Mr. Bussen: On my first day of work at Priory, Tony Finan stole my lunch money.
Mrs. Hostnik: A recent college essay prompt asked the student to reflect on a “most memorable” learning experience from high school. The result was a 500-word account of Tony’s APUSH lesson on the 1960’s or ‘70s using music, complete with entertaining detail of Tony’s accompanying dance moves. The essay worked – and I’ve been hoping to catch a glimpse of those dance moves ever since.
Dr. Griesbauer: My first memory of Tony is him hiring me, probably reluctantly, in 2009. His dedication to teaching is most impressive. He is always reading and looking for better ways to teach. I can’t count how many great articles he has forwarded to me to read over the years.
Mr. Zaegel: My experience of observing Tony at Priory is that he has great expectations of the students here and holds them to the highest of standards both academically and in terms of personal development. Tony also possesses a genuine love and care for the students.
Fr. Laurence: A voice heard from the disciplinarian’s office: “You did WHAT???!!!”
Mr. Parent: Mr. Finan is a tough man. I have personally seen him down five pounds of wings in one sitting. He eats the entire apple – core and all. The stories of Mr. Finan as a high school football player and weight-lifter are numerous. He still lifts weights on a regular basis and is as strong as he was 30 years ago. I would never mess with him. However, I know Mr. Finan’s kryptonite. On the way up the hill from a football practice, lightning struck in the far-off distance. Mr. Finan hit the sidewalk pavement as quickly as any person I have ever seen move. The fear in his eyes was real. It is not the sound of thunder that petrified him, it was the sight of lightning. Mr. Finan checked to see if the sky was clear, jumped back up and hurriedly scampered to the athletic complex to the safety of shelter which had a lightning rod. Yes, we should all be afraid of lighting. However, according to the sound of the thunder, the lightning was at least eight miles away. I guess you can never be too careful.
Mr. Schweain: In my short time here, I just know that Tony demands respect from colleagues and students alike.
Abbot Gregory: During my first year as Headmaster, in my ignorance I scheduled the opening dinner for our ISACS Accreditation visit on Super Bowl Sunday. Tony made it very clear to me that it was a VERY bad move, and I never scheduled anything on Super Bowl Sunday again!
Mr. Kates: Tony commands respect without even saying a word. Whenever he enters the Library, students are more focused and perhaps feel a bit of fear.
Thank you, Mr. Finan, for your steadfast dedication to teaching that has inspired countless students to achieve at their highest potential!
Ms. Schaefer: I first got to know Mr. Finan in his role as High School Dean of Students. When I started teaching at Priory, I had an exceptionally rowdy Form IV class. So, I went into his office, and said something like, “If I gave a demerit for every demeritable offense, I would do nothing but that all class.” He listened and replied, “Tell them you spoke with me; they can either change their behavior or talk to me about it.” Problem solved.
