Holy Name, Regina High teachers named 'teachers of the year' for Archdiocese of Detroit

WARREN — “The best of the best” is how Catholic High School League director Vic Michaels described the theme to the nearly 800 attendees at the 44th annual CHSL Recognition Dinner on June 3 at DeCarlo’s Banquet and Conference Center in Warren.

A variety of trophies, medals and ribbons were awarded to 29 scholar-athletes and to two teachers for their excellence in teaching a combined three decades in the Catholic school system.

The event was co-sponsored by the CHSL and the Office of Catholic Schools represented by Michaels and Kevin Kijewski, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Jeanette Senfftleben, who has taught at Birmingham Holy Name Catholic School for 24 years, and Rosemary Michels, a teacher at Warren Regina for nine years, were among 30 teachers nominated for the Bishop John H. Quinn Elementary School Teacher of the Year and Secondary School Teacher of the Year, respectively.

“Her passion for teaching math is unmatched,” Michaels said about Senfftleben in his introductory remarks. “She spends hours with students before and during her lunch period to give extra help and to run the Math Counts Club. She is a teacher who stands up for what is right with her colleagues and her students.”

Michaels continued, “She continues to seek the best practices for teaching math not only for her middle school students but for all grades. This year, she was the coordinator of monthly math meetings for the evaluation of the curriculum and student growth. She encouraged her peers to try new methods of teaching and continually supported them in times of frustration over difficult concepts.

“Her enthusiasm is contagious, and she is very dedicated to the Catholic faith in her teaching.”

Michaels was just as effusive in his praise of Michels. 

Since graduating from Regina in 2004, Michels earned a bachelor's degree in education with a major in biology and minor in school health and leadership, and a master's degree in teacher leadership, both from Central Michigan University.

“Rosemary has been teaching at Regina for nine years,” Michaels said, “serving as science department head and senior moderator. Additionally, she has been a member of several school improvement committees, National Honor Society Review Board, and a club moderator for Teens, INC.  

“She served as the assistant coach under Diane Laffey for varsity basketball and varsity softball, helping lead the 2015 softball team to a state championship victory.  Teachers and administrators at Regina consider themselves extremely fortunate to consider her a colleague,” Michaels concluded.

Michels and her husband, Spencer, are parents of 1-year-old Julian.

Awards were also presented to two dozen retiring Catholic school personnel.

A total of 255 nominations for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in 15 girls sports and 14 boys sports were submitted by the students’ respective principals based on their academic achievements, leadership qualities, community activities and athletic honors.

The final selections were made by the CHSL executive board. The winners were:

The Girls Sports Scholar-Athletes

• Edith Glusac Volleyball Award – Katherine Arce, Royal Oak Shrine
• Lacrosse Award – Jessica Buonerba, Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard
• Frank Connolly Basketball Award – Maria Schudt, Chesterfield Austin Catholic
• Sr. Mary Louise Affholter Track Award – Caroline Luddy, Royal Oak Shrine
• Bowling Award – Maria Roelant, Dearborn Divine Child
• Harvey Barcus Tennis Award – Gabrielle Hysni, Waterford  Our Lady of the Lakes
• Pom Pon Award – Catrina Buchanan, Royal Oak Shrine
• Soccer Award – Kendall Carlin, Macomb Lutheran North
• Skiing Award – Olivia Evans, Farmington Hills Mercy
• Ice Hockey Award – Isabella Lorelli, Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart
• Deloris Yager Swimming Award – Anika Fassett, Bloomfield Hills Marian
• Field Hockey Award – Julia Gallagher, Bloomfield Hills Marian
• Rev. John Zwers Softball Award – Marisa Muglia, Warren Regina
• Hal Schram Cross Country Award – Anna Schubert, Wixom St. Catherine of Siena
• Golf Award – Sophie VanderWeele, Farmington Hills Mercy

The Boys Sports Scholar-Athletes

• Tom Connell Golf Award – Arthur Massucci, Royal Oak Shrine
• Frank Guyott Cross Country Award – Dominic Balice, Warren De La Salle
• Joe Pascuzzi Track Award – Christopher Shorkey, Chesterfield Austin Catholic
• Chris Buryta Boys Bowling Award – Matthew Ryall, Novi Detroit Catholic Central
• Msgr. Carroll Deady Tennis Award – Trey Feldeisen, Ann Arbor Greenhills
• Brother George Synan Soccer Award – Clarkston Doman, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
• Skiing Award – Lawson Brophy, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
• Mike Jolly Lacrosse Award – Trey Feldeisen, Ann Arbor Greenhills
• Sam Madden Basketball Award – Clarkston Doman, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
• Bernard Krzywada Swimming Award – Tyler Padilla, Detroit U-D Jesuit
• Ralph Owen Baseball Award – Matthew Silka, Riverview Gabriel Richard
• Mike Rodriguez Wrestling Award – Joseph Urso, Novi Detroit Catholic Central
• Ice Hockey Award – Bruyce Kallen, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep
• John Shada Football Award – Kendel Taylor, Madison Heights Bishop Foley

Coaches of CHSL championships were also introduced.

Also participating in the evening’s program were Wright Wilson, “the voice of CHSL sports,” Regina athletic director Diane Laffey, and Mike Jolly, a De La Salle alumnus who is credited with promoting lacrosse in the CHSL. The boys lacrosse award is named after him.

Fr. Dennis Kaufmann, CSB, director of School Improvement at Novi Detroit Catholic Central, offered the invocation.