Mercy High School Case Study

Located in the heart of Omaha, NE, Mercy High School is alive with the spirit of Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy. I have been blessed with the opportunity to teach in an environment so rich in history and tradition. Although she died in 1841, Mother McAuley’s legacy lives on through our mission: “Mercy High School is a diverse educational community, founded by the Sisters of Mercy, focusing on academic excellence and inspiring young girls to become confident women of Mercy who embody faith, knowledge and compassionate service” (About Mercy, 2015). These three pillars of a Mercy education encompass her life’s work. In the completion of this assignment, the wise words of Catherine McAuley ring true: “Let us take one day only in hands at a time.

Although there are many things we do well, there is room for improvement in the area of accentuating our school’s heritage. As stated in Timothy J. Cook’s Architects of Catholic Culture: Designing and Building Catholic Culture in Catholic Schools (2001), “it is incumbent upon Catholic educational leaders to capture and attend to the Catholic imagination by utilizing the building blocks of culture including ceremonies, rituals, symbols, and human communication” (8). In my school history inventory, I have suggested a number of action steps to maximize the impact of Mercy High School’s culture in the community. However, the most important action steps involve two of Cook’s “seven norms for Catholic educational leaders” (2001, p. 95-102). Mercy High School should “consciously endeavor to build a multicultural school culture” as well as “utilize common building blocks to develop building plans to support and promote the school’s purpose,” specifically the one centered on communication (Cook, 2001, p.