Dear Sisters and Brothers of the Prep Community,
The great abolitionist and American Frederick Douglass, an exemplar of excellence in the highest degree, once proclaimed:
“A smile or tear has no nationality, joy and sorrow speak alike to all nations, and they, above all the confusion of tongues, proclaim the brotherhood of man.”
As we move into February and celebrate Black History Month, we express gratitude to our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and members of the Black and Latino Culture Club for their efforts in planning a variety of activities in commemoration. Black History Month is both a time for celebration and an opportunity to recognize the central role of African Americans in U.S. history, and in particular, celebrating black excellence in contribution to our community and world.
In celebrating the diversity of our community, we live out our common, shared Ignatian mission through the exercise of this brotherhood — brotherhood in its truest sense.
Our campus has bustled and rumbled with energy since the start of the semester. Many congratulations to producer Mr. Tony Braithwaite '89 and more than 150 of our own students and female guests from 13 local schools on their stellar performances in our Night of Scenes. The scenes were directed by faculty and staff members, alumni, and current students. Our athletic teams, after numerous big wins, push toward playoffs (and our wrestling team, under the direction of Coach Jim Savage, qualified for PIAA duals for the first time in school history!).
Every six years, each school in the Jesuit Schools Network (JSN) undertakes a Sponsorship Review, which begins with a self-study by the school and includes a school visit by a team of faculty and staff from other schools in the Province. The review process is guided by Our Way of Proceeding: Standards and Benchmarks for Jesuit Schools of the 21st Century. As you may be aware, we conducted a reflective self-study throughout last school year, and will be hosting a visiting team of five Ignatian colleagues from Sunday, February 12 through Wednesday, February 15. We are thankful to Mrs. Sonia Nelson and Mr. Braithwaite for leading this process (in addition, Ms. Nelson and Ms. Kelly McGlynn are steering this year’s complementary self-study for dual accreditation through the PA Association of Independent Schools and Middle States). In a spirit of true St. Joe’s Prep hospitality, we even arranged to send a hometown team to the Super Bowl to add excitement to the process. We invite our guests from the J-S-N to cheer for the E-A-G-L-E-S! When in Philly…
Peace, Grace, Go Birds!
ATC