Principally Speaking
As we begin this milestone academic year in the history of Elizabeth Seton High School, we will have numerous opportunities to look back on that noble history and all that has been accomplished over this half century. At the same time, we are looking forward to advancing the spirit and mission of the school.
We have a new President, Sister Ellen Marie Hagar, a Seton alum herself, who is committed to building on the Seton legacy and keeping it in the forefront in academics and community service. One of those legacies is the sports and fine arts complex that Sister Virginia Ann Brooks worked so zealously to help us build. The new Brooks Center affords us the opportunity to greatly expand our athletic and music programs, both of which already rank near the top of Archdiocesan schools.
Seton’s Campus Ministry Program, which promotes the spiritual growth of the school community, has made important advances. Not only has it enriched the prayer life of the school, but, through our Service Learning Program, students can live out the school’s mission to reach out to the disadvantaged. Last year, our ever growing retreat program included an experience called “Urban Plunge,” in which faculty and students visited and helped at a number of area soup kitchens and homeless shelters.
We have also spent the past year upgrading the technology that supports the effective administration of the school. This includes the installation of new software designed to enhance our ability to handle registration, scheduling, course selection, grading, and a whole variety of other tasks on a more streamlined and seamless basis. We are also launching the new website, which will expand our ability to communicate with parents and families on matters important to them and their daughters.
We look forward to a continuation of the many ways that our students regularly make us proud. A near record number of Seton students took Advanced Placement exams in May. Seton students are representing us both locally and nationally through internships in programs at places like NASA and the National Institutes of Health, to name a few. Our graduating seniors consistently earn millions of dollars in college scholarships. Most importantly, visitors to our school are regularly struck by the welcoming atmosphere provided by our students, something that is indicative of the spirit that pervades Elizabeth Seton High School.
Finally, on the occasion of this significant anniversary, we have made it a priority to reach out and welcome back all of the alumnae who, in a whole range of different capacities, have gone on to live out the values they derived from their Seton education to make the world a better place. They have so much to offer our current students by way of experience and insight that it is incumbent upon us to create opportunities for sharing them with us.
We anticipate another exciting year at Seton, and we invite parents and families to be engaged in the life of the school and to feel free to communicate with faculty and staff on any matters that are important to the welfare and growth of our students.
Sincerely,
Sharon Pasterick
Principal
