�����Laurel Links� Volume 14, Issue 3 – August 2014

Ursuline Educational Services

UES Global ConferenceUES Global ConferenceUES Global ConferenceUES Global Conference

New Rochelle, New YorkNew Rochelle, New YorkNew Rochelle, New YorkNew Rochelle, New York ““““Building Community Wherever you goBuilding Community Wherever you goBuilding Community Wherever you goBuilding Community Wherever you go.”.”.”.”

St. Angela MericiSt. Angela MericiSt. Angela MericiSt. Angela Merici

Dear Colleagues in Ursuline Education,

This issue of Laurel Links will give you an idea of what is

happening in the world of Ursuline Educational Services,

offering both a review of two events in the recent past and a look

forward to what is ahead.

It will come as no surprise that the featured article of this issue

is the Global Education Conference held in June. It was awesome,

stupendous, thrilling, inspiring – you can add any superlatives

you can imagine. Having 150 educators from 20 countries, all

committed to the same ideals and values as followers of St.

Angela Merici, was an experience I’ll never forget. My first

awareness of the awesomeness, the stupendousness, (see the

words above) happened in the very first hour of the first day.

During the opening prayer, delegates from each country were

part of the procession bringing icons, flags, pictures

representing their homeland for display in our assembly hall. It

really was happening – all these women and men – all these Ursuline educators from all these

countries – are here and we all share a common heritage and common ideals. We are part of a

worldwide enterprise. WOW!

Those feelings only intensified during the week –long conference as day by day it was evident that

the participants were becoming friends and colleagues. Language differences were being overcome

and connections made. The final liturgy on Friday was an unforgettable experience of the

universality of the Church and Ursuline education. I left The College of New Rochelle that afternoon,

exhausted but overjoyed at what had transpired over the days spent there.

Another retrospective in this issue is the account of the annual Student Leadership Conference.

Global Girl Day was a new initiative this year. The student leaders will be spearheading a common

project in the Ursuline sponsored high schools this year as a result of the Leadership Conference.

You will also find information about the upcoming Athletic Directors’ Conference to be held in St.

Louis in November. A visit to Angela’s Italy is being planned for July, 2015.

This fall I will be visiting the schools and colleges to engage them in the achievement of our new

Strategic Plan. I look forward to these visits to solicit suggestions on how UES can be more effective

in achieving its mission and better serve the schools.

With this newsletter comes our prayer for a successful 2014-15 school year in all our Ursuline

schools. We count on St. Angela to be with us as she promised: And I myself shall always be in your

midst, helping your prayers. . . . and believe firmly that in times of need you will realize what a

faithful friend I am.

Sincerely,

Judith A. Wimberg

Director, Ursuline Educational Services

Ursuline Educators Discover

World-Wide Connections

“Wonderful conference – exceeded expectations.

So impressed with the ease and comfort of the bonding that

took place immediately.”

“This has been an enriching professional and personal

experience.”

“What a rich tapestry of Ursuline leaders – what a wealth

of experience – so wonderful to share and learn.”

These were just a few of the comments made by

participants in their evaluations of Ursuline

Educational Services’ first Global Education

Conference. One hundred fifty Ursuline educators

from 20 countries converged upon the campus of

The College of New Rochelle June 15- 20 to celebrate

their common heritage and shared values as

followers of St. Angela Merici. The Conference was

also the occasion for the gathered educators to share

their collective wisdom and experiences in Ursuline

education and to strengthen (or in some cases

begin) collaborative relationships among Ursuline

schools and Ursuline educators around the world.

Each of the prayers that opened each day’s session

reflected the “globalness” of the conference.

Delegations from the various countries represented

at the conference led the prayer reflecting their

culture/country. The proclamation of scripture, the

hymns and prayers were offered in the languages

spoken by the attendees. The Conference culminated

in a Liturgy Friday at mid-day. Magdalena Pedroso

de Padula, a delegate from Caracas, Venezuela sent

this comment in a letter to her “dearest sisters and

friends in Saint Angela”: “Our ending mass in every

language made my soul rejoice.”

Each of the speakers who addressed the assembly

brought home from her/his perspective essential

aspects of Ursuline education. Ann Garrido opened

the Conference with “The Spirituality of

Administration.” Even though her reflections were

directed primarily toward those who are engaged in

the ministry of administration, the unique

combination of practical directives and wisdom she

offered were inspiring to everyone.

She concluded her presentation recounting a

conversation with a woman whom she admires a

great deal. This woman is a generation older than

Ann who has made significant contributions to the

field of education. In answer to Ann’s questions,

“What gives you the greatest hope? What keeps you

going?”, she replied, “Knowing that there is a new

generation like you who are still finding energy in

the ministry. When I feel discouraged, I remember

you are there.” Ann couldn’t decide whether to be

flattered or alarmed. “I keep going because she

keeps going, but she keeps going because I keep

going. This seemed to be a perilously fragile

arrangement for the church of the future.”

Then she came to the realization: “that is the way

the ember of hope has always been fanned

throughout history. Sometimes you carry me and

sometimes I carry you. And together we give each

other the strength to keep doing what we do.”

Mary Virginia Orna, OSU connected the value of a

liberal arts education with St. Angela’s vision. Sister

Mary Virginia made it clear that St. Angela did not

found any schools, but the unique characteristics

she left her Company: adaptability, openness to

innovation, willingness to dialogue with different

cultures and response to the needs of the times and

of the Church led to the Ursulines becoming

involved with the ministry of education.

The Ursulines developed a basic curriculum and

approaches to that content based on the values

counseled by St. Angela and sound pedagogical

insights. These concepts were developed in the

Reglements formulated in the late Sixteenth Century

and were in harmony with the fields of knowledge

and the techniques for acquiring that knowledge

that form the basis of liberal education.

Sister Mary Virginia emphasized that every stage of

schooling should prepare students for becoming

wise, knowledgeable and virtuous. This is a

challenging endeavor in the Twenty-first Century

when knowledge can be confused with “looking it up

on Google”. Ursuline traditions give educators a

model to follow even today. Adaptability,

discernment, questioning, debating, critical thinking

of all aspects of our culture combined with the love

of an educator whose concern is for the students are

the tools that distinguish Ursuline education.

Mary-Cabrini Durkin reflected

on St. Angela as a Wise Guide

on the Path of Life. While

focusing on Angela’s spiritual

wisdom, she also recognized

educational implications of that

wisdom. In fact, Mary-Cabrini

stated unequivocally that the

only way to be an authentic Ursuline educator is to

imbibe and integrate Angela’s guidance and spirit.

An Ursuline educator is one engaged on a personal

spiritual journey that integrates awe, Scripture and

a relationship with Christ.

In her presentation, Mary-Cabrini developed three

key points – Angela’s wisdom, Walking a path and

Life: earth and heaven. Angela’s wisdom was a gift

of the Holy Spirit and her desire to belong to God

alone led her to “invent” a way of life for women in

the world, the Company of St. Ursula. Being in

relationship with the God who loved her and loves

us all creates this spiritual family where the

members “love one another and nourish and foster a

new generation”, Mary-Cabrini told the participants.

In bringing her presentation to a close, Mary-Cabrini

again reminded the participants that Angela tells us

to look to Jesus Christ for truth about life. That

message is that God loves us. Angela teaches us love,

and addresses these words to the teachers: ‘the

more you esteem them, the more you love them, the

more you will care for and watch over them.’ This is

the love that is manifested in the life of an Ursuline

school.

In her presentation on Thursday morning, Diana

Stano, OSU applied Mary-Cabrini’s reflections to

Ursuline education today. Acknowledging the

position of Catholic schools as the backbone of the

Church and the major source of future parish

leaders, Sr. Diana challenged the participants with

the responsibility that is incumbent upon them.

Hiring well-prepared teachers with up-to-date

pedagogy and the ability to use technology

appropriately are essential as is reinforcing the

family unit and instilling timeless values in the next

generation. To be truly Christian, schools must be

models of community, where individual gifts are

valued and shared for the common good.

With those comments as background, Sister Diana

challenged the participants to prepare their students

to be engaged in “collective advocacy”. Preparing

students to stand up for the rights of those made

poor by society and to work towards right

relationships for all God’s people is what Ursuline

schools should undertake today to be faithful to the

vision and charism of St. Angela.

After time for table discussion, Sister Diana

concluded her presentation by reminding the

assembly that as present day leaders in Ursuline

education, they have an advocate watching over

them and that she promised to be “always in their

midst helping your prayers.”

The challenge of addressing the assembly on Friday

morning belonged to Brother Raymond

Vercruysse, C.F.C whose presentation was entitled;

“Seeking to Extend the Kingdom to the Ends of the

Earth with a Great and Longing Heart.” Brother

Raymond encouraged the participants to not lose

their passion for Ursuline education, a passion that

is alive and dynamic. This passion, he stated, is a gift

to our global Church.

Catholic schools play an important part in the

Church’s mission of evangelization. He reminded the

assembly how much they owe to the earlier

generations of Catholics who made great sacrifices

to establish Catholic schools, noting in particular the

role played by the Ursulines, on whose shoulders

they stand today.

To be effective in this mission, the school forms an

educating community, where the life-giving values

of Jesus are taught and lived. This community

fosters the total development of its students and

leads them toward service. The education the school

offers must be relevant, helping the students to

connect their faith and their daily lives. By doing

this, the school generates hope, which Bro. Raymond

stated is “the great distinguishing feature of the

most desirable Catholic school.”

A highlight of Friday morning was a slide show with

pictures of St. Angela sent in from all parts of the

globe followed by candid shots of the participants,

who represent St. Angela today.

In addition to the five major presentations, Bill

Simmer of Independent School Management

addressed the group on the Centrality of Faculty

Culture. He underlined the importance of faculty

culture by citing two supporting facts. The research

their company has done indicates that faculty

culture is the number one variable in

• recruitment to private independent schools

• student performance and faculty job

satisfaction.

Wednesday afternoon the delegates participated in

discussion groups, based on topics suggested by the

participants when they registered for the

conference. A striking conclusion from these

discussions was that despite cultural differences, all

the schools share common challenges as they

endeavor to inculcate the charism of St. Angela into

the life of their schools.

Dinners and tours of the two local Ursuline schools,

the Academy of Mount St. Ursula in the Bronx and

The Ursuline School in New Rochelle were two

evening highlights. Participants enjoyed delicious

dinners, tours of the schools and entertainment by

students whose musical accomplishments were

extraordinary.

Local Ursuline sisters were invited to join the

participants for dinner on Tuesday evening at The

Ursuline School.

A boat ride in the Long Island Sound and optional

tours of various places of interest in New York City

rounded out the evening offerings. All enjoyed the

camaraderie that were part of both.

As participants departed for home, the farewells

were accompanied by talk of when would we be

gathering together again. We are happy to report

that the South Africans have expressed an interest in

hosting the next Global Education Conference in

2017.

Ursuline Educational Services is grateful for the

generous support of our sponsors who helped make

the Conference possible:

• Anonymous Foundation

• Ruth J. and Robert A. Conway Foundation

• Independent School Management for

sponsorship of Sunday’s Opening Reception

• Voyager Travel Inc. Euro-American Tours for

sponsorship of the morning coffee breaks

For those interested in reading the full text of the

major conference presentations, they are available on

the UES website under Resources. www.ursuline-

education.com

Due to a commitment to her publisher, Ann Garrido’s

presentation is not posted on the website. Her book,

Redeeming Administration, is available on Amazon.

Student Leaders Gather in

Wilmington

Student leaders from ten Ursuline sponsored

high schools gathered in Wilmington, DE for the

annual Student Leadership Conference. Hosted

by UA of Wilmington, the venues for the

Conference were the University of Delaware

and Ursuline Academy.

Tori Macmillan, a certified Real Colors

presenter, led the students and the chaperones

through a “real colors assessment” as each

participant identified her temperament type.

Then the fun began. Ms. Macmillan explained

the gifts and challenges of each temperament

type with humorous, but insightful, examples.

The participants began to understand not only

themselves but the others as well. With a basic

understanding of the four temperament types,

the students, in groups with others of their

same color, discussed how St. Angela fit into

each of the four-color categories.

Alumnae of UA Wilmington offered further

reflection on St. Angela in a panel presentation:

“Will the real St. Angela please stand up. “ Four

recent alums were introduced as followers of St.

Angela, and even though one was chosen as the

“real St. Angela” it was evident that all four

reflected the charism of St. Angela by the

choices they had made in their lives. Student

evaluations gave this session very high marks!

A trip to historic Philadelphia was on the

agenda for the second day of the Conference.

Students participated in a Scavenger Hunt,

which took them to many of the city’s historic

sights and gave them the opportunity to interact

with locals and other visitors as well. A

scheduled tour of Independence Hall and the

Liberty Bell Center concluded the visit to the

birthplace of our nation.

The third and final day of the Conference was

entitled Global Girl Day. Meghan Clarke, a

graduate of Ursuline Academy, Cincinnati and

founder of ME Clarke Consulting, Inc. led the

day’s activities. The morning session was

devoted to a Diversity and Inclusion Workshop

and included the showing of several segments

of the film, Girl Rising. Through stories of

individual girls the film illustrates how girls

around the world are starved for education and

have overcome almost insurmountable odds to

access that desired education.

The afternoon session engaged the students in

choosing an enterprise that they would take

back to their schools and invite their schools to

join with the other Ursuline schools in

supporting. In small groups, the students

researched five different programs in various

countries that were assisting women and girls

to establish for themselves a life worthy of

human dignity. After each group presented their

“program”, the students voted on which one

they wanted to invite all Ursuline schools to

support in some way during the 2014-15 school

year.

The students chose Education for Afghan girls.

Now it is the responsibility of these leaders to

take what they learned back to their individual

schools and secure the support of their

respective student bodies. Each school

delegation was asked to sit down with their

school administration to explain the project and

to discuss how this common project could be

implemented in their school. More information

about the Global Girl activity can be found on

the UES website: www.ursuline-education.com.

Interspersed throughout the conference were

presentations about each school. The students

were invited to share the fundamentals of

planning the most popular event at their school

and a description of the school’s most

significant service activity. Another popular

feature of the conference program is the

uniform Fashion Show.

In evaluating the Student Leadership

Conference 2014, the students joined others

from previous years who expressed their

appreciation for the opportunity to enlarge

their sense of “sisterhood” to include fellow

Ursuline students from the other nine schools

who were present with them in Delaware.

Special appreciation goes to the local planning

team at UA Wilmington, led by Meg Kane-Smith.

This group of dedicated teachers and staff

members worked together for months to make

the conference happen.

Student Leadership Conference 2015 will take

place in Cleveland, OH June 22-26. It will be

hosted by Beaumont School. Accommodations

will be at Ursuline College. Information will be

sent to the schools in February.

To read Meghan Clarke’s account of her day with

our students, use this link to her website:

www.meclarkeconsulting.com Click on the

article: Girl Rising: A Retreat with the Nation’s

Top Female Leaders.

UES Board Focuses on Future

Phase One: Formulating of the Plan (Fall

2011-Fall 2013)

It all started with a looking back, looking back

over the 2008-2011 Strategic Plan and

confirming “accomplished” was the conclusion.

Thus the impetus to create a new Plan was

born.

At its regularly scheduled meeting in Spring

2012 the Board of Ursuline Educational Services

began the process of formulating a new

Strategic Plan with a visioning process, led by

consultant Madeleine Ortman. In addition to

the board’s brainstorming about the future of

UES, the Director also conducted a survey of

member schools, the results of which were

considered in the writing of the Plan.

As a follow-up to the spring meeting, at its fall

2013 meeting, the Board generated the basis of

a new Strategic Plan by generating six

Directions for the future of UES. The Board also

revised its committee structure and assigned

each committee responsibility for one of the

agreed upon Directions.

Board members, Jill Cahill (SUA Cincinnati) and

Jill Hallahan (UA Cincinnati) worked with the

Judy Wimberg (UES Director) to create the first

draft of the Plan. The document was sent to the

Board for review and with a few revisions, it is

accepted.

Phase Two: Prioritizing of Tasks (January –

March 2014)

Board committees met via Skype and

conference calls to choose the priorities in the

section of the Plan entrusted to them and begin

brainstorming how to make these priorities a

reality. Each committee then had a report ready

for the Board meeting in March 2014.

The Board approved the Final Draft of the Plan

at its March 2014 meeting, with the priorities

established by each Committee. The Board

charged the Director to undertake the next

phase of the process by the its next meeting in

November 2014.

Phase Three: Communication of the Plan

(March-November 2014)

The Director, along with Board members, has

the responsibility of communicating the plan to

the leadership of the various Ursuline

communities and provinces and also the

administrations (and faculties) of the member

and affiliated schools and colleges. UES wants

to continue its regular communication with the

Ursuline Sisters leadership through the annual

meeting of the NAULC (North American

Ursuline Leadership Conference) and also by

direct conversation, when feasible ,with the

leadership of individual communities and

provinces.

UES was begun by the Ursuline Sisters and has

enjoyed the benefits of continued partnership

with them in promoting the charism and values

of the Ursuline heritage in the schools. UES

wants to facilitate the continuation of this

communication and collaboration with the

Ursulines.

The Director is currently setting up meetings in

the schools with administrators, faculty and

staff members to:

1. Inform the schools about the direction of

UES in the next several years

2. Engage the schools in the achievement of

the plan

3. Solicit suggestions on how UES can be

more effective in achieving its mission and

better serve the schools.

Board members at each school will assist the

Director in facilitating these discussions.

The Director will communicate the results of

these discussions to the Board at its November

2014 meeting.

Phase Four: Achieving the Plan (November

2014-Novmber 2016)

Board committees will spearhead the

achievement of the goals of the Strategic Plan.

The Board will review progress toward the

achievement of the goals at each Board meeting

over the next several years.

The six directions identified by the Board to

guide the work of Ursuline Educational Services

for the next several years are:

1. Establish UES as the pre-eminent

resource for Ursuline education among

our constituents

2. Promote the mission and goals of UES in

Ursuline schools and colleges

3. Expand global connectedness among

Ursuline schools, their administrations,

staffs, students and alums

4. Reassess the committee structure, the

policies, procedures and organizational

structure of UES

5. Ensure the financial stability of UES into

the future

6. Study the feasibility of offering the

services of UES as a future vehicle to

ensure the Ursuline schools continue St.

Angela’s charism.

Next on the UES Agenda: Ursuline

Athletic Directors Conference

Another first for UES! At

the suggestion of Jen

Brooks, AD at Ursuline

Academy, St. Louis, UES is

sponsoring the first

Conference for Athletic

Directors in Ursuline

sponsored and affiliated

high schools.

This Athletic Directors Conference will take

place November 20-21 at Ursuline Academy in

St. Louis. Athletic Directors and their direct

supervisors, Assistant Athletic Directors or

Assistants to the Athletic Directors, Student Life

Directors or anyone in the school involved in

the athletic program is invited to attend. The

Conference will give attendees the opportunity

to learn from the experience of other ADs, to

establish connections enabling continued

mutual support and to own the uniqueness of

the Ursuline educational experience and the

role played by athletics.

Cathie Field Lloyd, president of Ursuline

Academy, Wilmington, DE will deliver the

keynote address: The Role of Athletics in an

Ursuline/Catholic School; How can athletics

promote a school’s mission and charism? A panel

of athletic directors will react to Ms. Lloyd’s

presentation and invite the comments from all

participants.

Other topics to be covered over the day and a

half conference include Hiring, Supervising and

Evaluating Coaches; Codes of

Conduct/Handbooks for athletes, coaches, fans

and parents; Booster Clubs; and the Challenges

of Being an AD. A current AD in one of the

schools will present ideas on each topic and

then invite “audience participation.”

Three experienced Athletic Directors formed

the Planning Committee for the Conference: Jen

Brooks of UA, St. Louis; Mike O’Connor of UA,

Dedham; and Erin Zubal, OSU of Beaumont

School, Cleveland Heights.

Information about registration for the

Conference and hotel accommodations is

available on the UES website: www.ursuline-

education.com or contact UES director, Judy

Wimberg: judy.wimberg @ gmail.com.

Registration deadline is Friday, November 7.

An Invitation to Ursuline

Educators

To walk where Angela Merici walked.

To pray in the sacred spaces where she prayed.

What better way to deepen your connection to

her and her spirituality than to be in the places

where she made her life’s journey. UES is

offering the administrators, faculty members

and staff in all Ursuline schools the opportunity

to do just that. Plans are being made now for a

“Visit to Angela’s Italy” in July 2015. While the

itinerary is not yet firmly established, you can

count on visiting Rome, Assisi, Florence,

Desanzano, Brescia, Venice and Milan during

the eleven-day trip. Information about the

visiting Angela’s Italy including the itinerary,

dates, and costs, will be mailed by early

September. The information and registration

forms will also be posted on the UES website.

Please watch for it.