Wings Fall 09 - St. Scholastica Academy

Letter
F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T ’ S P E N
Marguerite S. Celestin
Dear Members and Friends of the St. Scholastica Academy Community:
As we end the year 2008-09, I marvel at the many graces we have received here at SSA to be able to continue the work of
the Lord for the young women He has brought to our care. The pages of this issue of Wings are full of many of the
accomplishments and events that have made Academy life special and eventful. What a blessing now to have a consecrated,
sacred space for our SSA family to pray, worship, and meditate in order to develop a personal spirituality and relationship with
God. The chapel stands as a symbolic icon of the very core and purpose of our existence as a Catholic educational institution.
The heart and soul of our school, it is fitting that the chapel is visible from any point on campus.
One of the songs we used at the Dedication contains the phrase:“We’re standing on holy ground.”With this chapel we honor
the memory of our founding Benedictine Sisters whose vision and dedication made today possible. Though we no longer
have the physical presence of the Benedictine Sisters with us, we stand on their shoulders and their spirit. Their spirituality
continues to guide us in the four pillars of their charism: prayer, work, study, and community. I believe the founders of this
Academy and all those who have continued their mission to this day would be very proud of this accomplishment and the
blessings it holds for the future.
Forty years ago at the time of the demolition of the old chapel, the bell, after a mournful tolling, was removed from its tower.
Today that same bell is jubilantly re-enthroned in this chapel’s entryway. We are also proud to have brought back to the
chapel four of the stained glass pieces that once graced the walls of the original chapel built in 1903. We are deeply blessed
to bring back the past so that we can continue the great legacy left us by our founding Sisters.
We continue to move forward on the implementation of our strategic plan: “Keep the Promise.” Primary accomplishments
of this year include the outstanding first year of our laptop program. Through this medium our teachers and students are
doing things they could never do without the laptop. It has changed the way they teach and learn in so many ways. Other
undertakings regarding the Strategic Plan include further development of the Faculty Career Ladder initial structure, training
of students on Naviance college counseling software; hiring of Director of Alumnae Relations. Significant progress has been
made on curriculum renewal process; updating and revision of master site plan, including evaluation, prioritization, and cost
effectiveness of identified needs. In the coming year our focus will be on completing the above action items as well as
beginning the comprehensive process of identifying the vision and action plans for campus ministry which engages all
students and impacts the growth of their faith. Our work on the strategic plan is never totally finished! It continues to evolve
and inform our ministry.
During this year we lost some good friends and alumnae of the Academy, in particular our dear Sister Juanita Federico who
touched the lives and hearts of so many during her many years at SSA as a student, teacher, librarian, administrator, mentor
to faculty and students alike. Sister Juanita was a member of SSA’s faculty from 1949-1984. She was one of the few remaining
Benedictines on faculty when I first came to SSA in 1979. Through her spirit and loving ways I learned so much about
Benedictine spirituality and the mission of St. Scholastica Academy. A few summers ago I was privileged to visit with her at
her home in Covington, Kentucky. What a blessing! She was her same lovable self, full of inquiry about all that was going on
at the Academy and in Covington. I praise God for her service to Him in religious life as well as for her service to the
Academy. I know she is praying for us daily at the throne of God. May God grant her eternal life and peace.
The chapel and so many other things at SSA could not be a reality without the generosity of so many. We are deeply grateful
for your ongoing support, your belief and commitment to the mission of this Academy. We need your support to continue
so that we can sustain our mission and meet the needs of the young women we serve.
May God bless you abundantly and may He hold you in the palm of His hand.
Sincerely in the Lord,
Marguerite S. Celestin
President
D O V E W I N G S 3