5 minute read
From the Principal
What a year this has been! I am so proud of our students and staff for showing so much resilience as we worked together to overcome unprecedented challenges resulting from the COVID-1 9 pandemic. Teacher creativity and innovation reached new levels; student independence soared. As you read on, you will learn about members of our WMA community who stepped up in light of the pandemic, providing PPE, healthcare services or feeding the hungry. Despite the difficulties we continue to face, Waldron Mercy has grown in strength and faith and has proven the importance of a values based, Catholic Mercy education.
Of course, there is always more we can do. This year a group of dedicated staff, parents, alumni, trustees, and others from the local Mercy community are developing a new Strategic Plan for Waldron Mercy Academy under the guidance of our consultant, Partners In Mission. The Strategic Plan will act as the compass for WMA’s future direction and leadership, so areas such as our Catholic Mercy identity, mission, curriculum, facilities, finance, student life, etc. will be addressed during this process. You’ll hear more about this during the school year.
Speaking of our Catholic Mercy mission, I assure you that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) continue to be at the forefront of our minds. Waldron has an excellent Board of Trustees DEI committee dedicated to making sure WMA is always moving forward in its mission to be “rooted in the gospel values of Mercy and justice.” As a Mercy school, this summer we grieved and prayed for all those in the African American community whose lives have been lost and whose families have been affected by violence rooted
in racism. Waldron is committed to the necessary work of eliminating racism by specifically teaching and discussing with our students and each other the Critical Concerns of Anti-Racism and Non-Violence established by the Sisters of Mercy. We have been and continue to be committed to hiring qualified people who reflect the diversity of our school, with an emphasis on those who are Black or Brown. We are listening and we are learning.
You might want to join us in our One Book, One School choice this year: White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo. In recognizing the importance of educating ourselves in order to become better people and allies, our staff will be led in discussion of this important topic in August and will continue professional development throughout the year. Some of the additional actions WMA is taking, including curriculum updates, are described in more detail in this issue. Others, such as an overhaul of our history curriculum, will be a year-long process.
I encourage you to use your connections to help WMA become a better, more inclusive community; if you know teachers who would consider working at WMA, or speakers who will help us further educate ourselves about antiracism and inclusivity, please contact me at principal@waldronmercy.org.
As I close, I invite you to join us at 6:30 each night to pray for all those affected by the COVID pandemic, those who are sick or who have died, families that struggle either with fear or loss of loved ones or jobs, and those who work in large group settings, including our health care workers and, in September, our teachers.
CONGRATULATIONS, SR. JOELLEN!
This issue of the Blue & Gold could not pass without us celebrating Sr. Joellen McDonnell for all of her contributions to Waldron Mercy as she moves on to her newly appointed position of Life Coordinator for the Sisters of Mercy at the Motherhouse.
“I met many wonderful families at WMA and watched as each of you and your children grew in Mercy. Each of you taught me life lessons of kindness, trust and hope in our future,” Sr. Joellen reflected.
Sr. Joellen’s heart and spirit are infused in the corridors of our building. With her kind and compassionate ways, she has impacted the lives of so many in our community. She was serving as a teacher at Merion Mercy Academy in 1 987 when she was asked to play a lead role as the new Vice Principal in the merging of Waldron Academy for Boys and MMA’s lower school. When her talents were needed, she became Principal at St. Christopher’s School in Philadelphia in 1 991 before becoming Principal at St. Denis School in Havertown. Sr. Joellen returned to WMA in 2006.
As the Director of Admissions for the last 1 4 years, she’s introduced the newest generation of Waldron Mercy families to our wonderful school. She is always especially proud of inviting WMA and Merion Mercy alumni back to campus to educate their children.
The good news is that Sr. Joellen’s new position is just up the hill and we will be able to see her often. While she may not be in our building, she will always be in our hearts. We have been blessed to have Sr. Joellen as an invaluable member of our family, and we hope you will join us in congratulating her.
CELEBRATING OUR JUBILARIANS
We couldn’t let a pandemic stop us from honoring our Sisters of Mercy who reached milestone anniversaries this year!
Unable to do so in person, members of our faculty and staff held a drive by parade all over the greater Philadelphia area to recognize the 60th jubilees of reading specialist Sr. Barbara MacWilliams, Board Trustee Sr. Marie Michele Donnelly; and the 70th jubilees of Board Trustee Sr. Marianna Walsh, Latin teacher Sr. Mary Hasson and recent WMA retiree Sr. Kathleen Anne McKee.
The cars were adorned with decorations and signs wishing the sisters well. Passengers stuck their heads out of the windows to yell messages of support while maintaining a safe, social distance from the sisters. Each sister also received a delivery of cupcakes to show our gratitude for these women who live their lives in Mercy for Waldron
Mercy Academy.
