Mission Effectiveness Process

The Holy Child Network of Schools’ Mission Effectiveness Process

One of the ways that Holy Child School at Rosemont stands apart from other Catholic schools on the Main Line is our membership in, and commitment to, the Holy Child Network of Schools. The network is comprised of nine U.S.–based Holy Child schools, and we are united by seven common goals that guide our work and serve as the foundational principles for our approach to education. These goals define and help perpetuate our tradition, and speak to the spirit and vision of our foundress, Cornelia Connelly.

2.

1. Grade 3 students eagerly answer questions about our Holy Child Goals at the welcome assembly for the Mission Effectiveness Committee.

2. At our Thanksgiving prayer service, students present letters from each grade, inscribed with expressions of gratitude.

3. Head of School Tom Lengel presents our Holy Child Goals mosaics, composed of hundreds of smaller student-made artworks.

To further our commitment to these shared goals, Holy Child schools within the network complete an Mission Effectiveness Assessment every six years; to intentionally reflect on our school’s growth and identify opportunities for improvement is a meaningful experience and tethers us to our greater mission. The assessment includes two parts: a self-study, led by an internal Mission Effectiveness Steering Committee; and a visit from the Mission Effectiveness Committee, a group of Holy Child sisters, and faculty and staff from other Holy Child schools. For our 2022 Mission Effectiveness Assessment, the steering committee was co-chaired by Mollie Miller ’99 P’29’30’33, Middle School learning specialist, and Alexis Morsell P’23’23’25, first-grade teacher. As current faculty and parents of Holy Child students, Mollie and Alexis had distinctive insights from, and personal experiences with, our school and community that informed their approach to this process.

Since the last Mission Effectiveness Assessment in the spring of 2015, our school has experienced many positive and progressive changes, including renaming our school in 2016 to better align ourselves with our Holy Child identity, expanding our physical campus with new facilities, and strengthening our curriculum across all divisions. While the true list of improvements is lengthy, it is best summed up by saying that Holy Child School at Rosemont has greatly developed to meet the wants of the age as a school and community in the past seven years.

In March 2022, we welcomed the Mission Effectiveness Committee for a long-awaited, in-person visit, and we relished the opportunity to share our community with them. The committee’s visit encompassed annual traditions, such as the Family Mass and Breakfast and our Ash Wednesday prayer service, and unexpected but unifying moments, such as our varsity girls basketball team championship victory. For the visiting team, conversations with faculty, staff, students, and families were some of the most treasured moments of their visit. Each of these interactions provided insight about the school and community that we have become, and informed the committee’s commendations and recommendations, which will guide our school’s future course.

The Kelly Family:

Why We Are a Holy Child Family

The Kelly family has spent nearly a decade as members of the Holy Child School at Rosemont community, and still their initial impression of the school stands out in their minds. “We found that the joy in the school, the welcome we received in the classrooms, and the confidence of the children were amazing,” reflected Helen Kelly on the family’s first campus visit. As parents to five children who are current and former Holy Child students, Helen and her husband, Liam, fondly remembered the day they discovered our school on a fateful drive down Montgomery Avenue. “We did not know at the time, but we visited the school an hour before the annual Halloween parade,” Helen laughed, recalling how the whole family was led unhurriedly on a tour; they had no idea of the beloved school tradition that was scheduled to occur that same day. “They welcomed us with open arms,” Liam remembered, “and it was the joy that we felt in the building that made it the right choice for us.”

All five Kelly children—Rachel ’16, Laura ’21, Will ’22, Jennifer ’23, Melissa ’25— enrolled in 2014, and spanned all three divisions of our school. Helen and Liam felt confident that Holy Child was the best fit for their family and, in a way, they felt like the school chose them. Relocating to the U.S. from Ireland meant that this was the first time they had even selected a school for their children, as they had previously relied on local Catholic schools. Yet, they felt it was “the easiest decision [they] ever made.” In the years that followed, Liam, Helen, and their children experienced the school through many moments of change and growth, from the rebranding in 2016 to our blossoming community and campus expansion. “One of my first roles at the school was to serve as a parent ambassador, and we were charged with spreading the message of Holy Child,” recalled Helen. “Only a few years later, we have achieved record enrollment, and it is clear that the community speaks for itself with its strength, warmth, and connectedness.” That sense of community transcends the school, and is evident in the ways that Holy Child families and students spend time together beyond our campus. Together, they shared, “If you want a school that embraces your family, Holy Child fits that bill one hundred percent.”

The growth of their children’s talents and strengths has been memorable for Liam and Helen over the years. By their own admission, they did not choose Holy Child because of its performing arts, but Helen reflected, “All of our children have been part of the Spring Play, their gradelevel performances, and Student Council. These experiences have given them great confidence, and taught them to advocate for themselves.” Athletics, they noted, are another source of teaching, as their children have learned about “team spirit, resilience, and humility, regardless of whether they were on or off the bench.” Resilience, Liam noted, is a key to succeeding in the world ahead of each child, and they both felt that Holy Child has prepared each of their children with this skill for high school.

The most rewarding experiences, Helen noted, are events, sports games, and traditions where children have the opportunity to share their strengths and talents that others may not have known about. The Kelly family enjoys attending all these school programs and being surprised by the outstanding talents— singing, dancing, public speaking—of the students who lead and perform in them. For Liam and Helen, the warmth of the community that comes together for these school events and programs is what makes it so special. Even so, the day-to-day moments at the school stand out to them. “Carline is so important for our community,” noted Helen, as it sets the tone for each day. “Wonderful faculty and staff stand outside through every season and have a cheery disposition no matter what. It starts each day off beautifully, and we are reminded that, ultimately, it’s our children’s happiness that matters.”

FRONT: Jennifer ’23, and BACK: Liam, Helen, Will ’22, Laura ’21, Rachel ’16, and Melissa ’25 Kelly.

“We found that the joy in the school, the welcome we received in the classrooms, and the confidence of the children were amazing.”

With Gratitude to

Arnold C. Schneider III P’10’12’15

The Holy Child School at Rosemont community recognizes the dedication and leadership of Board Chair Arnold C. Schneider III P’10’12’15 as he completes 17 years of service as a member of the board of trustees, including the past five years as chair. As a past parent, trustee (2005–2022), and chair of the Finance Committee (2010–2015), Arnie brought unique insights to his term as board chair and propelled the school forward through the Campus Master Planning process in 2017, which initiated The Campaign for Holy Child: Inspiring Joyful Excellence. Our campus has experienced the direct effects of this planning process through the Campus Expansion project, which has upgraded our school’s facilities in support of academic and cocurricular activities. We thank Arnie for his time, generosity, and commitment to Holy Child School at Rosemont.

Arnold C. Schneider III

The Campaign for Holy Child ends June 30, 2022, and our board of trustees has issued an exciting challenge to help us reach our goal of $8.5 million. The board will match all gifts up to $215,000 during this final phase, so the impact of your gift will be doubled! Make your tax-deductible gift today and be part of this transformational project that features: • The Fitzgerald Performing Arts and

Athletic Center, including Cassidy Stage; • Our school’s first regulation-sized turf field;

• The prayer grotto; • A Middle School recreation area; • The NEST (Nature, Exploration and Science Territory), an outdoor education center for Early Childhood through Grade 8; and an • Expanded parking lot and new entranceway to improve the flow of traffic.

The Campaign for Holy Child: Double Your Impact

Join over 200 alumni, current and past parents, grandparents, and friends who have made their commitment to the campaign. Gifts may be made in memory or in honor of a loved one, favorite teacher, or coach. Pledges may be paid over a five-year period and all gifts of $1,000 or more will be recognized on our donor wall, located in the Fitzgerald Performing Arts and Athletic Center. For more information, visit our website at

HolyChildRosemont.org/campaignforholychild

or contact the Advancement Office at 610-922-1021.