February 19, 2021 IMPORTANT TRAVEL PROTOCOL REMINDER Any student who has traveled over winter break is required to follow Massachusetts State COVID-19 Travel Orders, which require either quarantining for 10 days or producing a negative COVID test prior to returning to school. Please note that the Daily Wellness Check asks about "recent travel to/from an area requiring quarantine." If the answer is yes, a student must be in touch with our school nurse, Mrs. Smart, at nurse@ursulineacademy.net before she may be readmitted to school. Thank you for your cooperation as we work to protect the health of our community.
Community Voices: A Message from the Principal and Director of Mission Dear Ursuline Families,
The Prophet Isaiah wrote of the Messiah (53:3), "We despised him and rejected him; he endured suffering and pain. No one would even look at him--we did not value his voice and ignored him as if he were nothing." In a year of unbelievable challenges, many of us have lost loved ones, lost jobs, lost the opportunity to speak out for equality and justice, lost the occasion to gather in unity with one another. We understand the words of Isaiah deeply because we have experienced suffering, deprivation and pain on a daily basis.
In a similar way, our beloved St. Angela set off on her own journey from her homeland of Italy to the Holy Land in 1524. At the half-way point in her travels, however, St. Angela suddenly lost her eyesight. From Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee, Bethlehem to Calvary, St. Angela encountered God's presence not with her eyes but with her heart. She would not permit what she had lost to define her experience of the world and her relationship with God.
During this first week of Lent, like St. Angela, may we orient ourselves toward the future and seek solace in a Lenten journey that allows the opportunity for each of us to open our hearts to God's work in our lives with all that we are in the present moment.
Blessings,
Mary-Kate Tracy Principal
With the beginning of Lent, we remind you that Campus Ministry's Daily Prayer can be a great start to the day not just for students, but for anyone seeking to deepen their faith life. An archive of recent Daily Prayer emails can be found here. When you reach the page, click the yellow bell icon if you wish to subscribe to the daily prayer by email.
Around Campus Celtic in the House! Things were bustling at Ursuline late this week, as a television commercial featuring Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics was filmed in our own Reynolds Center! We're thrilled that our facility was selected as the location for this shoot, and will share more details once we are given clearance to do so. (During the shoot, some scenes were filmed using a stand-in for Tatum, as in the photo right.)
Parent News REMINDER - SAT Exam for Class of 2022 - Payment due this Monday, February 22 Ursuline will be offering the SAT exam on April 13 for interested juniors (Class of 2022). Please note that payment is due Monday, February 22, 2021. To access the form, log in to your UA Parent Portal and click on the Forms tab. Questions about the exam itself should be directed to Mrs. Ferrucci at mferrucci@ursulineacademy.net. If you have any questions about payment or would like a copy of the email, please contact Mrs. Leigh Ann Luetzen at lluetzen@ursulineacademy.net. Hale Reservation Student Events
Saturday, Feb. 27 - Grade 9 - (RSVPs due Tues., February 23) Saturday, March 6 - Grade 11 Sunday, March 7 - Grade 10 (note - Sunday event) Saturday, March 13 - Grade 12 Saturday, March 20 - Grade 7 Saturday, March 27 - Grade 8 Students will receive registration forms to RSVP from their dean of students two weeks before their event. Click here for full details. Webinar Opportunity for Parents with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi Through our membership in The Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE), we have the opportunity to invite parents, faculty and staff to a special program for AISNE member schools featuring New York Times bestselling author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, entitled "Go Beyond an Awareness of Racism: Contribute to the Formation of a Truly Just and Equitable Society." The webinar will be held on Wednesday, March 3 from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m., and is open to adult members of the Ursuline community (the event is not intended for students.) Registration is required by February 25. Registration gives individuals access to Dr. Kendi's 60-minute webinar talk, with a recording provided after the event. Registrants will also receive an invitation to participate in a 45-minute facilitated, peer-to-peer, AISNE community conversation reflecting on Dr. Kendi's words and message. Virtual Trivia for Parents on March 4 and March 11 Virtual trivia events have been scheduled for parents next month with Stump! Trivia. Put the date on your calendar for a chance to meet and socialize with other UA parents. Register with a friend or a team, or we can put you on a team with other parents from your daughter's grade.
Join the Fore the Girls Golf Committee! Our 29th Annual Fore the Girls Golf Tournament is scheduled for Monday, June 28, 2021 at Blue Hill Country Club. We value your input and expertise and invite you to join our next golf call on Friday, February 26, at 8:30 a.m. Click Here for Zoom Details New volunteers are always welcome. Get full information about the tournament here. Email golf@ursulineacademy.net with any questions or comments.
Athletics Fall II Athletics Season The Fall II season will begin on Monday, February 22nd with tryouts for Volleyball and Winter Track. Get full information here. All students interested in participating in volleyball and track must submit athletics paperwork ASAP. Please note: If you are learning from home full-time, you are not eligible to participate in after-school activities. If you are in the hybrid model and you are scheduled to be in school and are absent, you can not participate in after-school activities that day. Volleyball Tryouts
At the conclusion of tryouts on Friday evening, participants will receive an email to tell them where they have been placed: Varsity, Junior Varsity, or Skills and Drills. All participants will be assigned to one of these programs. On Saturday, February 27, the Skills and Drills group will practice from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (this is optional). The Junior Varsity team will practice from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; the Varsity team will practice from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Practices will take place occasionally at Xaverian on Wednesdays (from 4 to 5:30 p.m) and Saturdays (time TBA). When this occurs, the coaches will give team members advance notice. Please note: Winter Track is outside this year. The weather will play a factor; dress accordingly. Please listen for announcements in school or see Bear Necessities.
Winter Season Wrap-Up Congratulations to the Varsity and Junior Varsity Basketball teams on their victories last Saturday here at Ursuline against Malden Catholic. The Varsity had an exciting game with Junior Ava Karol scoring a basket as the buzzer went off for a 46-45 Ursuline victory. Ski Team's Senior Send-Off Senior members of Ursuline's ski team, after their final race last week (left to right): Mackenzie Haughey, Kara Bobroff, Anna Kirby and Audrey Abucewicz.
Student Travel Opportunities Four and a Half Country Tour Awesome Norway Tour
School and College Counseling College Talk Returns Tuesday February 23 College Talk continues this Tuesday, February 23, from 11:05 - 11:35 a.m., with another young alumna from the Class of 2017 offering a Zoom info session for students in grades 9-12. These programs are designed to offer our high school students and their parents the perspectives of recently-graduated alumnae on college life post-UA. This week, Michaela Gillis '17, a student at Boston College, will be joining us. Students and parents are encouraged to attend with any questions they may have. Click here for the Zoom link to join the session. SAT/ACT Summit Educational Group Virtual Prep Classes Summit Educational Group is pleased to partner with Ursuline Academy to offer Online SAT and ACT Prep Classes this spring. In their online programs, teachers and students will meet together at a set time in a live virtual classroom using Zoom. SAT Prep Class for April 13 test date: Classes run from March 3 - April 7, 2021. ACT Prep Class for April 17 test date: Classes run from March 9 - April 13, 2021. SAT Prep Class for May 8 test date: Classes run from March 23 - May 4, 2021. AP Exams - Payment Due March 1st Families of students enrolled in AP course(s) should have received an email from Ursuline with a request for exam fee payment. Payment is due March 1, 2021. Payments can be made by clicking the link in the email or logging into your Parent Portal. For questions about the AP testing program, please contact Mrs. Scott at ascott@ursulineacademy.net. For questions about making a payment, please contact Mrs. Leigh Ann Luetzen at lluetzen@ursulineacademy.net.
Ursuline Hearts Unite! Legacy of Love - Celebrating Legacy Families There is a special bond between mothers and daughters, especially if they both went to Ursuline! Usually, we honor our legacy families with a Valentine's Day breakfast, but this year we compiled this video as a special shout-out instead. Enjoy this celebration of beautiful Ursuline moms and daughters! Quick Links |