Andrean High School 5959 Broadway Merrillville, IN 46410 Mission

Andrean High School
5959 Broadway
Merrillville, IN 46410
Mission Statement: Distinguished by Catholic values,
Andrean High School offers a college preparatory
education in a diverse community. We prepare students for
a life-long commitment to faith, learning, leadership, and
service in an ever-changing society.
Building the Team
No one person can do everything. It takes a team of individuals, each with their own
talents, skills and experiences who are willing to work together for a common goal.
Today, close proximity to your high school is no longer a requirement or a barrier to
participating in the planning of the reunion. With the Internet and email you can
communicate with the whole team several times a week. As a matter of fact, frequency of
communications is important to your efforts. It binds all of you together and you begin to
think and work like a team.
Divide the responsibilities of organizing the reunion among your team. Who does which
task is entirely up to you, but each reunion will need a leader to oversee that everyone is
accomplishing their task. Class agents need to be included and an active member of the
reunion committee.
Spreading the Word
Any communications you would like shared on the Andrean website or Facebook will be
sent to Andrean’s Communication Manager at [email protected] or call
219.887.5959 ext. 242.
Reunions in the past have created their own website to share pictures, which you can still
do, but know that the Alumni page on the Andrean website is your space and the content
you’d like to see regarding your reunion can be posted their.
The Timeline
If it’s has been less than 30 years since you graduated then its alright to think in five year
increments for your next reunion.
Identifying and creating your team and locating most of your classmates will easily take
many months. The best way to get a handle on how much time it will take is to create a
timeline. Start with the end date first and work backward.
When do you hold the reunion? Since the high school and most of your former
classmates live in the Midwest you have to eliminate the winter months. Each month you
consider will have positive and negative reasons for that particular date. Your team
should go thru the exercise of looking at each month with a critical eye. Check with the
school to see if there are any other reunions or school events that weekend.
Due to the growing number of classes, in 2016 Andrean will adopt a fall reunion event
schedule. This will allow the Development Office more opportunities to assist.
We will suggest two dates during the late summer and early fall to schedule your reunion.
The 50th reunion can choose any date they want while the five year reunion will always
take place on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
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Once you decide on the end date you work backwards, identify key milestones. Here is a
sample 18 month timeline using October as the month of the reunion
Sample 18-Month Timeline
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
First team
meeting
Con call
Call school
for their list
of alumni
Make more
calls
Key
decision on
reunion
interest
Make more
calls
Obtain
contracts
for hall
Sign hall
contract
Create web
site
Lock down
photograph
er
Assign
tasks
Send emails
Decide on
date of
reunion
Site Survey
Visit halls
Continue
gathering
names
Create
master list
of names &
addresses
Negotiate
discounts
with hotels
Check
with
school on
dates of
other
reunions
Begin
making
calls to
gauge
interest
Create
timeline
Team
sends seed
money to
banker
Gather hall
options
Gather food
options if not part
of the hall
Estimate costs for
reunion
Create budget
Begin
review of
music
options
Finalize on
agenda
Continue
gathering
names
Send out
first post
card mailer
Jan
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Send out
letter with
return
envelope
Continue
search for
more
classmates
Contract
with music
providers
Review
giveaways
Send outlatletter
with return
envelope
Make more
calls
Enjoy the
summer
Deadline
for all
checks to
be in
Host your
event
Give out
name tags
Estimate costs vs
budgets
Decide on
table
decorations,
gifts, etc.
contact
halls and
food
provider for
updates
Decide
policy
about
charging
people who
come to the
door
Review
dates for
reunion
Open a bank
account
Decide how much
to charge
Review
return rate
checks
Decide
deadline
on sending
checks
As you look at this sample timeline, you will notice two things:
 Reaching out to classmates is a constant task
 Most of the key decisions are made in the first few months.
Try to stick to your timeline.
Funding Your Event
How much will the reunion cost? That’s question you need to ask early in the process.
Costs of the event come from the following:






Postage for post cards and letters
(with return postage)
Telephone calls/conference calls
The hall (including a non refundable
deposit)
Security (certain towns require
police for over 100 people)
Food (does the hall provide it?)
Alcohol (do you charge, open bar,
drink tickets or combination)








Hiring a photographer
Music- DJ or a band
Table decorations
Gifts
Printing expenses
Cost to purchase web template
Web hosting Service
Misc.
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Unless you have someone willing to sponsor the event, your funding comes from what
you charge people to attend. After you review the range of costs you received from the
halls, food and alcohol for 100/150/200/250 people, estimate what it will cost per person
for hall rental, food and alcohol and security. Then add another 20% to cover additional
and unexpected expenses.
You cannot charge too little or the team will have to make up the difference. Assume
attendees will bring a spouse or partner. If there is money left over after all the expenses
are paid for, then donate the rest to the school.
The hardest question the team will have to deal with is estimating how many people will
send money to come to the event. You will need to make your estimate months before the
event. If you plan for 100 people and 200 people come then you have to order more food
and alcohol. If you estimate 200 people and only 100 come than you will need to quickly
downsize the amount of food and alcohol. Wait as long as you can to order gifts, music,
etc.
Finding the Right Place
Finding the right place to hold your reunion is an important decision. You have lots of
choices: golf course party rooms, church halls, event halls and hotels. The biggest costs
for the reunion are the hall, food and alcohol.
However as Andrean alumni you are encouraged to use Andrean’s facilities for your
reunion. This will significantly cut down on the cost of the reunion and will make the
process of planning the reunion less cumbersome and creates a greater sense of nostalgia
lending itself to a more rewarding experience.
Contact Andrean High School months in advance so that the space you’d like to hold the
reunion is reserved.
Parking
If you are using Andrean’s facilities you may hire officers from the Merrillville Police
Department to help direct traffic.
Merrillville Police
Department
7820 Broadway
Merrillville, IN 46410
Non Emergency
219.769.3531
Administration
219.769.3722
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Class Gift
The class gift is not required of a reunion, however, it is customary that classes give back
to Andrean in some philanthropic gesture. This should be organized and taken care of
well in advance of the reunion so that the reunion is spent reconnecting with old friends.
The class gift can go towards a particular cause your class is passionate about.
Other class reunion teams have successfully formed a subcommittee to oversee the class
gift ask. They sent out a letter explaining their goals for the class gift and detailing why
it’s important to give back to Andrean.
***Please consult the appendix for a sample letter from the Class of 1984***
Make sure it is a gift from the entire class and not recognize any particular individual.
Donations of any amount are welcomed and make sure everyone knows it is not
mandatory. Target the 80% of people that are supportive and willing and not get
distracted by the 20% or less that may be vocal about asking for funds.
The Agenda
The team needs to think about what they want to happen on the day of the reunion. It all
needs to be thought through in advance because you will need to provide an agenda in the
invitation letter and on your web site.
Create a list to help develop your agenda.
 Do you want pre union activities like a school tour?
 We highly recommend a mass.
 A lunch for those who came the night before?
 What time does the reunion start?
 When does it end?
 Is there an opening toast?
 What time do you want to eat?
 If you have dancing what time does that start?
 How long does the bar stay open?
 What time is the class photograph taken?
 And the list goes on …
Sample agenda
Activities
Time
Doors open
Appetizers
Bar Opens
Class photograph
Opening remarks
Dinner
Dancing
Bar Closes
5:30
5:30
5:45 to 7:00
6:30
7:00
7:00 to 8:00
8:30 to 11:30
11:30
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The Big Day
When the attendees arrive there should be a table with a list of people who have paid.
You should provide them with a nametag. The tag should include their senior yearbook
picture. Some people will have changed so much over the years that without a picture no
one would recognize them. If there are people who did not pay in advance make sure you
are prepared to take their money. They need to pay for the food and alcohol they will
soon be consuming.
You may want to have a table for the reunion committee and one reserved for former
teachers, coaches and special guests.
It has been months in the making and the day of your reunion is finally here.
You are the host of this event and there are certain formalities and expectations.
Make sure you provide time in the agenda to address all your former classmates for
coming, your teammates for all the hard work, those that have past away and those that
wanted to come but could not.
Most important, make sure you make time to enjoy this event. You deserve it.
Put aside worries about small things. This is your opportunity to take pleasure on all your
hard work.
Magister Meus Christus
Christ Is My Teacher
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Reunion Tool Kit Appendix
In this appendix you will find letters and forms for your use. Included is a letter from the
Class of ’84 explaining their class gift. Next is a sample form of the Reunion Gift Letter,
you can download an editable Word version of the document on the Alumni page of
andreanhs.org. Finally we have the Reunion Gift Form which is also available in the
Alumni section of andreanhs.org in a PDF document.
Appendix: Andrean Class of 1984 Class Gift Letter
Dear Friends and Classmates,
It is almost unbelievable that it has been 30 years since our high school graduation. I am
thankful to the committee that has stepped up to organize our reunion and look forward to
the opportunity of us being together again.
A lot has happened at Andrean since we left. The school continues to be a strong
presence in Northwest Indiana and enrollment is up substantially for the coming year.
The school has won numerous state championships in sports and most importantly it is
still the premier college preparatory high school in the area. Andrean High School
remains one of the Region’s greatest assets.
In the last year, I have become involved with Andrean on the School Board as the Chair
of the Finance Committee. I have learned much about the school and how it works.
Many things at the school such as policies and traditions have been unchanged for more
than 50 years. Over the last year, Andrean hired its first non-clerical president Harry
Vande Velde. He is the forward thinker and leader that Andrean needs. In addition, he
continues to teach the important Catholic values that we all grew up with and has many
great ideas for a rebirth of Andrean.
The one thing I noticed that has not changed at the school is the sense of family that
continues with all Andrean Alumni. If you get a chance to go back to the school,
Andrean will welcome you at any time. It has been great for me to see some of our
original teachers and administrators. Dave Pishkur is always there and willing to give a
tour of the school. Mr. Giorgio is also still around and can be seen taking tickets at the
home football games. Sister Paul still lives at the school and is constantly roaming the
halls. I recently saw her and she kept asking me if I had taken Latin with her. I
respectfully told her that I had only taken Bib Lit.
Many of our classmates are involved at Andrean and some of their children are now
attending the school. Tory Prasco is President of the School Board, Kap Krupchak is
involved in the Andrean Foundation and Andrean Alumni Association, Tony and Mary
Carol (Welch) Puntillo are actively involved in the 59er Club and most major events,
Sally (Jenson) Kaminski and Leslie (Sowinski) Krupchak are constantly volunteering at
the school, Mark Close is on the Golf Committee and Jay Boby is a member of the new
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Alumni Association. Connie (Oates) and Brian Demkowicz have funded a scholarship to
help many students at Andrean over the last five years. The list goes on and I apologize if
I missed anyone, but it is impressive how the tradition of the Class of 1984 lives on at
Andrean.
As part of our 30 year reunion, we would like to make a significant donation to the school
in the name of all 1984 graduates. Our campaign motto is “30 for 30.” Our goal is to
raise $30,000 as a class gift to the school that has given us so much. Andrean has many
needs. We have decided to allocate our donation to three areas.
Scholarship - This gift will continue long after we are gone and will ensure great students
continue to attend Andrean. Andrean has a fantastic scholarship committee and process
to deliver the money to the most worthy families. The Class of 1963 recently endowed
funds for a scholarship for Andrean Alumni Families.
Facilities – Andrean has specific short-term needs that need immediate assistance. The
locker rooms and some offices are literally unchanged since we left the school 30 years
ago. Certain areas of the building need repair and these funds will help with those
projects.
Technology – Andrean has been lucky enough to find a retired computer engineer to
volunteer at the school and help in revamping their entire computer system. They are
developing a great plan that includes new equipment allowing for Andrean to be entirely
textbook free in two years. Everything will be taught on tablets. These funds will assist
in developing the plan and to purchase some of the equipment.
The reunion committee has pledged $3,000 to kick start this campaign. We are asking
our fellow classmate to join us and donate to our alma mater. If every classmate would
donate at least $250, we would reach our goal. I understand everyone’s situation is
unique. The school will truly benefit from and appreciate any donation. If your
experience at Andrean provided you with a foundation that now allows you to contribute
more than the suggested amount, I would encourage you to do so. Please note the
donation will be given to the school at the reunion in the entire class’ name and will not
list individual donations. You are welcome to pledge your donation and make it in
smaller installments. All donations to Andrean are tax deductible. Even if you don’t live
in the Region, this is a great opportunity for you by giving to get involved and make a
difference.
We have included in this letter an envelope to mail your donation back to the school.
Please write Class of 1984 on your check. You can also make a donation online at
http://goo.gl/nATT2m and designate the donation to the Class of 1984 (there is a PayPal
Link in the middle of the page). The school will send an acknowledgement and will track
our progress towards our goal.
Before I finish, I do want to share a few great Andrean memories with you. Who could
forget the special run in basketball that the seniors had our freshman year? That was such
an exciting time. Bob Gregor and Tony Forszt battled it out in our US Government Class
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in the first primary and presidential election that our friend Mr. Horvath had ever held. I
will also never forget John Wing (who I run into often in Miller) and his incredible run as
the Four Year Hot Dog Eating Champ at Armageddon. I am sure that impressive feat is a
record that still stands today. Finally, I want to thank Tom Jagiella for letting us go out
with style. His barn fest after graduation went down as one of the best post-graduation
parties in high school history. I am sure each of you also has many great memories of the
experiences we shared.
I feel very lucky to still have Andrean, and most importantly my classmates, in my life. I
hope you share this affection for Andrean and will help our school. Despite all of the
positive changes happening at Andrean, the place remains the same. Andrean is our
family.
Friendly regards and for the entire committee,
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Appendix: Class Reunion Gift Letter
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Appendix: Class Reunion Gift Form
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