Mercy High School Viewbook 2020-2021

Personal Focus. Global Perspective.

Mercy Changes Everything.

WE SEE BRIGHT, TALENTED, JOYFUL, COMPASSIONATE, CURIOUS, SCHOLARLY, PASSIONATE, CREATIVE, ARTSY, SPORTY, SPIRITUAL, HARD-WORKING, STRONG, ANALYTICAL, WISE, DYNAMIC, MULTI-FACETED,

YO U

BY FOCUSING ON YOU, WE HELP YOU FIND YOUR FOCUS Now is a time of discovery—and at Mercy we have the experienced, dedicated guides you need to help you go further and cultivate your strengths.

At Mercy, providing attention to the individual student’s needs is a top priority.

Our school environment nurtures students and supports parents through all four years of their daughter’s high school career.

Mercy’s unique Adviser Program pairs each student with a faculty member for her high school career. This faculty member has an advisee group that consists of students in all four year levels, creating a special environment for peer mentoring.

Advisers are the daily “check-in” connection for students and develop a relationship with students and their families. They are the point person for a Mercy Girl— from helping her with her locker combination as a freshman to writing college recommendations senior year.

This attention to the individual is also a key component of the four-year Seminar Program at Mercy. Beginning in freshman year, students learn strategies that help them become successful learners and cope with emotional and social issues faced by adolescents. Students are guided through the college admissions process in a stepby-step progression that provides access to many college representatives, guidance with the financial aid process, and tools for résumé writing, financial literacy, and career exploration.

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Mercy High School is officially an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, offering a rich and rigorous college preparatory experience distinguished by the prestigious IB Middle Years Programme. IB World Schools share a common philosophy—a commitment to improve the teaching and learning of a diverse and inclusive community of students by delivering challenging, high quality programs of international education to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

At Mercy, passionate educators cultivate a lifetime love of learning in students who take great ownership of their own education.

FOCAL POINTS • 12:1 student/faculty ratio ensures small class sizes and personal attention.

• Four-Year Adviser Program pairs students with a faculty member for all four years.

• Four-Year Seminar Program provides students with the skills they need in the college admission process and beyond.

• 100% college acceptance rate speaks for itself!

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TAKING ACADEMICS HIGHER Mercy students are confident, active learners. Our outstanding faculty provides a challenging learning environment that prepares students to lead in college, in the workplace, and in the world.

Mercy’s academics are rigorous, innovative and focused on the critical thinking, writing, research, and communication skills students will need to lead in college, in the workplace, and in the world. Using an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning, Mercy fosters creative thinking and reflection.

Smaller class sizes allow for individual attention, encouraging students to find their own voices. Our faculty and staff expect each student to work to her full potential and encourage her to find her passion through learning. A lifetime of learning requires continuous study, so our class schedules allow teachers and students more time together.

A lifetime of learning is a habit that requires continuous cultivation, so our schedule allows flexible time for our students and faculty to extend learning outside of the classroom.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • All ninth and tenth graders will participate in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. Colleges and universities around the world recognize IB as the most academically rigorous program available.

At Mercy, you can be assured of a worldclass education.

• The Catherine McAuley Honors Program provides academic challenges for students seeking to go further, building their confidence as thinkers and scholars.

• AP classes are available in Biology, Calculus AB/BC, Psychology, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, U.S. History, Music Theory, and Computer Science Principles. Students have also successfully taken AP exams in French, Spanish, Statistics, and Studio Art. • Our Learning Specialist provides individualized support for students with learning differences to succeed academically and emotionally, supported by caring professionals and challenged by their classes.

• Dual enrollment with Notre Dame of Maryland University and Anne Arundel Community College allows juniors and seniors to earn college credits.

• The Mentor Program allows selected juniors to work with an accomplished professional who helps the student explore a chosen field of interest beyond the traditional academic setting.

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SEE THE BIG PICTURE. Because the world is bigger than Baltimore! To be effective in our dynamic society, you’ll need an international perspective, intercultural and language skills, and values that promote positive relationships across cultures. Mercy will give you the tools you need to excel—wherever your future takes you.

Our sponsors, the Sisters of Mercy, work in more than 40 countries to bring education, healthcare, and disaster relief to those in need. The international presence of the Sisters of Mercy means that, as a Mercy student, you’ll begin to develop your “global sense” and to connect with others around the world.

Mercy students learn to think globally.

From mastering a second language to studying the causes of international conflict, Mercy students see themselves as citizens of the world. Unique opportunities through the Model United Nations and Model Organization of American States (OAS) allow a select group of students to take up the role of diplomat. Traveling to Washington, D.C. and other cities, Mercy’s delegations participate in high-level debates around international topics with exceptional students from the United States and the Western Hemisphere. Mercy is the only Baltimore-area school to field a delegation to Model OAS. With a strong international focus, it’s no wonder that Mercy alumnae live and work in 13 countries around the world. Fulbright Scholar, diplomat, language teacher, international program director—our alumnae have chosen these international careers and more.

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MERCY’S INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS • 196 Mercy secondary schools around the world and the Mercy Education System of the Americas give our Mercy faculty the chance to dialogue with other Mercy faculty from our international sister schools.

• The Mercy Girl Effect project actively involves Mercy students in leading efforts to help girls in developing countries gain access to education.

• The Law and Social Action Program provides students with opportunities to evaluate how interdependence, as well as political, legal, social and economic change, affect all communities, with a focus on both globalization and sustainable development. A study of social change through governance, social and legal policy, and justice provides students with an understanding of both individual and systemic power throughout their four years at Mercy.

SETTING OUR SIGHTS ON STEM With state-of-the-art facilities and advanced equipment, four Mercy signature programs focused on STEM, and classes that provide hands-on experience and real-life learning, you’ll be ready for the exciting science and technology careers of the future.

Considering a career in medicine, engineering, or IT? Mercy’s four signature programs—the Women in Medicine Program in partnership with Mercy Medical Center, Women in Technology Program, Project Lead the Way Biomedical Science Program, and the Sister Agnese Neumann Scholars Program in partnership with MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital—offer students extraordinary opportunities to explore STEM fields.

By application only, these programs are designed for very motivated students.

Highly qualified faculty lead students through rigorous coursework aimed at preparing them for success in advanced science and technology classes. Mercy’s strong partnerships with business and industry leaders give students unique access to professional mentors, many of whom are alumnae.

Our unparalleled Dorothy Williams Bunting Science Center, with advanced biology, chemistry, and physics laboratories and classrooms allows students unequaled opportunities for hands-on investigation in a sophisticated, technology-rich environment.

MERCY’S SIGNATURE PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON STEM • Women in Technology Program This four-year program engages students in an intense technology experience that prepares them for technology-focused college majors and career paths. In Mercy’s technology-rich environment, students become programmers, website designers, audio and video editors, and graphic designers.

• Women in Medicine Program in Partnership with Mercy Medical Center This prestigious partnership between Mercy High School and Mercy Medical Center grants students unprecedented access to Baltimore’s top medical professionals and their work.

Students select an area of medicine to explore in greater depth. During junior and senior years, students work closely with their peers on medical case studies to present to the entire Mercy High School community as a senior.

• Project Lead the Way Biomedical Science Program This four-year, nationally recognized program comprises a sequence of classes that allows students to investigate the roles of biomedical professionals as they study the concepts of human medicine, physiology, genetics, microbiology, forensic science, and public health in the context of real-world cases, while working collaboratively to understand and design solutions to the most pressing health challenges of today and the future.

• The Sister Agnese Neumann Scholars Program in Partnership with MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital This exceptional program offers students hands-on experience in healthcare by exposing them to key specialties at MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital: aging science, occupational and physical therapy, nursing, and community/public health. Students receive training in fundamental skills including CPR, patient safety, infection prevention, and first-responder training. They also attend special professional development sessions at the hospital which focus on cutting-edge topics in healthcare.

The program spans three academic years and culminates with a summer internship.

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YOUR FUTURE IS CONNECTED At Mercy, technology isn’t something additional—it’s seamlessly integrated into all aspects of our curriculum, just as it’s part of the everyday life of our students outside the classroom. We teach students to use technology wisely, safely, and creatively.

Technology is changing our lives, and something new happens in the field every day! That’s why, at Mercy, we think it’s critical that we integrate technology into the way we teach. Our graduates are prepared for the new world of business and global connections through the pairing of a rigorous liberal arts education with the tools and methods of our connected society.

Each student at Mercy is required to purchase a device as an important school supply. WiFi throughout our campus buildings ensures that students stay connected to the learning resources they need.

Students, faculty, and staff are connected via Mercy email and our school information system, PlusPortals, where students can access course information from any location.

Our Technology Code of Conduct ensures that students learn one of the most valuable 21st century skills: knowing when it’s time to disconnect.

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INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY • Mercy’s wired library supports student learning with access to some of the world’s most-used electronic research databases. In Freshman Seminar, students acquire important research and information literacy skills (including website evaluation, citation of sources, and database use) that they will need throughout their high school and college years. Plus, Mercy’s library provides free access to e-books for students and faculty!

• The Marion I. & Henry J. Knott Computer Laboratory offers students access to a high-speed internet connection and all the graphics and video/audio production tools they need for their own creative projects.

• The Dorothy Williams Bunting Science Center, a $1 million renovation, created five university-level chemistry, biology and physics labs, outfitted with all of the equipment students need to dig deep into scientific scholarship.

IT’S A SISTER THING Friends are the sisters we choose. They see us for who we really are and help us become our best selves. At Mercy, you will find a strong foundation to build friendships that last a lifetime.

Starting with the Big Sister/Little Sister program, nurturing relationships are created, allowing for student-to-student support and mentorship opportunities. Traditions like Sophomore Pin Day, Mercy Day/Ring Day, Field Day, and even locker wrapping celebrate milestones both big and small and bring our community closer together.

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Field Day

MERCY TRADITIONS AREN’T ABOUT PRESERVING THE PAST. THEY’RE ABOUT CREATING THE FUTURE.

Freshman M.A.G.I.C. Day Big & Little Sisters Locker Wrapping

Days of Service Mercy Girl Effect

Mercy Day/Ring Day Sophomore Pin Day Senior Retreat Prayer Days

Foundation Day

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MERCY SECONDARY SCHOOLS AROUND

THE GLOBE

PROGRAMS

WO M E N I N M E D I C I N E WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY PROJECT LEAD THE WAY NEUMANN SCHOLARS

5 SCIENCE LABS U N I V E R S I T Y- L E V E L

MERCY HIGH SCHOOL

2 6 -AC R E WOODED CAMPUS

4

-YEAR SEMINAR

SUPPORTS EMOTIONAL AND AC A D E M I C D E V E LO P M E N T B E YO N D T H E C L A S S R O O M

100%

RATE OF COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE

1 2: 1 ST U D E N TTEACHER RATIO ENSURING SMALL CLASS SIZES & PERSONAL ATTENTION

4 YEARS OF

HOME TURF ADVANTAGE

ARTS

PROGRAMMING

MUSIC, THEATRE, VISUAL ARTS

BY THE NUMBERS

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SEASONS OF SPORTS

FALL: CROSS COUNTRY, FIELD HOCKEY, SOCCER, VOLLEYBALL WINTER: BASKETBALL, CHEER, INDOOR TRACK, INDOOR SOCCER SPRING:

L AC R O S S E ,

OUTDOOR

T R AC K ,

SOFTBALL,

GOLF

425 STUDENT ACTIVITIES ANIME

CLUB,

APPRENTICE

DANCE

COMPANY,

DANCE

TROUPE,

BLACK AWARENESS CLUB, ENSEMBLE PLAYERS, ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB, ETHICS TEAM, FRESHMAN STEERING COMMITTEE, FOOTLIGHTERS (DRAMA),

GIRLS ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, INTERNATIONAL CLUB, JUNIOR STEERING COMMITTEE, LANCE (LITERARY MAGAZINE), MADRIGALS, MAGIC MEDIA CLUB, MODEL DIPLOMATS, NATIONAL ART HONOR SOCIETY/ART CLUB, PEP SQUAD, PROM COMMITTEE, SCIENCE OLYMPIAD TEAM, SENIOR STEERING COMMITTEE, SHIELD (NEWSPAPER), SOCIAL JUSTICE SOCIETY, SOPHOMORE STEERING COMMITTEE, STUDENT AMBASSADORS, STUDENT COUNCIL

STUDENTS FROM 6 4 Z I P C O D E S.

WE ARE ALL

M E RCY G I R L S.

AGIC

NATION

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WE HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. Women leaders are the rule here, not the exception.

Ever since Mercy’s first class graduated in 1964, empowering young women has been central to what makes Mercy the unique place it is, for both the women we graduate and the world they transform.

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FIND YOURSELF IN THE ARTS Mercy Girls “take the stage” and display their talents for the world to see as dancers, singers, instrumentalists, thespians, and visual artists with professional instruction in outstanding performance spaces.

Mercy has always been a haven for artists looking for ways to express themselves.

Whatever medium you choose, we have a way for you to learn the skills you need to pursue it, either as an extracurricular activity or as a potential career path.

Our signature arts programs encompass all aspects of creating, performing, and honing your chosen craft to perfection. These rigorous, purposefully designed performing arts programs and activities ensure that students are building foundational skills in their subject area, whether it’s dance, vocal or instrumental performance, or theatre. Each performance is, in itself, a unique learning experience that teaches the technical foundation for a future career and encourages the serious pursuit of artistic excellence.

Students who participate in the performing arts earn academic credit as a recognition of the rigor of the programs, and these skills build upon each other as the student spends more time in her chosen program.

Performing arts education leads students to develop valuable skills for life, college, and career—commitment, overcoming challenges, collaborating with others, creative problem solving, poise, confidence, focus, self-discipline, and more.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTS AT MERCY • Visual Arts Program allows students to take art all four years and build a portfolio for submission for AP Studio Art credit. There are also opportunities to display work not only in school exhibits, but also in public galleries.

• Mercy’s Dance Troupe is a college preparatory performing arts company. Dancers study: ballet and pointe, jazz, contemporary and modern, and more.

• The Apprentice Dance Company is designed for students with a desire, passion, and potential for dance, but with a more limited dance background.

• The Mercy Madrigals, open to all students, allows those interested to develop technique and good musicianship in a quality vocal ensemble. The Ensemble Players is a select instrumental group that specializes in chamber music and music for small orchestras. Members of both performance ensembles assist with liturgies and special events in addition to performing in two formal concerts each year.

• Mercy is the place to be for theater arts. Our Footlighters Drama Club produces a play and a musical annually, allowing our students to gain experience both onstage and offstage.

Students can serve as actors, stage managers, assistant directors, designers, and more.

• The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Auditorium is home to the arts at Mercy, and features a beautiful theatre, lighting and sound systems, choral and instrumental rehearsal rooms, and a dedicated dance studio.

• Mercy’s digital Piano Lab allows a student to pursue her interest in piano instruction.

• Mercy is also home to a three-octave handbell set, allowing students to learn fundamentals in a performance-based setting.

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TEACHING YOU TO SEE YOUR FUTURE Planning for college is exciting—and a little bit intimidating as well! A supportive team of professionals will guide you and your family through the college application and financial aid process. With a strong plan in place, you will walk confidently into the future.

Mercy’s college preparatory program includes a focus on college and career planning that is sensitive to the particular gifts and needs of each student. With a detailed road map from our Student Services Team, students and their parents navigate the college selection process—learning how to choose a college, how to think about future majors and careers, and how to access scholarships and financial aid.

During junior year, students can apply to participate in a significant internship experience through the Mentor Program.

Students are paired with a professional who shares his or her knowledge and expertise on a one-to-one basis for a semester or an entire year. In the past, students have explored careers under the guidance of Baltimore Sun journalists, Johns Hopkins researchers, criminal law attorneys, physicians, writers, political leaders, and others.

These opportunities complement Mercy’s signature programs, which also provide students with critical workplace experiences, helping to shape their future college and career choices.

OUR FOUR-YEAR SEMINAR PROGRAM: COLLEGE READINESS AT MERCY • Explores emotional and social issues that students encounter as adolescents.

• Demystifies the college process and guides the whole family through every part of the process, beginning in sophomore year.

• Prepares students for the SAT and ACT. • Assists students with writing the college essay.

• Helps students explore different colleges to find the one that is right for them.

• Guides students and parents through the financial aid process.

• Provides access to many college representatives throughout the fall and spring.

• Keeps students and parents on track with deadlines and application submissions.

• Teaches résumé writing, financial literacy, and career exploration techniques for the post-college years.

• AP classes and dual credit opportunities with Notre Dame of Maryland University and Anne Arundel Community College prepare students for college academics and earn juniors and seniors college credit.

• Mentor Program internships provide real-world work experiences.

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MERCY CHANGES EVERYTHING Let us remember that we are in the presence of God. Compassion and service are among the core values at Mercy High School. Thus, personal reflection, relationships, and a generous response to the needs of others are the foundation of Service Learning at Mercy.

Informed by our Catholic values and the mission of the Sisters of Mercy, we believe that every person is unique and valuable, made in the image of a loving God. We believe that we grow and become our best selves through personal reflection, relationships, and our generous response to the needs of others. We want each student to live a life of meaning, balance, and joy, to deepen her understanding of her own faith, and to embrace a spiritual dimension as central to her life.

Mercy offers opportunities for each student to explore her relationship with God and with the wider world. Daily prayer, student-led prayer services, and Catholic liturgies invite students to reflect on their individual spiritual life. The Frances Warde Service Learning Program allows students to offer their services to organizations and individuals in the larger community, helping to meet the needs of others while discovering more about themselves.

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SPIRITUALITY AND SERVICE LEARNING AT MERCY • The Frances Warde Service Learning Program gives Mercy students the opportunity to experience service learning by sharing their time, talent, and treasure with our neighbors in need. Students complete a minimum of 50 hours of service culminating in a project presented at a Service Fair in the spring semester of their junior year.

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WE SEE WHO YOU’RE BECOMING (SPOILER: YOU’RE AWESOME) Graduation might seem far away, but it will be here before you know it. As a Mercy Girl, you will have access to more than just a top-notch education, you will also receive guidance toward your artistic, academic, or other goals, and a system of support that will last a lifetime.

We give you the gift of the world. With Mercy behind you, you can go anywhere and do anything and still have a place to come home. You are—and will become—the confident, intelligent, compassionate leader the world needs.

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“RESOLVE TO BE

GOOD TODAY, BUT B E T T E R TOMORROW.” CATHERINE McAULEY, FOUNDRESS OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY

Find your strength at Mercy— IB WORLD SCHOOL

LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD

Mercy High School is proud to offer the highly respected International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP). Authorization as an IB World School is recognition of the high quality of teaching and learning at Mercy.

The MYP prepares students to achieve at the highest levels in their 11th and 12th grade course work, making them competitive for highly selective colleges and universities.

Girls come first at Mercy High School— in the classroom, on the stage, and on the field. Committed to giving every Mercy Girl an experience that is in a class by itself, Mercy has built the new Sisters of Mercy Athletic Complex.

With the Sisters of Mercy Field, Mercy High School has leveled the playing field for our Mercy Girls. This exceptional multi-sport facility signals a strong and sustainable future for Mercy High School.

The premier AstroTurf surface, extensive spectator seating, LED lighting for nighttime games, and a digital video scoreboard reflect the enduring commitment of the Sisters of Mercy to excellence and equity.

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Personal Focus. Global Perspective. Mercy Changes Everything.

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We, the community of Mercy High School Baltimore, are a private Catholic, college preparatory school for young women of diverse backgrounds from across central Maryland.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, we provide a rigorous education marked by academic excellence and personal attention. Here, students learn to communicate ideas and express themselves confidently, both individually and in collaboration with others. Mercy creates an environment where young women form habits of lifelong inquiry, critical thinking and courageous action in a global society. In the tradition of Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, our work reflects a commitment to hospitality, service, justice and compassion.

MERCY HIGH SCHOOL IS A COMMUNITY OF FAITH, A COMMUNITY OF LEARNING AND A COMMUNITY IN THE WORLD.

1300 E. NORTHERN PKWY. | BALTIMORE, MD. 21239 | P: 410.433.8880 | F: 410.323.8816 | WWW.MERCYHIGHSCHOOL.COM