based on the results of the PSAT/NMSQT test the students took as juniors.