Strategic Plans

Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School 2019 Strategic Plan

For over 150 years, Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School has been nurturing generations of future leaders. Our girls have gone on to make a difference in their chosen fields—and in the world—as business leaders, diplomats in developing nations, and award winning athletes in everything from swimming to figure skating. As our world changes and evolves at an ever faster pace, our commitment to our girls is more important than ever. They are our future and we must equip them to make it a better place for us all.

At Gwynedd, we our believe girls are the .

future

When we embarked on the strategic planning journey in the fall of 2017, we knew that inclusivity would be key to planning for the road ahead. At each turn, we connected with the people who make Gwynedd such a special place—the students, alumnae, faculty, staff, and parents. In total, the voices of over 1,400 community members informed our vision for the road ahead.

This strategic plan, more than any other in our history, grows from our shared values.

Our plan, She is the Future, is focused on empowering generations of women leaders and will chart the course for our future. It will shape the way our educators teach, our students learn and the way our community lives the Mercy Mission. We invite you to learn more about what the future holds at Gwynedd and join us in making this vision a reality.

Sincerely,

Denise C. Marbach ‘72 PRESI DENT

Kathy Bellwoar ‘81 C HA I R, BOA RD O F TRUSTEES

OUR VISION

We will educate, inspire and empower generations of women leaders.

Our Story

The Strength of Mercy It all began with our foundress, CATHERINE MCAULEY who turned her experience of poverty and the subjugation of women in Ireland in the 1800s into decades of academic opportunities for girls. She was a courageous visionary who collapsed boundaries without hesitation or fear.

While the concept of ‘strategic planning’ would have been foreign to Catherine McAuley, her strategic approach was ingenious, such as in deliberately locating her initial House of Mercy in an expensive and highly reputable precinct of Dublin, Ireland where it would gain the attention of the privileged and influential. With her ‘no such thing as no’ and ‘can do’ attitude, she overcame incredible obstacles.

educate

inspire empower

Catherine McAul

Catherine founded the Sisters of Mercy in 1831 to provide religious, educational, and social services to women and children. They believed that education opens doors—and in 1861, the Academy of the Sisters of Mercy opened its own doors to help young women in the Philadelphia area unlock their potential.

What an inspiring legacy she has left for us.

—Sister Marilyn Lacey, RSM

Education

G OA L 1

To inspire her as a leader, we will provide substantive, relevant opportunities that prepare young women for the call of leadership.

The first priority of our vision is the enhancement of our core strength, the academic excellence of a Gwynedd education.

STEM—science, technology, engineering, and math—is the future, and Gwynedd is committed to implementing a more project-based, interdisciplinary curriculum for our girls with STREAM at its core. At Gwynedd, we add the “R” for religion and “A” for arts.

This integration merges 21st century teaching and learning with faith and culture in all subject areas. Increased opportunities in STEM abound for our young women, in college and beyond. Our graduates will be ready to seize them and succeed. To deliver a more authentic and innovative learning experience rooted in Mercy values, we will:

Educate through a dynamic and interdisciplinary curriculum that cultivates scholarship, leadership, and global awareness.

Inspire self-discovery and purpose through enhanced comprehensive counseling services and customized college guidance.

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Empower students through the development and support of outstanding faculty.

G OA L 2

Leadership

To inspire her as a leader, we will provide substantive, relevant opportunities that prepare young women for the call of leadership.

Role models like Catherine McAuley, the Sisters of Mercy, and Gwynedd alumnae who are leaders in business, education, healthcare, law, science, and beyond, prove women make a positive impact in the world, locally and globally. We live in an increasingly challenging and complex world, one that requires ever more confident, competent and compassionate leaders—Gwynedd graduates rooted in Mercy values—to build a better future for all. To provide substantive, relevant opportunities that prepare our students for the call of leadership, we will:

Educate generations of future leaders through a world-class development program based on the life and legacy of Catherine McAuley.

Inspire young women to see themselves as instrumental agents of change in the areas of the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy.

Empower through high-impact, real-world experiences that leverage and connect the broader community of “Gwynedd Citizens”.

According to the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, it is estimated that less than one percent of girls in the U.S. attend all-girls schools. Yet as of 2018, twenty percent of women serving in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives graduated from an all-girls school.

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Wellness

G OA L 3

To honor her well-being, we will embrace a culture that holistically nurtures the mind, body, and spirit of every student.

Gwynedd wishes to honor the holistic well-being of each and every student. This is especially important today, with social media and packed schedules part of daily life and increasing stress and anxiety. Also, being merciful to oneself is vital to one’s ability to be merciful to others. By providing the initiatives, services and resources needed to support various dimensions of well-being, our girls will develop a strong sense of self-worth, find balance within the imbalances of life, and thrive at Gwynedd and beyond. To embrace a culture that holistically nurtures the mind, body, and spirit of our students, we will:

Educate and engage our community in practices that support individuals in achieving and sustaining health and well-being.

Inspire a culture of achievement and caring that balances individual passions and pursuits with a commitment to a larger community.

Empower the community by embedding prayer, mindfulness, and reflection into the daily life of the school.

“Families choose Gwynedd because they know we focus on the

whole person

.

We are uniquely positioned to support, and have a strong commitment to health and wellness in balance with high ambitions for getting into a great college.”

—QUOTE ATTRIBUTE

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G OA L 4

Connection

To honor her well-being, we will embrace a culture that holistically nurtures the mind, body, and spirit of every student.

The great differentiator between Gwynedd and other area schools is that we operate with Mercy. Our foundational strength is our community. From within our Gwynedd campus, through our dedicated sisterhood of alumnae, to our global Mercy network, we strive for personal excellence and bring others along the way. Our students have four years to ground themselves in Mercy values where their experience and commitment to service and inclusion will calibrate their moral compass for life. To further unite our community, expand our diversity, and grow connections locally and globally, we will:.

Educate “Gwynedd Citizens”—near and far—about the depth and breadth of the Gwynedd experience and its transformative impact on the lives of graduates.

Inspire and expand spiritual development, opportunities to serve, and commitment to the greater good through a community of involvement and lifelong sisterhood.

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Empower an enduring connection through a global network of support and a lifelong sisterhood.

Vitality

G OA L 5

To give her a school that will evolve and endure, we will develop an “all-in” culture of support and grow the financial sustainability of Gwynedd.

Thanks to prudent financial stewardship, strong enrollment, and loyal donor support, Gwynedd’s unrestricted net assets are strong when compared to the 130 school members of the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools, but represent only 50 percent of the average of our local peer group. Gwynedd also is tuition-dependent, with tuition and fees representing 85 percent of its annual revenue. In order to accomplish the ambitious goals set forth in Gwynedd’s strategic plan, we must leverage the time, talent and treasure of our entire community. To ensure the vitality of our school for current students and generations of girls to come, we will:

Educate and seek-out mission-aligned families whose daughters have the talent and drive to succeed and embrace the Catholic values of the school.

Inspire stewardship for the long-term vision and vitality of Gwynedd through an innovative advancement program.

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Empower ambassadors who generate support for the future of Gwynedd girls through this strategic plan.

STEERING COMMITTEE

Jill Marinari Carton, Ph.D. ‘86, P’20, ‘21

Grace Knapke ‘19

Eileen Carty, Dean of Students

Karen McKeaney ’88, Trustee

Anne Casavecchia, Director of Academics

Mary Mealey P’00, ‘05, ‘09

Al Chiaradonna P’22, ‘22

Thank you for the dedication and vision you gave to charting the future at Gwynedd.

Susan Mitchell, Faculty Zoe Rogers ‘19

Sr. Bernadette Duross, RSM, Director of Mission Integration

Joe Rose P’06, ‘11, Trustee

Caitlin Fasano ‘09, Faculty

Meg Szewczak, Faculty

Jamie Fruncillo ‘19

Cate Lafferty Stefanski ‘84, P’15

Tina Sauter Gregor ‘87, P’17, P’22

Kiera Thomas ‘20

Curtis Griffin P’21

Kelsey Trainor ‘08

Kate Lutz Hansen ‘89, P’19, ‘19, ‘19

Carly VanCamp ‘19

Zafar Kahn P ‘21

BOA RD OF TRUSTEES STR AT EG I C CO RE P LA N N IN G G R OU P

Sr. Christine McCann, RSM, Director of Sponsorship, Sisters of Mercy Mid-Atlantic Community Kathy Kirk Bellwoar ’81, Chair, Board of Trustees Dr. Kathleen M. Roeder, M.D. ‘60, P’92, ‘92 GP’14, Trustee

Kathleen Kirk Bellwoar ‘81, Chair Mary E. Kirby, Principal

Del C. Markward P’12

Ann Diehl Casey ‘50, GP ‘11, ‘20

Karen McKeaney ‘88

Colleen Belz Frascatore ’89, Director of Advancement

Michael A. DeCandido P ‘09, ‘16

Sister Honora Nicholson, R.S.M

Vincent T Dolan P ‘89, ‘91, ‘92

Teresa Araco Rodgers ‘91

Jen Benton Zandier ‘96, Director of Communications & Marketing

Linda Ann Galante, Esq. ‘72, P ‘08 Brian Hannan

Kathleen M. Roeder, MD, ‘60, P’92, ‘92, GP’14

Sherry Mischler, Director of Strategic Planning & Special Initiatives

Sister Virginia Hasson, R.S.M, Ph.D

Joseph L. Rose P ‘06, ‘11

Kathleen Haley Hunsicker, Esq. ‘81

Karen A. Sullivan, MD, P ‘13, ‘15

Michael DeCandido, P’09, ’16, Trustee

Raymond Hyer, III P’16

Sr. Mary Trainer, RSM, ‘57

Denise Corkery Marbach ’72, P’05, ’09, President

Mrs. Denise Corkery Marbach ‘72, P ‘05, ‘09

E STA BL IS HE D 1861 gmahs.org