| Our Lady of Mercy High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 1437 Blossom Road Rochester, New York, (Monroe County), 14610 United States |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Private, All-Female |
| Motto | Via, Veritas, Vita ("The Way, The Truth, The Life") |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic Sisters of Mercy |
| Established | 1928 |
| President | Suzanne Johnston |
| Director | Nancy Wunder (middle school) |
| Principal | Terrence Quinn |
| Asst. Principal | JoAnn Wawrzaszek |
| Grades | 7-12 |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Blue and White |
| Slogan | For women who make a difference. |
| Mascot | Monarch |
| Accreditation(s) | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[1] |
| Publication | Mercedes (literary magazine) |
| Newspaper | 'The Quill' |
| Yearbook | 'Veritas' |
| Tuition | $7,900 (2009-1010) |
| Alumni | Over 11,000 |
| Admissions Director | Mary Elizabeth McCahill |
| Athletic Director | Nicholas Schlierf |
| Website | http://www.mercyhs.com |
Our Lady of Mercy High School is a private all-girls Catholic school teaching grades 7-12, located in Brighton, Monroe County, New York near Rochester. It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester.
The American Sisters of Mercy founded Our Lady of Mercy High School in Rochester in 1928, based in the tradition of the Roman Catholic sisterhood begun by Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy. It educated young women in grades 9-12 for the first six decades of its operation, branching out to include grades 7 and 8 in 1990. The school's mission is to educate young women intellectually, personally, and spiritually, teaching them independence and allowing them to realize their full potential. Its slogan is "For women who make a difference".
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Throughout the year, students participate in many traditions, some dating to the earliest days of the school. The classes compete during Spirit Week and the competition culminates on Field Day. Homerooms adopt a family and provide Christmas Baskets during December. The gifts are blessed at Golden Mass, usually celebrated by the Bishop. In March, students raise money for local, national and international charities through a Mercy-McQuaid Faculty Volleyball Game, Jar Wars, crafts sold by seniors, and other fundraisers. Arts Fest provides students a chance to show off their talents, and for two days many teachers take their classes to the auditorium to watch student performers, to dance lessons or art classes. In May, girls take their fathers to the Father Daughter Dinner Dance.
During May, the juniors receive their class rings, a silver ring with the Mercy emblem, in a Mass during the day. The juniors then go to Junior Prom in the evening, with many girls getting ready together in the afternoon. Towards the end of May, May Day is held. A senior is elected May Queen and has a court of peer elected juniors and seniors that help her organize the ceremony. After Mary is crowned in the Grotto, the seniors prepare for Senior Ball. The year ends in June with Class Bash, where the students perform skits, and Moving Up, when the seniors leave the auditorium, the student body moves up seats in the auditorium, and the seniors join hands and walk to the stage.
Retreats are also a part of Mercy tradition. Freshman retreat is held in school, and Sophomore and Junior retreats are a day long event. Senior retreat is a sleepover at Camp Stella Maris and is one of the last times the senior class will spend together.
Mercy offers many extracurriculars to choose from. There is a fall drama, a spring musical, and a Children's Theatre production. Students may lead the school through Student Council or Campus Ministry Board. Mercy is home to the Catherine McAuley chapter of the National Honor Society, as well as groups that volunteer with inner city children and elder Sisters of Mercy. FOCUS emphasizes diversity, and students can join Spanish Club and learn to salsa. Youth and Government, Mock Trial and DECA all give students real life skills in practice settings. Robotics, Masterminds and Math League test students' knowledge, while Veritas, the yearbook, The Quill, the newspaper, and Mercedes, the literary magazine, give students a creative outlet. Students can join the crew team or ski club. MTV and Mercy Broadcasting give students practice in media fields. There is also a choir, a show choir and an orchestra for the musically inclined.
Varsity and junior varsity teams compete in fifteen sports: alpine skiing, basketball, bowling, crew, cross country, golf, indoor track, lacrosse, sailing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field and volleyball. The teams have won 24 Section V championships in the areas of basketball, bowling, cross country, downhill skiing, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.