Letter From the President

ARTHUR RAIMO

President

FROM THE PRESIDENT

What makes the Academy special? Is it the academics? The campus ministry program? The athletics and extracurriculars? The teachers, administrators and coaches? The beautiful campus? Combined, they make it a great school, but in my mind, the Sisters of the Holy Names — their vision, values and mission — make it special. There are many great Catholic schools, both independent and parochial, in the United States, but only six of them are Holy Names schools. That makes us part of a select group. Does it make us better than other places? Perhaps, but not necessarily. It does, however, make us unique.

It is the core values of the Sisters that animate who and what we are as a school. The values of the SNJMs are our heartbeat; they are why we exist. Take them away, and the Academy would be like any other school. However, by embracing the Sisters and trying to live as they do, we elevate our school community to another level. Let’s take a moment to review the core values:

• Full development of the human person • Education in the faith • Hospitality • Dedication to women and children • Dedication to justice • Service to the poor or marginalized • Commitment to liberating action • Love for the Names of Jesus and Mary

As a Holy Names school, we must honor the core values, and the education we provide our students must center on them. The core values are the Academy’s call to action. Remain true to them and

FROM THE PRESIDENT

the school will grow as a place where all feel welcomed and valued. Discount them, and we will become something the Sisters never intended: a school no different from any other.

Growing in grace is just as important as growing in wisdom.

At the Academy, we do our best to provide each student the opportunity to succeed. We work hard to develop lifelong learners not only in terms of academic knowledge but as faith-filled people. Growing in grace is just as important as growing in wisdom. Developing one and not the other is doing only half the job. I encourage all in our community to revisit the document, “What Makes an SNJM School SNJM?” (holynamestpa. org/snjm), which calls on Holy Names schools to be stewards of education, faith, justice and leadership. As stewards of justice, the Sisters call for, “communication [that] is respectful, open, transparent, direct and continual; when conflict occurs, participants seek resolution and peaceful reconciliation.” Engaging one another in deep, meaningful conversation is how we will continue to grow as a community.

Ten years ago, I wrote in my first letter for the Accord, “As I study the mission and vision of the Sisters, one thing is abundantly clear: in today’s world, the need for schools like the Academy — schools that are based upon a clearly articulated vision and strong core values — is greater than ever. … Our long-term path is set firmly by our adherence to the Sisters’ mission, vision and core values. I will do my best to make sure that the Academy remains committed to this ideal.” The statement rings true today that the need for schools like the Academy is greater than ever, and I hope the jury will agree that I made sure the school remained committed to the Sisters’ mission, vision and values.

It has been my privilege to serve this community for the past 10 years. Getting to know and work with so many fine, dedicated people has been one of the joys of my professional life. My wife, Maureen, and I have felt welcomed from the moment we arrived, and leaving will be much more difficult than we ever imagined. It has been our great pleasure to get to know the Sisters both here in Tampa and in other parts of the country and to share in their mission. Whatever contributions we have made pale in comparison to those made by the Sisters over so many years. Soon, it will be up to the many lay women and men who comprise the school community to ensure that the mission, vision and values — the Sisters’ charism, that which makes them special — lives on in a meaningful way. It is a task we should take on willingly, so the education envisioned by the Blessed Marie Rose Durocher nearly 200 years ago remains a reality for many generations to come.

Sincerely,

Arthur Raimo President