Dear Parents and Guardians,

When I speak to student applicants and their parents and also teacher candidates about what it means that Ursuline is a Catholic school, I always start with what I believe is our primary call: to recognize that God created each girl; that she is good, she is loved, she is enough. Starting from here allows all of us to see first the person in front of us and then address whatever celebration or concern may follow.

One thing I know for certain, at Ursuline, we love our students. As you know, I often enjoy reflecting on our girls and the wonders we see in them. I had the pleasure of accompanying our seniors on their final retreat last week, and my heart is full from that and other sweet moments I have had the privilege to observe. 

All of us have seen the recent headlines talking about the current state of adolescent girls, primarily spurred by a recent report from the CDC. These reports heighten a focus on well-being for those of us who care deeply about our students. Unquestionably, parents of teen girls are seeking reassurance.

At Ursuline, we have built a deep, structured support system for our students. Every student has dedicated advocates on staff they can leverage for support when needed: their designated student counselor and college counselor, their advisor, the grade deans each year who specialize in their grade level, the newly appointed learning specialist, and our Director of Community & Inclusion. These are, of course, in addition to our loving and attentive teachers and coaches. These people actively care for your daughters daily.

If I could wave a magic wand, I would erase social media and the pain it causes; I would get universities to dial down the pressure and not ask our kids to declare a major while still in twelfth grade; I would change the culture that often devalues girls and sows doubt in their minds about their value. Unfortunately, I do not have that wand.

What we do have, however, is a community committed to our girls becoming their best and strongest selves. We have a parent community that partners with us in beautiful ways. We are a school steeped in our faith; our girls have God watching out for them. Finally, our best tool in our toolkit: we know that God created each girl in our care; she is good, she is loved, and she is enough.

You are all in my prayers every day!

Dr. Andrea Shurley
Principal

P.S. – Lisa Damour has a new book out! I am halfway through The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents and already finding it as helpful as her previous books.

I also invite you to explore the Parent Resource page on the Ursuline website. You’ll find references to a wide variety of information resources, from books and articles on student wellness to research on how girls learn.

Finally, high school students perform their best when they are surrounded by love and support. Learn more about Student Support Services at Ursuline.