March 20, 2020 From the Principal We live with faith, courage, and joy. When we crafted our new mission statement in 2018 and introduced it to the community on the Feast of St. Ursula, I remember being inspired by those words and aspiring to live them in my work and ministry at Ursuline each day.
Mary-Kate Tracy Principal
In compliance with Governor Baker's order, all in-person classes and all activities at Ursuline Academy will be suspended until April 6, 2020. We will continue to reevaluate and communicate our plans as the coronavirus health situation evolves.
Updates and Announcements School Holiday Today There will be no school activities today, Friday, March 20, including remote learning, for students, faculty, and staff. We hope everyone takes the day to catch your breath, slow down, and take good care of yourselves.
No School for Students Monday, March 23rd - Rescheduled Professional Development Day There will be no school activities, including remote learning, for students on Monday, March 23. This will allow faculty and staff members the opportunity to meet remotely for collaboration and further development and refining of our online learning system. Students and faculty will return to their remote learning schedule on Tuesday, 3/24, B Day in the class cycle. Ursuline's Day of Giving Postponed Due to the current situation in which families have much to contend with in addition to everyday life, school administration made the difficult decision to postpone our day of giving, "All In for Ursuline." Many parents, faculty members, and students eagerly agreed to participate in this day, whether by reaching out to other families, helping with the campus celebration, appearing in the spirit video, or otherwise. The spirit video created for the occasion is included here for your viewing pleasure. Kudos to the team of Faith Banach '20, Catherine Butera '21, and Allee O'Neil '21 for making it happen! May it make you smile! Athletics Update Ursuline Academy's Athletic Program participates under the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). As a result of the current situation, the MIAA has decided to postpone Spring tryouts until April 27. As of now, tryouts/practices can begin on that day, with the first possible date for a game/match being the week of May 4. Please be aware that this plan could quickly change. The Athletic Department will update everyone as soon as we are made aware of any changes. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email Director of Athletics Mike O'Connor at athletics@ursulineacademy.net.
Bears in (Remote) Action
Remote Learning FAQs Dean Katherine Ginnetty and Principal Mary-Kate Tracy sent an email to parents earlier this week with a commitment to good communication and gratitude for their partnership with parents in the new remote learning process. The email includes "FAQs" to provide clarification on procedures. If you missed the email, you can read it here. Ursuline Prays Together Visual Art 2 Care Packages! While the AP Art and Design class took home all their supplies and Visual Art 1 took home watercolors and colored pencils last week, Visual Art 2 was about to begin working in Acrylics, and Mrs. Rufo didn't have time to send home paper and paints with everyone. Instead, this week, she put together Art Care Packages that are now on their way to her Visual Art 2 students. Tips for (Remote) Living from Ursuline Faculty and Staff While the community is apart from each other, we will be sharing ideas and advice from our faculty and staff for learning new things and keeping our spirits up! Mrs. Penella Says... Hope everyone is doing well. Life is challenging! One of my favorite newsletters comes from How-To-Geek. It has a variety of articles covering a range of subjects. So for those of you who always wanted to learn to play the Ukulele and those of you who made one in the iHub, check out this link: Ukulele Lessons for Beginners Ms. Mayo Says.... Need some background music for your virtual learning? Listen to some tunes and stay connected to UA through The Growl radio. In addition to music, The Growl also features teacher interviews, guest appearances, and more. Click this link to access The Growl anytime.
Ms. Tracy Says.... While you are home, take time to help others. Make a phone call or facetime an elderly relative or friend who can't leave their home, write a card of thanks to a first responder who is working long shifts to keep your community safe, donate food to a local food bank, and practice extra patience with your family members because this is difficult for everyone!
Student Spotlight A Circus Acrobat in the Making In the latest piece from our communications interns, Maggie Folwell '20 talks about how her sister, Kelly '24, has an unusual extracurricular activity. "At first glance, Kelly Folwell might seem just like your typical new eighth-grade student at Ursuline. This year, she has been diving on the swimming and diving team, making new friends, drawing and painting everywhere she goes, and getting used to life at Ursuline, but Kelly is not your average eighth-grader. She is also an acrobat for Commonwealth Circus Center in Jamaica Plain." Read more. Quick Links |