Head of School's Message, Easter 2014

The advent of spring and the celebration of Easter bring a special joy to the Mayfield Senior School campus. Our school is especially beautiful at this time of year, with roses blooming in front of the pergola and the message of hope and renewal clearly evident in our school traditions and activities. Community and collaboration create an environment of joyful celebration in all that we do.

 

It was a time for joy and celebration at our annual benefit in March at the California Club. I want to extend a special thank you to Brigid Fitzpatrick Brahos ’82, this year’s Benefit Chair who captured the Mayfield spirit through the theme of Love, Loyalty and Friendship. The evening was a tribute to our Mayfield community and the importance we place on strong relationships with the school across the generations. The generosity of our attendees that evening, as well as those who supported us through the online auction and other donations, not only met our Benefit goals, but also made the purchase of beautiful furnishings for the renovation of the first floor of the Hayden Building a reality.

 

Our joy is further magnified now that the Hayden renovation is in full swing with a completion date in early August. This transformation of the first floor of the Hayden Building is the final phase of our Faith in Our Future capital campaign and will provide comfortable social and dining space for students in the new Student Commons as well as a utility kitchen for student use, conference room and multi-purpose room. Along with these new interior spaces we will also enjoy new landscaping and gardens around Hayden and Pike Auditorium that will provide students with outdoor spaces for study and relaxation.

 

Coinciding with this transformation of our campus to an integrated 21st century learning environment, we are excited to announce that beginning this fall, all of our classes will be iPad-integrated. In May, we will provide faculty with iPads and Lisa Brunolli, Assistant Head for Academics, will launch a comprehensive professional development program that will focus on ongoing training and support in instructional pedagogy. This fall, all students will bring an iPad to school to augment their work in the classroom and to access their digital textbooks. This technology will not replace the student-teacher connection which is a hallmark of the Mayfield education. Combined with a new rotating block schedule, this innovation will lead to more concentrated academic engagement in our personalized environment. In keeping with Cornelia Connelly's vision, we are working to “meet the wants of the age” in our 21st century learning environment.

 

The collaboration of the arts also has been a special highlight this year. The spring season was launched with the school production of Evita. This production involved all of our Conservatory for the Arts programs. Instrumental students formed the pit band while our actors, dancers, singers and artists created the illusion of Argentina in the time of Eva Perón. This production was truly a celebration of the myriad of talents of our Mayfield students and the teamwork of our dedicated faculty. Along with A Midsummer Night's Dream in the fall, the upcoming production of Animal Farm, the spring dance concert last weekend, music and vocal concerts, art exhibits and poetry readings, the arts at Mayfield continue to be an opportunity for us to celebrate the gifts of our community.

 

Our students also enjoyed the pleasure of bringing their talents abroad during spring break in an arts immersion trip to Italy where they sang in Assisi and St. Peter's Basilica, met a local artist, participated in a dance workshop with Italian students and visited with students at a school in Rome. This trip was a once-in-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in worldwide cultural immersion and our wider Catholic community.

 

Spring is also a time when we find ourselves in the midst of many special traditions. Ring Night, one of the most meaningful, took place on Thursday, April 3. This occasion marks a rite of passage for our Junior class as they accept leadership of the school. On the Wednesday, April 23, we will celebrate our wider community by welcoming Grandparents and Special Friends to campus. We will continue to celebrate the talents of our student artists throughout the spring. I hope you will join us for the Creative Writing Reading and Visual Arts Exhibit opening on Thursday, April 24 and our annual Music in May concert on Thursday, May 22, which coincides with the opening of the Photography Conservatory exhibit. Cornelia Connelly envisioned that all Holy Child Schools would celebrate the arts and we are so proud of our students who carry on this tradition with excellence.

 

Along with the arts, we continue to enjoy a vibrant and competitive athletic program. As student athletes dedicated to building a community of teammates that work in collaboration, our teams distinguish themselves not only for their excellent play but also for the strong character and integrity of our players. Having been honored this year by CIF as a School of Character and for the leadership of our Athletic Director, Lynda Gilbert, there is a great deal to celebrate in our athletic program.

 

The spring also brings a very special cause for celebration as we prepare to welcome the largest freshman class in the school's history. With the completion of the new classroom and library wing along with the Hayden project, we have beautiful and functional new spaces for study, research and relaxation. Within these welcoming spaces we offer a community environment where students thrive celebrating not only their accomplishments but those of their peers.

 

May the hope and joy of this Easter enrich you and your family this spring and throughout the year.

 

Yours in Christ,