Joe Brady

“My wife, Jen, is a St. Mary alum, along with a few of her siblings. Jen’s family also were longtime parishioners before moving out of the area. So, it was really important for her and her family to send our children to St Mary School. When we got here, I just immediately fell in love with it. I love the faith based education. I love the intimate size classrooms. I also love being in Downtown Los Gatos. I quickly felt the community, the overflowing parent participation and the interest in the success of the school and, frankly, the greater growth of the kids.

It’s important to me to be involved at the school and make a difference. I’m constantly asking, “Can I help there? Could I add value to improve this over here?” I’m always trying to maximize for my kids. So indirectly, yes, I’m helping the school; I’m thinking of the school as a whole. But really, I’m just thinking about, is there anything else I can do for my kids, and your kids, at this school?

Not that long ago, I was upstairs in the Abby Sobrato junior high building and saw my wife’s and her brother’s graduation photos on the wall. It was so special to me. It was this neat little timeline of like, well, Jen’s been here for X amount of years, and graduated, and there’s been this huge gap of life. And now, my kids’ pictures will be up on that wall. That was a very special moment, and made me think, “I’m so glad I’m doing this.”

When it comes to the new elementary building, it warms my heart to say that my youngest will hopefully get one or two years there. One of my primary reasons to donate is that I love the objective of improving the school for our kids and many kids to come, hence the name: Generosity For Generations.

The raise for the junior high, in my view, was possibly a little bit easier, because it was the sixth, seventh or eighth years of that particular generation. So, a parent with a kid in first and second could easily participate and know their kids are going through it. The fact that we’re doing elementary, all the families that are participating, their kids will benefit from the campus being redesigned and the new playground area, but their children may not be taught in the new building. We understand that, and know that it definitely makes for a more difficult decision.

You almost need to think about and be thankful for what your kid or you have while being here. Maybe you love the teachers that teach your kids. Well, they’re still here, and we’d like to help them optimize their teaching capabilities. Safety, too. It’s not always easy to donate, but if you can find that thankful, tithing, stewardship reason, then you’re helping out the school community and generations to come.”

Laura Duganne

“St. Mary School feels like a home. When you walk on campus, you feel like you’re with family. I was raised going through Catholic school, from kindergarten to grad school, and felt strongly that’s what I wanted for my kids.

When we came to St. Marys, it seemed like the families here were happy, the kids here were happy, and overall it just felt like a great place to be. Monica Hernandez has been an incredible leader and we’ve been blessed with great teachers. My kids are so happy here and they feel like this is their family. All the kids know each other, no matter what grade. I love that I can drop off my kids and if there’s an issue or a problem, there’s 100 other families that’ll take care of them. And I would do it too, for any one of these kids. I will pick them up, I will take them home, whatever they need. There’s a strong sense of safety and support in the community.

I was raised to be a steward to whatever community you’re a part of. I come from a very philanthropic family, where we were taught that you either need to help your local community or help at the broader, international, world level. The whole idea of giving your time, talent, and treasures is really important to me. I hope to instill this same value system into my kids as well. Teaching them that when you have the time, talent, or treasures, you should be giving back to your community. And it doesn’t have to be in any one place. You find your passion and go with it. Right now, my kids are my passion. So that’s where I’m gonna spend my time.

With my kids being this age, it makes an impact on them, my family and my community, if I help out at a local level. The people here are incredible to work with and I truly want to be here. Schools like this thrive with parent volunteers, and I’m happy to lead by example. Everyone in this community is so deeply involved and it’s very easy for any parents to jump in and help when they see all the other families putting in their time.

Every time you’re here, it’s magical. Whether I’m here for a field trip, or the country fair, or any other event, you see the energy and you feel it. Every grade and year has been impactful to my family. It’s just that warm, fuzzy feeling of home. That makes it even more motivating to continue this work here.

This campaign is for the community, for future generations. It’s not about us. It’s about keeping the school community thriving.

Emma (Class of 2028) and Gavin (Class of 2030) most likely will not be in the new elementary building. But hopefully, my youngest, Audrey (Class of 2031) will get the opportunity. But to me, that doesn’t matter. This campaign is not for my kids. The buildings that are currently here we’re not because of us; we didn’t build them to come here. And the buildings that will be put here in the future, are not for me or for my kids. That’s not the motivation. What is the motivation? It’s not for you, it’s for the community. It’s for the rest of the generations to come. We’ve had such a great experience here and I know that there’s always improvements that can be made. I feel strongly that those improvements have to be made by this generation and the past generation for the future generations. And then when they’re here, there’ll be something that they can work on for those next generations.

It’s not about us, it’s not about me. It’s about keeping the school community thriving for generations to come. It would be incredible to put our kids in a new, safe, state-of-the-art classroom. It would enrich their learning and create a fresh and exciting energy. It’s a win-win.

If you have been a part of this community, you know how incredible it is, you know how special it is, and you know that we want to be able to continue that in the future. This is a gift to the community. This is the gift to the school. It’s not about you. You don’t have to get anything in return. And I hope most people will see that. Especially because this community has done so much for all the families here, it’s time to give back.”

John Ottoboni 

We’ve been members of the parish for over 40 years. We moved to this area from South San Jose and were looking for a Catholic elementary school for our children to go to. So we started here, at St. Mary School.

My late wife, Nance, was a teacher. She stopped teaching when we had the family but she was very active here at the school. She was on the school board and she did the Christmas children’s liturgy for years. When she helped with the Christmas liturgy, our whole family would come. Our cousins, brothers, and sisters would join us at the mass and then we’d celebrate Christmas Eve after.

When our youngest child went to high school, she came back and taught here. Meanwhile, I ended up coaching basketball here for over 15 years. Nance was also a Eucharistic minister and I was, and still am, a lector. Overall, we were very active in the community. 

We always viewed the school as part of the parish. I never made a distinction, still don’t, between the parish and the school. I view the community as a whole. We became very close friends with the families. Early on, Tom Albanese had invited us to the Country Fair, when it was first starting. We ended up working in Tom’s sausage booth for years. But when we would work the country fair, it wasn’t just the one booth. I mean, we would be all over. If people needed help with something, you did it. It was a real community and we’ve made so many lifelong friends and memories.

All of my children graduated from St. Mary School: Julie ‘89, Cathy ‘90, Mary ‘93, Michael ‘95, Meg ‘99. And now, my granddaughter, Josie, is in kindergarten here. If everything goes according to plan, Josie will be able to learn in the new elementary building, which is great. But, I honestly would have donated and helped out with this campaign anyway because of the important place that St. Mary School has played in my family and in my life.

My wife and I always wanted to give back to St. Mary School because it was an important part of our faith and very important to our family. I mean, the whole education process is great, and our friends have been amazing. Our experience here has been such a gift and a blessing, and we are so grateful that we can give back.

We helped support the campaigns and construction of both the Abby Sobrato Junior High Building and the Hofmann Center.

It’s time to improve the school for years to come, instead of worrying about maintenance for the next 10 years. But, it’s even more than that. We have a need to continue.

To me, this campaign is critical for this community. It also gives the community an opportunity to come together. Why should you donate? Number one, we need some help. Secondly, these kids are a treasure. We’ve got an opportunity here to give them an environment that will enhance their ability to learn. In terms of the learning aspect, the kids are going to learn a lot of things, like reading and math. But most importantly, they’re going to learn about the faith. Catholic education is extremely important to my family, especially because of the impact that it’s had on my children. I think of the term, evangelization. It’s so important to introduce the little ones, as quickly as we can, to the faith. You want to expose faith to them early, and hope that they continue with it throughout their life. 

St. Mary School has and will continue to be important to me and I am so grateful to be a part of this wonderful family.

Liz DiNapoli

St. Mary School is important because, not only do you get a great education and a strong moral foundation, but you get this overwhelming sense of community out of it. All of my best friends are the people that I’ve known from growing up at St. Marys. We first went to preschool together, then went to St. Marys together and beyond. My kids even call all of my St. Marys friends “auntie” and “uncle.” 

My parents’ generation coined the St. Mary’s community as, “The Village.” When someone is sick or needs your support, you call on your village. Whether it was meal trains, check-ins, emergencies, phone calls, you name it, the Village stepped up. There’s very strong ties here and you’re very rooted in this micro-community to the point where these friends become your family.

I’ve had a lot of full circle moments since my son, Lenny (Class of 2033), has started going to school here. Jeff Sobrato, Brad Fry, and I were all in the same class, and now, all three of our kids are all in TK together. It’s the best. 

Education for your children is something that I feel is a reciprocal relationship; you get out of it what you put into it. ​​Education can be very tied to the framework of the family and how the family wants to be run. But you should also be questioning what you can do to enhance the experience at school. For example, I love being involved in the yard duties and the P.E. classes. Your kid likes to see you and it’s fun to see them amongst their friends but you also get a great opportunity to make adjustments or suggestions for the school and what might work more efficiently. Overall, it just goes back to impact. I think all families should come in not thinking how the school is necessarily going to impact the kid, but instead to think, how can you impact the school for your kid and future families? 

And that’s what this campaign is all about.

If the campaign and construction goes as planned, my children will get to learn in the new elementary building which certainly impacts my decision to be a part of this campaign and to donate. But we also need to take a look at the current building and the quality. I walked through the elementary building at the Open House before enrolling my son and realized that it had the same floors that I had when I was a student here. It had basically the same desks and cubbies too. Nothing has really changed besides the people. Sometimes that’s nice, and it gives you that nostalgic feeling but the reality is that the school has worked hard for us, now it’s time for us to work for the school.

Certainly, I would love a new building because my kid is going to get to take advantage of it. But, I also feel that the Catholic school system needs to be able to properly attract and retain families. I see public schools getting major renovations and it makes sense why people would choose to enroll there when everything is upgraded and fresh. 

I’m glad I can help make an impact in driving this campaign forward because I think it will be very beneficial to the future generations. It will add a lot of value to the kids by giving them the ability to learn in a fresh environment. But also, it’s time. The school has given so much to many generations and it’s time to give back what is deserved. This is a call to build out, not just the population in the Village, but the actual infrastructure of the Village. We know the beauty and the magic of St. Marys and what it’s like being a Cougar. We should be showing up as best as we can to really showcase the magic. 

You’re going to get more than a new building out of this. You’re gonna get a safer and more effective environment for your kid to learn, grow and develop themselves and foster their Village. 

Monica Hernandez

St. Mary School is important to me because it offers an extraordinary opportunity for children. It’s a place where every child is recognized by name, where they’re not just another face in the crowd, but individuals with unique potential waiting to be unlocked. Here, we lay the groundwork for their growth, providing them with a firm foundation from which they can confidently navigate life’s challenges. Our goal is to equip every student who walks out of our doors with the skills and resilience needed to tackle anything that comes their way. It’s not just about imparting knowledge; it’s about teaching them how to learn, how to face setbacks, and how to celebrate their successes.

Because our students are so well known, we really are teaching the whole person. We don’t just see one slice of them, we see the whole person. We also see them within their family. It’s so special how our community really gets to know the families and create strong bonds with each other. This sense of belonging fosters deep connections that endure long after graduation. It’s heartwarming to see our alumni return, eager to give back and reconnect with their roots. It’s always so exciting to ask them, “How are you doing?” “What’s new with you?”

As a parent, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of a St. Marys education. Not just the call to serve, but that there’s joy in service. The call to learn, and that there’s joy in learning. All of the students are truly respected for their academic achievements here. I think that’s huge for children to feel that. It’s cool to learn, it’s cool to excel, and it’s cool to be your authentic self. We celebrate diversity, we celebrate individuality, and we celebrate every child’s unique gifts and talents. I love that my children have that experience here. I’ve also been encouraged to be my best self here as well. I think when you’re in a community that is about that, everyone gets lifted by that experience. Christ calls us to be our best selves, and that’s what we bring at St. Marys.

Having spent 17 years at St. Marys, both as a teacher and now as a principal, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the impact of our community’s collective efforts. It’s truly inspiring to see how much we can accomplish when we come together with a shared purpose. Whether it’s through fundraising campaigns, volunteer initiatives, or simply lending a helping hand, every contribution makes a difference.

I truly believe there’s real joy in stepping up to help without being asked, feeling valued for our unique skills and talents. It’s about recognizing our place in the community and eagerly embracing opportunities to contribute. I really believe that we’ve been called to certain times and places on purpose. By saying yes, we keep the momentum going for everyone. The saying, ‘many hands make light work,’ rings true as we come together to support each other. It’s so encouraging when I hear all of these parents raising their hands to help and say, “I’m going to dedicate my night to this event,” “I’m going to be there early to set up,” “I’m going to stay at the end to break down.” There’s a sense of pride in seeing events come to fruition, knowing we played a role. You feel good about it. I think that my children see that as well, and that’s the kind of example I want to set for them. I witnessed this firsthand with my parents—they found joy in lending a hand, whether it was helping with the spaghetti dinner, driving for field trips, volunteering in the classroom, or helping with the festival at St. Clares. Their example showed me the importance and the joy of giving back and building connections within our community. I want to instill that model and that same sense of enjoyment in my children, showing them the value of being part of something bigger than themselves. And there’s something special about working together with others, enjoying the social aspect while making a positive impact.

When I first stepped foot on St. Mary’s campus as a student teacher, I immediately felt at home, reminiscent of the nurturing environment I experienced growing up. It’s a feeling I want to preserve and extend to future generations. I’m passionate about creating a lasting impact, ensuring that every child who walks through our doors feels the same sense of belonging and support that I did.

I’m deeply grateful for the groundwork laid by those before me, which has allowed me to benefit from their efforts. Now, as we engage in this campaign, I think about how there will be so many people who will never know my name or face but they’ll get to receive the benefit of the work we did for this campaign. It’s reminiscent of the Catholic tradition, where the contributions of previous generations continue to shape our lives today and will do so for years to come.

When reminiscing about my fondest memories at St. Marys, nothing quite compares to the joy of returning in August after the summer break. It reminds me of the feeling you get at family reunions. With my dad being one of ten, our family reunions were always lively, filled with laughter and warmth as we gathered with cousins. There’s this joy of just seeing each other again, after being apart for so long. And the fact that I feel that same way in August after just taking a two and a half month break! Reconnecting with the students and families is truly one of the best feelings. The hugs and greetings are just so joyful and genuine. I very much feel like every August feels that way. That’s something really special about our community. 

I think truly, there are so many ways to be part of a mission. There’s a lot of great work being done around the world, but you can’t always be the one to, you know, pack up all your things and go on a missionary trip. But, you can still be a part of it by donating to that missionary trip. This goes the same with our campaign. Every donation, regardless of its amount, signifies a shared commitment to the cause, showcasing the collective desire to make a positive impact. It’s also important to recognize that each individual or family may have unique circumstances that influence their ability to give. For some, giving their time may be their preferred method of involvement, while for others, contributing financially is a more viable option. Both forms of support are equally valuable and necessary in advancing the mission’s objectives. 

Reflecting on the legacy of the Sisters who established our school, their sacrifice and dedication resonate deeply. Over 70 years, their vision has flourished, nurturing generations of students. There’s real beauty in the mission of all Catholic schools, specifically St. Marys. Whether it’s a gesture of gratitude for your child’s upbringing or a commitment to ensuring every child receives the same nurturing experience, your support is invaluable. I wholeheartedly invite you to be part of our journey forward.