Monthly Archives: August 2017

Student Body President Named Girl of Distinction for Women’s Hall of Fame

MSM Student Body President Stephanie V. received the distinct honor of being named one of five “Girls of Distinction” who attended the 2017 Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony held on August 24 at the Statehouse Convention Center.  The Girls of Distinction were invited to meet the members of the third class of Hall of Fame inductees and join in celebrating and honoring the historical impact these great women have made in the state of Arkansas.

 

The Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame (AWHF) honors women whose contributions have influenced the direction of Arkansas in their community or the state, preserves the history of their accomplishments and provides women encouragement and inspiration. In 2016 the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, founders of Mount St. Mary Academy, were honored as members of the second class of inductees.

 

Stephanie met Governor Asa Hutchinson and was asked to escort 2017 honorees to the stage in the Wally Allen Ballroom, where they received the public recognition. Of those she assisted were past President and CEO of the Arkansas Community Foundation, Pat Lile, and several members of the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters. Other 2017 inductees, contemporary and historical, included Maya Angelou, renowned author, poet, actor, performer and human rights activist, and Elsijane Trimble Roy, Arkansas’s first woman circuit judge and the first woman on the Arkansas Supreme Court.

 

Stephanie described her experience with the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame:  “It was very inspiring and made me see how women from all backgrounds are so involved in the community and have paved the way for a younger generation of girls to do the same. I saw how through faith in God, hard work and perseverance, women can accomplish amazing things.”

 

Stephanie will serve as the 2017-2018 Mount St. Mary Academy Student Body President, leading and helping to manage the Student Council. She has served as a Mountie Messenger student ambassador for three years and is a member of the National Honor Society, National Beta Club and Interact Club.

 

MSM Shadow Days: Be a Mount Girl for a Day

Group Shadow Days give eighth grade students interested in Mount St. Mary Academy the chance to experience a typical class day and the Mount sisterhood firsthand! Each “Mount Girl for a Day” is paired with a student hostess, who will guide her through two class periods, homeroom and lunch and answer any questions about life at Mount St. Mary.

 

Register Today! Fill out the registration form and you will receive a confirmation email with details for the day.

 

Questions?
Annie Cross, Director of Admissions

across@mtstmary.edu

 

 


Shadow Dates:

Wednesday, September 6

Wednesday, September 13

Tuesday, September 19

Tuesday, October 3

Friday, October 27

Friday, November 3

Wednesday, November 8

Thursday, November 16

Wednesday, November 29

Wednesday, December 6

Wednesday, January 10

Wednesday, January 31

 

MSM Welcomes New, Returning Students for 2017

Mount St. Mary Academy kicked off the first week of the 2017-2018 school year by welcoming 142 ninth graders in the Class of 2021 and a student body of 500 young women in grades 9 to 12.

 

The Come with Belles On event held on August 14 invited the new class and their parents to get to know one another at a picnic followed by a freshman rally in the gymnasium. Mountie Messenger student ambassadors led the ninth graders through a scavenger hunt in the school while freshman parents attended an informational meeting.

 

Welcome Back Day on August 16 began with each class returning to school to pick up schedules and supplies, catch up after their summer vacation and see what was new this year in school merchandise, school events and volunteer opportunities. After Welcome Back Day, Freshman Orientation was held to familiarize the ninth graders with their teachers, schedules, lockers and school policies.

 

At the Opening Mass on August 18 the student body came together to officially welcome the Class of 2021, calling each student by name to receive their Mercy cards and then announcing the annual button theme, Faith Can Move Mountains.

 

More photos of Welcome Back 2017 events at https://flic.kr/s/aHsm1qqreY

MSM Welcomes New Employees

Mount St. Mary welcomed six new faculty and staff today at new employee orientation. 

 

(left to right): Ms. Rachel McLemore, History/Cross Country Coach; Mr. Justin Brady, Math; Ms. Cheri Martinka, AP Research/History/Theology; Mr. Cody Henry, History/Freshman Basketball Coach; Dr. Nilu Runge, Science; Mr. Mark Cottingham, Facilities

 

Meet the New Teachers

 

Mr. Brady will be teaching Algebra I. With many of his family members having attended Mount St. Mary, he says he “grew up around MSM and is excited to be teaching here.” His wife is a graduate of the school and one of his two daughters will be starting her senior year at MSM. Mr. Brady has been been teaching math for 17 years at The Anthony School.

 

Mr. Henry will be teaching American and World History and coaching the Mounties 9th grade basketball team. He is married with two children, a four-year-old daughter and 10-month-old son. Mr. Henry is excited to start teaching and coaching and hopes to pass on inquisitiveness to his students and team members by encouraging them to think critically and learn for themselves.

 

Ms. McLemore will be teaching American History and International Relations as well as coaching the MSM Cross Country team. She comes to MSM after 5 years of teaching at the University of Mississippi. She is excited to now be teaching high school at Mount St. Mary and helping her students prepare for college. As a history teacher, she hopes her students “become engaged in their communities and learn how to be citizens of our country and the world.”

 

Dr. Runge will be teaching Biology and Forensic Science. She comes to MSM after 26 years as a professor in the science department at the University of Central Arkansas, where she also served for a time as their concurrent credit coordinator. Dr. Runge says she looks forward to teaching biology and getting students ready for college and shares that forensic science is one of her passions. She hopes her biology students learn how science is applicable to everything in life and wants her forensic science students to learn different techniques and have fun at the same time.

 

Ms. Martinka is returning to MSM to teach AP Research, AP European History and Theology. She is thrilled about all the new AP classes and especially AP Research, one of the required courses in the AP Capstone diploma and certificate programs. Her hope for her students is that they “leave with the desire to know more.”