Dear SUA Community,

Thank you to all the parents and guardians who joined us last Thursday for the Meet and Greet. We loved starting the evening together in the Chapel, united in prayer for our students and blessing our parents/guardians to be the best guides possible in the year ahead.  It was wonderful to have you on campus, and we appreciate all of the conversations and positive energy.

Today our school gathered to joyfully celebrate the birthday of Saint Ursula Academy with a special Mass.  It was an absolute pleasure to have Class of 2026 grandparents and other special persons join us for the Mass, hosted by the sophomores.  

Birthdays invite us to reminisce, and Saint Ursula Academy’s story is inspiring.  Founded in 1910, the school was inspired by the life and teachings of Saint Angela Merici.  She had a lifelong commitment to educating and empowering young women, which led her to found the Company of Saint Ursula in 1535.  At that time, young women in Brescia, Italy had only two options in life: marry or enter a cloister.  Angela gave them a new choice:  to live with their families, continue their work, and dedicate their lives to God and the service of others.

At Mass, we thanked God for Saint Angela and for the faith, integrity, and courage of the Ursulines of Cincinnati who established our school.  If you haven’t had time to read our school’s history recently, there is an informative article on the school’s website that shares how the vision of founders Mother Fidelis Coleman and Mother Baptista Fraener built a school community that has grown and flourished for more than a century.  We truly had a lot to celebrate today!

It is amazing to reflect on what SUA has witnessed over the past 115 years:  world wars, sweeping social changes, economic hardships, and countless defining events that have shaped our world.  Through it all, SUA has not only survived but thrived because of its commitment to God-given, timeless Ursuline core values and our sisterhood..

Our world today is full of many challenges, which can sometimes feel heavy and troubling for our students.  Yet, just like the generations before us, we too can find strength in our enduring values.  At the heart of them all is love - love of God, love of one another, love of our community and world, and love of learning.  Today we prayed for peace and love in our world, and that we may continue to strengthen our sisterhood here at SUA.  In doing so, we bring God’s love to one another in both joyful and challenging times - just as Saint Angela envisioned so long ago.

Happy birthday, Saint Ursula Academy!

Kathy

This Week at SUA:  Reminders and tips to help your Bulldog in the week ahead

• Thursday, September 18 and Friday, September 19:  Freshmen who are in Freshmen Seminar this semester will have their Hearing and Vision Screening.  Freshmen in Freshmen Seminar next semester will have their screenings at that time.
• Friday, September 19:   Late start - classes start at 8:45 am.
• Friday, September 19, during Community Time:  first meeting of the year of Campus Ministry’s Faithful Food and Friends.  This is a fun opportunity for students to connect with each other and their faith! 
• Monday, September 22, during lunch:  Senior Application Fest in the Counseling Welcome Center is a chance for seniors to get additional assistance with their college applications.
• Wednesday, September 24:  We will hold a safety drill on campus.  The drill will start with an overview of the safety measures that we have in place at SUA, including how our School Resource Officer supports us.  We will practice lockdown procedures and a review of the Run, Hide, Fight protocols.  
• Looking ahead: 
  • Thursday, October 2, 7:00-8:00 pm, virtual:  Please mark your calendars to join us for an evening with Dr. Lisa Damour, New York Times bestseller author and consultant for Pixar on Inside Out 2!  She will be kicking off our Confident Parents / Remarkable Students Virtual Parent Speaker Series this year with the topic:  Courageous Conversations:  How to Talk to Girls about Delicate Topics and Everything Else.  Please see the article for more details and registration.
  • Wednesday, October 8, 6-8 pm, on campus:  Parents of students in grades 9-11 are encouraged to attend College Night, a program full of information to help you help your daughter be ready for college admissions.  There will also be a session for ES families focused on their needs.