Letter from the Editor

The Word Magazine is currently on a twice-per-year publishing calendar, each issue representing a semester. The goal of this magazine is to share the happenings, highlights, and stories within our community — a celebration of students, alumnae, faculty, and staff. This particular issue posed a challenge: how do we cover a semester where many of these typical highlights did not occur; photo opportunities were few or lost; a senior class was in mourning; the community was separated due to COVID-19; and during this separation, our country was entering into a renewed awakening in the fight for racial justice following the tragic death of George Floyd.

The answer to “how?” is fully rooted in the DSHA mission, and the stories that reflect developing young women in faith, heart, and intellect.

Content for these issues is typically planned months in advance. Changes tend to occur along the way; however, for this particular issue our content plan shifted significantly at multiple points: first, during the move to online learning; second, when it became clear the semester would close virtually; and finally, as our DSHA community began dialoguing around the active fight against racism.

The stories that came into play at each turn felt important to honor.

As we looked at what to cover and how to cover it, certain pieces remained from the original plan — Black History Month Mass, retiring faculty, donor profile, and alumnae news. Other stories required a shift — graduation speakers and semester highlights. And then new narratives emerged and were rolled into the plan at various points over the past few weeks to suit the evolving nature of the semester: virtual learning at DSHA, alumnae serving on the frontlines, and community dialogues surrounding race and racism. Finally, some stories from the original plan have been moved to the upcoming 2019-2020 DSHA Annual Report.

As the magazine has landed in its current state, you will note two particular themes:

Theme 1 | Student Connection, Engagement, and Support This issue intends to showcase the way the DSHA faculty and staff focused on educating the whole person throughout the entire semester. Upon the decision to move into online learning, the theme of “Student Connection, Engagement, and Support” drove all faculty and staff decisions related to student coursework and programming — at both school-wide and individual student levels. It was understood that the success of online learning would be fully dependent upon students feeling seen and known, cared for and connected — in faith, heart, and intellect. This would continue to play out after the official close of the semester when students and faculty continued to dialogue on systemic racism and the responsibility of the DSHA community.

Theme 2 | A Celebration of Seniors The class of 2020 has faced immeasurable loss this spring. Their final semester of high school was meant to be a milestone season of celebration amidst the sisterhood formed over the previous four years. Completing high school was intended to be honored with all-school Masses and Senior Production; final on-stage performances and post-season athletic victories; all while cherishing final moments with teachers and friends. The intention of celebratory culmination, instead, suddenly vanished without preparation or closure. The Word Magazine is typically intentional about representing all four classes within its pages — freshman through senior. However, given the loss this class has faced, and the way they have responded to the challenge, we have chosen to feature seniors throughout these pages when possible.

We hope you take a few moments to enjoy the stories of DSHA at this unique point in time. And we thank you in advance for any COVID-related changes that have occurred since the printing of this publication on July 15.

If you leave with one thing, we hope it is this: the DSHA mission is at work developing young women of faith, heart, and intellect — whether in constant or in crisis. Molly Shea VP of Marketing & Communications Editor-In-Chief