integrity being a servant initiative courage grit hospitality valuing differences personal responsibility charisma 2013-2014 ANNUAL REPORT I“ t Begins with Me” 2013 2014 OUR MISSION Marian Middle School, a Catholic school serving adolescent girls of all religious, racial, and ethnic backgrounds, is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty by fostering their spiritual, academic, social, moral, emotional, and physical development in preparation for and successful completion of college preparatory high schools. 2 Message from the Board Chair 2013-2014 Board of Directors Dear friends, Officers Since 1999, supporters like you have Mary Jo Gorman, Chairperson made it possible for Marian Middle Joe Garea, Vice-Chairperson School to help break the cycle of poverty by Educating Girls for Life . Peter Frane, Treasurer Thanks to your generosity, Marian Diane Bernard, Secretary provides a holistic, well-rounded education to young women from Board Members across the St. Louis region. Nannette Baker During the 2013-2014 school year, we Charla Claypool put your charitable dollars to work Donna Farmer ensuring that more students than ever Craig Hunt before could be a part of the Marian family. Seventy-two urban adolescent girls benefited from Marian’s quality academic and Donna Jahnke enrichment programs during the school year. They also Janine Joubert-Dulay received spiritual, social, moral, and emotional support from Patricia McGuire the loving staff at Marian. Dean Mueller Marcia Niedringhaus In keeping with our mission, Marian also supports our alumnae through high school and beyond. Your donations allowed us Greg Patterson to provide academic and social assistance to 66 alumnae in Betsy Ross high school during the 2013-2014 school year. Thirty of those Barbara Roche, SL students also received financial support from Marian. Carmen Schnyder, CPPS Thanks to donors like you, 94% of our school’s funding is Andy Small covered every year. This support allows Marian to provide Barbara Thomas, ASCJ opportunities for students and families that would not Wenona Tompkins otherwise be possible due to their financial situations. Mike Winters Chris Young We continue to focus our efforts around our bold vision and mission, and reach out to new constituents across the region. We hope you will help spread the word in 2015 of our Members Board important work in the lives of young women. Patricia Clune, CSJ, Chairperson Thank you for helping Marian become a vital community Ann Barrett, OSU resource. We hope you will continue to partner with us as Rosemary Hufker, SSND we prepare for the next 15 years of Educating Girls for Life! Ellen Orf, CPPS Barbara Roche, SL Sincerely, Pauline Schwandt, OSF Mary Catherine Warehime, DC Mary Jo Gorman, M.D. Board Chair 3 Thank you! Message from the President To the Marian Community, What a joy and privilege it has been to serve as Marian Middle School’s President since December 2013. I am inspired daily as I watch our students grow, and our faculty and staff pour their time and talents into the lives of young women. By educating girls in a private school setting, 2013 Marian provides a safe space where students find their voice and become confident leaders. One way we accomplished this during the 2013-2014 school year was through our school-wide theme, “It Begins with Me.” The theme 2014 was a timely and powerful message. Our students explored the theme discussing integrity, being a servant, initiative, courage, grit, hospitality, valuing differences, OUR VISION personal responsibility, and charisma. n Marian Middle School Throughout the year, Marian also had many milestone moments, created some is a leader in providing wonderful partnerships, and was honored by the St. Louis community. life-altering education • After serving as interim president from August to December, Sr. Barbara Roche, to urban girls on their SL, foundress and long-time board member, joined the Marian staff as the journey towards Academic and Graduate Support Associate. self-discovery. • Saint Louis University’s department of nutrition and dietetics began providing healthy snacks, breakfasts, and lunches for students. n Marian alumnae • Shabana Basij-Rasikh, co-founder and president of the School of Leadership graduate from Afghanistan, visited Marian in April. She spoke with students about the high-performing importance of education and how privileged they are to live in a country where secondary schools girls can receive an education legally. ready for success in • Math Teacher Heather Olson received an Emerson higher education and Excellence in Teaching Award. the workplace. • Language Arts Teacher Maggie Klonksy received an Incarnate Word “Caring Hands” award from n Marian alumnae graduates Amber and Ga’Nae for the positive college graduates are difference she has made in their lives. accomplished leaders equipped to make • Marian was listed as a School That Can by the national informed decisions organization of the same name. and create enduring, positive change. Marian continues to excel by reaching high academic goals and graduation rates that surpass other schools in our region. We could not achieve these results without generous donors and partners like you. As we move into our 15th anniversary year, know that your support makes it possible that “10 hours a day, 10 months a year, Marian educates girls for life!” With sincerest thanks, Mary Elizabeth Grimes 4 President 2013–2014 Message from the Principal Staff Members Mary Elizabeth Grimes, President Greetings, Christy Toben, Principal The end of the school year is always a great Stephanie Airaghi time for both celebration and reflection. Elise Bussmann As Marian Middle School embarks upon a milestone anniversary during the 2014-2015 Dianne Decker school year, we thank God for the ways that Kathleen Fox we’ve been blessed by our shared mission. Jessica Graham We are thankful for the long list of young Marvin Harrison women who have been supported through our academic, enrichment, and graduate Gabrielle Hearn support programs, and the 4,827 donors who invested in the power Sarah Heger, CSJ of transformative education since the inaugural school year. We have remained faithful to the founding vision of the women who began this Maggie Klonsky school. These are things worth celebrating. Heather Olson As I reflect on Marian Middle School’s journey, I am humbled and Sarah Paulsen amazed by how far we have come. When I first came to Marian ten Barbara Roche, SL years ago, we were located on a rented second floor of St. Anthony of Padua’s campus. I was the volunteer English teacher through the Kaitlyn Sanders Gateway Vicentian Volunteer program, and living temporarily with the Pearl Scheve Daughters of Charity down the street. My fifth grade class had three students: Jalisa, Ta’Nya, and Spencer. There were no computers in the Andréa Sykes classroom and our textbooks were from 1989. Our Marian Magic fundraiser happened in the basement of the church hall, where our faithful donors came to sit on folding chairs and eat off of the plastic plates our students had set out for them. 2013–2014 Service Volunteers Through the sacrifices of many, our school has built a reputation of excellence in the St. Louis educational landscape. Our mission is still Sarah FitzGerald, the same, but enrollment is close to capacity. Our student body, though Jesuit Volunteer Corps still small by design, grew from 14 students during the first school year to 72 students during the 2013-2014 school year. Tim Grosch, Ignatian Volunteer Corps On behalf of our students and their families, thank you. Thank you for Brianna O’Connor, giving our St. Louis region such a special place to work and learn. Jesuit Volunteer Corps Kate Stroble, Sincerely, Ignatian Volunteer Corps Christy Toben Principal 5 integrity being a servant initiative courage grit hospitality valuing differences personal responsibility charisma 2013 2014 About Us Ethnicity Asian Caucasian Founded in 1999 by seven communities of Catholic 4% 1% sisters and a group of dedicated laywomen, Marian Middle School is a Catholic school committed to serving Hispanic adolescent girls of all religious, racial, and ethnic 11% backgrounds in grades five through eight. Our goal is to Multiracial break the cycle of poverty through quality education. 13% Marian Middle School believes students will achieve their African American stremendtous puotential when gdiven opporteunities to nlearn ts 71% and grow. Students at Marian Middle School experience a rigorous academic schedule with an intensive 10-month, 10-hour- Marian taught me a-day school year designed to develop the critical thinking, that all of the problem solving, and leadership skills necessary to help them succeed in the next phase of academic life. knowledge you gain, no matter how small Student Data Free and Reduced Lunch Program it may seem, will Student Demographics at some point be Full Lunch Number of Students ..............................................72 Reduced 7% important. Average GPA ..........................................................2.5 Lunch 15% — Nikki N., MMS Class of 2013 Attendance Free Lunch Total Instructional Days ......................................183 78% Average Daily Attendance ................................93% Academic Saturdays (6) ......................................79% Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences ............99% Student Highlights • 93% of the students qualified for Free • All students participated in the Culinary Arts Program and Reduced Lunch, a national indicator • Students