winter 200 9 newsletter - McGANN Mercy

Dr. Steven F. Cheeseman, Principal
1225 Ostrander Avenue • Riverhead, NY 11901 • 631-727-5900
Dear Friends:
As Principal of McGann-Mercy Diocesan High School, I am proud to report the success
thus far for the 2008-2009 academic year. The theme for this school year is “Commitment
To Excellence.” Administrators, faculty, and students have all been challenged to strive for
excellence. They have set excellence as the standard and are working to make sure that they
do their best to meet that standard. I am happy to report that so many members of our Mercy
community have accepted this challenge and are meeting it in their own way.
This year marked the largest freshman class that Mercy has seen in 20 years! The athletic
field campaign has been completed and we recently received approval from the Department of
Environmental Conservation to begin our fundraising campaign for the construction of our
Environmental Science Wetland Remediation Program. Once this is complete we can move
forward with construction of our girls softball field.
While we are very proud of our accomplishments, we must also be mindful of the importance
of the need for continuous improvement and growth. This continued growth and expansion
of services can not happen without your support. Every year, McGann-Mercy High School is
faced with a gap between tuition paid and the actual cost to educate a student. This academic
year it will cost approximately $9,500 to educate a student. Our tuition price, inclusive of fees,
is anywhere from $2,000 for high school students to $4,500 for junior high students less than
our cost. Mercy’s 480 students are benefiting from more than $1 million dollars in financial
assistance.
This gap — otherwise known as a deficit — is offset in two ways: an annual subsidy from the
Diocese of Rockville Centre and annual contributions from alumni, current parents, graduate
parents, and loyal friends.
Since the current subsidy from the Diocese is decreasing each year, the majority of the monies
needed to offset this gap must be raised through annual giving. We, I, personally ask that you —
as a McGann-Mercy family member — consider a gift to our Annual Fund program. Your gift
will ensure our future and enable us to keep Catholic education accessible and affordable on the
East End of Long Island.
Thank you in advance for your support. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate
to contact the Development Office at 631-727-5900 ext. 34.
Sincerely,
Dr. Steven Cheeseman
ACCREDITED BY BOARD OF REGENTS- THE STATE OF NEW YORK