Waldron Mercy Academy

Last updated
Waldron Mercy Academy
Address
Waldron Mercy Academy
513 Montgomery Ave

Merion Station
,
Montgomery County
,
Pennsylvania
19066

United States
Information
Type Private
MottoUnited in Mercy; Educated in Excellence; Empowered to Serve
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic
Established1923
PrincipalJacquelinë Coccia
Faculty47.6 FTEs
GradesK-8
GenderCoeducational
Enrollment412 [1]
Student to teacher ratio7.4:1
Campus typeSuburban
Athletics conferenceCAL (Catholic Athletic Conference)
CYO (Catholic Youth Organization)
MascotTiger
RivalGwynedd Mercy Academy
Tuition$17,850
Affiliation Sisters of Mercy
Website www.waldronmercy.org

Waldron Mercy Academy is a private K-8 Catholic elementary school sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and located in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in Merion, Pennsylvania. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and has twice won National Blue Ribbon School recognition (in 2001 and 2009) from the United States Department of Education.

Contents

History

Catherine McAuley, the Irish foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, and the women who joined her were the driving forces behind establishing learning institutions in the United States.

In 1861, Sister Mary Patricia Waldron, who was 26 at the time, and ten Sisters of Mercy landed in Philadelphia in order to serve the uneducated, poor, and the ailing in the city. Because many of the Sisters became ill themselves while aiding the sick in the city, Waldron bought an eight-acre retreat in Merion for their recovery. In 1885, the adjoining Morgan Estate was purchased. The 13-room stone house became St. Anne Convent, and the farmhouse held the Village School for the local farm children.

The Sisters of Mercy began Mater Misericordiae, an academy for young ladies and boys under 12 years of age, in 1885. In 1923, the male boarding students moved to a new school on the property—Waldron Academy for Boys. [2]

By 1946 the boarders had gone, and Waldron Academy was an all-boys school which was still taught by the Sisters of Mercy. Lay faculty and staff joined the ranks in the 1950s, and soon after Waldron had a preschool, as well as a co-educational Montessori program.

In September 1987 Waldron Academy for Boys and Merion Mercy Academy for Girls (lower school) merged and reopened as Waldron Mercy Academy, a Catholic co-educational school from pre-kindergarten to grade eight. Waldron Mercy Child Care, a year-round program for children ages three months to four years, was added to the school 15 years later.

The third floor attic, which used to keep the boarders' trunks, is now the Albert T. Perry Memorial Library, which has an art studio and a computer lab. The basement's "little gym" is now the Music Suite, and WMA's science lab prepares students for high school science classes.

Waldron Mercy Academy (49041229356).jpg

Margie Winters

In 2015, the Academy came under public scrutiny for firing of a teacher who is in a same-sex marriage because the school board of directors and the Sisters of Mercy decided that its Catholic identity would be in jeopardy. [3]

Margie Winters, the school's director of religious education, was dismissed from the Academy after a parent reported her directly to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for marrying her female partner in a civil marriage ceremony in 2007. Winters had informed school administrators when she was hired, and was told to not discuss the matter in school, which she says she abided by. A parent subsequently reported the fact that she had married directly to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. In response, the principal asked her to resign. Winters declined to do so, and the school decided not to renew her contract. [4] Many teachers and parents in the school community disagreed with the decision and voiced their support for the teacher, [5] with several expressing anger and concern. Principal Nell Stetser said that "many of us accept life choices that contradict current Church teachings, but to continue as a Catholic school, Waldron Mercy must comply with those teachings." But she called urgently for "an open and honest discussion about this and other divisive issues at the intersection of our society and our Church." The Huffington Post said that the Archbishop of Philadelphia Charles Chaput had ignored such a call. Instead, Chaput had praised the "character and common sense [of school administrators] at a moment when both seem to be uncommon." [6] [7] [8]

In September 2015 Winters was invited to a reception held at the White House with President Barack Obama to welcome Pope Francis on his visit to the U.S. [9]

Awards & Accreditations

In 2016, a team of three boys in fourth grade won the Toshiba ExploraVision competition's region 2 competition besting hundreds of teams and schools along the east coast. In 2015, a team of three third grade girls won the national competition besting all teams in the K-3 grade level. [10] Waldron has participated in the Toshiba ExploraVision competition for 12 years, winning multiple honors including national, regional, and honorable mentions for the last four years.

In 2001 and 2009, Waldron Mercy Academy was named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. [11] [12] This is the highest honor bestowed on a US school. [13] [14]

Waldron Mercy Academy is accredited by the Middle States Association with the Service Learning Program of Distinction. Of the 2700 schools within the MSA, Waldron Mercy was the first and remains the only school to be honored with a Program of Distinction for service and outreach.

Notable alumni

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia</span> Latin Catholic diocese of Philadelphia

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Philadelphia is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles J. Chaput</span> American prelate of the Catholic Church

Charles Joseph Chaput OFMCap is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the ninth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, serving from 2011 until 2020. He previously served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Denver in Colorado (1997–2011) and bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City in South Dakota (1988–1997). Chaput was the first archbishop of Philadelphia in 100 years who was not named a cardinal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assumption High School (Kentucky)</span> Private, all-girls school in Louisville, , Kentucky, United States

Assumption High School is a Catholic all-girls high school located in Louisville, Kentucky, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garland Independent School District</span> School district in Texas

Garland Independent School District (GISD) is a public school district with its headquarters in the Harris Hill Administration Building in Garland, Texas, United States. Garland ISD extends from the Dallas city limits, northeast to the county line and serves parts of the communities of Garland, Rowlett, and Sachse. Small portions of Dallas and Wylie are served by Garland ISD.

East Catholic High School is a private, college preparatory high school located in Manchester, Connecticut, United States, under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Hartford. The parochial school was founded in 1961 and is inspired by the charism of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. East Catholic is the only school in the Archdiocese of Hartford that has had the continued presence of its founding order throughout its history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount de Sales Academy (Georgia)</span> Private school in Macon, Georgia, United States

Mount de Sales Academy (MDS) is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school in Macon, Georgia. It was originally founded in 1876 by five Sisters of Mercy, an order of nuns, as a boarding school for girls. It is the oldest independent school in Middle Georgia and the first to racially integrate. The school is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah, operating on an independent basis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount St. Mary Academy</span> Catholic high school in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States

Mount Saint Mary Academy is a four-year private high school for girls, located in Watchung, in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen, the school operates financially independent of the Diocese.

Ancillae-Assumpta Academy is a private, Catholic, co-educational school for students in Pre-school through grade 8 in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, United States. It is sponsored by the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Ancillae's sports program competes in the Catholic Academy League (C.A.L).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosemont College</span> Catholic college in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, US

Rosemont College is a private Catholic university in Rosemont, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1921 as a women's college by the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus, the undergraduate program opened to male students beginning in fall 2009. The university is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Rosemont also offers a range of master's degrees through its school of graduate studies and school of professional studies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mother Cabrini High School</span> Parochial, all-female school in Manhattan, New York City

Mother Cabrini High School (MCHS) was a Catholic high school located at 701 Fort Washington Avenue between Fort Tryon Park and West 190th Street, with a facade on Cabrini Boulevard, in the Hudson Heights neighborhood of Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan, New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominican Academy</span> Private, all-female school in New York City

Dominican Academy is an American Catholic college preparatory school for girls located on the Upper East Side of the Manhattan borough of New York City. It was founded by the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs.

Mercy Academy, in full, The Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, is an all-girls Roman Catholic high school in Louisville, Kentucky that opened in 1885 and is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Catholic Preparatory High School</span> Private, coeducational school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

West Catholic Preparatory High School is a co-educational Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 45th and Chestnut Streets, the University City neighborhood of West Philadelphia.

Mercy McAuley High School is an all-girls Catholic high school in the College Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. Sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, it is one of five all-girls high schools in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, enrolling young women from all over the Cincinnati area and parts of Indiana. It is designated a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education. Mercy McAuley formed from the 2018 merger of Mother of Mercy High School and McAuley High School and is located at the former McAuley campus.

Mother of Mercy High School was an all-girls Catholic, private high school in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was one of almost 40 Sisters of Mercy secondary schools in the United States and also a Blue Ribbon School. It opened in 1915 and in 2018 merged with another Sisters of Mercy school, McAuley High School, due to lacking enrollment numbers at both schools. The merged school, Mercy McAuley High School, opened at what was the McAuley campus in fall 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merion Mercy Academy</span> Private school in Merion, , Pennsylvania, United States

Merion Mercy Academy is a female Catholic, college preparatory school, teaching grades 9 through 12, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy located in Merion, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia. It is an independent school located in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and was previously known as the "Mater Misericordiae Academy" prior to 1968.

Westminster Academy is a private Christian school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, serving students in grades PK2 through 12. It is an educational ministry of the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and is related denominationally to the Presbyterian Church in America. The main campus is located at 5601 North Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, with a "west campus" Athletic Complex located at 3701 NW 44th Street in Lauderdale Lakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercyhurst Preparatory School</span> Private, coeducational school in Erie, , Pennsylvania, United States

Mercyhurst Preparatory School, commonly called Mercyhurst Prep or MPS, is a Catholic, coeducational secondary school located in Erie, Pennsylvania. In the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, the school is located behind Mercyhurst University on East Grandview Boulevard. It is a member of the International Baccalaureate program.

Everest Collegiate High School and Academy is a private, Roman Catholic PK-12 college-preparatory school offering co-ed education for pre-school through grade 2, and gender-specific education for grades 3 to high school on a 90-acre (360,000 m2) campus, in Independence Township, Michigan, United States, near Clarkston. The high school opened to 9th grade students in 2008 and students can enroll in 3 year old pre-school through 12th grade for the 2017–2018 school year. It is located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit.

References

  1. ↑ "Search for Private Schools - School Detail for WALDRON MERCY ACADEMY".
  2. ↑ "Sisters of Mercy of the Americas". www.amchs.org. Archived from the original on 2016-09-24. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  3. ↑ "Firing of teacher in same-sex marriage roils Catholic school". Archived from the original on 2015-10-15. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  4. ↑ Desmond, Joan Frawley (July 21, 2015). "A Catholic Mother Reflects on Furor Over Philly Teacher in Same-Sex Marriage". Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Parents Outraged Over Firing of Lesbian Teacher at Waldron Mercy Academy". 8 July 2015. Archived from the original on 2018-05-16. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  6. ↑ "Gay Priest Fired From Chaplain Job Asks Pope To Meet LGBT Catholics In U.S". Huffington Post. July 20, 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-01-15. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  7. ↑ "Archives - Philly.com". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  8. ↑ "Flocknote". uno.flocknote.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-09. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  9. ↑ "Lesbian teacher fired by Catholic school invited to White House to help welcome Pope Francis". 22 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  10. ↑ "TOSHIBA AND NSTA ANNOUNCE 2015 NATIONAL WINNERS OF EXPLORAVISION COMPETITION | ExploraVision". www.exploravision.org. Archived from the original on 2016-09-24. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  11. ↑ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF) Archived 2009-03-26 at the Wayback Machine , accessed 5 December 2009.
  12. ↑ Graham, Kristen A. (2009-09-16). "5 area schools win U.S. Blue Ribbon honors". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved 2009-12-05.[ dead link ]
  13. ↑ CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department Archived 2007-08-19 at the Wayback Machine , Journal Inquirer , November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
  14. ↑ Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post. September 29, 2005. "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
  15. ↑ "HART, Philip Aloysius, (1912 - 1976)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Archived from the original on 2011-04-06. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
  16. ↑ "Hardy: We want all four". ESPN. April 22, 1999. Archived from the original on 2010-08-02. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
  17. ↑ The Catholic world report. Vol. 12. Ignatius Press. 2002. p. 46. Archived from the original on 2018-10-26. Retrieved 2009-12-05.
  18. ↑ "Life with Brian". American Journalism Review. August–September 2006. Archived from the original on June 13, 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2009.

40°00′29″N75°15′01″W / 40.00794°N 75.25018°W / 40.00794; -75.25018

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.