2000s: A New Building Rises

A New Building Rises

Lilly Higgins ’16

The dawn of the new century brought the start of new projects at Ursuline and much change around the world. During this decade, there were many events of global impact – from the tragedy of 9/11, to Hurricane Katrina, to the election of President Barack Obama. Around Ursuline, we celebrated our 60th year, introduced new sports teams and student clubs, won the 2005 basketball championship, and celebrated old and new community traditions.

With Sr. Mercedes Videira as leader, Ursuline began to grow in size, which resulted in a need for more classroom space. When considering renovations of the science classrooms, Sr. Mercedes came to the conclusion that it would make much more sense to add on a new science wing to the school. In the meantime, the school had a temporary fix for the lack of classroom space. As Nicole Sullivan Vanderlinde ’02 remembers,

“For my senior year, we had a classroom trailer permanently outside on campus to help with the overflow of students. I took calculus in that trailer. And that is where I was when we heard about the World Trade Center tragedy on September 11, 2001.”

The Science Wing opened in 2002, providing the school with new labs for science classes as well as new backstage space for drama performances. The science labs provided students with access to larger spaces, the ability to conduct new and more complex experiments and class projects, and opened the door to an expanded science curriculum for all future Ursuline students. In a science class, Alexandra Powell Sheridan ’08 remembers that a student once asked the teacher, a nun named Sr. Mary, CSJ, why there was not a home economics class at Ursuline. Sr. Mary responded that they were not raising students to be housewives, rather they were raising students to be professional women.

SMILE!: Sales of digital cameras begin to surpass film cameras in 2003.

2000

After a year of concern and preparation for the digital turnover, the world celebrates the turn of the millennium. Planning is under way for the construction of a new addition: the science wing. In May, Ursuline student Kara Hadge ’04 becomes the first person to win the Patriot Ledger Spelling Bee in consecutive years.

The drama department had some changes in this decade too. Most notably, with the addition of the Science Wing, the drama department now had a backstage area. A former student remembers this experience:

“The addition of the Science Wing changed the backstage area for the drama club. For the 2002 performance of Babes in Arms, we couldn’t leave the wings because the old doors were gone and the build outs for the new doors were incorporated into the set.”

– Stacie Manning ’04

By the mid-2000s,Ursuline Academy began to see changes in its administrative structure. During the 2004–2005 school year, the school Board of Trustees voted to adopt a president/principal model in acknowledgement of the increasing importance of financial management, enrollment and marketing, fundraising, and facilities management. The first president was Kate Nolan Levesque ’77 who was followed by Rosann Whiting as president in 2007. In the 2004–2005 school year, Mr. Dean Calusdian came to work at Ursuline to run the theater program. Mr. Calusdian’s expertise brought Ursuline’s performances to the next level. He acquired costumes and created stage designs that helped to make the shows more polished and professional. Some highlights from his first few years at Ursuline include productions of Cinderella and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ursuline’s sports teams began to see great success starting in this decade. New teams were formed for ice hockey, cross country, indoor track, and lacrosse. But there was one team from this decade that stood out from them all. On March 15, 2005, Whittier Tech of Haverhill should have been wary of the Ides of March as the underdog Ursuline Bears basketball team defeated them 53–40 at the TD Garden in Boston to win the MIAA Division 4 state championship. This was the first state championship for any sport in Ursuline history. When interviewed after the game, senior captain Meghan Lawrie ’05 said,

“I can barely put this into words. As a basketball player you always dream of finishing like this, but no one expected little ol’ Ursuline to be the team to come out and win. This is so exciting.”

The team included Betsy Brennan ’06, Caitlin Burchill ’08, Kathleen Porter Garro ’07, Molly Griffiths ’07, Jaclyn Hourihan ’06, Meghan Lawrie Jaegar ’05, Elizabeth Montgomery Jensen ’05, Margaret Keaveny ’05, Rebecca Aha Lay ’07, Juli McDonald ’06, Katherine Nickley ’05, Katie O’Malley ’07, Nicole Norton Vermillion ’05, head coach John

SLAPSHOT: The Ice Hockey team is founded in 2004. This scrappy team lacks experience, but is determined. SPORTS: Other teams added to Ursuline’s athletic offerings are Field Hockey, Winter Track, Lacrosse, and Cross Country. Above: Kevin Hines P’91, Sr. Mercedes, Rock Eisenheim, and Kevin Keefe on the site of the future Science Wing. Below: Formwork being set up for walls of the Science Wing.

2001

Ursuline breaks ground for a new Science Wing in June. The architecture will bridge the styles of the school and convent. In late fall, students, faculty, and friends gather to watch as the signed final beam is lifted into place. On 9/11, terrorists attack the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

2002

In September, the new Science Wing opens to students and to a new era of education. The building is dedicated on September 23.

2003

In February, the Space Shuttle Columbia explodes upon reentry, killing all seven astronauts. The invasion of Iraq takes place on March 20th.

DePasquale, assistant coach Lynne Smith, and assistant coach Mike Trotta. The whole team was recognized at the inaugural Ursuline Athletics Hall of Fame, and was inducted in April 2022. Coach John DePasquale recounts:

“Ursuline is known for its strong academics, and for good reason. But the school proved they could get excited about sports, too. Once we won the South Sectional title, it really became something the whole school got swept up in. Nearly the entire school is here…This is the type of thing that everyone involved in is going to remember for a lifetime.” In the 2008–2009 school year, all four lab classrooms in the Science Wing were equipped with SmartBoards. This new technology began to shape the way in which students were taught at Ursuline. The computer lab in the Science Wing was commanded by Sr. Joanne Nee, SSND. She taught the girls keyboard skills and Excel spreadsheets. Ursuline students of this decade saw technological changes from AOL instant messaging to Facebook. Alexandra Powell Sheridan attended UA from 2002 to 2008. Some of her favorite memories include the cookies she would get in the Tea Room at break, going into the convent for Mass, participating in the school plays, Mission Day, and her favorite teacher, Mrs. Lynne Petti. Alex also remembers the close friendships she made while at Ursuline, and how all of those connections still play a part in her life today, like bumping into classmates on Facebook groups for moms in her town. Reflecting on her time at UA, she remembers how hard she and her classmates worked. She appreciates now how much Ursuline instilled a good work ethic in all students. Favorite traditions of this decade include Mission Day and the Junior Ring ceremony as well as the first Grandparents’ Day. The Junior Ring ceremony is an important tradition and many feel that it solidifies you as a student in the history of Ursuline Academy. Stacie Manning ’04 said that this was her favorite tradition, saying “I know we complained about all having essentially the same one at the time, but I met a girl from Ursuline Dallas in college who loved that we had the Serviam shield on our ring.”

HOOPS: The Basketball Team caps a winning season with a Division 4 State Championship win at TD Garden in 2005.

2004

The Ursuline Board of Trustees votes to adopt a president/principal model.

2005

Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans, and Ursuline Dedham takes several students in from Ursuline Academy of New Orleans. ALL TIME LEADING SCORER: Molly Griffiths ’07 graduates as UA’s all-time scoring leader in basketball with 1,500 points.

2006

A 60th anniversary celebration is held for Boston Alumnae in the convent followed by lunch in the Tea Room.

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HI TECH: Apple debuts the iPhone in June 2007.

2008

In the 2008-2009 school year, all four lab classrooms in the Science Wing are equipped with SmartBoards. In June, the UA Golf squad goes from last to third in state tournament competion. Barack Obama is elected first Black President.

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1. Spring 2001 trip to New York City 2. Melissa Hershey ’01 participates in Track and Field. 3. Abs Kahler ’13 plays violin at Mass. 4. 2001 Softball Team 5. 2008 production of A Christmas Carol 6. Students attend classes in a trailer during construction of the Science Wing.

CLUBS: New clubs added or re-established include Book Club and the Green Team.

2009

Sr. Mercedes steps down at the end of the 2008–2009 school year after serving 23 years as principal. Alumna Mary Jo Gorman Keaney ’82 becomes the first lay principal.

Science Wing Dedication:

September 23, 2002

The building and subsequent dedication of the Science Wing began a new era of Ursuline Academy. With increased access to these state-of-the-art resources, Ursuline students were able to further explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as fields of study. The Science Wing began to pique students’ scientific interests and as a result, many more Ursuline students have gone on to study these fields in college. In the subsequent two decades since the wing opened, Ursuline has welcomed more STEM related classes like AP Computer Science, Web Design, and Forensic Science, and clubs such as Women in STEM, Girls Who Code, and the “Robots in Plaid” robotics team.

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1. Sr. Mercedes Videira OSU is presented with a signed architectural plan of the Science Wing. 2. Father Clancy conducts the blessing of the new wing as the Ursulines, members of the Board, and other guests look on. 3. Sr. Angela Krippendorf ’59 OSU recognizes former principals Sr. Laurianne Michaud OSU, Sr. Dorothy Doyle OSU, and Sr. Rita Bourassa OSU and Principal Sr. Mercedes Videira OSU as they are honored. 4. Architects William Buckingham and Dennis Keefe of Keefe Associates, Beth McManus Howard ’76, Sr. Mercedes Videira OSU, and Kevin Hines P’93.

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