Community Voices: A Message from the Principal
Dear Ursuline Parents and Guardians,
I hope that everyone had a joyful and restful Christmas vacation. As usual, I have come to value our family time over the gifts that I receive. While I enjoy vacations, it is wonderful to be back at school with everyone ready to check in with friends, share stories of the vacation, and maybe do a little school work! As we begin the new year at Ursuline, I have continued to read books and articles about education and ways to fully support our girls.
This year my family celebrated Christmas by visiting a house with four dogs and lots of people, and then spent some quiet time, at home, with our cats. I was reading an article by Lisa Damour* yesterday, entitled "What do teenagers need? Ask the family dog" and it resonated with my experience over the holidays and in general. The pets that I encountered were entertaining, sometimes annoying, and often supported our family's need to spend time together (the dogs), while others (the cats) connected with those who love carving out some time for themselves. The article was originally published in July of 2019, and is even more relevant today. Damour shares that pets are great companions in the adolescent years because they don't judge, they are a great place to share feelings, good and bad, and they provide the opportunity for physical contact that our girls crave. People talk about being dog people or cat people, but whatever your pet preference, the value of having someone to engage with on a daily basis is wonderful. As we ask our community members to stay three feet apart and stay masked, it is wonderful to be able to cuddle with someone furry.
If you do not have a pet at home, we are lucky to have Mrs. Ferrucci's therapy dog, Jenny, visit our campus twice a week. Jenny is a labrador, so she is happy to snack on treats that have fallen on the ground, she is wonderful at curling up in the counseling office for long naps, and she is ever thankful for the scratches, rubs, and pats that she gets from students who stop by to say hello. All of the girls know her and many stop by on their way to and from the Tea Room to connect with her and destress for a bit. I know that both Jenny and the girls benefit from the time that they spend together.
As we move through this winter, we will continue to encourage our girls to wear their masks properly and to create space between themselves and others. It requires constant reminders, but it has been a part of our daily life for a while now. We ask that you take care of yourself as well as taking care of others. If your daughter is not feeling well, please keep her at home and let her rest. We will do our best to have school run as closely to normal as possible, but we are all aware that we will need to make alterations to programming as needed. Whether it is moving the date of a dance or taking a hiatus from athletic activities, our community is resilient and our courageous, confident girls will prevail!
Sue Petrone
Principal
Remote Access to Classes: Earlier this week, an email was sent regarding remote access to classes for students who must be at home due to sickness or quarantine. Read the summary here.
*Note: Lisa Damour, psychologist and author of New York Times bestsellers Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions Into Adulthood and Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls, will be featured in Ursuline's next speaker series event on February 16, 2022. Look for Zoom registration details soon.
News and Announcements
Welcome to Interim Dean of Student Life
We hope that you will welcome our Interim Dean of Student Life, Liza Iolli. Liza comes to us after a distinguished career in education at The Woodward School for Girls. During her tenure at Woodward, she served as the Dean of Student Life, World Language Department Chair, and World Language teacher (Spanish and Italian.) She earned her bachelor's degree at Emmanuel College and is looking forward to continuing to work with young women and supporting the mission of Ursuline Academy. You may reach Liza at liolli@ursulineacademy.net or at 781-493-7746.
Financial Aid Applications for 2022-2023 Due January 15th
Financial Aid applications for the next academic year can be completed through FACTS. The deadline for financial aid consideration is January 15, 2022. Financial Aid decisions will be emailed beginning March 5, 2022. Additional information can be found by visiting our website: Ursuline Academy Financial Aid. Questions about the financial aid process should be directed to Ms. Leigh Ann Luetzen, Director of Finance and Business Operations at lluetzen@ursulineacademy.net.
Important Health Reminders from Ursuline Academy
Our current masking policy remains in effect: all community members, regardless of vaccine status, are to be fully masked when indoors at Ursuline. We ask parents' help in reinforcing this message with their daughters and please make sure that your daughter always has spare masks with her. We continue to encourage everyone to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and when eligible, to receive the booster shot. Please note: effective January 10, all students and employees who are not fully vaccinated will be required to test weekly for COVID.
Upcoming Events
Parent "Coffee" Rescheduled for Wednesday, January 12
The Parent Coffee originally scheduled for January 7 will be held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, January 12 at 7 p.m. as an opportunity to hear an update from the administration as COVID conditions continue to challenge our community in this new year. Please register here to receive the Zoom link and to submit any questions you may have.
Junior Parent College Planning Meeting via Zoom
Ursuline's School and College Counseling Department invites parents of juniors to attend a meeting on Thursday, January 13 at 6:45 p.m., for an overview of the college application process from both the college and UA perspectives. Our speaker will be Ken Sawada, Associate Director of Admissions at Syracuse University. There will be a Q & A after Ken speaks, as well as information about the UA college application process. While this meeting is a general overview, our counselors encourage UA parent meetings beginning in mid-winter/spring to review your daughter's specific application process. We will meet/zoom/talk with you as often as you need to from now through the summer and senior year! Click here for Zoom details.
Fore the Girls Coffee Hour Social
On behalf of Golf Chair Brendan King P '20 '22 and the event committee, parents interested in helping with the golf tournament this June are invited to an informal gathering on Wednesday, January 19, at 8 a.m. Conditions permitting, this will be held in the Alumnae Room of the Reynolds Center. Otherwise, it will be held via Zoom. You don't have to play golf to help. It's a great way to get to know other parents while supporting Ursuline's athletics program. All are welcome. RSVP to golf@ursulineacademy.net.
Admissions Deadline is Fast Approaching!
If you or someone you know has a daughter applying to Ursuline Academy for Fall 2022, please remind them that the application deadline is January 15, 2022. Apply directly through Ravenna. For assistance, families can contact admissions@ursulineacademy.net.
Calendar Updates
Winter Semi-formal Dance: The Winter Semi-formal has been rescheduled for Friday, February 18.
Junior Ring Ceremony: The Junior Ring Ceremony, originally scheduled for the Feast of St. Angela, January 27, has been rescheduled for the Feast of St. Marie of the Incarnation on April 28.
Class Retreats: The Senior Retreat, originally scheduled for January 21-23, will now take place on April 1-3 (still at St. Thecla's). The Junior Retreat, originally scheduled for April 1-3, is now scheduled as a day retreat, tentatively on Tuesday, May 17 (location TBD). Grade 7-10 class retreats will remain on their originally scheduled dates in March.
Life on Lowder Street
Online Store Update
The next deadline for ordering from our Online Store is this Sunday, January 9, at midnight. Keep in mind that it takes 4-5 weeks from the deadline to receive your merchandise, and you can customize these items (not sold in the on-campus store) with your favorite team, activity, or relationship (parent/grandparent/alumna). Plan ahead - order now for spring sports and activities! Click here to shop. Any questions, contact Kate Gormley, Bookstore Manager at kggormley@ursulineacademy.net.
Reminder: SAT/ACT Prep Classes for Winter
Summit will be offering SAT/ACT Prep classes at UA beginning in January. SAT Prep classes will meet on Tuesday afternoons from January 25 - March 8. ACT Prep classes will meet on Tuesday afternoons from February 15 - March 29. See SAT flyer and ACT flyer for details.
Spanish V Class Writes a Book!
Spanish V students have written a book of their own entitled: A School on Lowder Street (Un Cole en Lowder Street)! After reading The House on Mango Street, students imitated the style of author Sandra Cisneros in composing their own chapters, which highlight special memories of Ursuline Academy that they will take with them to college. The cover for the book was drawn by Emma Alvarez '22, and the red balloon floating off into the distance is emblematic of the original text and is a symbol of growing up and moving on. Let us know if you would like to read a chapter or two...but they are written in Spanish!
Athletics
Globe and Herald All-Scholastic Athletes
Congratulations to Ursuline's fall athletes who were named All-Scholastic athletes or league all-stars in the past week by the Boston Globe and Boston Herald. The following students were commended:
Swimming
Boston Herald All-Scholastic: Maddy Smith
Globe All-Scholastic Honorable Mention: Jennifer McGrail, Isabella Lombard, Maddy Smith (in photo left to right)
Globe Catholic Conference All-Stars: Kelly Folwell, Cara Hill, Megan Keaney, Vivian Krawiecki, Isabella Lombard, Jen McGrail, Mary Powers, Madelyn Smith, Meghan Walker, Gwen Walsh
Soccer
Globe All-Scholastic Honorable Mention: Krista Murphy
Globe Catholic Conference All-Stars: Krista Murphy, Nuala Rodgers
Cross – Country
Globe Catholic Conference All-Stars: Lily King, Sara Lessard, Brigid Ryan
We commend these students for their dedication to the athletic arena as well as the classroom!
Basketball All-Tournament Players Named
Over the holidays, the Varsity Basketball team participated in the Hutchinson Tournament sponsored by Bellingham High. Congratulations to Claire Ryan '23 and Ava Karol '22 for being selected for the All-Tournament team.
JV Basketball Victory!
Congratulations to the Junior Varsity Basketball team on their victory over Dedham High yesterday. The girls played very well in their 47-22 victory.
Sisters Basketball Tournament Canceled
After closely monitoring the COVID situation and thoughtful discussions with the athletic directors at Ursuline Dallas and Ursuline St. Louis, we have canceled the upcoming Sisters Basketball Tournament originally scheduled for January 13-15. All other athletic events are on as scheduled as of now. We will keep you updated as changes occur. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Spring Sports
Believe it or not, we are starting to plan for spring sports! There will be informational meetings during the last week of January. Most of the schedules are near completion. Please watch for the meeting dates and times in Bear Essentials. Spring sports offered are golf, lacrosse, softball, tennis, and track and field. Any questions can be directed to Mr. O'Connor at athletics@ursulineacademy.net.
Reminder! Intramural Basketball will take place in the gym on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Thank You for your Support!
Year-End Giving! Thank you!
Thank you to all those who supported Ursuline Academy with a year-end donation. Your gifts will help us continue to make improvements to our campus, equip our faculty and staff, and provide the very best education and resources for the young women entrusted to our care. If you would still like to make a gift to support the Fund for Ursuline, please click here or mail a check to the advancement office.