Turnover of both headmaster and principal positions within a high school can be a nebulous and even outright scary situation for the student body, faculty, staff, and other positions of leadership. Xavier was posed with this challenge after the 2022-2023 school year. Headmaster Dave Eustis and Principal Brendan Donohue both accepted positions elsewhere after six and nineteen years at Xavier, respectively. From a senior’s perspective, I know I was thinking, “I’ve already familiarized myself with Mr. Eustis and Mr. Donohue. Why do I have to learn about a new guy? It’s my last year.” It is certain many others felt this same sense of anxiety associated with having to adapt to new leadership within the building. Enter Mr. Misenti: If high school presidents had theme songs like WWE superstars, Mr. Misenti’s arrival at Xavier High School would be most similar to Stone Cold Steve Austin entering into the ring ready to take names. While I know I was full of excitement, awe, and pure joy listening to Mr. Misenti galvanize the student body the first time he talked at XLI, one of the questions that entered my mind was, “does everyone else share these same feelings?” Hence, the students at Xavier High School were asked the question, “What emotions do you most definitively feel when you listen to Mr. Misenti speak?”
Junior Braden Porter gave a well thought-out response, stating “He [Mr. Misenti] is very well spoken and has showed his determination and dedication to the school. He is a real role model and has showed the students what a true graduate of the school can come out to look like, which we should strive to be.”
Multiple other students also emphasized the importance of President Misenti being an alumnus of Xavier. Senior Nate Kerr had this to say: “When I hear Mr. Misenti speak, I immediately think of Zeal. Being a Xavier Alumnus, I think there is no better way to describe him than with a Xaverian value. I can feel his love for the school spilling out with every word he speaks and every step he takes within the boundaries of our campus. When he talks, he just evokes passion and love for Xavier and I believe he embodies the spirit of our school.”
Piggybacking off of what Nate said, Senior Sean Simonelli added, “When I listen to Mr. Misenti speak, there’s a level of passion and raw emotion that caught me completely off guard the first time I heard it. You can truly sense the deep love he has not just for Xavier, but for education as a whole. The focus he places in his two core values, teaching and learning, is beautiful and inspiring to someone who feels the same way. He talks from a place that only someone who’s a proud alumni of Xavier could, and his personal connection with the school and its mission are unmistakably evident. He has profoundly changed the culture inside and outside the building, and we are blessed to have him.”
Others provided short, to-the-point comments regarding how welcome Mr. Misenti makes them feel. Freshman Luke Catania says he feels “welcomed and excited.” Senior Ryan Cook says he feels “pride” and “appreciation [for Xavier].” A few other students who do not wish to be quoted by name remarked that he (Misenti) contributes a fun vibe to assemblies that is unusual for principals (president in this case).
Sophomore Cristian Lopez responded, stating “When I listen to Mr. Misenti speak I feel motivated and empowered to work hard in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. He has a way of reaching students with his words that not many other people do. Because of this, his messages resonate with my peers and I a great deal.”
Senior Euan Hall remarked, “Mr Misenti is one of the most enthusiastic people I have ever seen. I appreciate his commitment to the students and teachers of Xavier High School, and I hope that future presidents will use him as a precedent of how to competently do the job.”
In supplement to the opinion of the student body, I also felt moved to ask how certain members of the faculty feel about the new President Misenti. Chair of the Science Department and Head Ultimate Frisbee Coach Mr. Applegate had this to say: “When listening to Mr. Misenti, the Xavierian charisms of zeal and humility are the most striking. Within just a few minutes of talking with Mr. Misenti, the zeal he has for education in general and Xavier in particular is almost overwhelming. With this zeal, however; he also displays tremendous humility. This is displayed in recognizing that none of the accomplishments in the building are possible without the faculty working with the students on a daily basis and ultimately without God directing everyone to the same destination and “pulling in the same direction”.
Brother Ryan also pitched in, giving his view on President Misenti. He said, “When I listen to Mr. Misenti speak, whether it be to the students over the P.A. system or at an assembly or to the faculty and staff personally at a meeting, I am always struck with his tremendous enthusiasm and gratitude and pride, and those emotions are contagious. The fact that he is a Xavier grad only highlights how happy he is to be back at his alma mater as its president. The physical improvements he has added to the campus along with his constant thankfulness for student-accomplishments translate to me as his sincere desire to have all students feel that Xavier is truly their second home. And one of his top priorities is to increase the enrollment of the school so more young men may benefit from the Xavier community experience.”
A third member of the faculty who wishes to remain anonymous contributed, adding “Mr. Misenti brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his position. His passion and enthusiasm is infectious. He is very perceptive and in tune to the needs of the school.”
Xavier High School has overwhelmingly embraced the changes President Misenti has brought to the school, which can be grouped into three categories: changes to the building, changes to the school’s image, and most importantly, change to the morale. Right out of the gates, he made his desire to reform the look of the school undeniably clear. Most impressively, Misenti immediately put his visions into effect as evidenced by the reforms to the hallways, padding in the gymnasium, and the new senior lounge, among others. As previously stated, this is a three-pronged campaign, the second of which is best embodied by Mr. Misenti’s town hall-style cluster meetings. Families are invited to Xavier’s gym to listen to the school’s leadership, alumni, and the perspectives of certain esteemed students. Lastly, President Misenti’s rambunctious yet kind character almost immediately connected with the vast majority of the student body, as evidenced by the opinions previously given. The “new guy” has truly touched the hearts of a multitude of young Xavier men.
I opened this rendition of “What does the School Think?” by highlighting the potential anxieties of Xavier students that come with a new principal/headmaster. However, I believe I failed to acknowledge the man with the most stressful duty coming into this schoolyear: Mr. Misenti himself. Even though he’s an alumnus, Misenti was entering an entirely new environment of people. I guarantee if you asked any president of an all-boys Catholic high school, they would agree it is an almost impossible task to walk the tightrope of reviving the school’s appearance, rejuvenating the student body, and deepening focus on improving enrollment (in addition to strong efforts to bring greater recognition to the alumni/advancement department). I say “almost” because Mr. Misenti has seemingly defied all odds, as he has somehow made each aspect of the school stronger. President Misenti has nourished the pride of both students and faculty in Xavier High School to new heights.
Thank you to all those who contributed in this edition of “What does the School Think?” If any student or faculty member would like to be featured in a further edition or would like to suggest another topic of focus, feel free to reach out to me via email ([email protected]).