Waldron Mercy Academy

Waldron Mercy Academy is a K-8 Catholic private elementary school, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, located in Merion Station, Pennsylvania, USA. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and has twice won National Blue Ribbon School recognition (in 2001 and 2009) by the United States Department of Education.

History

Catherine McAuley, the Irish foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, and the women who joined her were the driving forces behind establishing learning institutions in the United States.

In 1861, Sister Mary Patricia Waldron, who was 26 at the time, and ten Sisters of Mercy landed in Philadelphia in order to serve the uneducated, poor, and the ailing in the city. Because many of the Sisters became ill themselves while aiding the sick in the city, Waldron bought an eight-acre retreat in Merion for their recovery. In 1885, the adjoining Morgan Estate was purchased. The 13-room stone house became St. Anne Convent, and the farmhouse held the Village School for the local farm children.

The Sisters of Mercy began Mater Misericordiae, an academy for young ladies and boys under 12 years of age, in 1885. In 1923, the male boarding students moved to a new school on the property—Waldron Academy for Boys.[1]

By 1946 the boarders had gone, and Waldron Academy was an all-boys school which was still taught by the Sisters of Mercy. Lay faculty and staff joined the ranks in the 1950s, and soon after Waldron had a preschool, as well as a co-educational Montessori program.

In September 1987 Waldron Academy for Boys and Merion Mercy Academy for Girls (lower school) merged and reopened as Waldron Mercy Academy, a Catholic co-educational school from pre-kindergarten to grade eight. Waldron Mercy Child Care, a year-round program for children ages three months to four years, was added to the school 15 years later.

The third floor attic, which used to keep the boarders' trunks, is now the Albert T. Perry Memorial Library, which has an art studio and a computer lab. The basement's "little gym" is now the Music Suite, and WMA's science lab prepares students for high school science classes.

In 2015, the Academy came under public scrutiny for firing a teacher who is in a same-sex marriage because the school administration decided that its Catholic identity would be in jeopardy.[2] Many teachers and parents in the school community disagree with the decision and are voicing their support of the teacher.[3]

School Mission Statement

Waldron Mercy Academy, a Catholic school sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, is a diverse, faith community rooted in the gospel values of mercy and justice. We are a school where the joy of discovery inspires serious study, social responsibility, and strong faith.

Founded by the Sisters of Mercy and conducted in partnership with lay faculty, Waldron Mercy is a Catholic co-educational school serving preschool through grade eight. Grounded in the rich history of Merion Mercy Academy for Girls and Waldron Academy for Boys, Waldron Mercy Academy enables students to become both capable and discerning adults. We strive to increase our students' awareness of the need for responsible membership and leadership in the global family.

Awards

In 2016, a team of three boys in fourth grade won the Toshiba ExploraVision competition's region 2 competition besting hundreds of teams and schools along the east coast. In 2015, a team of three third grade girls won the national competition besting all teams in the K-3 grade level.[4] Waldron has participated in the Toshiba ExploraVision competition for 12 years, winning multiple honors including national, regional, and honorable mentions for the last four years.

In 2001 and 2009, Waldron Mercy Academy was named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.[5][6] This is the highest honor bestowed on a US school.[7][8]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Sisters of Mercy of the Americas". www.amchs.org. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  2. ↑ http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20150708_Firing_of_teacher_in_same-sex_marriage_roils_Catholic_school.html#hoVeU1TCyk6dqttw.99
  3. ↑ http://www.phillymag.com/g-philly/2015/07/08/gay-teacher-fired-waldron-mercy-academy-margie-winters/
  4. ↑ "TOSHIBA AND NSTA ANNOUNCE 2015 NATIONAL WINNERS OF EXPLORAVISION COMPETITION | ExploraVision". www.exploravision.org. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  5. ↑ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), accessed 5 December 2009.
  6. ↑ Graham, Kristen A. (2009-09-16). "5 area schools win U.S. Blue Ribbon honors". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2009-12-05.
  7. ↑ CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department, Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
  8. ↑ Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post. September 29, 2005. "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
  9. ↑ "HART, Philip Aloysius, (1912 - 1976)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
  10. ↑ "Hardy: We want all four". ESPN. April 22, 1999. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
  11. ↑ The Catholic world report. 12. Ignatius Press. 2002. p. 46. Retrieved 2009-12-05.
  12. ↑ "Life with Brian". American Journalism Review. August–September 2006. Retrieved December 5, 2009.

External links

Coordinates: 40°00′29″N 75°15′01″W / 40.00794°N 75.25018°W / 40.00794; -75.25018

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