OP Faces

My name is Jonathan Barbanell. I am a Senior here at Oratory and have had the privilege of walking these halls for four long years. I’m a resident of Springfield, New Jersey. At Oratory, I’m involved in lots of activities, including Art Club, History Club, the National Art Honor Society, Cross Country, and the Carlton Fellowship. In my spare time (which is pretty rare), I enjoy hiking with my family, reading books, riding my bike, and swimming.

I began as a student at OP in the fall of 2000 knowing very little about its history or culture. Now, I have been a teacher, coach, and dean for 15 years and fully understand what makes OP a special place. Oratory has allowed me to be myself both as a student and as a faculty member.

I am a staff member and mother to three young men of Oratory. Michael '20 and James '22 are both alumni of OP. Colin is currently a junior at OP and will graduate in '24. Prior to coming to Oratory, I was a middle school mathematics teacher and the Director of Advancement at Saint James School in Basking Ridge.

"One of my favorite memories at OP was in Mrs. Michalski's tenth grade religion class when we sang "Only Jesus" and the 11th graders joined in with us. It was also a great moment when I found out that I made Varsity Baseball as a freshman."

"The best thing about teaching at Oratory is the students. I love interacting with them, and I love seeing the art they create. I feel lucky to be able to teach a variety of digital and fine art electives that allow each student to express themselves creatively in the medium they enjoy."

"What makes OP such a great place to go to school is the community. Everyone at OP is encouraging and wants me to succeed in both my academic and athletic activities. The OP family is willing to help each other out and we all share a common goal to be the best versions of ourselves."

"The thing I enjoy most about Oratory is the community and the staff. The staff always takes time to get to know each student and they make the learning experience enjoyable for everyone. Everyone at Oratory is very welcoming and nice and that is unique to Oratory. With how small the school is, you can get to know everybody and really feel at home with your brothers."

"OP has pushed me to excel in the classroom as well as mature as a young adult. The environment at OP ensures that students not only develop communication and critical thinking skills but also become better all around people. We are taught to value respect, which many high schools fail to do."

"The staff at OP is definitely unique and the word that jumps to my mind is personality. There are many different personalities on staff which assures that all students have a faculty member they can connect with during the year."

"The community here at Oratory is my favorite part about our school, due to the fact of how welcoming everyone was when I first came here. Being a transfer student and coming in my sophomore year wasn't exactly an easy jump, but the guys and staff made it easier on me during the transition. Everyone here is very helpful and it seems like we are all true brothers. I've made some really amazing friends here so far!"