Head of School's Message — Fall 2019

I always look forward to the start of the school year. The joyful energy and excitement invigorates me. Everything is new, everything is possible, and it is just so much fun to be with everyone again after our summer break. This year it was particularly wonderful to welcome everyone back to school as we marked the start of a very special celebration—the 100th birthday of our beloved Strub Hall.
 
I think for many of us, Strub Hall is more than just a beautiful and historic building. I remember the very first time I walked through the front door I felt a profound spiritual sense of peace and belonging. Strub Hall has been the place where countless Mayfield girls have forged life-long friendships. It has been the place where they have discovered their passions, where they have stretched themselves, where they have grown in confidence and found their voices. It is a place where they have celebrated successes and it has been a place where they have been comforted and supported through challenges. Strub Hall is more than just a building—it is home.
 
During the week before classes began this year, our faculty and staff took some time together to think about the deeper meaning of our Mayfield home. We reflected on how we can work to make sure that Strub Hall feels like home for all of our students in the context of our Holy Child Goal 5, which guides us to “create a learning climate based on trust and reverence for the dignity and uniqueness of each person.” As a community that places great value on diversity, we want our school to be even more inclusive, celebrating the unique gifts and perspectives that each of us brings. In meeting what Cornelia Connelly called the “wants of the age,” we strive to have our school be a place of unity, belonging, and love.
 
To further “meet the wants of the age,” we are also revising our community service programs—grounding them more intentionally in Catholic Social Justice teachings. We continue to expand our STEM programming, adding AP Chemistry and Anatomy and Physiology courses to our curriculum this year. In addition, by giving more time and attention to student leadership opportunities in campus ministry, athletics, the arts, and student government we are working to move our school forward—to help our students prepare themselves to become the faith-filled, wise, and dedicated leaders that our world needs so desperately.
 
So, it is with excitement and optimism that we begin this special year. We have planned some wonderful opportunities to celebrate our cherished Strub Hall—honoring its historical significance as one of Pasadena’s architectural gems and giving thanks for the blessing that we are able to learn and grow within the magnificent walls of our Mayfield home.
 
With Love and Gratitude,
Kate Morin
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Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.