Letter from the President & Principal

We are currently mid-July and preparing in full-swing-mode to re-open our doors in the fall in the most safe and responsible manner possible. We cannot wait to be back together with our students and our TSC — even if that means some significant structural changes in order to do so. While we have connected virtually over the past few months, we have missed the daily interactions with each student, each teacher and staff member so dearly! As we reflect on the spring of 2020, we have learned much that we carry into our planning for the fall; our community is strong and our mission is unchanging, regardless of the vehicle used to carry it out. And while we are fully focused on the upcoming semester, it would be a miss if we did not stop and reflect on some of the beauty that we knew would rise from the ashes of a semester unlike any other.

We entered the 2019-20 school year with expectations of another fantastic year — one intended to look a certain way with carefully thought out curriculum and student learning outcomes; program offerings to both support and challenge our Dashers; and school-wide goals that fell within a new five-year strategic plan.

Halfway into March, we were well on our way to seeing the vision for the year play out exactly as planned, and beginning to look forward to the celebrations that come with a nice, clean, end-of-year wrap-up. Mid-way into the semester, the social distancing circumstances surrounding COVID-19 required a transition into online learning in a matter of days leaving us with an elevated appreciation for our both our purpose and our people.

A mission tested. We speak frequently about our mission; we believe so fully in the importance of educating young women in faith, heart, and intellect that it drives everything we do, every decision made. With the mid-March pivot to online instruction, the DSHA TSC — without complaint and fully focused on what is best for our girls with the whole person in mind — moved into swift action to ensure the student learning outcomes for the year would be fulfilled, and that every girl would feel connected to the community. All members of the TSC held a role, and each person’s role required an immediate change along with evolution as the weeks passed. It was a true picture of the Body of Christ coming together for the good of our girls, and a reminder that our mission is sound regardless of circumstance. The expression of this body reached beyond the end of the school year as the TSC continued to engage with students in conversation surrounding racism within our country and community.

A vision made possible. Our vision is this: DSHA will be #1: recognized as the premier choice for a girl seeking to grow into her full potential as a woman of faith, heart, and intellect. Our vision is both current and forward-minded. As we looked toward next school year, we began to understand that that many of our families may have increased financial need due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19. We shared this need with our wider community, with a special request to our alumnae. The call was to join us for the COVID-19 Global Day of Giving (known to us as Dasher Day) in early May. Our initial goal of raising the amount of two full scholarships nearly doubled. Alumnae gifts spanned the width of the country — from California to Massachusetts — reinforcing their belief in the DSHA vision. We are so incredibly grateful.

All girls, in fact, makes all the difference. On May 1, members of TSC canvased the greater Milwaukee area, delivering signs, graduation cap tassels, and red and gold roses to each member of the DSHA Class of 2020. Much to our surprise, many of the girls — who did not know we were coming — were donned in plaid skirts and their college shirts. To be fair, May 1 was college decision day. However, seeing so many seniors in their beloved Dasher plaid was a clear indication that even as our girls prepare for what is next, the opportunity of the here-and-now still mattered deeply as they finished up their final semester of high school. This gesture of wearing plaid, unprompted by a dress code, was a reminder of the unique culture of our all-girls’ community. We hope that it has been a life-giving and life-changing experience for each girl set to graduate — regardless of how our beloved seniors were required to finish. We will miss them so and look forward to celebrating their graduation in the coming weeks. Katie Konieczny, ’92 President

Dan Quesnell Principal

To learn more about DSHA’s semester of online learning, visit dsha.info/online.