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Mother Caroline Academy and Education Center Creating A Legacy Of Learning
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Milestones 1993 MCA opens on Bird Street with 5th and 6th grade classes and 30 students enrolled
2007 Yasmin Cruz, class of 1998, is the first MCA Alumna to join the Board of Trustees
1996 First MCA Class graduates
2008 15th Anniversary
Fully enrolled with 60 students
230 MCA alumnae 3,000 adults served 154 Shining Star attendees
Capital Campaign launched for new home at 515 Blue Hill Avenue 1998 MCAEC opens on Blue Hill Ave Adult Education Center offers 10-week courses in ESL, GED and Computer Literacy Shining Star After School Program launched for 3rd and 4th grade girls and boys 2000 First MCA Class graduates from High School 2002 Academy expansion includes enlarged classrooms, science lab, art room and gymnasium Adult Education Center adds classrooms, library and computer lab Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE) accredits MCA 2003 10th Anniversary
Cambridge College partnership begins with Adult Education program MCA Mentoring Program formerly established 2010 Michelle Albert, MCA class of 1998, appointed Co-Principal Dulce DePina, MCA class of 2001, appointed Alumnae Relations and Mentoring Coordinator
MCAEC goes wireless
Laptops provided to all MCA students 2012 MCA adds a 4th grade MCA enrollment increases from 54 to 88 students Strategic Expansion Campaign Kick-Off 2013 20th Anniversary
A Legacy of Learning Mother Caroline Academy and Education Center’s milestones have been achieved through a commitment to the needs of the whole family with the belief that education has the power to transform lives and be the primary force in building a vibrant, equitable and free society. Our families, faculty, staff, investors and volunteers have collectively built a beacon of hope and inspiration standing strong in the heart of Dorchester’s Grove Hall neighborhood.
The Next 20 Years In the face of persistent need within the communities we serve, we are committed to extending our legacy into the next 20 years and beyond. It is our mission to offer more girls and their families a powerful educational experience that opens a door to lifelong opportunity. To fulfill our commitment, we have embarked on an ambitious five year plan to double the enrollment of the Academy. As we increase Academy enrollment, we will invest the financial resources needed to:
• Ensure excellence in our academic and co-curricular programs
• Increase the number of professional educators on staff
• Strengthen the teaching fellows program
• Provide parent programming to support the needs of the whole family
The expansion allows us to keep our low teacher to student ratio with only a 30 percent increase in our operating budget. We will continue to invest in educational programs that empower parents and other adults to achieve their greatest personal and economic potential. More than ever, we now need the financial support of our investors. As a community committed to ending the cycle of poverty through education, this year marks an extraordinary opportunity to lay the foundation for the next 20 years.
Empowering Girls The classrooms at Mother Caroline Academy are buzzing with learning and activity this year. Our enrollment is the highest ever with 88 girls in grades 4 – 8.
Reasons to Celebrate the Academy 96% 100%
of MCA graduates attend/ing college
of MCA alumnae have graduated from high school
40%
of past volunteer teachers remain in education
80% of MCA graduates are paired with female mentors
244 girls have been served in the academy since 1993
2012 Highlights • Academy re-accreditation by the Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE) • Implementation of a 3 week summer academic program for rising 4th and 5th graders
• Addition of a 4th grade class • New math curriculum for grades 4-6 • Alumnae reunion event with graduates from every class year
Transforming Lives
2012 Highlights • Launched an intensive pilot program that integrates ESOL, GED and computer skills to prepare students for higher education or higher level jobs • 154 adults completed classes in the 2012 academic year
Reasons to Celebrate Adult Education 4,154
47
7
Number of community & MCA family members served in Adult Education since 1998
Number of adults who have attended Cambridge College with Tudor Foundation support since 2008
Number of adults who graduated thus far from Cambridge College
The Adult Education Program serves parents from Academy families and adults from the local community by offering educational programs including computer, ESOL, GED preparation and college preparation classes to empower them to achieve their greatest personal and economic potential.
The Parenting Journey Program™ To build upon our efforts to address the needs of the whole family, we have launched The Parenting JourneyTM developed by The Family Center. The curricula is designed to help parents become more resilient, to understand and develop themselves in productive and positive ways, and to examine their own parenting style.
Our Founding In 1993, Monsignor William Francis, Father Gerald Osterman and Sister Rita Brereton had a vision to break the cycle of poverty through education. Mother Caroline Academy was founded to provide young women from financially disadvantaged families with an opportunity to achieve academic success and support their personal and moral development. The Academy was named after Mother Caroline Friess, a School Sister of Notre Dame (SSND), who came to America in 1847 at age 23 to start schools in the United States. SSND continues to encourage and provide for women, to educate in the broadest sense of the word, to care for children and the poor, and to work for justice and peace. Instilled in their core values is the belief in empowering people to reach their fullest potential.
Our Mission Mother Caroline Academy is a private, tuition-free school for girls in grades 4 – 8 from limited financial means. It serves girls of all faiths, race and cultures from Boston neighborhoods. The mission of the school is to provide a high quality education that develops the individual gifts of each student and prepares her for success in competitive secondary schools and colleges. Rooted in the Catholic tradition, that recognizes the dignity of each person, the Academy emphasizes the importance of scholarship, leadership, spiritual, social and moral development. The Mother Caroline Community continues to support and nourish its graduates through their secondary and college education. The mission of the Education Center is to empower parents and other adults to achieve their greatest personal and economic potential. We believe our mission can best be achieved by focusing on the needs of the whole family and by preserving a spirit of volunteerism and commitment among all those who aid, support and benefit from MCAEC.
515 Blue Hill Avenue Dorchester, MA 02121 (617) 427-1177 www.mcaec.org