Thank you, Mrs. Keaney ! The mantra “Remember your roots” has been a recurring theme in Principal Mary Jo Keaney’s life. The 1982 graduate invoked these words upon her arrival at Ursuline in 2009 to describe her path back to her alma mater, and again invoked it in her parting message to the school community last spring. Mrs. Keaney has once again chosen to return to her roots in her decision to step down from the position of principal in order to care for her parents, John and Mary Gorman, in their later years. As the first lay principal of Ursuline Academy, Mrs. Keaney accomplished much in her six years at the academic helm of 85 Lowder Street, including initiating an overhaul of the master schedule, overseeing the school through the NEASC reaccreditation process, chaperoning countless service and international trips, and advocating for Ursuline’s participation in the Ursuline Sisters athletics tournaments. Not only did Mrs. Keaney, Sr. Angela Krippendorf, O.S.U. she break new ground, but she also continued the Ursuline tradition of being a teaching principal, by teaching Latin classes ranging from the seventh grade to a senior advisory class. Mrs. Keaney’s farewell message to the Ursuline community is reprinted here (opposite):
Principal Search Committee Under the direction of President Rosann Whiting, Ursuline Academy has completed the process of forming the search committee to fill the permanent principal’s position. With the leadership of co-chairs Angela Crispi P ‘14 and Brother Raymond Vercruysse, C.F.C., Ed.D, the committee began working this summer to find our next principal. Members of the committee include: Mary Lou Burke Afonso ‘82 P ‘20 Bridget Coyle ‘91 Mary Ferrucci, Director of Guidance Sr. Angela Krippendorf, O.S.U. ‘59 and Trustee Mary Feeley Moriarty ‘80
Laurel Mullen P’16 ‘17 Dr. Michael Ricard P’15 Jim Scanlan P’18 Mary-Kate Tracy-Robidoux ‘94, Campus Minister
The committee is dedicated to finding the very best candidate to lead Ursuline Academy into the future while being respectful of our heritage as a school founded on the principles of St. Angela Merici. With this highly-qualified committee in place, we are confident of success. Updates on the search process will be posted in the President’s Message area of UrsulineAcademy.net.
Interim Principal Kate Levesque While President Whiting and the search committee lead the process of identifying and hiring the next permanent principal for the Academy, Ursuline’s day-to-day leadership will be in good hands with Mrs. Kathleen (Nolan) Levesque ’77, who will serve as interim principal for the 2015-2016 school year. In addition to being an Ursuline alumna, Mrs. Levesque is well-known to our community as the former vice-chair of the Board of Trustees and, prior to that, as Past President of the Academy from 2004–2007. She also served as a member of our Executive Committee and chair of our Governance Committee. Under her leadership, the school purchased the 112 Lowder Street building and successfully began the transition to the President/Principal model. Kate brings years of experience as an independent school administrator and board member, and has a keen sense of business and of the challenges facing independent schools. As a graduate of Ursuline Academy and the College of the Holy Cross, Mrs. Levesque believes and lives the motto of Serviam. We welcome her back to our community in this new capacity. 2