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Blue&Gold Spring 2021

Nationally Recognized for our Excellence!

Then&Now

This is not the first time we have been recognized for our outstanding academics! We first achieved a National Blue Ribbon in 2001, and then again in 2009! The look of our school wide celebrations certainly changed (note the masks) but the sentiment remains the same!

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Spring 2021

INTHIS ISSUE DEPARTMENTS

WALDRON MERCY ACADEMY, A CATHOLIC SCHOOL SPONSORED BY THE SISTERS OF MERCY, IS A DIVERSE, FAITH COMMUNITY ROOTED IN THE GOSPEL VALUES OF MERCY AND JUSTICE. WE ARE A SCHOOL WHERE THE JOY OF DISCOVERY INSPIRES SERIOUS STUDY, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND STRONG FAITH.

FEATURE

2 From the Principal 4 Joy of Discovery 6 Happening on Campus 8 The Power of Mercy 10

Families of Waldron 14 Newsworthy

12 WMA Excels Nationally - Again! It was an exciting fall at WMA as our students celebrated our 2020 National Blue Ribbon School achievement! Turn to page 12 to learn more about why this honor feels extra special to our teachers.

facebook.com/WaldronMercyAcademy facebook.com/groups/WaldronMercyAlumni Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/WaldronMercy Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/waldronmercy Join us on LinkedIn: Search groups for “Waldron Mercy Alumni” or “Waldron Mercy Academy Parents and Friends”

Volume 16, Issue 1 Blue & Gold is published twice a year by the Marketing and Communications Office for the alumni, parents and friends of Waldron Mercy Academy.

CONTRIBUTORS:

PHOTOGRAPHY:

DESIGN:

Marguerite Flynn Suzanne Gallagher Carolyn Leonard Karen McGinley

Carolyn Leonard

AcquireVisual.com

From the Principal ince the moment I first stepped through the doors, it was clear to me that Waldron Mercy is an outstanding school. I was filled with pride this year when we were nationally recognized as a Blue Ribbon School in September, validating for the third time what we already knew. It was wonderful to hear cheers echo through our halls as the students saw our name and picture flash across the screen in the announcement video prepared by the Department of Education. A true example of our commitment to a high caliber education was how the community came together this summer to plan for a safe reopening in September. Our parents and teachers gave up their valuable free time and dedicated countless hours as we weighed our options and listed pros and cons. With their support and input -- especially from our dedicated Health and Safety Committee made up of our very own parent health experts -- we formulated a plan that kept our community safe while providing a quality education, regardless of location. If you’re curious, you can learn more about our academic options on page 4. They suited us well this year because, as the data changed, our parents could subsequently change how their children learned.

As I’m sure you read in our summer issue, our Catholic Mercy mission continues to inspire our actions towards becoming a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. In this issue, we dive deeper into some ways that we have continued to contribute to the growth of our students in this area, both educationally and spiritually. We are so proud to continue to share with our students the Sisters of Mercy’s Critical Concerns rooted in the principles of our foundress, Catherine McAuley. We also continue to find creative ways to engage in acts of Mercy despite our COVID limitations. It has been wonderful to see how important our students continue to find giving back. We look forward to finding more creative ways to continue to spread our mission throughout the school year and remain committed to our mission of Mercy now more than ever! We encourage you to join our students in prayer for all those fighting COVID-19.

IN REMEMBRANCE

We remember and celebrate the lives of these former faculty and staff members who passed away in 2020. We hope that you will pray for them and their families.

Sr. Elizabeth Ann Kelly

Mr. Jules Donofry

April 7, 2020

November 12, 2020

“Sr. Elizabeth Ann always pushed me to go beyond my capabilities.” Sr. Elizabeth Ann Kelly

-Brett Miller ’85

Sr. Mary Agnes Donnelly July 9, 2020

Sr. Mary Agnes Donnelly

Jules Donofry

“Sister Mary Agnes was so kind and thoughtful, touching the lives of many around her. I remember her pulling me aside on my tenth birthday and gifting me with a beautiful angel figurine, which I still have.” -Kelly Harrigan ’13

Sr. Kathleen Anne McKee November 19, 2020

Mrs. Elaine Kelly August 10, 2020

Sr. Kathleen Anne

“I have nothing but fond memories of Mrs. Kelly and I always enjoyed volunteering under her supervision. She taught me the value of charity.” Elaine Kelly

Drop off has certainly changed over the years, but likely no change was as drastic as this year! Instead of one drop off location, there are three: the front door, a side door, and a back door. This process allows for better social distancing of our students. Before they arrive, each family must fill out a health assessment to indicate that they are not exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. That generates a QR code that a staff member reads upon arrival, clearing students for entry. If it is not safe for an individual to enter the building, the assessment will generate an image indicating that they must stay home. It may sound like a sci-fi novel, but it’s one of the many important steps we take to keep our students and employees safe in this pandemic!

“An exceedingly selfless person whose commitment to Waldron and its students will never be forgotten by those of us who have had the privilege of being taught by her. We can all learn from the type of person that she was!” -Paul Dougherty ’83

Sr. Marlene Skrobak December 2, 2020

-Tom Boggia ’03

AN INSIDE LOOK AT COVID PRECAUTIONS

“I worked as Jules’ assistant for many summers and on holidays. He taught me the values of old world craftsmanship and hard work. He was a master of all trades. Most days his lessons live on with me at work.” -Dave DeAngelis ’91

Sr. Marlene

“Sister Marlene was the kind of teacher who encouraged her students to deeply imagine. I still remember a lesson on Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel when she told us all to move our chairs to the side, lay on the floor, and draw on the paper under the table. She made something so grand and far away into something so very relatable to kindergarteners.” -Christine Gallagher ’00

BLUE & GOLD

JOY OF DISCOVERY

“A good beginning is of great importance” VENERABLE CATHERINE MCAULEY

WMA classrooms are ﬁlled with students who are exploring new ideas, reaching new heights, and achieving academic success.

Peek Inside the 2020 Classroom ur faculty has stepped up to a unique experience this year - simultaneously teaching students who are in front of them and students who are learning from home. Our families were able to select from three academic plans: full time in-person, distance learning, or a mixture of the two. This allows all students to have a routine and some sense of normalcy, no matter where they are. “My fifth grade daughter likes participating in the breakout groups that include virtual and in-person students because it provides a way to connect with students she isn’t seeing every day,” detailed Erin Schmidt, mom of eighth grader Maggie, fifth grader Grace, and first grader Max, all of whom are full time distance learners. Continued Erin,

Waldron Mercy Academy

“Maggie feels she is getting the best of her teachers’ attention even though they are connecting through the computer screen!” For our curious readers, here is the technology breakdown that makes this process feasible: faculty members teach to the open classroom and a large, black webcam. Students learning from home log on to a private Zoom so they can see their teacher, and the teacher can see them. SmartBoard screens are also connected to Zoom, allowing students at home to see exactly what their peers in the classroom are seeing on the board. It’s a full classroom experience, right from the computer.

This flexible classroom allows us to meet the needs of our students and their families, and helps keep everyone safe and healthy. It also enabled a seamless switch to full distance learning for all students if and when it was needed. Top: Storytime for the whole class! Left: Sixth grade language arts teacher Mrs. Alex Kramer checks as her students show her completed workbook assignments over Zoom. Above: Students make use of our 1:1 technology in class.

A Field Trip Close to Home irtual field trips are all the rage this year. Fourth grade teachers took it a step further by dreaming up a wonderful, cross curricula experience that took their students out of the classroom and onto our beautiful campus. The morning outside focused on enhancing their social studies unit on Indigenous Peoples

by tying in elements from each of the other three core subjects. Students painted “story stones,” representing original narratives they wrote in language arts, inspired by some Native American tribes. Connected to their religion unit on Creation, the students listened to a Kato Native American Creation story set in the American west. “After the story, we got to sit, reflect, and observe. Mrs. Guarini wanted us to look at nature and see what was going on. I thought about how there wouldn’t be anything to look at if God

hadn’t created it,” remarked Stella Scavuzzo. To further their connections with nature, the students also took a walk around campus wearing self-created sound devices made in science class. There was even a beautiful moment when they stopped to pray with Sr. Madonna, RSM at Mary’s Grotto. A truly memorable “field trip”! Left: Phoenix Waller tests her hearing device. Right: Students create story stones.

Votes for First Grade F

irst grade students were buzzing on Election Day...which candidate would win? Pete the Cat? The Cat in the Hat? Or the Pigeon?

All three classes learned election basics by casting their votes in a race to pick their favorite book character. First, each class read books featuring the candidates and discussed the characteristics exhibited. For example, students decided that, among other things, Pete the Cat is a good rule follower, the Cat in the Hat is a good multitasker, and the Pigeon is very persistent.

Students used these different factors to make a decision before entering the voting booth, or casting a “mail in” ballot from home (a perfect set up for our distance learning students). “All of them were kind, so I chose the one who was kindest,” reflected Carter Knapp, showing that our students are already learning to Vote with Mercy!

ALUMNI SUCCESS STARTS HERE David DiVincenzo ’72 is the Director of the Institute of Theoretical Nanoelectronics at the Peter Grünberg Institute in Jülich, Germany and is a professor at the Institute for Quantum Information of RWTH Aachen University. He is considered an eminent authority on quantum information processing and his name is associated with the development of criteria for the quantum computer, known as the DiVincenzo Criteria. David was a long-distance commuter to Waldron. “Having seen many other children taught over the years (including my own) I would say that the Waldron staff of my day had extraordinary dedication!” David remembers.

Well-trained by WMA to go in any direction, David set off towards math and science at St. Joe’s Prep. Expecting that education had to take one towards "something practical," he enrolled in the engineering school at the University of Pennsylvania. But he was inexorably drawn to the obscure - leading to his PhD thesis where he worked out a quantum mechanics theory that is still in use today. Subsequently, David served as a research scientist and manager at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, where he developed theories around the quantum computer. We are proud to have David among the ranks of our amazing Waldron Mercy graduates! BLUE & GOLD

HAPPENING ON CAMPUS and oﬀ!

“We must strive to do ordinary things extraordinarily well.”

VENERABLE CATHERINE MCAULEY

WMA students showcase their talents outside the classroom through a full range of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.

Tiger Pride Weekend O

ur community united in Tiger Pride and celebrated school spirit from all over the greater Philadelphia area! In place of our traditional Homecoming Saturday, we suggested that our families and alumni take the opportunity to spend outdoor family time together and offered a list of activities -- recommending everything from hiking local trails to pumpkin carving! We even sent Flat Stripes home with students so he could join in the family fun. Of course, we made sure he was equipped with his very own mask to stay safe and healthy! “Even though we are new to Waldron and haven’t had the opportunity to participate in

in --------------- PUMPK

First PlAce

other Homecoming events, it was really nice to have Sudaan so excited to go out and show his Waldron pride,” reflected Rochelle Humphrey-Burton, whose son is in second grade. “We typically go for family walks on the weekend, so it was fun seeing how we could incorporate Flat Stripes into our activities. We are looking forward to future years when we can celebrate with our new Waldron family.” In the spirit of Homecoming, we asked our families to get competitive and display their

tiOn hOnOrAble Men

Waldron Mercy Academy

WMA school spirit through pumpkin decoration and scarecrow construction contests. The winning scarecrow was built by the Stadelman family (third grader Maddie and first grader William) with an honorable mention to Mrs. Kristine Maletta, her pre-k son Joey, and her youngest tiger cub. The award for the most WMA pumpkin pride went to second grader Leah Barrett and her family, with honorable mention to pre-k student Catriona Lake and family.

rOW --------------- scArec

First PlAce

Embracing Differences r. Mykee Fowlin, a psychologist and actor, took our sixth to eighth grade students on a journey during a virtual performance of his program “You Don’t Know Me Until You Know Me.” As part of our ongoing commitment to educating our students to embrace inclusivity, this moving presentation used storytelling to teach our students to celebrate differences and to use their individual talents for good. The students learned through a mixture of poetry, costumed characters, and Dr. Fowlin’s personal stories of learning from his own ignorance and getting to know people from

different walks of life over the years. “I learned to be myself,” reflected eighth grader Jaron McKie. “He portrayed characters and did impressions but was really being himself. If you stay true to yourself, you can make it far because you know who you are.” Dr. Fowlin ended his presentation with important words for the students: “Your pain

can be transformed and used to make other people heal. You are not alone. Your life has more purpose than you see in the tiny box of now.” We know our students will take these words to heart as they continue their educational and emotional journeys. We were happy to invite parents of our students to attend the program to foster conversations at home in addition to the teacher-led discussions held in classrooms.

Schoolwide Effort: Beautiful Christmas Pageant e celebrated the birth of Jesus in a new way this year - with a pre-taped Christmas Pageant! It was a beautiful rendition of our typical on stage production that was able to be enjoyed by the entire community. In years past, only our middle school students were involved in the Carol Night pageant. This year, the main narration and

portrayal was handled (as is tradition) by our eighth grade students. Students in first grade through eighth grade contributed by recording the songs played between scenes. All of this was done outside, while following our COVID safety protocols. The communal spirit was felt by our students. “Recording our singing was fun,”

reflected eighth grader Kayla Strite. “There was more teamwork than usual. The whole grade was depending on one another, and that felt really good.” Above: Eighth grade students create the final tableau. Left: A peek into sixth grade’s song recording process. Students were recorded outside for health and safety reasons!

School Store Goes Online he Spirit Wear Store has moved…online! For the first time, the Spirit Wear Store is a solely virtual operation. Although the store was previously online for a brief period, families still overwhelmingly visited the store in person. This year, due to our strict safety precautions it was necessary to move our store online and has allowed us to increase our offerings and reach more alumni families across the country. Items are delivered to student homerooms, and picked up by, or mailed home to distance learners. New items are added seasonally. Show your Tiger pride by placing your order today at waldronmercy.org/school-store.

BLUE & GOLD

POWER OF MERCY

“The poor need help today, not next week.” VENERABLE CATHERINE MCAULEY

catherine’s spirit of outreach and service that was instilled in our students here continues throughout high school, college, and beyond.

Living Mercy through Healthcare Efforts W

e were excited to offer our students the opportunity to speak with two doctors who have been on the frontline of the COVID fight from the very beginning: twin sisters Dr. Elana McDonald (mother of Roman ’18 and eighth grader Ryan) and Dr. Delana Wardlaw (mother of seventh graders Amira and Khalif). The two joined us on Zoom this fall to discuss their work as doctors and focused in particular on their work volunteering their expertise to perform COVID tests and care for residents in underserved communities in Philadelphia. “It makes you a better person when you can help people,” explained Dr. McDonald. The two patiently answered a litany of questions from our kindergarten to eighth grade students who were curious about what it takes to be a doctor and care for patients. During this Zoom call, we were thrilled to have Dr. Wardlaw and Dr. McDonald accept a check from our community to Odunde 365, a local organization that is known for putting on the largest African street festival in the United States. The doctors both assist in health programming organized by Odunde 365. Dancers from Odunde are a favorite Community Gathering tradition. “Thank you so much to WMA for the

Waldron Mercy Academy

Above: Dr. Delana Wardlaw and Dr. Elana McDonald live Mercy through their work fighting COVID and providing programming through Odunde 365. Below: The 2020 Walkathon looked different, but was just as important to our students and our Mission!

support of Odunde,” exclaimed Dr. McDonald. “We are forever grateful; you’ve brought a tear to my eye,” added Dr. Wardlaw. “This will allow them to keep programming going throughout the year.” We were able to present the check to Odunde thanks to our fall Walkathon. In line

with our safety precautions, students participated in the Walkathon within their cohorts instead of in a large group. With students walking at school and others walking at home, our students travelled the combined distance from Philadelphia to Indianapolis and raised a total of $2,000!

Pandemic Proof of the Mercy Spirit Making christmas Magic

ur support for our Outreach Partners was more important to us than ever as a way to support them when they need it the most during a difficult year. It was beautiful to see our community step up in both of our fall drives and truly make a difference in the lives of others.

Our families also banded together to make Christmas possible for many in the greater Philadelphia area! Overall, our amazing community donated presents for 260 people affiliated with our Outreach Partners.

WMA thanksgiving Drive success We made sure that all families could participate in the Thanksgiving Drive this year, regardless of the student learning plan and comfort levels. This year, in addition to students donating the necessary canned and boxed items in person, families had the opportunity to purchase items online through You Give Goods! The website then organized a delivery directly to WMA. Our eighth graders performed the usual organizing and packing tasks and the 99 meals were delivered to those in need in time for Thanksgiving!

Beyond Our Walls P

atrick Welde ’03 is the current Co-Chair of Project HOME’s Rising Leaders Committee. He was reintroduced to the organization that Waldron Mercy partners with when he frequently passed the Fairmount Ave site while living in Philadelphia. “I was hoping to find a cause that I could put my efforts behind,” explained Patrick. In 2015, when he realized he knew several people on the Rising Leaders Committee section of the website “it didn’t take much convincing from them to get me to their next event.” Patrick has been involved ever since with the committee, which leads various drives and volunteer opportunities for Project HOME. The committee’s efforts culminate in an annual fundraiser—Bring Philly Home—that raised

over $225,000 in 2020 through a virtual event. Patrick is a 2007 graduate of Malvern Prep and a 2011 graduate of Santa Clara University. He credits his continued Catholic education for his involvement in service and outreach - something that he and his wife have in common. “Frankly, I’m not sure I would have met my wife without the service-focused

aspirations infused within me during my years at Waldron. She and I met after college while pursuing a year of service via the Augustinian Volunteer Program.” Patrick and wife Danielle currently live in Berwyn with their daughter, Avery, who was born in October 2019. When he is not serving his community, Patrick is a partner of The Welde Group of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.

BLUE & GOLD

Families of Each WMA family brings a unique value to our school and has been a part of making WMA what we are today. This overwhelming sense of community lives within WMA. The contributions of our families’ time, talents, and resources are generous and greatly appreciated; even more importantly, the presence of each family adds to the blessings of the Circle of Mercy here at WMA. We’d like to introduce you to a few of our families...

Drummond Meet the Drummond family: second grader Cameron, mom Kasel Lasek, dad Ernest, and little brother Myles. “I love that Waldron not only offers Cameron a great education, but also gives him exposure to the Catholic faith, which is important to us,” explained Kasel. “I love that Cameron is being taught in the Spirit of Mercy because seeing him grow into a compassionate young man is equally important as the fundamentals of reading and math he’s learned.” The family enjoys Family Bingo Night every year - which was held virtually this year for the first time ever! Cameron loves being able to play with all his friends during this (typically in-person) event in the gym while his parents chat with other parents. Kasel also helps plan these events; she’s been a member of our Parents Association for the past four years.

Tarampi We were happy to welcome Dave Tarampi ’91 back to campus in 2019 when he and his wife Natasha enrolled daughter Natalia in third grade! Some readers may remember Dave from his participation in musicals with both Waldron and Merion Mercy. Just as they are now, the faculty members during Dave’s tenure were wonderful examples for our students. “I remember working with Mr. Randy when I was in the upper grades. He may not have realized it but I learned humility by his example. I and other classmates would help out with cleaning up the cafeteria and the trays,” Dave reminisced. Dave and Natasha are happy to have Natalia gaining tools for success at WMA. “There are aspects that have not changed, but the changes I do see build upon the strong character of the school. It’s no wonder that Waldron Mercy Academy is a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. I’m excited for Natalia because I know she is receiving the highest quality education,” reflected Dave.

Waldron Mercy Academy

Waldron

“The Tender Mercy of God has given us one another.” VENERABLE CATHERINE MCAULEY

Cosgrove You might know the Cosgrove family from attending one of our many events! Kelly and Patrick are parents to sixth grader Ethan and third grader Brady. The family’s favorite event is Homecoming - and not just to watch their children compete. “It’s a great opportunity to watch sports and catch up with friends and families from different grades,” explained Kelly. One of the Cosgrove’s favorite aspects of WMA is our teachers, who they say are engaging, helpful and love to teach. Said Kelly, “This has been especially evident during the pandemic when the teachers overwhelmingly supported in person teaching this year because they missed their students.” Our teachers, the Cosgroves say, have helped their sons gain a strong academic base, and have also helped their sons grow as people.

Ryan

The Ryan brothers graduated from WMA when it was still just educating young boys and was known as Waldron Academy. Paul Jr., ’66 has been a member of our Board of Trustees since 2017. He and his brother Patrick ’70 are co-owners of restaurants Smokey Joe’s, Ryan’s Pub Manayunk, P.J. Ryan’s Phoenixville, and Ryan’s Pub West Chester. They have been generous donors of beverages and bidding packages at events like Tigerfest for years! Sean ’83 is the president and founder of Vascular Surgical Specialists in Paoli and Chief of Surgery at Chester County Hospital. Joe ’65, a lawyer who practiced in Philadelphia and Paoli, sadly passed away in 2012 after a battle with cancer. Jim ’75 is the Senior Vice President and Head of Sales at National Western Life Insurance Company. Neil ’63 works as a consultant in mortgage banking. “I think I speak for all my brothers and cousins in saying Waldron will always hold fond memories for us and we feel blessed that our parents were able to give us the best education with the Sisters of Mercy,” said Paul.

Giacobbo The Giacobbos officially became part of our alumni family this past summer, after the graduation of their youngest son, Blaise ’20, who currently attends St. Joseph’s Prep. David ’13 is a thriving senior at Loyola University in Maryland where he is involved in a clinical internship while studying for the MCAT. Julian ’16 is a freshman at Fordham University majoring in psychology. Stephanie and her husband David credit WMA with preparing all three boys for their next steps in education. “They learned valuable lessons that have benefitted them in high school and even college. They grasped the importance of time management and productive study skills, as well as were molded into well rounded students in all subject areas.” Now that they are no longer WMA parents, Stephanie finds herself missing WMA. “I miss the car rides with my boys to and from Waldron, spending quality time and finding out about the new classroom gossip. But most importantly, I miss calling Waldron my home away from home.”

BLUE & GOLD

WMA EXCELS NATIONALLY -

aldron Mercy Academy, a three-time recognized National Blue Ribbon School. That just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? We were thrilled to receive the honor for the third time this fall, especially in the middle of an unprecedented year. “I could not be more proud of our students, and in particular, our teaching staff. They have kept our students at this high standard for years. I am thrilled that they are being acknowledged for their hard work,” remarked Mrs. Ann Marie Braca, principal. Her sentiments were echoed by Mrs. Theresa Gannon, vice principal. “The Blue Ribbon Award is due mainly to our teachers, whose dedication to their profession is unparalleled. They strive to put forth the best for their students' individual growth, to make learning fun and engaging and make sure they are reaching the highest academic standards. They work above and beyond the normal school day hours to achieve all of this.” When third grade teacher Mrs. Michelle Orapallo began her teaching tenure at WMA, we had just received our second Blue Ribbon designation for our high performance excellency. “I saw it as a challenge as a teacher,

Waldron Mercy Academy

to try and continue that strong academic standing,” she remembered. And what a challenging year this has been! “During this time when we’re in such a transition, it’s really nice to get a win, and a huge win at that! It feels good to be part of something substantial like this and play one little role in making it all work,” stated Mrs. Bonnie Guarini, a fourth grade teacher. “So many schools are worried about educational gaps right now, but since we are at such a high standard, we can definitely maintain it and continue to go above and beyond. This Blue Ribbon is proof we can bounce back from the pandemic,” explained Mrs. Orapallo. Waldron Mercy was just one of 367 schools in the nation that received the honor this year. Among those schools it’s safe to say that the award announcement held extra special significance to our school and our mission as the announcement came on Mercy Day! As readers likely know, Mercy Day is the day the Mercy community celebrates Catherine McAuley’s foundation of the House of Mercy on Baggot Street in Dublin, Ireland in 1827.

“I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF OUR STUDENTS, AND IN PARTICULAR, OUR TEACHING STAFF. THEY HAVE KEPT OUR STUDENTS AT THIS HIGH STANDARD FOR YEARS. I AM THRILLED THAT THEY ARE BEING ACKNOWLEDGED FOR THEIR HARD WORK,” “The announcement added an extra sweetness to a day that was already a day of celebration in the Mercy community,” reflected Mrs. Braca. “It feels like Catherine herself had a hand in orchestrating the day!” Each previous Blue Ribbon award has cemented and celebrated different stages in our school’s history. The first award, achieved in 2001, was an acknowledgement to our school community that, since the merger of Waldron Academy and the Merion Mercy Academy for Girls Lower School, we were not just doing things “right” - we were doing everything exceptionally well. In 2009, the school was designated as a high performance Blue Ribbon School for a second time shortly after receiving a Middle States Award for technology. This most recent Blue Ribbon came on the heels of receiving a Middle States Re-Accreditation based on a project to build resilience in our students -- and just months after our entire community showed just how resilient it is by coming together while apart in order to educate and learn during a pandemic. With new technology and integration of in-person and distance learning, it’s clear we are remaking WMA once again. “Now for the third time we’ve been told we’re doing it really well, and that resilience is the thing we need. As teachers, it always feels good when administrators, parents, students say you’re doing a good job. But it’s really delightful to know that we’re also doing well on a national level. And that’s what makes it really exciting,” explained Mrs. Guarini. Of course, it’s not just the teachers who are responsible for this award: it is the entire community. “Our parents are integral parts of our community. They lift our students up, provide support, and help them through those tough tests and projects. Our alumni family celebrates our Tiger Pride and inspires us with their Mercy Spirit,” said Mrs. Braca. “We could not have accomplished this for the third time without each and every member of our community!” This sentiment is reiterated by our faculty members. “This award shows our strengths together as a community. We have that strong dedication and grit. Together we are a unit. It can't be just a few; it has to come from the whole community at WMA working together,” said Mrs. Orapallo.

“I look at this award as a celebration of who we are as a school community -- the administrators, teachers, students, parents - everything we’ve created here,” shared Mrs. Guarini. Our students are an enormous part of this achievement, and we wanted to make sure they knew it! We celebrated their part in the accomplishment with blue water ice on the day of the announcement and t-shirts a few weeks later. Waldron Mercy’s greatness is something our community already knew, and it is wonderful to be officially recognized for that greatness by our government. The significance of the Blue Ribbon designation can be summed up by an encounter Mrs. Guarini had in a store just a few days after our win. “I was in line and had on my WMA shirt and lanyard. This stranger stopped me and said, ‘Oh Waldron Mercy - congrats, I heard you won the Blue Ribbon!’”

BLUE & GOLD

Newswor hy

“Draw persons to God by your words, by your example, and by the works of Mercy.” VENERABLE CATHERINE MCAULEY

Slime time live! Students, parents, and teachers alike were thrilled that we brought back our #GivingTuesday competition, with two teachers taking a bucket of slime for our students! With $1 counting as one vote, our community elected kindergarten teacher mrs. rachel gilbert to be slimed. They also helped mrs. mclaughlin achieve her $1,500 challenge goal which meant she also was covered with slime. “It was really, really funny,” said second grader Hannah Arend. “I wasn’t surprised that Mrs. McLaughlin volunteered to get slimed because she’s fun and goofy like that.” A total of 15 teachers excitedly volunteered for the Slime Time competition as a way to entertain our students and raise money for our amazing school. The top three contenders - Mrs. Gilbert (kindergarten), mrs. Kinson (4th grade), and mrs. mcKelvey (2nd grade) - were recognized with a basket full of goodies for their efforts. Overall, the combined efforts brought the community together at a time when some joy and laughter was needed. It also resulted in just under $15,000 that immediately benefits students of all ages!

Winning Winter Comfort We also had fun - and stayed socially distant - during our fall raﬄe! Our winners took home baskets full of amazing goodies to ward oﬀ the cold of winter, and to stay entertained while remaining safe and healthy! Stay tuned for other opportunities to take home amazing WMA items at Tigerfest this spring!

We ♥ our legACy StudentS!

Waldron Mercy Academy

Though physically apart, these students (sons, daughters, and grandkids of WMA and Merion Mercy alumni) show the strength of the Mercy community!

*All unmasked students were photographed by a family member in their own home.

Alumni noteS

Stay in touch with friends and classmates about your career, family and other noteworthy accomplishments. Email alumni@waldronmercy.org or visit waldronmercy.org/alumni.

1990s michael ruzzi ’92 began his new job as the Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist for Red Hat in November 2020. Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions. Award-winning support, training, and consulting services make Red Hat a trusted adviser to the Fortune 500. Michael has worked in talent acquisition for more than ten years.

Jeff larrimore ’96 was recognized by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors for outstanding work and awarded the Special Achievement Award for his initiative, abilities, and insistence on excellence and clarity in communication in his role as a section chief. Jeff is also the chief architect of the annual Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED). Jeff is a graduate of The Shipley School and obtained a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Davidson College. He achieved both an M.A. and PhD in Economics from Cornell University. Jeff and his wife are residents of Alexandria, Virginia. megan davenport nghe ’98, mSn, rn was published in the Journal of Nursing Administration for her study titled, “Developing Leadership Competencies in Midlevel Nurse Leaders.” Megan is a nurse manager in the Cancer Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

2010s Christopher Butler ’04 was nominated for the Lucky Jeﬀerson Literary Journal’s 2021 Pushcart Prize for his poem titled “Progeny.” Christopher, a freelance writer, has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Houston.

Peter Bellwoar ’11 is newly employed as a Property Management Support Staﬀ at Chatel Real Estate. Peter is a graduate of St. Joseph’s Prep and Penn State University. While at Penn State, he helped tutor Penn State student athletes. Peter also captained a team to raise money during Sigma Chi’s annual week-long fundraiser to raise money for cancer. John malick ’06 is happily engaged to Dayna Liso after proposing in August 2020. The pair met while attending Villanova University where they both graduated in 2014.

emma Coyne ’11 began a new job as the Marketing Coordinator at Keller Williams Main Line. Emma is a graduate of Academy of Notre Dame deNamur and the University of Alabama where she supervised classes to teach computer and ﬁnancial skills to disadvantaged members of the Alabama community.

2000s

validation and testing framework app that will be used by the Maps Team and other teams at Microsoft. Mary Elizabeth is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) majoring in computer engineering. She is also a member of the Penn Society of Women Engineers, is a Penn Women in Computer Science peer mentor, a member of Penn Engineering Council, the Vice Director of Penn Apps, and a member of Penn Engineering Council. Mary Elizabeth is a 2018 graduate of Merion Mercy Academy.

Kelly King ’14 worked in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom as part of the Disney College Program in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. “The nurturing environment of Waldron that is rooted in the Mercy spirit of hospitality and friendliness most deﬁnitely contributed to my making of the Disney magic for guests,” said Kelly. She is a student at Fordham University and graduated from Merion Mercy Academy in 2018. Five members of the Class of 2017 signed with Division I schools for a variety of sports: norah Burns* will play lacrosse at Lafayette College; Sahmir Hagans* will play football at Duke University; Sophia Hoey will play lacrosse at The College of William & Mary; Jimmy King* will play baseball at College of the Holy Cross, and regina Passarella will row at Villanova University. * Photos below

thomas leonard ’02 was married in September 2020. He and his wife Lynne live in Philadelphia, where they both practice law. Thomas is a graduate of St. Joseph’s Prep, Boston University, and Villanova School of Law. He is an attorney at the ﬁrm Cozen O’Connor and his wife Lynne is a public defender representing people on death row.

Ally Cedrone ’06 ﬁnally wed Dan Schweber in a small ceremony on the beach in July 2020 -- after moving their wedding date three times due to COVID-19! They plan to have a second ceremony with extended family and friends to celebrate their one year anniversary in 2021. louis deSanto ’07 is engaged to college sweetheart Stephanie Kirby. The two met while attending Shippensburg University despite growing up down the street from each other! They are planning on tying the knot in September 2022.

mary elizabeth Passarella ’14 completed an internship as a software engineer for the Maps and Geospatial Team at Microsoft. She and her teammates developed a data BLUE & GOLD

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nia elie ’18, a junior at The Agnes Irwin School, has been selected to serve on the 2020-2022 Disciplinary Committee as well as the Honor Board for the Agnes Irwin School. vincent vento ’17 is the recipient of The Episcopal Academy’s 2020 Lilley Fellowship Fund award. These fellowships are awarded to students who exemplify academic curiosity, intellectual rigor, and scholarly passion. Lilley Fellows pursue an independent study to create a capstone product while working in a professional setting to develop their expertise and interests. Vince’s project concentrated on Wrongful Convictions and Exonerations. Vincent, a senior, is also a 2020 National Merit Semiﬁnalist.

maisha tyler lambiase ’95 and her husband Tom welcomed baby Bowie Iman Lambiase on April 4. They are currently residing in Los Angeles where Maisha is an Executive Assistant, Global Operations for tech company Snap, Inc. (the parent company of Snapchat).

Congratulations to our alumni involved in St. Joseph’s Prep’s third PIAA championship football win: assistant coaches tim rafter ’09 and Joey frio ’11, and players Sahmir Hagans ’17, reese Clark ’18, roman mcdonald ’18 and Patrick doyle ’19.

Alex la Bruno ’08 is father to newborn Elliot Joseph, who was also born in September. He and his wife Erin live in California, where Alex is an active duty Captain in the Marine Corps working as an infantry tactics instructor.

2020s Joseph mancini ’20 and Antoine robinson ’20 were elected to the Student Council as Class Reps at St. Joseph’s Prep.

Stay in touch with friends and classmates about your career, family and other noteworthy accomplishments. Email alumni@waldronmercy.org or visit waldronmercy.org/alumni.

In Memor am Charles Acker

B I R T H S -----

Pauline diguseppe

tony Spigonardo ’98 and wife Kandace are parents to twins Paul and Ella, who were born on September 8! Tony works as a Reinsurance Broker for a leading global advisory, broking and consulting ﬁrm.

There was a mini baby boom in ﬁrst grade! First grade teacher Mrs. Kristine Maletta, husband Dan, and their three boys welcomed Sienna Kathleen into the world on April 16. First grade teacher Mrs. Jacki Pawlowski and husband Frank welcomed their ﬁrst child, Francis David, on May 8, 2020.

Joseph fayer

david rayer

Father of John fayer ’80

Grandfather of niko rayer ’02

Bill flick ’53 William Hansbro

mary Carol ryan Mother of neil ’63, Paul ’66, Patrick ’70, Jim ’75, Sean ’83 and the late Joe ’65 ryan; grandmother of Patrick ’12 and Conor ’14 ryan.

Grandmother of Paula ’93 and Anthony ’96 diStefano

Grandfather of Hayley Hansbro

Former Faculty

margie divalerio

francis Chiavaroli ’00 nicholas Coppa

Grandfather of Quinn, macklin, and Kellen Sullivan.

Angelo Scaricamazza

Former Staﬀ

ronald donatucci, Sr.

elaine Kelly

edward Silva

Father of ronald Jr. ’97, michael ’99, and Ava marie ’15 donatucci; grandfather of Simona and ronnie donatucci.

Former Faculty

Husband of Joan Silva, former staﬀ; father of trish Silva Strehle ’97 and matt Silva ’99

Grandfather of evan and Hannah Kratz

Carolyn Bennett

Brother of Angie falcone, Former Staﬀ

James W. d'Anjolell ’80 Brother of rob d’Anjolell ‘76

lawrence deAngelis Father of dave ’91, matthew ’95 and Stephen ’02 deAngelis; grandfather of Annalise deAngelis.

Sister mary Agnes donnelly, rSm Former Faculty

Jules donofry Former Staﬀ

Waldron Mercy Academy

robert William Hepp

luisa manzo Grandmother of Joe ’98, vince ’09, and luciano ’11 manzo

Father of Scotty Scaricamazza ’10

Sister marlene Skrobak, rSm

Sister Kathleen Anne mcKee

Former Faculty

richard o’donnell, Sr.

Joseph troncelliti ’57 edward Wootten, iii

Father of mary goodman, Faculty

Father of Courtney ’94 Wootten gliwa

vincent onorato

Josephine Zarro

Grandfather of danny onorato ’10

Grandmother of michael ’05, Stephen ’06, and lauren ’16 Zarro

Ways to Give GIFT OF TIME We quite literally would not have opened our doors to students this year without the time put in by our wonderful Health & Safety Committee! On top of their regular parent duties and tending to their own patients (many directly fighting the novel coronavirus), these amazing men and women also spent many long hours putting their knowledge to work for Waldron Mercy along with our administrative team and several teachers. They created the Reopening Plan that allowed our students to safely return to campus in the fall while many local schools remained closed to on campus learning. They have also been on call this entire fall, giving input as new events unfolded and situations arose. We cannot thank them enough for their gift of time and commitment to our WMA community! • dr. mark mikkelsen, Epidemiologist and Chief of the Section of Medical Critical Care at Penn; father of sixth grader Jack, fifth grader ethan, and second grader liam. • dr. nina o’Connor, Chief Medical Officer of Penn Medicine at Home; mother of grace ’20, sixth grader david, and third grader mary. • dr. Jacquelyn Aveta, CHOP Pediatrician; mother of fifth grader Sal Aveta-gentile and second grader giulianna Aveta-gentile. • dr. Kate Avitabile, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, CHOP Cardiologist and Pulmonary Hypertension specialist; mother of third grader Charlie, kindergartener emily, and preschooler teddy. • Jennifer Babia-espiritu, nurse anesthetist at St Christopher’s; mother of fourth grader Blair Williams. • Anthony Creato, Physician Assistant at St Christopher's Hospital for Children; father of third grader Alec and first grader Asher. • dr. eileen everly, CHOP Pediatrician; mother of eighth grader Alex Segreti and fifth grader Carly Segreti. • dr. elana mcdonald, Pediatric Specialist and the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians 2020 Family Physician of the Year; mother of roman ’18 and eighth grader ryan. • Kirstin Patragnoni-Sauter, Family Nurse Practitioner; mother of first grader Hans Patragnoni. • Joe and Carrie Santoro, Physician Assistants; parents of eighth grader Jake Santoro. • dr. Karen Schneider, rSm, md, Sister of Mercy and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. • dr. Jennifer tioseco, CHOP Neonatologist; mother of eighth grader ian mendoza and fifth grader max mendoza. • dr. delana Wardlaw, Family Medicine Specialist at Temple Medicine; mother of seventh graders Amira and Khalif. Additionally, these decisions could not have been made without the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the input from our school nurses, Candace flowers and Joanne ferdinand, and several teachers and administrators. We are so grateful and so blessed to have them all helping us this year!

GIFT OF TREASURE THE WALDRON ANNUAL FUND The Annual Fund campaign provides support for general operating expenses such as student and faculty programs, curriculum, technology, and building and grounds improvements.

MATCHING GIFTS You can double your support by designating Waldron Mercy Academy as the recipient of matching funds if your employer has a matching gift program.

JOIN OUR CAFETERIA TRANSFORMATION This spring we will begin transforming our cafeteria and adjoining spaces into a multi-use, energy efficient area for our students, faculty, alumni, and parents to gather. The brighter, more welcoming space will further our Mercy mission of hospitality and focusing on sustainability. To learn more, visit www.waldronmercy.org/joinourtable

GIFTS OF STOCK You can also give appreciated stock, which is easily transferable and provides special tax benefits. Please contact us for more information.

PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS OWNERS If your company pays Pennsylvania state income tax, it may be possible to give the funds to WMA instead. Through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs, your company can receive a substantial tax credit while supporting WMA’s Student Aid Fund. Certain individuals may now direct their tax dollars, too! Review this opportunity with your tax adviser and contact our advancement office.

THE EDGAR H. GRIFFITHS ’35 PLANNED GIVING SOCIETY Even after his death, Edgar made sure that his generosity to Waldron Mercy would continue by remembering Waldron Mercy in his will, which noted the impact the Sisters of Mercy had on his life. We hope that you will be inspired to follow Edgar and Mary Griffiths’ example and include Waldron Mercy in your estate plans. Your gift will have a significant effect on the education Waldron Mercy Academy provides to present and future students.

THE GUZZARDI SCHOLARSHIP FUND This fund was established by brothers Robert ’58, Lawrence ’60, and Michael ’64 Guzzardi in memory of their parents, Salvatore and Tina Guzzardi. Your gift to this fund will enable WMA to provide financial assistance to deserving students.

513 Montgomery Avenue Merion Station, PA 19066 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Alumni Parents let us know your child’s address! www.waldronmercy.org/update-information

CONNECT WITH WMA

www.waldronmercy.org

Keep an eye on our website and social media pages to learn how to connect with and support Waldron Mercy!

@WaldronMercy @WaldronAlumni

facebook.com/WaldronMercyAcademy

VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS: April 13 at 6:00 p.m. • March 10 at 6:00 p.m. Or reach out to admissions@waldronmercy.org and a member of our Admissions team will get in touch!