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Achievements in Our Classrooms
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Lower School: Science Olympiad
"UA = AU Gold" is the motto for our Lower School Science Olympiad Te
am. O
n March 10th, e
ight of our 5th grade students competed in the Science Olympiad Competition. This annual event held at St. Mark's High School challenged students
to compete individually and in small groups in various science competitions. Topics such as
Sports Science
,
Electricity and Magnets
,
Measurement and Human Anatomy
are just some of the events the girls researched before the competition. With help from their team facilitator Mrs. McHugh, and parent volunteers, the girls met three times a week to practice for the Science Olympiad.
Congratulations to all the participants on the team this year, as they each earned a medal!
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Middle School: National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony
The Middle School recently inducted its 5th group of members into the Lumen Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. The current NJHS led the ceremony
with a review of the five qualities that serve as standards for the society: scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, and character. As models of these tenets, the NJHS inductees have completed over 340 hours of service within the community, play every sport Ursuline has to offer, and have participated in activities such as the fall musical, math league, band, chorus, and more. By pledging to uphold and maintain the high standards of membership set forth by the National Junior Honor Society and signing the official chapter registry, our latest inductees promise to continue modeling what it means to be an Ursuline girl both in our school and beyond.
Congratulations to the new members of the National Junior Honor Society!
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Upper School: National Honor Society Induction Ceremony
On March 6th, Ursuline Academy's Lumen Chapter of the National Honor Society welcomed 42 new members in its annual induction ceremony. Students were selected for membership based on academics, service, leadership, and character.
An honor such as this is a wonderful way for the school and community to recognize and celebrate the choices and even the sacrifices these young women have made.
They are selfless leaders who give service to others without worrying about what they will receive in return. We honor all of the inductees for what they have already given to the community and what they will continue to give.
Congratulations to these young women for their commitment to all of these important values!
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Faculty Highlight
Shefali Dhir: Montessori Program
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Walking into Shefali Dhir's Montessori classroom, you immediately feel a sense of peace and order. In the classroom, you see students solving patterns, using
money
to practice math skills, and working with shapes. One might imagine transitioning a room of 3, 4, and
5 year olds
to be chaotic, but this transition is magically efficient and quiet. You can see
students reminding each other where materials go, a student assisting another with putting on her shoes, and a duo of students clearing materials in a common
workspace
. These are the well-rehearsed routines that ensure that Mrs. Dhir's Montessori classroom operates efficiently.
Prior to joining the Ursuline community, Mrs. Dhir worked at the International Montessori School in Pike Creek. Her educational background includes studying business at the University of Delaware and earning a law degree from a university in India. Looking for a way to balance her family and her career, a friend recommended Montessori to Mrs. Dhir. From her first class on the Montessori philosophy, she found her home. Her classroom mantra of "Respect for Self, Respect for Others, Respect for our Environment" is directly aligned to the teachings of Maria Montessori and the positive energy that Mrs. Dhir brings to her classroom each day. She remarks that in her multi-age classroom she loves to "see the mutual respect that children have for each other and the way older children nurture, guide and support our younger children."
Maria Montessori observed that children have an innate love for learning and Mrs. Dhir works tirelessly to prepare an environment that fosters this love in each of her students.
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A Special UA Visitor
Elena Delle Donne Returns to UA
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On Friday, a very special alumna came to visit our Lower, Middle, and Upper School students. Elena Delle Donne, MVP of the WNBA, Olympian, and author, is a true inspiration to UA. She was so excited to spend the morning at her Alma Mater and have the opportunity to share her personal and professional experiences with our students. She told us all about her two new books and even offered our students a nice Question and Answer session! We learned about how she handled bullying as a child, what her favorite hobbies are aside from basketball, how she prepares herself for a big game, and so much more! Elena also signed books for her young fans here at the school.
We are grateful to Elena for visiting us and showing our students the importance of hard work!
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International Women's Day Luncheon
University and Whist Club
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On March 8th, 23 Upper School students attended the International Women's Day Luncheon honoring Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long at the University & Whist Club. Students were given private time with the Lt. Governor prior to the start of the luncheon where she candidly shared her experiences in politics as a female leader. A highly respected nurse and nurse educator, Dr. Hall-Long talked openly with our students about how she navigates a traditionally male-dominated environment. Carly Ann Palkon '19 asked the Lt. Governor how she marries her experience in the medical field with her focus on public policy. The Lt. Governor explained that she "reminds herself of the challenges that she experienced through her patients in the medical field as she is working with her team to help make critical policy decisions."
At the luncheon, students were matched with female leaders who hold positions in career fields of interest to them. Throughout the luncheon, our students engaged with the professionals, asking questions about their careers, college experiences, and skills that they look for in young professionals entering their field. As the event ended, our students collected business cards and personal invitations to reach out to build their professional network. It was a wonderful way for our young leaders to connect with those who have helped pave the way for their success in the world.
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2018 Distinguished Alumnae Hall of Fame
A Day of Celebration
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This afternoon, we inducted six wonderful women into our Distinguished Alumnae Hall of Fame in front of a packed house in the auditorium. Congratulations to Commissioner Mary McDonough '71, Megan Manlove McGlinchey '90, Valerie Biden Owens '63, CDR Kristie Robson '91, Robin Toner '72, and Jessie Woolley-Wilson '81. They each shared how Ursuline shaped
them into the women they are today and how they continue the tradition of excell
ence rooted in Serviam in all they do.
Jane Lyons '19, closed the ceremony with special remarks about how these inductees are role models to our students today. She shared that they all live the spirit of St. Angela Merici in the work they do.
We were also honored to have a surprise special guest, Vice President Joe Biden, who spoke with our student amb
assadors, inductees and guests after the ceremony! He even posed for many selfies. Stay tuned for more pictures and video of the event.
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Alumnae Event
Making Blankets for Foster Children
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On February 24th, alumnae, staff, and students gathered for an annual Alumnae Association Serviam project, making no-sew fleece blankets for children in Delaware foster care. Partnering with the non-profit organization, Fleece for Keeps, they learned that many foster children don't have things that feel permanent to them. A warm, handmade blanket that a foster child can have provides a feeling of ownership, no matter where they go. The hard work provided by the Ursuline community resulted in 25 blankets in two hours! Thank you to all of our volunteers.
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March Madness
Annual Fund Drive for Parents
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Volunteers started gathering for March Madness Phone-a-Thons to ask many of you for your support in Ursuline's 2017-2018 Annual Fund. We will still be making calls over the next few weeks. Please pick up the phone and talk with our volunteers about the importance of the Annual Fund and your participation. We look forward to talking with you! If you have already made a contribution to the Annual Fund,
THANK YOU! You will not receive a phone call if your gift has already been made.
Gifts to the Annual Fund can be made by clicking here.
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Summer at Ursuline
New Summer Programs for Boys and Girls
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Summer is right around the corner, and it's time to start planning on how your little ones will spend their time during the warm months. We're excited to introduce the new summer enrichment programs at Ursuline this year!
For ages 3 to rising 1st grade, Summer Skippers gives kids a place where they can feel like true captains! With a variety of fun weekly themes, kids can venture on land, in the water, and in the air in search of animals, great and small.
The newest extension of our summer programs is Lavner Camps, aimed to inspire campers to shoot for the stars by providing the most innovative and cutting-edge summer camps in technology and the arts. Boys and girls ages 6-15 have the opportunity to experience culinary arts, video game design, spy tech, fashion design, theater, computer programming, and so much more! With a focus on experiential, hands-on learning and developing real-world skills, campers can gain expertise, build self-confidence, and have lots of fun!
Summer will be here before you know it, and camps will fill up fast! You don't want your kids to miss out on the summer of a lifetime. Click
here to learn more about Summer at Ursuline and to register.
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529 Plan
New Tax Code for Families
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Did you know that the recent change in tax code includes a perk for families who pay for private K-12 tuition? Effective January 1, 2018, for the purposes of 529 savings plans, the definition of "qualified higher education expense" has been expanded to include tuition at elementary or secondary schools - which means you can now take federal tax-free withdrawals (up to $10,000) to pay for K-12 tuition. For more information on this change, please click
here
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