THE MERCY HIGH SCHOOLOAKS • BURLINGAME • SPRING 2019 THE OAKS SPRING 2019 1 THEOAKS 6 FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL KAREN HANRAHAN SPRING 2019 - TABLE OF CONTENTS A Fond Farewell 4 Tri-School 6 No work of charity can be more On Campus 8 productive of good“ to society visual & Performing Arts 12 “ Athletics 14 4 8 than the careful instruction Academics 16 of women. — CATHERINE MCAULEY Making A Difference 18 Foundress of the Sisters of Mercy Mission & Service 20 16 I first saw this Catherine McAuley quote when I walked on the Mercy Parent Club 22 campus of St. Mary Academy – Bay view in Riverside, Rhode Alumnae 25 Island. It adorned the wall in front of the new gym. Imagine an Homecoming 26 education quote on a gym! Alumna Profile 29 Class Notes 30 Having worked previously in all-girls, all-boys and coed In Memoriam 33 Catholic schools around the country, literally from Rhode Island to California, this is the first time I had read, in a simple 12 sentence, why women’s education was important. I remember thinking that the Sisters of Mercy “got it!” 20 It was the Sisters in Rhode Island who ultimately got me to Burlingame. When I left Bay view to become President of an all-girls high school and co-ed elementary school in Baltimore some of the Sisters kept telling me that I needed to find It is with great and work at a Mercy school. They said that I had become too indoctrinated into the Mercy culture and would miss it. They pleasure that we were right. One of the Sisters suggested I look at an opening for a President in Burlingame. the rest, of course, is history. announce Natalie Cirigliano Brosnan that decision changed my life in so many ways. I hope that the past six years have not changed Mercy but made it an ‘02 as the next even better place. I have had the amazing opportunity to be in a school with incredible young women an outstanding Head of School for faculty and staff and it all happens in Kohl Mansion! Mercy High School I am proud that we are the most diverse private school on the Peninsula. Proud of our strong academic program, our Burlingame! She will be profiled in AMES program, spirited student activities and clubs (best rallies anywhere!) and a great athletic program that keeps the Fall ‘19 edition of The Oaks. 22 26 29 getting better (just wait…can you imagine what it will be like when the new Student Life and Athletic Center opens?!). It matters that we are a place where the girls care for and about each other. A place where the quirky girls and the Alumnae EvENtS 2019 athletic girls and the drama girls (literally and figuratively) and the everyday “Jills” feel safe and protected and at home. CAMPUS EvENtS 2019 We live the Mercy Sisterhood. The Wedding Singer Spring Chorale Concert Alumnae PAINt Tri-School Spring Musical at Serra Mercy High School & SIP NIGHt I am immensely grateful to be in a place that is truly Mercy. Our ministry program, our service opportunities, our masses, March 29, 30; April 5, 6 at 7:30pm Tuesday, May 7 at 7:30pm Thursday, March 28 the people who are a part of that program, how we help others in need, how we teach Jesus and how we walk in the March 31 at 2:00pm 6:30pm steps of Catherine McAuley. We ARE Mercy. Mercy ArtsFest Spring Open House Wednesday, May 15 at 5pm We are so fortunate to have Natalie Cirigliano as our new Head of School. She will take Mercy to new and exciting places. Monday, April 29 at 4pm HOMECOMING 2019 Baccalaureate Mass She is a true “Mercy Girl.” Reconnect with your Spring Dance Concert Our Lady of Angels Church classmates! Serra High School Saturday, June 1 at 7pm It has been the privilege of my life to have been the Head of School at Mercy. Know that you will forever be in my most Honoring classes Wednesday, May 1 at 7pm grateful thoughts and I will enjoy telling wonderful stories about these past six years we have had together. Graduation ending in ‘4 and ‘9 St. Ignatius Church (USF) September 15, 2019 Making a Difference Benefit Dinner May we always live the words of Catherine to “resolve to do good today and better tomorrow.” SF Airport Marriott Waterfront, Burlingame Sunday, June 2 at 2pm Register Online at Thursday, May 2 at 6:00pm www.mercyhsb.com visit our website for details on these and other events: www.mercyhsb.com Karen Hanrahan Head of School 2 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME THE OAKS SPRING 2019 3 FEATURE FEATURE A Fond Farewell . Head of School Leaves Lasting Legacy For six years, Karen Hanrahan has led our school with compassion and courage. She brought with her energy Halloween “ Party Christmas Faculty for new ideas and stable leadership. Karen leads with Mercy. Her leadership She is retiring at the end of this year, style is caring - for us the faculty, for From her first day on campus, Karen after making her mark on Mercy High the students, and the community. I will showed boundless energy in working to School by initiating the campaign to “never forget her thoughtful details, make Mercy a great school. No job was build an Athletic and Student Life from celebrating birthdays, to hand- “ too big or too small for“ her to accomplish. Center, remodeling the library and picking books for children of faculty. And more importantly, she interacted From Mercy’s tagline, Karen takes the AMES rooms, creating counseling wonderfully with the students, and always “Be Known” to heart. She understands offices, and so much more. demonstrated the Mercy charism in all the care, hospitality, and sense of that she did. community that makes Mercy“ such a — One of the key hallmarks of a Mercy special place, and she models it for Bob Grassilli, Chair of the education is hospitality, in the sense all. She is a champion of the students Board of Directors that all are welcome. Karen embodies and is a strong advocate for our girls’ this - her office door is always open empowerment. Ms. Hanrahan is an amazing and considerate person. I mentioned“ that I worked to students, parents, faculty and staff, — Claire Rietmann-Grout ‘04, at a frozen yogurt shop and one day she drove to my work and surprised me! It and even to neighbors who walk by Assistant Head of School for meant so much to me that she would take time out of her day to visit me, a true and want to visit the Mansion. She “ testament to her character. Ms Hanrahan supported, listened and respected her is often seen strolling the halls to Student Life students, and I am grateful that I am one of them. — check in with students and faculty Josephine Dugoni ‘18 Karen did tremendous work on long Karen’s genuine affection and alike, listening to their concerns and term planning for Mercy’s facilities interest in our students is so “ sharing their joys and struggles inside “ and future. The impact she will have clearly on display every day, night, and outside of school. It is with great “ on the growth of the school will likely and weekend. She has brought a “ pleasure that we honor her in this never be fully realized because she warmth to administrator-student publication, as we will remember and played such a humble role in rolling interactions that has made this cherish all that she has done for Mercy. up her sleeves to move us forward. school all the more like a family, and she is the biggest cheerleader — Angie Simonetti, Campus Minister, — Natalie Cirigliano ‘02, of all of our students. Behind the Chair of Religion Department Mercy ‘s Next Head of School scenes, Karen’s support of a robust technology upgrade means that We have loved having Karen as Head our teachers and classrooms are “ of School. We Sisters of Mercy are wireless, and that our students are “ grateful for her gracious invitations to working in a 21st Century learning be involved with so much that occurs environment. Karen’s student- “ in the upper acreage of Mercy World, centered vision has been a boon for our beloved Mercy High School. everyone in this Mercy community. — Sister Suzanne Toolan, RSM — Lauren Conklin, Assistant Junior Ring Ceremony Head of School for Academics Renderings of Athletic and Student Life Center . thank you Karen! 4 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME THE OAKS SPRING 2019 5 FEATURE FEATURE Sense & Sensibility Tri-School Photography Mercy’s tri-School Digital Photography class Tri-School Productions presented has been offered for over 10 years, and is a Sense & Sensibility this fall - a playful year-long course open to Mercy students of all new adaptation of Jane Austen’s grades and Serra juniors and seniors. Students beloved novel. Set in gossipy, late spend the first semester practicing technical 18th-century England with a fresh skills related to their camera and editing female voice, the play was full of software, and work on projects in the second humor, emotional depth, and bold semester that express their creativity. Students theatricality. Nine Mercy students are encouraged to use photography to explore were cast in the production, topics that are important to them, and use including one of the lead their voice in new, original ways. roles, Elinor Dashwood, played by sophomore Photos by Tatyana Thumas ‘19 Mia Faillace. “Since photography is a tri-School class we get to bond and create friendships with the Serra students.