GREETINGS FROM THE BOARD CHAIR

Dear St. Mary’s Community, Our Head of School, Dr. Dolan, typically ends his emails with #ForwardAlwaysForward. It provides a good reminder that regardless of the issues that have demanded our attention in the past, the viability of any organization depends upon its ability to focus on the future and have a vision and clear plan for success. With that in mind, it is especially gratifying for the board of trustees and everyone associated with St. Mary’s to see the ASCEND 2026 strategic plan come to fruition. We sincerely appreciate co-chairs Mark Doyle ’76 and Ellen Fritz ’86 and the dozens of stakeholders who came together in a spirit of collaboration and mission to formulate this strategic plan. ASCEND 2026 provides us with a detailed look at our strengths, areas in which we can improve and, most important, a roadmap to take us where we want to be in terms of student achievement and outcomes, as well as operational excellence. As Mark points out in the story in this edition on ASCEND 2026, the next step is to execute the plan and ensure that it becomes a living document. I have the utmost confidence that our staff, students, families, and other stakeholders will make that a reality. As we all continue to navigate the significant obstacles presented by the pandemic, I am impressed by the commitment of our students and staff to implement the Care For All 2.0 plan and keep our school fully operational. We will all be stronger from this experience, regardless of how challenging it is along the way. Under the direction of Dr. Dolan and his team, our school is thriving and momentum is building. The STEM building is understandably turning heads; it is spectacular. I know my fellow trustees share in my sentiment that we feel privileged to be able to serve St. Mary’s at this time in its illustrious history. We appreciate our role in helping everyone to keep their eyes on the prize while looking #ForwardAlwaysForward. Sincerely,

William S. Mosakowski St. Mary’s Board Chair