Administration

Very Rev. Dennis R. Schuelkens, Jr., V.E.
Designated Pastor
Mr. Jamie Lesho
Principal
Mr. Darrin Hicks
Dean of Discipline
Mrs. Amy Granato
College Guidance
Mrs. Christine Holmes
Advancement Director

Arts, Technology & Business

Mrs. Emily Gust
Mrs. Mary Kohelis
Mrs. Connie Lafferty

English & Language Arts

Mrs. Maria Canella
Mrs. Melissa Katsaris-Smith
Ms. Jean Shotting

Health & Physical Education

Mr. Connor Arlia
Mr. Darrin Hicks
Dean of Discipline

History

Mr. Jeremy Eloi
Mr. Jason Heckathorn

Mathematics

Mrs. Brenda Chartier
Mrs. Karen Ferguson

Religion

Mrs. Amy Granato
College Guidance
Mr. Jeff Takats

Science

Ms. Kay Bilal
Mr. John Colabrese
Mrs. Leah Velto

Staff

Mr. Mike Arlia
Athletic Director
Mr. Jordan Chilensky
Sr. System Administrator
Mrs. Sharon Higgins
Office Manager
Mrs. Melissa Jasko
Secretary
Mrs. Patty McCombs
Nutrition Specialist

Maintenance

Mr. Jerry Woodland
Custodian

Resource Officer

Ricky Grishkevich

Partner Schools

We are proud to be a partner school with St. Joseph the Worker School and St. Paul School. Both schools offer a Pre-K through 8th grade Catholic education. The students from our three schools often visit each other throughout the school year to do projects and activities.

Please visit the websites to see more information on each school.

St. Joseph the Worker School

St. Paul School

Corporate Partners

Madonna High School thanks Starvaggi Industries and Blue Stream Farms for their generosity and dedication to our students and school!

To become a Corporate Partner with Madonna High School, please contact Christine Holmes at 304-723-0545 or cholmes@weirtonmadonna.org.

2020 MADONNA ADVISORY COUNCIL

  • Mr. Doug Velegol, President
  • Mr. Michael Crawford
  • Mrs. Janet Owens
  • Mr. Mark Pietranton
  • Mrs. Darlene Sessi
  • Mr. Dan Spickard
  • Mrs. Trish Sweat
  • Mr. Jesse Krieg
  • Mrs. Christine Holmes, Advancement Director
  • Mr. Jamie Lesho, Principal
  • Fr. Dennis Schuelkens Jr., Designated Pastor

The Madonna Advisory Council meets on the third Monday of each month at 7:00 pm. Individuals wishing to speak at CSAC meetings should contact the school principal or the advisory council president to be added to the agenda to allow all members to be informed of the topic. Individuals are asked to limit comments to no more than five (5) minutes per person.

If you have questions about the Advisory Council, please contact the school at 304-723-0545.

PARISH CONNECTIONS

Students attending Weirton Madonna typically come from the following local parishes in West Virginia:

Madonna High School is also part of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston Catholic Schools, as well as the Mid-Atlantic Catholic Schools Consortium – launched in 2006 as a collaborative effort of the Archdioceses of Baltimore and Washington and Dioceses of Arlington, Richmond, Wheeling-Charleston and Wilmington to address the challenges shared by Catholic schools in the areas of Catholic identity, funding, leadership, academic and professional excellence, and governance.

Madonna High School Alma Mater

Thy beauty hides thy spirit bold
But both belong to you.
We’ll sing this song till we grow old
So shine thy beauty through

Hail Madonna shine so bright
So we may see thy radiant light.
Hail Madonna show the way
And may your spirit always stay.
Till time runs out you will grow
And pass your wisdom on.
So let your spirit flow and flow
Through every girl and Don.

Keep thy portals always open
To all thy children dear;
And show the light of happiness
To all undimmed and clear.

Hail Madonna shine so bright
So we may see thy radiant light.
Hail Madonna show the way
And make your spirit always stay.

Catholic Identity

Students in the Madonna community must keep in mind that developing and nurturing a Christian atmosphere and faith is our top priority. Obedient to Christ and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and called forth in ministry to our youth, the primary purpose of Madonna High School is to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Liturgies are celebrated for the entire student body and faculty weekly throughout the school year. Under the guidance and supervision of the religion department faculty, students assume an integral role in the planning and preparation of school liturgies.

Daily communal prayer, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered monthly, school-wide prayer services, class retreats, and Adoration of the Blessed Sacraments are also hallmarks of Madonna’s Catholic identity.

Four years of service are required to graduate and receive a diploma. A minimum of 15 hours of service is required of all seniors and juniors, and 10 hours of service is required of all sophomores and freshmen.

Students must complete annual requirements by the end of the third quarter of each academic year. A written evaluation of the student’s service is required from the supervisor of the service, listing the experience and time spent performing each individual service.

The religion requirements may not be waived for non-Catholic students. The concept of a Catholic school is to transmit Christian Doctrine. All students at Madonna will take the required religion courses for graduation.

History

Realizing a need for Catholic secondary education in Weirton, Monsignor Daniel Patrick Murphy began formulating plans early in the 1950’s for the building of a high school. After receiving the approval of Archbishop Swint of the Wheeling diocese, Msgr. Murphy and a group of interested parishioners began a fund raising campaign of one million dollars. Weirton Steel Company and many generous individuals made large contributions. Catholic employees pledged three percent of their wages for three years. Mr. and Mrs. Starvaggi donated twelve acres of land for the school plan.

As the dream was about to become a reality, Msgr. Daniel Patrick Murphy met a sister from the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace while on a trip to Ireland. Sister Pauline brought interest in this new school to her superiors in Newark, New Jersey. They accepted the offer to staff a Catholic school in West Virginia.

Msgr. Thomas McDonnell, co-adjuster of the Wheeling Diocese, dedicated Madonna High School on August 15, 1955. Msgr. Murphy, who was suffering from terminal cancer, was flown to the ceremonies from New York. He died on September 19, 1955, after his educational dream had come true.

  • Sister Marian James, CSJ, 1955-1957
  • Sister Rose Winefride, 1957-58
  • Sister Mary Louise, 1958-1960
  • Sisters Mary Ligouri, Adelaide William, and Mary Joan, 1960-1966
  • Father Edward Bell, 1966-1971
  • John York, 1971-1978
  • James Chetock, 1978-1979
  • Richard Evans, 1979-1983
  • Peter Basil, 1983-1987
  • Theresa DeCaria, 1987-1990
  • Robert Gill, 1990-1997
  • Al Boniti, 1998
  • Dr. Cathy Sistilli, 1998-2008
  • John Mihalyo, 2008-2012
  • Steve Grasser, 2012-2014
  • Jamie Lesho, 2014 –

2021 Sydney Crawford; Madalena Daugherty Elyse Chartier
2020 Kelsey Crawford; Lexus Melnyk Carly Dowiak
2019 Andrea Alimario; Eric Chartier; Chad Durante; Abigail Nickerson MaKayla Virden
2018 Mark Licata; Gianna Mascio; Shannon Westfall Joseph Garan; Olivia Mogan
2017 Rebecca Garan Emma Chartier; Lea Colantonio
2016 Thaiddeus Dillie Bailey Roberts
2015 Anna Westfall Cameron Dowiak; Montana Mascio
2014 Alisandra Welch Mariah Mott
2013 Sarah Mills Amy Davis
2012 Christian Boni; Taylor Brancazio; Stephanie Magnone Rosalie Granato; Lisa Parkins
2011 Connor Arlia; Sneha Gupta; Kendall Hukill; Stephanie Oddi; Patrick McCune. Madeline Holt; Francesca Yazbek
2010 Courtney Brancazio; Michaela Bragg; Francesca Clements; Louis Comis; Vinnie Longhi; James Mc Fadden; Ed Nogay Maria Gianni
2009 Jen Nicka; Joseph Capito Sal Conti
2008 Sarah Howells; Douglas Mato Anthony Rees
2007 Caitlin Nicka Laura Boni
2006 Jennifer Fletcher; Michelle Gianni; Natalie Mikula; Sarah Reis Lucia White
2005 Mario Barnabei; Matthew DeCaria; Christopher Gianni; Sam Hall; Matthew Hirkala; Amanda Nicastro; Brett Tunno T.J. Weimerskirch
2004 Michael Canella Amanda Law
2003 Danielle Binkoski; Christina Bologna; Matt Gajtka; Christopher Mikula; Zak Stewart Courtney Brown; Ciara Canella; Lindsay Martinez
2002 Melissa Capito; Amy Finley; Brad Nicka Maria DeCaria
2001 Cassandra Nicastro Bruno DeCaria
2000 Dominic Dragisich; Kristen Finley; Joshua Reznicak Gino Canella
1999 Anthony Capito Mandi Cowan
1998 Pedro Gino Montero Season Gutwald; Kimberly Neverly
1997 Leo Dougherty Maria Conforti
1996 Gigi Montero; Lia Porco Christine Frankovitch
1995 J.M. Castelli; Jeff Robinson Nicole Stump; Regan Stetar
1994 Luci Jo DiMaggio; Steve Dragisich Amy Gaughan
1993 Kristin Barnabei; Megan Sharpe Kathy Hetrick
1992 Chris Castelli Jessica Johnson; Joseph Maslowski
1991 Renee Serra Domenic DiBacco
1990 Kathy Applegate Ronald Pellegrino
1989 N. Julian; M. Barnabei J. Fulcinetti; S. Murphy
1988 John Nieman Robyn Sharpe
1987 Jasmin Makar; Tracy Blanchard Pereena Purewal
1986 Laura Lafferty, Ashis Tayal Sam DiBacco
1985 Tim Castelli Barry Kliwinski
1984 Shelia Murman Anthony Progar
1983 Jack Rodman; Jeanne Paul; Tom Zagula Jeff Vista
1982 Rich Pellegrino Renee Sekersky
1981 Debbie DiVenanzo Mark Crisci
1980 Mary Olashuk Toni Brancazio
1979 Valerie Chiodo Barb Batcho
1978 Carolyn Bundy Michelle Fraley
1977 Lizabeth A. Marucci Charles M. Davis; Eileen M. Beadling
1976 Patricia Wojcik Marilyn Perhacs
1975 Norman Ferrari Dolores Tripodi
1974 Valery Molisky Catherine Goleski
1973 Donna Szymanski Christine Williams
1972 Paula Sabatasse Sandy Richards
1971 Deborah Ferrar Maria Sticco
1970 Debra Tassey John Harcharic
1969 David Horvath Theresa DeCaria
1968 John Przybysz Bernice Andrews
1967 Kathleen Pulice Marjorie Olenick
1966 Linda Kucan Anna Marie Egan
1965 Chesterene Cwiklik Carol Goleski
1964 Robert Maslowski Patricia Grossi
1963 David Weiss
1962 Stephen Phillips
1961 John Wojdyla Patricia Ann Ferrari
1960 John A. Rurak Clara Yenchochic
1959 Pauline Tokorcheck Marie Tarvosky