It’s the season of gratitude, but growing up, my family counted and celebrated our blessings every day. My mother, who was a second grade teacher, made sure my younger sister and I took nothing for granted and took notice of how good we had it. I grew up in such a loving family with so many privileges that it was easy for me to be grateful and joyful.

My mother’s daily joy was infectious. She loved to sing and dance and made up songs each morning as we were getting ready for school. Whether her songs were about the good food we had to eat or that her favorite song was playing on the radio, the message was the same: be happy to be alive.

My extended family embraces my mom’s joyous gratitude and loves to find any reason to  celebrate. They taught me to  look for  joy in each situation. It’s the foundation of groundedness in the people and places I encounter every day. 

Last spring, when I had my finalist interview for the position of Maryvale President, I was excited, a little nervous, thankful, and ready to experience joy. What I was not ready for was what met me when I pulled into the parking lot and walked to the Castle

Students lined up outside the Castle in a double line like Soul Train. Music was blasting. There were pom poms and signs. Girls were waving and cheering for me. I was blown away by the spirit of joy, by their enthusiasm for the finalists. Each candidate had a similar reception, and I am pretty sure it was the first time any of us had ever experienced this at a job interview.

I immediately felt at home. I connected instantly with Maryvale’s spirit that joy is in the ordinary. It's up to us to make the choice to be  joyful, to celebrate, to be grateful. The opportunities are always there If we pause and let ourselves do that. 

Even though it was just me coming in for an interview, I thought then, what a good reason for the girls to celebrate, to celebrate their school, to let the future president, whomever it may be at that point, know that [the students] love their school this much. They clearly cared about who was coming next and wanted each candidate to see that Maryvale mattered to them and to see how the students function as a community.

That day,I understood that joy is a big part of Maryvale. And it’s something I get to celebrate – and be deeply, genuinely grateful for – every day since. During our Meet Maryvale admissions events, the students give the same exuberant greeting to our guests as soon as they turn off Falls Road. Our girls cheer with balloons and pom poms, holding signs emblazoned with different words that express their love for their school: Learn; Lead; Service; Succeed; Equity; Collaboration; Diversity.  

My upbringing’s  acute awareness of everything that I have, tangible and intangible, has given me a heightened awareness of my position in the world and of my responsibilities and blessings, which fuel my desire to give back. I live in gratitude and walk in gratitude, and that’s a joyful state to be in. When I come across people in places that also aren't shy about expressing that gratitude and joy, it really excites me, and I feel a connection. And that's what I felt with Maryvale immediately.

I see joy and gratitude every day at school, when I talk with students, watch them in class, see one of our incredible faculty clearly inspired by a lesson, and witness the care with which our grounds crew tends to our beautiful campus.

Earlier this fall, I walked around the Upper School club fair, watching the girls promote their clubs. They were enthusiastic, determined, clearly competent, eloquent, and extremely impressive. That was definitely a moment when I felt very grateful about my opportunity to lead a girls’ school where all types of girls, of all backgrounds, different shapes and sizes and ability levels, are not afraid to lead. At the club fair, they were very confident and comfortable with their passions.  

The moment also  underscored the gratitude I feel as a woman who is continuing to develop and grow on a journey that  never ends. It is my hope – my joy – that Maryvale students can look to me as a model, seeing not just the good things but maybe even my struggles and mistakes. We need our girls to be able to learn from challenges and understand that  experiencing life’s whole process has value and purpose.

As I think about my goals for my first year and beyond, I want to help girls better understand how important their health and wellness are. I know how a daily habit of gratitude and joy is essential to  our self-care and mental health and to our connections with others. My family taught me that being thankful is a muscle that we can and should work every day in big and small ways. And I am ever so grateful that I get to be part of the joy that is Maryvale.

Happy Thanksgiving!

People have been telling me about Candy Cane Social since my first day on campus. “You’ll love it!” they said. “Wear earplugs and take Advil,” a few others advised.

When Friday, December 15, the date of this year’s Candy Cane Social, rolled around, my anticipation was as palpable as the students’. I’d been waiting for months to experience this Maryvale holiday tradition.

For the first part of the morning, Middle School students watched Frozen 2, the sing-a-long version, together and had holiday snacks. The Upper School was in advisory groups, making ornaments and writing thank you notes to each other for friendship, kindness, and support. There was a lot of karaoke and dancing, which was a preview of our community time together later that morning. We also welcomed home our young alumnae with a special breakfast. 

While I had hoped to spend the entire morning enjoying the activities, duty called. I met with the outside chair of Maryvale’s upcoming AIMS accreditation process in fall 2024. During our meeting, we overheard the joy. We heard the girls singing Christmas carols and hitting the high notes with Mariah Carey. It was wonderful (and a great way to introduce the accreditation chair to the Maryvale spirit.)

After my meeting, I stopped by the Young Alumnae Breakfast to greet graduates from the past five years. These women were so excited to return to campus and see friends and faculty members. Just when I thought the joy of Candy Cane Social could not be any stronger, it was time for the community program in the theater.

Jessica Randisi, Head of Student Life and Community Engagement/Dean of Students, collaborated across our school to create a memorable program. We opened with a lovely prayer and skit about Jesus’ birth led by the 1804 students, our campus ministry student leadership team. Our choir, directed by Lisa Pantano, Music Director, performed several songs including in Spanish and Italian. A few Upper School students and Mark Riding, Director of Student Life, performed “Elves Orientation,” a hilarious skit written by Deirdre McAllister, Performing Arts Department Chair. The audience members were the actors or elves being trained on how to be appropriate elves for Christmas, support Santa, and be good elves to one another.

Lupe Bobadilla, our Inclusion and Belonging Director, shared a video about different holiday traditions around the world. He ended it with the words, “The world needs all of you. Every one of you.”

Then came the sound of a 500-seat theater filled with students, alumnae, and faculty singing pop holiday songs at the top of their lungs, dancing in the aisles, holding hands with friends, hugging, and throwing Santa hats in the air. 

It was an amazing way to celebrate the holidays and kick off our Christmas break. But as I sang and watched the girls clearly loving every single second and every note, I knew it was far more. Candy Cane Social celebrates the relationships that have been built in the fall. I could clearly see (and hear) that our new students really felt a part of things. For us newbies, the morning marked the end of the beginning and a joyous recognition that we are truly one Maryvale. 

My remarks in the theater that morning were inspired by the Feast wishes that the 6^th graders left in my office earlier in the week. Each student wrote a wish on a strip of paper like “Connect with loved ones that you may have lost along the way,” or “Enjoy Christmas with your family,” and “Never lose your faith.” Each wish included the Bible verse, “For nothing will be impossible for God,” Luke 1:37.

At Candy Cane Social, I shared some of these wishes and my Feast wish for our school. I wish for the whole Maryvale community to be a force for good in our world. I wish for our students to be unrelenting in their quest, to be kind and empathetic and peaceful, and to stand strong on the face of anything that is trying to move them away from the joy and peace that has been promised to them.

As I looked around the theater, the comments from my first week in July came flooding back. Candy Cane Social was very much an incredible (and incredibly loud) experience – and I loved every second.

It was a morning to be joyful, to have fun, to laugh, but it was also a moment to be reflective and grateful for all of God’s goodness.   

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Continue to spread the Maryvale joy!

ER + GM = BB

This is the equation I developed about 12 years ago as an approach to inclusion and belonging work. This is the first time I’m sharing it publicly. Before now, it has been just for me. 

It means: Empathy Reflex + Growth Mindset = Bridge Builder

Inclusion and belonging work requires an automatic, reflexive response. Our approach should be an attitude of ‘I want to understand, tell me more.’ Using the ER – Empathy Reflex –  in the equation, it is being curious about another person's life and experiences. It’s putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. It’s leaning into our common humanity: birth, death, and everything in between. 

We are one body – God’s church. I pray we can all use our ER particularly when we notice negative thoughts and emotions toward our fellow humans. This is what God has called us to do. My personal and professional experience, validated by research, has shown that girls and women have a great capacity for empathy. Every day, I see Maryvale students embracing their ER. 

GM – Growth Mindset – means acknowledging that you have things to learn, that listening and seeking to understand is the most humane thing we can do for one another. It means letting go of being right, and instead, centering love and community even when times are hard. 

We need to help girls flex their GM, to learn to be comfortable not being right. Often girls are reluctant to voice ideas unless they are sure that they are correct. GM, though, can’t happen without mistakes. Listening, learning from mistakes, and finding common ground connect people and ideas. That’s when we get to the best part of the equation: BB, being a Bridge Builder.

On Monday, we paused to remember and celebrate one of our nation’s and history’s champions of building bridges – the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. When I reflect on his legacy and take an honest assessment of where we are today, as a society, with inclusion and belonging, I can’t help but think that Dr. King might be disappointed in adults today, me included, by the example we’re giving young people. 

Today’s rhetoric often has adults saying one thing to young people and doing something else. As adults we shouldn't be just learning, but unlearning things that we've done and modeled that haven't worked. Young people really need us right now to step up in this moment and be better and different, quite frankly, in 2024.

At Maryvale, we have been blessed with a beautiful foundation upon which we can build. We are a Catholic school founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, and this will be an essential component of our success as we use our Empathy Reflex, push toward a Growth Mindset, and Build Bridges.

Our faith shows us that we are not afraid to talk about love, joy, community, connectedness, and togetherness. It’s central and core to who we are. But to succeed, it’s going to take on the part of adults, some unlearning, moments of being uncomfortable, and some cultural humility. We need to make room for all. It's basic kindness, the Maryvale Way of Respect, Dignity, and Inclusivity.

Yes, it’s a charged time and a charged topic, but there is always hope– just ask Damar Hamlin. On January 2, 2023, Damar Hamlin’s heart stopped during a nationally televised football game. Twenty-one million people of all different backgrounds stopped and prayed for that young man’s life. Our humanity, as a country, was on full display. That is who we really are. Don’t be distracted by those trying to tell you otherwise. 

Before Damar Hamlin had a cardiac arrest on national television, he started a GoFundMe page to purchase toys for the children in the neighborhood where he grew up. The fund grew from $4,000 to $6 million in a matter of months. That is who we really are. 

We can do better. We can love across differences. We can be empathetic. We can grow. And we can build bridges. 

At Maryvale, we are answering a greater call. As we are reminded in Romans 15:5-7, May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Damar Hamlin’s story is one among many examples of our collective humanity. When we intentionally turn our focus toward all that is good, we are flooded with optimism and joy. It does take a concerted effort, but I can promise you that it will be worth it– for you and for future generations. 

We are here to love one another, to find how ER + GM = BB resonates within us, so that we can build the bridges Dr. King dreamed of – bridges that we will engineer together.

My first job in education coincided with the leadership development movement touting soft skills or emotional intelligence (EQ). Today, problem-solving, ethical decision-making, collaborating, and team building – the softer skills – are widely recognized as essential to leading in the 21st century. 

First, a little EQ history: The Army actually coined the phrase “soft skills” in the late 1960s to mean any skill that did not require machinery. Their definition included inspecting troops, supervising people, preparing reports, etc. Over the next few decades, the need for computer scientists and engineers to be as skilled in what we now include as soft skills as they were in software and hardware development created “professional practice” skills in computer science curricula. The idea took hold across all fields and was all the buzz at the first teaching conferences I attended.  

I believe that the most important soft skill a leader can have is to know how to nurture community and care for people. As a school leader, this makes good business sense. When you nurture people and motivate them to be excellent, you get the best work out of them. Any leader at any level can’t do that if they are not paying attention to others’ needs as humans. People need to feel heard and valued.  

I first learned I could influence a group in Mrs. Alfred’s first grade classroom at Campfield Elementary School in Gwynn Oak, Maryland. Each morning, Mrs. Alfred would ask the class who was buying lunch and who brought lunch. One day, the cafeteria option was pizza or hamburgers. I felt compelled to convince every kid that they should get pizza. I have no idea why, but I remember mouthing “pizza” to classmates, nudging them, or making eye contact with my friends as Mrs. Aflred went through her routine.

Most chose pizza. I was feeling very pleased for making a decision for the group and getting everybody on board – until Mrs. Alfred called me out into the hall. She said that she knew I was trying to get everybody together, but that I needed to let people make their own decisions and, sometimes, even let them lead. 

I learned three key lessons that day. First, I had the ability to bring a group together around a common goal. Second, I don't always have to be the loudest voice. And I learned how to take direction, how to follow, to let others share their voice, all critical skills in building community.  

At Seton Keough High School, I became a connector for people. I encouraged my friends to take risks. I would go with them to play tryouts or debate club practice, wherever they needed support. In class or a group conversation, if one person wasn’t contributing, I would encourage them to share their opinion.

Fostering community is a critical leadership skill at Maryvale. Our faculty and staff know that if you don’t create a safe environment for girls to learn and engage, they won’t. I make sure our adult interactions at Maryvale foster the same values.

At Maryvale, we teach girls to lead in formal and informal ways. Our Mitchell Leadership Institute, now in its 10th year, offers classes, workshops, and internships. Clubs and sports teams provide critical lessons in leadership. The most consequential opportunities to lead at our school are also the most inspiring to me and embrace the critical EQ skill of creating community: the spirit our students have for Maryvale and each other. 

The blessing of geography helps to inspire this. The Middle School and Upper School share the same buildings. I see our older girls saying hello to the younger students and asking if they need help and how their day is going. They attend Middle School athletic events and theater programs. Younger girls connect with their older role models countless times each day and support Upper School events. This creates community engagement – another educational buzzword – but what it really does is nurture the Maryvale sisterhood. 

These are traits our students have grown up with since we attract families who also believe in community. It also speaks to our mission, Catholic background, Catholic social teaching, and to the hallmarks of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. 

It speaks to our future as a school and as a society as well. When I see the girls being kind and nurturing, I feel very hopeful about science, economics, and finance. Our girls excel in those areas because they're being delivered a world-class curriculum. They will continue to excel in those areas as they ascend to different leadership positions because they have honed their EQ at Maryvale.

There are a slew of management books right now on the idea of connectivity, how big and small groups like friends or spouses can still feel lonely. At Maryvale, we think about how we make people feel seen and less lonely in a busy, crowded world. That's a real concern of mine for adults and kids. Every little bit of kindness that we think is inconsequential is, in fact, consequential.

This month, there are already numerous examples of our students taking the initiative, flexing their EQ skills, and connecting our community. Our Founder’s Day liturgy on February 2 began with students sharing information about St. Julie Billiart and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and how they helped others in 1804. For Black History Month and Lunar New Year, our Black Student Union and Asian Student Association created different activities that highlighted their cultural heritage from red lanterns and dragons for the Year of the Dragon to the BSU leading an assembly discussing Stations of the Cross and relating each station back to justice.

During the second week of February, with the wonderfully symbolic coincidence of Valentine’s Day falling on the first day of Lent, we focused on God’s love incorporated into both important days. We create the places for our students’ passions to find root and connect others to their passions. At the heart of each of these programs and initiatives is the respect for each person’s value and what they bring to our Maryvale community.

In my first job, I had the gift of a master teacher in blending the so-called “softer” skills with the technical. I was a 22-year-old teacher getting financial advice from the school’s chief financial officer, a man in the male-dominated world of finance. I got great advice on what to do with my teacher’s salary. And he did it in a way that was equally supportive and affirming. I had big dreams and goals of what I wanted to do, and he educated me in a way that made me feel validated and knowledgeable. 

One of the most important things I can do as President is model this for our students. But I learned very early on that, at Maryvale, our students are masters of this EQ skill. They jump at the chance to support one another, to connect. This drives engagement and accountability, skills they also need to lead.

March is Women's History Month. This is a time to celebrate the achievements of women and champion female leaders. Naturally, this is something we do every day at Maryvale as an all-girls' school. 

Our students are building upon the legacy of women who have been groundbreakers—revolutionaries, really—in the history of Maryvale’s founders, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. St. Julie Billiart founded the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1804. Her mission was simple: educate the poor. It was deeply unpopular.

In France, at that time, there was no way for children in poverty to be educated. Many were orphaned in the streets. And the aristocracy didn’t want them educated. St. Julie, who was paralyzed—another outcast in French society—was a deeply spiritual person who people followed almost blindly. She was good to her core. At times, her followers had to hide her from the authorities because of her work educating poor children and protecting fugitive priests.

Today, the founding mission of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur is widely embraced and lauded, but St. Julie took risks every day to do the work God called her to do. She lived her life doing what was right for the people who needed it the most.  

This past summer, I attended the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur School Leaders Conference in San Francisco. The Sisters I met continue to lead with St. Julie’s forward-thinking, progressive ideas about faith and service.

Be exactly who you are. St. Julie’s followers enabled her to be exactly who she was. Because of that, she created a movement that continues to change the world.

As women, we lead complex, complicated lives every month, not just in March. Our students, daughters, nieces, and friends’ daughters see us moving through challenging days when sometimes it’s hard to be our authentic selves. 

Maryvale is a safe place for girls to take risks, discover who they are, and learn how important it is to support other women. Because we are a single-sex school, girls naturally fill every role: team captains, class officers, club leaders, etc. Their classmates eagerly support them and follow them. We hope they carry that forward and continue to uplift women in other spaces.

I’m so excited, as a woman, to lead a girls’ school. The students and I share a connection simply because of the identity we share. Patty Brown ’78, Chair of our Board of Trustees, has offered me unwavering support since the beginning of my tenure as President last July. She’s gone out of her way to introduce me to other female leaders in the Baltimore business community, which is benefitting me and Maryvale tremendously.

This past week, Patty and P.J. Mitchell ’65—the first woman and alumna to serve as board chair and founder of The Patricia J. Mitchell ’65 Leadership Institute at Maryvale—hosted a wonderful event at the Center Club with women (and several men) from across the region who wanted to meet me. They were caring and warm and let me know that they are part of my network. It meant a lot to me for Patty and PJ to recognize that being a woman is an important part of my identity and to make sure I had access to other women leaders in Baltimore.

Sharing the experience of being a woman is a unique bond. There are things in history that connect us from the suffrage movement to the stereotypes we’ve had to overcome. I listened to my grandmothers talk about the options they had after high school—teacher or nurse—and marvel at the choices in front of my daughter and our students. We’re still fighting in a lot of areas, particularly in the workplace with gender pay disparities. But I want every Maryvale student to feel a responsibility, a duty to be a part of the solution.

Every day I see the palpable spirit of St. Julie and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. The girls’ leadership skills are front and center. Leadership is baked into a Maryvale education. Every Middle School student has a required leadership course, as do our 9th and 10th grade students, through the ten-year-old Mitchell Leadership Institute. Students may take leadership electives in 11th and 12th grade, and many do. The central tenet in every leadership experience here is that leading and supporting community are one in the same.

I find it fitting that Women’s History Month is also Lenten season. Ever since I was a girl, I have loved that women play such a central part in the Easter story. It was the women who refused to leave Christ while he was on the cross—supporting and caring for him, never faltering, even when the disciples had scattered. They were the first at the tomb to minister to Him and the first to witness the resurrection.

Our students, too, support each other’s every challenge and celebration. They allow classmates to be exactly who they are so that they may lean into their own history, knowing that women have their backs. When you have that atmosphere, you are given license to be revolutionary.

Wishing your family a joyous Easter season! 

I also had the opportunity to learn from one of the kindest, funniest, smartest, Irishman to ever live: Mr. Thek. He had a magical way of leveling the playing field in his classroom By assigning seats,  which the other 8th grade teachers didn’t do, Mr. Thek broke up the social, gender, and cultural dynamics. Looking back, it was a great tactic. 

Mr. Thek made it clear from the beginning that he had very high expectations of us as students and as a community. We were expected to participate and support each other. 

He began each class with a five-minute mini lesson on the topic of the day. We practiced problems as a group. If you made a mistake, it wasn't a big deal. It was fast paced, almost like an athletic team practice. You knew you were going to get called on, which motivated you to be prepared.

Everybody felt, I think, a bit lifted even if they weren't the star, because everybody really had a chance to shine at some point. Even when I didn't feel as confident with an answer, I felt supported by my classmates and Mr. Thek, and I was willing to take risks. 

Until his class, the only similar experience had been in early elementary school. I have learned over the years that a lot of what happens in elementary school classrooms is really effective in high school classrooms. Elementary school teachers give great attention to social emotional learning, classroom dynamics, and relationships because they’re trying to teach kids how to be friends.

We need to do this throughout all levels of education. Older children and teenagers still need to be taught how to get along. Mr. Thek’s classroom, with assigned seats and everybody's voice being heard, really boosted my confidence. He helped me appreciate math by making it accessible to me. 

By focusing on more than the content, he taught me a great deal about community and leading. While it is important to focus on the work that needs to be done, it’s also important to acknowledge who's in the room and how to make them feel included. Mr. Thek emphasized that, as a class, it was our responsibility to help each other. 

Yokota High School (grades 7-12) was the most diverse setting I have ever experienced in terms of culture, race, and ethnicity. Mr. Thek connected us all, which made me hopeful about what we can accomplish as a society. Being better as a community takes intentionality. It doesn't happen organically. It needs a plan and a structure. 

I see Mr. Thek’s brilliant tactics at Maryvale. Like Mr. Thek, our teachers are subject-matter experts. They care deeply and have a great deal of intentionality around community building in classrooms.

As administrators, we try to set a tone for the whole school, but we're not in the actual classroom. That is really where the magic happens. When I walk by a classroom, the energy and joy are palpable. I know our teachers and staff care just as much about each student's personal development as they do about content. That’s the mindset needed to actually reach students and have them achieve. Students need to know that they're cared about as a person.

There's a body of research that confirms that students cannot learn until they feel safe and comfortable in the classroom environment. Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond is one of my favorite books. Through a detailed explanation of brain science, Hammond describes how when we feel emotionally unsafe or fearful, we literally cannot grasp new information.

At Maryvale, creating a safe, welcoming community is core to our faith-based mission. We hold our entire community to very specific standards around how to be a good human. Beyond our mission statement, it’s clearly stated in the hallmarks of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. 

We have teachers of different faiths and backgrounds teaching our students, but everyone is committed to Catholic social teachings and the Maryvale mission. We’re invested in creating a classroom and community where students and adults can shine individually and collectively.

In 2008, I reached out to Mr. Thek on Facebook, letting him know that I was an educator and that he inspired me in really profound ways. Teachers truly change lives, every day, all day. Their Influence never ends.

Thank you, Mr. Thek. Your example made me a better person and set the bar for all teachers. And thank you, Maryvale faculty, for exceeding that bar.

Please join me in showing appreciation for our teachers and staff.

This year has been an exciting year of “firsts” for me. As Maryvale’s new President, every tradition, event, and day was the first time I experienced what it means to lead Maryvale in my dream job. Most importantly, each first further defined for me what it means to be part of this incredible community.

Friday, May 31st was Maryvale’s 74th Commencement: my first but our seniors’ last Maryvale experience as students. It was a perfect spring morning and a beautiful culmination for the 92 graduates and their proud families, friends, teachers, and staff. 

My entire career has been spent in K-12 independent schools, and I have attended many graduations, but last week, I witnessed what is now my favorite tradition. As the ceremony began, each senior was given a rose. Midway through the proceedings, the members of the Class of 2024 were asked to give that rose to someone who helped them on their journey.

There were hugs, tears, and selfies while the seniors spread joy and gratitude across the Mary’s Circle. It was a very special moment that reflects a special class–not because this class is my first graduating class (though I cherish this), but because they have cheered each other on all year. We all felt their love for each other at graduation.

I want to brag for a moment about this incredible class. They are the best of what happens at Maryvale. From leading community homeroom and screaming at Candy Cane Social, from winning Gym Meet for the second year in a row to incredible capstone presentations, the Class of 2024’s brilliance, kindness, humor, and deep connections with each other and across our community are a shining example of the hopes expressed in our school’s mission and the Maryvale Way. 

To prepare my first Maryvale Commencement remarks, I relied on something I have been doing all year and for the past decade: I asked my fifteen-year-old twins, Gavin and Reese, for advice.

Throughout May, I peppered them with questions. What should I talk about? What do seniors want to hear? What’s happening in the world that is worth mentioning?

We ended up talking about a tradition I first started on their first day of Kindergarten. That was quite a memorable morning. I was frantically trying to think of all the brilliant words a mother might say to two five-year-olds headed off to letters and numbers, crayons, and new friends. I remember focusing on one thing: I want my children to look for goodness and joy in every person and situation. 

When we walked toward the bus, I said the words, “Walk in the light.” Those were the last words I said to Gavin and Reese before they hopped on the bus and were on their way to school. 

As the bus pulled away, I recall thinking that I hoped that was enough. “Walk in the light” has become our family’s “Have a nice day,” our mantra. We say it every morning before school.  

I want to share with you the exact words I spoke to the Class of 2024 at graduation and the charge I gave them as they navigate their new path. Below are excerpts from my graduation remarks: 

Today, I offer you those simple words–Walk in the light–and I hope to articulate even a fraction of the love, joy, and appreciation I have for you.

You have been the finest example of scholarship, leadership, faith, inclusion, and service. I stand before you as a student of life, and I am feeling very much like I felt on Gavin and Reese’s first day of Kindergarten- a little nervous, very excited, and open to whatever is on the horizon. 

My guess is that you may be feeling some of the same emotions. The truth is, we humans are all very much alike. Living and learning every day. Trying to make sense of it all. Questioning, wondering, and hoping for the best. 

Walk in the light, Class of 2024. Your parents, siblings, grandparents, extended family, Maryvale family, and many others have guided you and prepared you for this moment, but now only you can decide how you will carry that forward. 

I hope you choose to live your life in a way that honors your faith, your family and friends, and your Maryvale community. Most importantly, I hope you choose to live in a way that honors who you are. It’s your walk. For me and all those who love you, it is a privilege to witness your journey, but it is your journey. 

Let’s promise to always be students of life. Let’s promise to learn from what life brings our way. Let’s surrender to what life is trying to teach us. Sometimes life is trying to teach us about conflict, perseverance, and our own strength. At other times, life is trying to teach us to dance, sing, and laugh. 

Promise me you won’t overlook the goodness and the joy. We know hard things will come, but when life is sweet, savor it. In the words of one of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver, “Joy is not meant to be a crumb”...

This past year, I have relied heavily on my core values: love, joy, excellence, integrity, and inclusion. When I am seeking clarity and calm, I lean on my core values. When I need to be brave, I lean on my core values. I ask that you identify four or five words that resonate with who you are and can guide you as you navigate life’s many circumstances… 

Consider what values are core to your being. The words will come and they will become pillars for your life. I strive to “Walk in the light” of love, joy, excellence, integrity, and inclusion every day. These values illuminate my path. Let your core values guide your decision-making. 

Whisper a positive affirmation to yourself to start your day, or better yet, text it to a friend or a family member. Pursue joy as you would pursue anything else that is essential to your well-being like eating a balanced meal or moving your body... 

Give yourself the time, energy, and attention you deserve. You are the greatest project you will ever work on. Your mind, your body, your skin, your hair, your heart, your soul, your mistakes, your challenges…. All exceptional. 

You were created in the image of the divine. When you falter, don’t be afraid to refocus and restart as many times as you need to because you are worth it…You were created in the image of the divine, and so was the person next to you, the person behind you, people who have little financial means, people who live on the other side of the world, people with whom you disagree. All are children of God. 

While we are a Catholic school, and we love, accept, and include people of all faith traditions and backgrounds…Make space for others. Hear another perspective. In the words of Saint Teresa of Avila: “Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours.” As you embark on new adventures, commit to using your hands and feet to serve all. 

Class of 2024, You lead with love and your leadership has lifted me in my first year at Maryvale. We are forever connected in the school’s history and in my heart, and for that, I am incredibly grateful. 

You have set the bar very high for all those wonderful Maryvale Lions that will come after you. Please continue to lead with love in college, in the workplace, and with your family and friends. 

I love you, Class of 2024. We will all miss you greatly. Please know you always have a place to call home here at Maryvale.

I wish you a restful, joyful summer. I will continue my blog at the start of the 2024-25 school year. Thank you for reading as I’ve shared my personal journey in what has been a wonderful year of firsts for me.

Every new school year is a blank slate. This moment is open to so many possibilities. It’s the beginning of our new journey, our new chapter, together. Right now, we’re at the beginning of our journey; we’ve just opened our book. We’re going to fill our blank pages each day in ways we can only imagine right now. 

As the daughter and granddaughter of teachers, I learned as a little girl that the first day of school is one of the best days of the year. I can’t wait to see all of our students tomorrow and hear about their summer break adventures!

We were very busy this summer creating new learning spaces on campus. The Mitchell Leadership Lab has been updated to an entire wing on the first floor of the castle. The lower level of the castle has been transformed into a brand-new STEAM space, and four new classrooms were added across campus. Our facilities team did a tremendous job managing these projects. Our Board’s Facilities Committee helped to design the spaces and worked on cost-effective ways to complete these key projects. I'm very grateful for all who made sure we are ready for tomorrow.

Two key summer initiatives are creating a better Maryvale community: Folio Collaborative, a Cloud-based growth, goal-setting, and evaluation tool for all employees including me; and a Board summer retreat to develop our upcoming strategic plan. Coming off last year’s Association of Independent Maryland Schools accreditation, we have a great foundation and wonderful recommendations for our plan.

This summer, we launched our Middle Grades Partnership (MGP) with City Springs Elementary/Middle School, a Baltimore City public charter school. I serve on the MGP board and am delighted that Maryvale students and teachers are also working with this nonprofit that partners Baltimore independent schools with public schools. For six weeks, we hosted about 25 City Springs middle school girls and boys on our campus with twelve of our rising sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. 

The beauty of MGP is that it really focuses on building relationships. Students and teachers work side-by-side from the two school communities. Carole Gonzalez, our science department chair, served as our MGP site director and planned a great STEM-centered program. The students did stream studies at our pond, identified various plants, and learned about climate change. The cooking classes were very popular, and City Springs’ P.E. teacher created fun ways for the kids to interact through games and physical activities. In English class, they wrote their very own children’s books.

We’ll be continuing MGP programs throughout the year, which is critical to Maryvale’s faith commitment to service and the hallmarks of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. This year, we are focused on the following hallmark, “We educate for and act on behalf of justice, peace, and care for all creation.”

Over the last month, our faculty and staff returned to campus, rested and ready for new possibilities. (I am resisting using “relaxed” to describe my summer since my twins began driver’s education last month.) 

How will I be filling my blank pages in my second year as Maryvale President? With as much love, joy, excellence, integrity, and inclusion as I can. My biggest takeaway from my first year at Maryvale is to lean into living by and making decisions through those personal ideals.

I encourage you to think about what words and questions inspire you. 

My questions are rooted in how welcomed I was last year and the wonderful relationships I continue to develop with our school’s different constituents. How much good can I do for our students this year? How much good can I do for Maryvale? How much good can we do for Baltimore?

When challenges arise this year, and they will, I am going to be even more committed to living my ideals and questions. It’s one of my key messages this year to our community. I’ve asked our faculty and staff to join me in finding ways to model our unique ideals – and voice them – to students. 

For students who join us this year, your question might be, “Will I fit in?” As the “new girl” last year, I know firsthand how quickly you’ll find your place and make friends. Here, you’re taken into the fold immediately. 

One of my personal goals for the fall is to help our community navigate discussions around the presidential election. We are having workshops for employees and students on the topic of civil discourse and listening with CloseUp, a national organization that works with schools all over the country. Learning how to talk to others with whom you disagree is integral to The Maryvale Way – Respect, Dignity, and Inclusivity. This fall is a chance to practice this in a very real way. 

Many seniors will be voting for the first time on November 5th. We have a responsibility as a girls’ school intentionally focused on leadership development to help our students be agents of civil discourse and respectful of various viewpoints. We want Maryvale students and alumnae to know how to share their voice in a way that helps the process and doesn't add to negativity. 

This year, we’re celebrating a very important milestone– the 10th anniversary of the Patricia J. Mitchell ’65 Leadership Institute. You’ll hear a lot more about our wonderful event schedule from Laura Scott, Director of the Mitchell Leadership Institute. Maryvale is the first school in the region to create a formal academic and experiential leadership program and a Leadership Certificate program. Our leadership curriculum is part of every student’s Maryvale experience. 

Last year, I shared in my Maryvale blog the equation I developed 12 years ago to guide my work in inclusion and belonging: Empathy Reflex (ER) + Growth Mindset (GM) = Bridge Builder (BB). As a person of faith, it’s steeped in the knowledge that we are one body as God’s church and are called to care for one another. 

I think about all the incredible opportunities – our blank pages – to embrace this equation. I can’t wait to see the many ways our students will learn, discover, and support one another. More than anything, I am excited to experience how our community builds bridges this year here at Maryvale and with the larger Baltimore community.

I am already filled with love and joy just thinking about it. Here’s to a wonderful year!