Honors and Accolades for Class of 2006
Intercom, Vol. 37, No. 6, May/June 2006

WHACK…SWISH…THUMP! That could be the sound of an ace serve blasting past a stunned receiver on the tennis court, a fast flung lacrosse ball finding its mark in the goal cage, or an inside-the-park homerun soaring over the heads of astonished outfielders on the softball diamond.

“Every now and then, events serendipitously happen at just the right moment,” or so I reflected exactly ten years ago in the last Intercom newsletter of the year. As it turns out, spring 2006 is no different. The sweet sounds of success have kept the victory bell chiming at Stone Ridge and special congratulations are in order.

Special congratulations go to the championship Varsity Softball Team for capturing the banner in the Independent School League Division A. In lacrosse, the Gators fought brilliantly all the way to the championship match, succumbing in the end to a powerful team from St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes. One of our lacrosse stars, Kaitlin Duff ’06, is headed for Charlottesville, having signed an official National Letter of Intent to play at the University of Virginia. In tennis, the season culminated with the Episcopal Invitational Tournament where our Gators, ISL champions last spring and fall, tied with Holton-Arms for top honors. Another star athlete, this time on the soccer field, Jessica Wyble ’06, has also signed an official National Letter of Intent to play at the University of Miami in Florida. I congratulate all of our athletes for their sense of sportsmanship and fair play on and off the field.

“At Stone Ridge, we strive for excellence whether in academics or athletics... the message is the same ‘Do your best and pay attention to the details.’ ” That May 1996 dictum continues to hold true and our community congratulates Duke University-bound Kristen Manderscheid, who was named a 2006 Presidential Scholar—the second time a Stone Ridge student has received this prestigious honor in the school’s history. Kudos extend to our National Merit Scholarship Finalists Allison Herring ’06, Leigh Jahnig ’06, and Eleanore Keegan ’06, and our fourteen commended students. This year, Pauline Nalikka ’06 was the winner of a $2500 National Achievement Scholarship, while Alina Beruff ’06, Helen El-Khouri ’06, and Mara Gomes ’06 were honored by the National Hispanic Recognition Program. The Maryland Distinguished Scholar results included Stone Ridge Finalists Allison Herring ’06 and Eleanore Keegan ’06; Semi-finalists Leigh Jahnig ’06, Erika Manderscheid ’06, and Kristen Manderscheid ’06; and seventeen of our students who received Honorable Mention.

These are a few highlighted accomplishments of the Fourth Academic class. You will see more in the graduation program. Be sure to note the triumphs in the national foreign language exams for both Upper and Middle School students inside this issue.

As our Senior Class prepares to graduate, it gives me great pleasure to see a group of confident young women who know who they are and who they want to be. They understand “personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom.” They are our best. May the summer be safe and relaxing for all and may the Lord bless your time of recreation.



Diversity at Stone Ridge
Intercom, Vol. 37, No. 4, March/April 2006

Sometimes historic moments happen when you least expect them. March 8, 2006, may have been one of those moments. An invitation went out inviting parents to join a Parent Diversity Committee – and join they did. Male, female, black, white, Asian, Hispanic, old, young, faithful, struggling with faith, rich, and poor; all met as a community committed to being in dialogue for the sakes of our children.

We belong to a multicultural, multiracial, pluralistic society where the entire world has become our virtual backyard. This ever-increasing, modern phenomenon brings with it many challenges. How do we make certain that every child, every student, embraces her heritage and discovers with pride her own identity? How do we provide ongoing support for those who feel estranged or different in the transition to Stone Ridge? What kinds of programs do we need to have in place to help us meet the needs of all children? How do we make certain that every student who graduates from Stone Ridge is prepared not just for college, but to take her place of leadership in this new society? How do school and family, teachers and parents come together with a common passion to make things better for this and the next generation?

I think the answers lie in shared attitudes and commitments such as those which were expressed that evening. I want to thank Marva Moxey-Mims, Patrice Nickens, Michele Webster, Eileen Williams, Kim Hedgepeth, Tina Clark, Gaby Virgo-Carter, Constance Mattox, Margot Durkin and all the other unsung visionaries who made this evening possible. I invite all of you who were unable to attend the first meeting of the Parent Diversity Committee to watch for the next announcement and then mark your calendar to come to a meeting where everyone’s voice is heard and every idea is considered. I also think that we have a model in the Sacred Heart. If “a picture is worth a thousand words,” I invite you to ponder the logo carved in stone above the entrance to the Upper School. You will see an image of the Heart of Christ, the love of God embracing the entire world without any limitation.

All at Stone Ridge join me in wishing you a happy, prayerful, reflective Easter and the joy of the Risen Christ.



The Changing World Calls for Accountability and Self-Discipline
Intercom, Vol. 37, No. 3, January/February 2006

Last week, on Tuesday January 17 to be precise, two excellent articles appeared in The Washington Post. I would like to take this opportunity to add my voice to the voices of reporters Tara Bahrampour, Lori Aratani, and Jay Mathews.

The first article, “Teens’ Bold Blogs Alarm Area Schools,” addresses the issue of Facebook.com and other similar sites where students think they are safe and their writings private, or at least semi-private, and the way schools are becoming involved. On this subject, the students are wrong on all counts. Nothing is private on the Internet and young people enter a dangerous world for themselves and their families when they reveal personal information by which they can be identified and found. Myspace.com, the largest of all the sites, had over 26 million hits last year alone. Some Washington area schools were identified as having taken action and blocked these websites from school servers. At Stone Ridge, we took similar action over two months ago the minute it became apparent that we had cause for concern. The sites snowballed in our area after schools re-opened in August and September. Fortunately, our vigilant tech team tracked down our users and thus we set the pace in the area for taking action. Yes, we did have to go into the site, the private territory of teens, in order to take action.

These sites originally began as a way for college students to introduce themselves to one another on large university campuses. Then the sites became available to high school students and now on to middle schools. In our case, as in other places, the content of the Facebook pages deteriorated becoming hurtful, offensive, and dangerous. Campus administrators in other schools who once took the attitude of, “I can’t be bothered with this,” have now taken a whole new look. After Stone Ridge took action in October, I received several calls from other schools as well as some student reporters from other schools who wanted to do a story. For us, it was not a story, just a matter of safety and ongoing digital education. Our thanks go to the many parents who have been so supportive in this matter.

In the other article, “Self-Discipline May Beat Smarts as Key to Success,” Jay Mathews raises some interesting questions. Current research indicates that there is a direct relationship between self-discipline and student achievement. While Jay comes to the same conclusion from a different perspective, I would also suggest that years of anecdotal experience have the same outcome. So the question remains, “If self-discipline is so good, how can we teach it today.” We may live in a world of instant coffee and instant gratification, but we can do something about it. These are some of the questions that come into my mind as ways to build self-discipline. How willing are we to allow our children to be uncomfortable? Does every passing headache have to mean a trip to the nurse? Is it possible for our children to remain silent for five, ten, fifteen or even twenty minutes? Do we expect our children to eat some of everything that is served at the table or does every person at the table have to have a different menu? Do our children know how to use ten minutes of free time to master ten new vocabulary words? Do TV and telephone come after the homework? When a student is encouraged to take a more rigorous course, is it to enhance the transcript or to confront the challenge? Do we encourage students to study on a regular basis or cram for the test? Do they have any chores that must be accomplished on a daily basis? Who feeds the dog? Are personal discipline and creativity incompatible?

Enjoy the questions and have fun with the family conversation. I’m grateful to Tara, Lori, and Jay for making me think.

"Lifetime of Learning"
Intercom, Vol. 37, No. 2, November/December 2005

“Learning and teaching should not stand on opposite banks and just watch the river flow by; instead, they should embark together on (the) journey.” This wonderful image created by the late Loris Malaguzzi, an early childhood education specialist, is the essence of education. Everyone is both a student and a teacher—roles that fluctuate daily without our ever realizing.

The topic “Education: Academics and Meeting the Goals” opened discussion at a recent Forum on Education in which I participated one early Sunday morning in October on Capitol Hill. The debate, sponsored by Clear Channel Radio Public Affairs and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, ended with the consensus that a school does not operate in a vacuum. It not only mirrors the community that surrounds it, but relies on that very community for support. The key is participation.

Love of learning must be nurtured to extend beyond the halls of academia with its “sequestered nooks, and all the sweet serenity of books” found in Longfellow’s poetics. Joyfully, at Stone Ridge as in life, four walls do not bind education. Enlightening speakers with varying perspectives on subjects from the importance of Internet safety to travels to Antarctica augment our students’ intellectual pursuits. Our wonderful programs, including social action and internships, take our students outside the classroom into experiential settings where learning and teaching become one.

Our faculty is always seeking ways to engage students responsibly in the real world, building on the knowledge they gain in the classroom. Increasingly, organizations interested in education and their role therein encourage these efforts. In the past, our Model UN students have been up close and personal, directing questions to the U.S. Ambassador to the UN at the National Press Club. Others have participated in political debate on National Public Radio, performed with the Summer Opera Theatre Company, and will be onstage this December with the Washington Women's Chorus. Herein, you will read that Upper School students traveled to Politics and Prose to meet Salman Rushdie, Anglo-Indian novelist and honorary professor at MIT, while others attended a reading by U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser at the Library of Congress.

As we learn in Scripture, “To a senseless person, education is fetters on his feet and like manacles on his right hand…To the sensible person, education is like a golden ornament and like a bracelet on the right arm.” (Sirach 21:19-21) I am happy to report that our sensible students are prepared and eager to embrace the challenges ahead. A Stone Ridge education is fourteen years at most; a lifetime of learning—priceless.

"Community Responds with Compassion and Hurricane Relief"
Intercom, Vol. 37, No. 1, September/October 2005

We have been so busy with all the details of Hurricane Katrina that we have barely had time to pause and reflect. I am enormously proud of Stone Ridge, our graduates, our parents, our faculty and staff, and, above all, our students, and I am proud to be a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools.

Within forty-eight hours after the storm subsided at the end of August, the Network of Sacred Heart Schools responded to the needs of our sister school in New Orleans, the Academy of the Sacred Heart, affectionately known as “The Rosary.” Beginning with the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, Louisiana and Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart in Houston, Texas, Sacred Heart schools around the country opened their doors to students displaced by Katrina.

At Stone Ridge, Admission Director Michelle McPherson and the Admission Office team expedited the necessary paperwork, utilizing the Network’s online message board and our own website, all the while allaying the fears and concerns of our Louisiana families. The Admission team was on the front line and, as expected, handled everything with great aplomb. With their help, fourteen students from New Orleans have found a home at Stone Ridge. On their first day, they were greeted by a “buddy,” a “big sister,” or a “guardian angel,” while Suzy Swagart, Director of Parent Relations, welcomed their parents.

Everyone continues to extend a helping hand, along with offers to host students or families in their homes. The outpouring of support has been extraordinary. In response to the oft-repeated question, “What can we do?” I offer the Stone Ridge Action Plan for our coordinated hurricane relief efforts and refer you to our website for further details.

Across the country, every Sacred Heart School has born witness to the Goals and Criteria in action. An all-school, Network-wide prayer service on September 15 provided that much-needed opportunity for reflection. A live webcast from St. Rose Philippine Duchesne’s Shrine in St. Charles, Missouri devoted to the Goals and Criteria 2005 took on special significance with the devastation brought on by Katrina.

A roll call of the twenty-three Sacred Heart schools and affiliates in the United States preceded the webcast, followed by heartfelt remarks from Timothy M. Burns, Ph.D, Headmaster of The Rosary. Kathleen Conan, RSCJ, newly-elected U.S. Provincial of the Society of the Sacred Heart, led the schools in prayer, while students assembled at the Shrine from Villa Duchesne/Oak Hill in St. Louis and the Academy of the Sacred Heart in St. Charles read petitions and prayers of thanksgiving relative to a particular Goal submitted in advance by each school. Throughout the webcast, one could not help but be proud of this wonderful Network established in this country 187 years ago by St. Philippine.

What lessons have we learned in the wake of Hurricane Katrina? For a moment, consider that the “hundred-year storm” really does happen and we need to prepare for it physically and emotionally both at the national level and the personal level. Living our lives with grace under pressure takes practice and receiving is harder than giving. May we always reach out to those in need due to natural and man-made disasters. At the same time, let us not forget the least of our sisters and brothers in our own communities lacking food, clothing, shelter, and compassion every day. While the media will inevitably shift its coverage to the next story, I know the Stone Ridge community will remain constant in its love and outreach to others, always guided by our Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria. I thank you for your ever-reaching goodness and generosity.

"A Joyful Ringing Fills the Air"
Intercom, Vol. 36, No. 6, May/June 2005

On April 19, 2005, as bells peeled all over the eternal city and echoed throughout most of Christendom, the test gong of the Stone Ridge bell went largely unnoticed. Nevertheless, it heralded the final phase of the completion of the pool enclosure.

By Field Day, (Dads, I hope you are warming up!) the pool should be filled, the roof sliding open, the bleachers installed, the decks washed clean, and the building blessed, ready for the bell to chime out at the hand of the victorious. Our state-of-the-art, modern facility will be crowned with a nineteenth century cast iron, golden school bell. In 1853, as the first Sacred Heart schools began to flourish in the United States, this school bell was cast in Kentucky. For many years it called children to school, marked the end of the day, and announced major events in the town until, finally, urban development led to the construction of newer schools and the use of the great contemporary invention – an electric buzzer.

"Festival Celebrates Our Multicultural Family"
Intercom, Vol. 36, No. 5, Summer 2005

Just who is the typical Stone Ridge student? Fifty years ago one might have been able to describe her by her color, ethnic heritage, or social status. But that was long ago and far away. Today, international students, first generation Americans, and every member of the great American melting pot sit side by side. All shades of skin tone and all shapes of eyes provide the palette for our student body. It is possible to find students who speak in English, dream in Farsi, and study AP Spanish as part of a totally normal life.

Annually, we celebrate the vitality of this cosmopolitan community with the Multicultural Family Festival featured on the cover of this magazine. Our local representatives introduce us to internationalism as they display and share artifacts, culture, and cuisine from the country of their roots. Booths with enticing flavors and aromas tempt the visitor in every corner of the gymnasium. National costumes, music and dancing add to the richness of the experience.

Underneath the vast range of languages and life styles, Stone Ridge students are united through their shared experience of a Sacred Heart education in the context of life in and around greater Washington, D.C. They belong to a family with shared DNA from the Heart of Christ. As children of the Sacred Heart, they can enjoy instant camaraderie with more than 10,000 cousins in the United States and they always seem to be able to find each other with little or no difficulty. No doubt the familiar cadence of congés, goûter, the Feast of Mater, the Goals and Criteria, and school rings stamped with two hearts become like a family birthmark.

Our typical Stone Ridge student is “child of the Sacred Heart.” She is a bright, energetic, self-confident young woman with poise beyond her years. In the words of Micah the prophet, she aspires to “act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with her God.” (Mic 6:8) She is one of many at the Multicultural Family Festival.

"Easter Message Focuses on Fullness of Life"
Intercom, Vol. 36, No. 4, March/April 2005

During Lent, we read that wonderful story in which Jesus returns Lazarus to life. The Gospel tells us that Jesus shouts out, “Lazarus come out of the tomb.” With that, Lazarus is called forth into life and Jesus sets the stage for his own resurrection. Now, in the fullness of the Easter season, as we celebrate that mystery which is central to the Church and to our own belief, I would like to share with you the story of a little girl who recently was called forth by God and whose life touched so many around her.

Nicole Miraglia, the little sister of Jordan Miraglia ‘04 was born into this world fifteen years ago and she had much to do in her very short life. She forever changed the lives of her parents and big sister and taught them that they had to learn to be loved by a look, a touch, or a small gesture. She taught them how to reach out to someone with special needs and they, in turn, taught it to others. She had her own place in the car and in the carpool that came back and forth to school for her big sister. From that vantage point, she touched the lives of all the teachers and Stone Ridge students who saw her on a regular basis. As she grew, she had her own special school where she also left an imprint on the lives of her own teachers and caregivers.

In her neighborhood, she found many friends who learned from her, both children and grown-ups alike. She indelibly traced into the hearts of each of them lessons of gratitude, compassion and generosity. She taught her final lesson when, on March 9 her parents learned that God had called her home. She died as she had lived, without any fanfare and we were blessed when her parents asked if the celebration of her life could be held in the Stone Ridge chapel. It came as no surprise to see the chapel, the parlor, and the front hall filled with those who came to grieve her passing and rejoice in her living.

If Lazarus foretold the Resurrection and Jesus fulfilled it, Nicole bore witness to what it means to be embraced by God and called to the joy and fullness of life.

“Arise my love and come, for lo the winter is passed, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come.” (Song of Songs 2:10-12) May each of you enjoy the Pascal season filled with warmth and sunshine.

"Awareness and the Greater Community"
Intercom, Vol. 36, No. 3, January/February 2005

“Sacred Heart Schools educate to a social awareness which impels to action.” We all know this as Goal III of the Goals and Criteria. Stone Ridge students take this very seriously and, thus, it should come as no surprise to hear that they had organized themselves for tsunami relief work before they even returned from the Christmas vacation. Not only had some started raising funds by sending a letter to their neighbors and then going door to door to collect, but by the end of the first day back at school, students in every school division had developed a full plan of action, including prayer, fundraising, and education.

In our school, the students’ first response in order to launch a school-wide relief effort is to begin with a prayer service bringing the needs of their brothers and sisters around the world to the Lord. It is quite simply part of the culture and it is one of the characteristics that identifies Stone Ridge as a School of the Sacred Heart.

The Campus Ministry team prepared and led a powerful prayer service which included the lighting of a single candle for every 1,000 victims. On January 26, in union with Sacred Heart schools around the country, we stopped what we were doing for a moment of prayer at noon EST. The Fundraising Committee developed a coordinated plan to collect contributions and see to their distribution. Our Religious in Indonesia have been very helpful with this. (I am happy to report that there was no loss of life among the Religious of the Scared Heart in Indonesia.) Student education included educating themselves to the needs of the victims, tracking the relief efforts, the study of geography, and the history and cause of tsunamis.

I find it a privilege to allow these young women to take the lead and follow their generous, clear direction. The older students quickly become outstanding role models for the younger ones. A Sacred Heart climate is built and the Goals and Criteria come to life.

"Developing a Dynamic Faith"
Intercom, Vol. 36, No. 2, November/December 2004

It is our custom at the start of every academic year to select a Goal on which to focus. The choice of Goal I—educating to a personal and active faith in God—was made obvious this year as we began the self-study for our accreditation through the Middle States Association. While our commitment to our life of faith does not affect our accreditation, it is a sine qua non for a School of the Sacred Heart and will play out in our upcoming evaluation for the Sacred Heart Commission on Goals (SHCOG).

The five Goals and their accompanying criteria hold collective importance at Stone Ridge, but if read from beginning to end, each Goal serves as an individual building block, too, in the development of the whole person. How fitting that our first Goal is aimed at faith—the cornerstone of a Sacred Heart education—that is at once dynamic. An “active” faith is invigorating and by highlighting this Goal, we are given an opportunity to breathe new life and energy into our spiritual lives.

Several weeks ago, I spent time in Faulkner, Maryland with the Fourth Academic on retreat—a wonderful, faith-affirming experience. Throughout the year, our students have daily opportunities for prayer, reflection, and pondering the greater things in life, in addition to their classes in religion and theology. Student-run Campus Ministry teams and Campus Ministers within each school division encourage our commitment to an active faith. Students receive commendations for living out one of the Goals to the point where it has become an internalized way of behavior, and Goal I is no exception.

Our focus on Goal I has prompted several new developments this year , including a Campus Minister for our adult community—a position held ably by Dalene Barry (Meredith Dean ’97). In addition to posting a prayer a month on the Web site for personal reflection, invitations have been extended to adults and students alike to liturgies offered in our Hamilton House chapel. Every Wednesday evening, Abbot Aidan Shea, OSB from St. Anselm’s Monastery celebrates Mass at 5:15 P.M., and on the first Friday of every month, Reverend Percival de Silva from the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament celebrates Mass at 7:15 A.M. All are welcome.

The Children of Mary, a sodality active within our community, meets on the first Friday of most every month for reflection and fellowship through liturgy and discussion. I encourage you to join the dialogue. The Children of Mary of 1923 inspired this year’s Annual Fund theme—A Gift of Grace is the Light of Faith—with the stained glass window donated some eighty years ago to our beautiful chapel at 1719 Massachusetts Avenue. Today, it resides not only within the Hamilton House chapel, but also in the form of a handsome, beveled print sent to everyone in our community. The window was photographed by Caitlin Myler ’98 who began her career at Stone Ridge under the tutelage of Mrs. Eleanor Glattly in the “heavenly” dark room on the seventh floor. It was here that the Goals and Criteria imprinted themselves on her as an artist.

Though the Middle States Association does not require a “personal and active faith” for accreditation, more and more, educational organizations with which we are affiliated, are offering workshops designed to infuse Campus Ministry with new ideas and approaches to keep faith alive. As administrators and educators within a Sacred Heart school, we welcome these initiatives.

Unwittingly, Goal I permeates all that we do. We only need but open our eyes to see it everywhere about us.

In the spirit of Goal I, all at Stone Ridge join me in wishing you the holiest of holiday seasons.

"Meeting Standards of Excellence"
Intercom, Vol. 36, No. 1, September/October 2004

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”

Perhaps these words of Anatole France describe the motivation and energy with which we have all entered into the year of renewal as we prepare for reaccreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The renewal process also provides an opportunity to reground ourselves as a Sacred Heart School through a validation process led by the Sacred Heart Commission on Goals (SHCOG).

These two distinct protocols both lead towards revitalization, but they do it very differently. For Middle States we will use Accreditation for Growth— a data-driven protocol designed to involve the entire community on the path to self-improvement. The Middle States Commission will carefully review the data and the standards for measuring improvement. All parents, trustees, faculty, students in Eighth through Twelfth Grades, and young alumnae have received surveys. Many of the surveys have been completed and the tallying has begun. (Reminder: If you have not completed yours, please do so by October 8, 2004.)

The SHCOG protocol is designed to lead the community beyond the data to a reflection on our life of faith, our commitment to intellectual rigor, our service to others, our understanding of community, and our pursuit of personal growth. Do we live up to all that we profess?

Ten years ago we set a course—now it is time for us to reassess the direction and plan the necessary adjustments. As an accredited school, we are recognized as having met (and surpassed) all the standards of excellence in education. It is a public seal of approval and is recognized by the State of Maryland. More importantly, however, we want to be recognized as a Sacred Heart School that is true to the mission, vision, and legacy of our founder, Madeleine Sophie Barat. We will continue to keep you posted on our progress via the Stone Ridge Web site, and thank you for your participation and feedback to help us be the best school for your children.

"Alumnae Embrace the Sacred Heart Mission"
Intercom, Vol. 35, No. 5, Summer 2004

To make the Love of God known throughout the world—This was the mission of Madeleine Sophie Barat and the legacy she left to the Religious of the Sacred Heart who, in turn, forwarded it to the thousands of students in Sacred Heart schools around the world and across the generations. In this country alone, approximately 50,000 active alumnae, 11,000 students, and 450 Religious of the Sacred Heart embrace the mission of St. Madeleine Sophie and see the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Schools as the means by which it is carried out in our complex modern world.

While few in our day find themselves called to religious life, many Stone Ridge graduates indeed respond to a call to enter the work of education as teachers, administrators, and trustees of Sacred Heart schools. At Stone Ridge, at least thirty-five graduates have embraced this vocation.

Pat Aiken-O’Neill ’62; Ann Conroy, RSCJ ’47 (Manhattanville); Eileen Mayer ’70; Cecilia Amtmann Schultz ’65 (Sagrada Corazon, Mexico); Margaret Strom, RSCJ ’65 (Prince Street) and ’69 (Maryville); and Sheryl Watkins Wilbon ’84 serve as members of the Board of Trustees, while Mary Colbert Denger ’67 holds the leadership position as chair of the Board. Together, with other members of the Board, they bear responsibility under the law to safeguard and further the mission of the school. They hold its future in their hands and bear the responsibility of setting policy that prepares for the next generation of Stone Ridge students. It is only since the mid-nineties that alumnae have served in this capacity.
On the faculty and staff, alumnae of Stone Ridge and other Sacred Heart schools provide a particular kind of foundation on which the school stands. They serve the present generation. Nicole Escudero Christenson ’87; Kelly Donaghue x’92; Kathleen Dunn ’94; Amy Duran Heinzelmann ’95; Lucy Durbin ’95 (Villa Duchesne); Lisa Bachhuber Flynn ’81; Patricia Geuting, RSCJ ’52; Elizabeth Anderson Glabus ’83; Eleanor Glattly x’54 (Overbrook); Christine Hoy Gosnell ’79; Heidi Huke ’99; Mary Louise “Mamie” Jenkins, RSCJ ’46 (Manhattanville); Maya Mathew Mathew ’93; Erin Sindelar McConnell ’95; Caitlin Myler ’98; Yasmin Nasser ’85 (Carrollton); Susan O’Callaghan-Davis ’71; Karen Olson, RSCJ ’54 (Kenwood/Doane Stuart) and ’58 (Manhattanville); Lauren Owens ’03; Dorothee Didden Riederer ’62; Kara Stacks ’99; Julie Duvall Stull ’69; and Julie Thurston ’99 live out their own particular vocations as Sacred Heart educators.

Kathryn Bonner ’89, Deirdre Cryor ’84, Helen Macsherry ’74, and Michelle McPherson ’03 (Maryville) help to shape the future of the school as decision makers at the administrative level. Stone Ridge is very fortunate to be able to boast this kind of extraordinary alumnae support. Many other Stone Ridge graduates labor in the field of education in other schools around the country. They enrich the field of education because they model the outstanding teachers at Stone Ridge whom they have known and loved and who inspired them to continue in the field.

Stone Ridge graduates may be found in every profession and every walk of life, but nowhere do they contribute more to the betterment of society than in the work of education. Whether they teach in public schools, non-sectarian schools, or Catholic schools, in one way or another, they make known God’s enduring love for His people by who the very educators they are. I salute you and I thank you.

Editor’s Note: Headmistress Anne Dyer, RSCJ is a Stone Ridge alumna, Class of 1955.

"Summer Brings Hope for Change,"
Intercom, Vol. 35, No. 6, May/June 2004:

As we approach the conclusion of another year, I would like to share with you a few issues of safety and accountability, followed by a look ahead.

First, a few months ago when we started hearing about lead in the water, we decided that we would have the water tested at Stone Ridge by the private, environmental testing company that we have used over the years. I am happy to report that there are no significant amounts of lead in our water. According to the EPA standards, the acceptable limit is 15 parts per billion. Every water fountain in the school was tested and not one of them exceeded 3 parts per billion. At lunchtime students have the option of taking milk, juice, or bottled water.

Second, speeding and road rage on and off campus become more serious issues every day. Recently, a car exiting the campus clipped a car trying to enter the campus. Both cars were driven by adults and both had young children in the car. The car leaving the campus never stopped. In area neighborhoods, failure to observe speed limits and stop signs continues to be problematic. Neighborhood children, particularly those walking to and from bus stops, are vulnerable when the most basic traffic rules are not upheld. On campus, we plan to do something about the speeding. You can expect to find some very serious speed bumps in the road next fall. (If you have ever driven on Grafton Street in Chevy Chase you know what I mean.) Off campus, official citations may well be issued for any and all traffic infractions. We have addressed the lead in the water; it is time for others to address the lead in the feet. Both are serious hazards. In return, I would like you to address one last issue and that is courtesy on and off campus. Teacher traffic directors and our neighbors should not be subjected to rude gestures or even expletives followed by a refusal to follow the directions. Their time, interest, and concern deserve better.

Third, looking ahead, the Religious will leave one small spot of holy ground for another holy home; remembering the words of the psalmist, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life” (Ps. 23). After living in convent quarters on the fifth floor since 1959, we will now have sisters living in two houses next door to one another in the adjacent Parkview neighborhood—one with the address of 9100 East Parkhill Drive and the other with the address of 9100 Chanute Drive. Both houses are located just on the other side of our practice field on the mesa. The vacated space on the fifth floor will become new classrooms, after the requisite permits are acquired. In addition, estimates are being gathered for the upgrading of electrical systems throughout the Lower and Middle Schools to allow for the placement of air conditioning units in each classroom.

This year has been a challenging yet wonderful one at Stone Ridge. It is so gratifying to be in a lively environment where ideas and activities abound. May you enjoy a relaxing, joyful, fun-filled, and fast-approaching summer.

Some years ago, many of us viewed Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 as the emancipation of women in athletics. Today, educators are grappling with a totally different aspect of that bill questioning the advantages and disadvantages of gender-separated (some say segregated) classes and schools in public education. While the subject has now moved from the back burner to the halls of Congress in the United States, it has long been a topic of research in the UK and Australia.1 The Department of Education under Secretary of Education Rod Paige would like to change some of the wording in the legislation to allow for public, single-gender classes and schools at the elementary and secondary levels. For some time, there has been solid research on the advantages of single sex education for girls.2 Today, school violence and a high drop-out rate for boys is prompting additional research to examine the benefits for boys.3

Public support for single-sex education has risen and fallen in this country since the days when girls were excluded from public schools. Since then, we have seen shifts towards the demand for parity in the same classroom in the 1970s and ‘80s, and more recently, demands for schools which will provide not just equal opportunity, but every opportunity for girls. At the university level, the demand for equal opportunity combined with some economic necessity required that women be admitted to all publicly funded institutions of higher learning. The military academies funded by the federal government were among the first to change their policies. Finally, in 1996 the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) fell into line. This trend towards co-education, however, took a huge toll on the women’s colleges, forcing many of them to open their doors to men or close their doors altogether.3

With more and more emphasis on choice, I think it behooves us to reflect on the freedom of that exercise if no choices remain except outside of the public system. As of 2002, there were thirteen public schools for girls in this country. One of the oldest schools, Baltimore’s Western High School for girls, founded in 1844, survived tests in the courts by being nominally open to boys. Today, more and more communities welcome leaders seeking charters for single-gender, goal-oriented schools. They are listening to the research stating that boys and girls have different needs; they learn differently and to be truly equal, not uniform, perhaps they need to be served separately. It will be an interesting debate to follow and I, for one, hope that the educators prevail over the politicians. At Stone Ridge, we are fortunate to have our Goals and Criteria, which will continue to distinguish us from all schools no matter what course is adopted by our community schools.

1  Peter Vogel, (pvogel@ibm.net) “Experiments in Single Sex Education,” 23 April 1998, EdEquity Online via http://www.edc.org/WomensEquity/edequity98A/0054.html (18 March 2004).
2  Meg Milne Moulton and Whitney Ransome, “What the Research Shows: The Benefits of Attending a Girls’ School,” The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools: Why a Girls’ School, December 2001, http://www.ncgs.org/type0.php?pid=16 (18 March 2004).
3  Kenneth Jost, “Single-Sex Education,” The CQ Researcher (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, Inc., July, 2002) v.12-25 (18 March 2004), available at http://www.cqpress.com/getProduct.asp?ProductID=649&nav-lib&statPath-ProductPage.



"Small Packages, Big Punch,"
Intercom, Vol. 35, No. 3, January/February 2004:

According to the nanotechnologists, incredibly small things can have exponentially powerful results. The results can be extraordinary or disastrous. For some, this is tremendously exciting and for others it is horrifically terrifying. I think that Madeleine Sophie Barat understood better than most people the power of a single act of kindness and the strength of a single act of generosity. So many times she referred to the newly founded Society of the Sacred Heart as “this little Society.” She understood that a single person, which in the great scope of time and space is but a “nanospeck,” could do a great work and that together a small cluster of committed women could have a revolutionary impact on the world of education and the lives of women.

Consider, if you will, the impact our students have on the lives of those they touch through the social action program. If 250 students give three hours a week for three years to enhance the lives of those in our community, they will have contributed fifty-six, forty-hour weeks of service in that time. Then consider that 90 percent of those students will continue the habit they formed at Stone Ridge when they matriculate to college. And another 90 percent of them will carry on the work when they enter into the world of professional women.

Last Sunday, a student in the Second Academic Class welcomed parents, classmates, families, and friends to “this little chapel” at Stone Ridge to celebrate the Liturgy together. What ensued was a powerful prayerful experience shared by a shivering and windblown few who dared to go out on a cold Super Bowl Sunday. They went away changed by a nanomoment.

Jesus himself taught about nanopotential when he told the parable of the mustard seed. “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” (Matthew 13: 31-32)

Over the years we have witnessed an interesting progression from little to mini from micro to nano. If nanotechnology will lead to the next industrial revolution, perhaps nanoservice and nanoprayer will lead to the next social revolution. I hope so.

"New Year, New Developments,"
Intercom, Vol. 35, No. 2, November/December 2003:

In the life of a school transitions happen at breakneck speed. One moment we are rejoicing because of a very successful fall athletic season and the next we are posting try-outs for the winter season. Winter swimming began last week at Stone Ridge. As many girls signed up for the swim team, the big question remained, “Are we going to enclose the swimming pool soon?”

Yes, we are going to enclose the swimming pool and Stone Ridge will be proud of having one of the best (if not the best) pools in the area. It is designed to have panels which will open up in the roof during the summer months to provide the feeling of an outdoor pool. In the winter, the translucent Kalwall roof will permit sunshine to fill the room while still keeping it warm and toasty for swimming.

As you know, permitting and construction take time in Montgomery County. We had hoped to begin construction before Christmas and have the project completed in time for the Summer CampUs. Since our permits have not yet been obtained, we will have to defer the project until the end of the summer season and expect to break ground in August.

The new facility will have ample bleacher space for spectators as well as a classroom for non-pool instruction. The twelve-foot diving well will be deep enough to allow Stone Ridge to host meets for both boys and girls. Thanks to the great generosity of our friends at the Auction we will also have electronic starting blocks and electronic touch pads for timing meets. Furthermore, the pool has been measured right down to the one-hundredth of an inch. It is a twenty-five foot, eight lane, competition-size pool. Records set here will hold.

In the meantime, our super swimmers will continue to practice at other pools and lead us on to another victorious season. Go Gators!

In the same spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to take the opportunity to wish all of you a happy Thanksgiving, a blessed Advent, and a joyful Christmas. Our next Intercom will appear in 2004.

As in life, one hunkers down for a storm and then wallows through the aftermath. We are having lots of aftermath following Isabel. In spite of a near serious accident when one of our trees went over and hit a vehicle traveling east on Cedar Lane around 1:20 a.m. on Thursday morning, September 18, we had no injuries or serious damage to the property. The storm cleared the air, pruned the trees of dead wood, and scattered debris everywhere. That’s life.

Among some of the debris that I would like to address is the issue of when we follow Montgomery County, when we make our own decisions, and why we made the choice to open school when the county closed two weeks ago.

In general, we need to remember that we draw students and teachers from a wide radius. Many travel forty-five minutes to an hour to get to school. When weather conditions endanger the safety of any of our community, we must cancel school. These conditions are better assessed by county officials because they have access to the suburban and rural areas that are more likely to be hazardous. Safety will always be the primary and determining factor.

Two weeks ago, the safety conditions affecting the county did not apply to Stone Ridge. We had power, telephones, and plenty of hot water. It seemed that the help we could provide families who needed to return to work and were beginning to show signs of battle fatigue caused by being housebound combined with saving a snow day for later, outweighed the inconvenience caused by breaking with the customary practice of following the county. We tried to put it on the radio and TV (some channels have the policy of only announcing closings rather than openings), launched phone trees (my sincere apologies to those of you who somehow missed the call and great gratitude to those of you who made the calls), and put it on the Web site (knowing that it was of no use to those without power). Teachers all agreed to defer quizzes and be lenient on the homework. In all, we had about a 95% attendance rate. Everyone clearly did their best to get the word out.

With regard to athletic events, Stone Ridge students play in the Independent School League. Their games are governed by safety requirements, league regulations, the referees, and the good judgment of the coaches on-site. If school is closed, athletic events are canceled or postponed.

In the future we intend to continue to follow Montgomery County for snow decisions and other hazardous weather conditions. However, we will reserve the right to make an independent decision if the county conditions do not apply to Stone Ridge. As long as there is power, look first for information on our Web site, www.stoneridge.org. Following that, listen to the radio and TV. We will also activate telephone trees. In the last analysis, if school is in session and a parent feels that it is too dangerous to travel, he or she needs to make that decision and phone in the absence.

Many thanks for your patience. And in the end, when the winds and rains abate, may the calm bring forth a rainbow, the sign of the Lord’s covenant with his people.

"It's A Small World,"
Intercom, Vol. 34, No. 3, January/February 2003:

In the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, we live in an international, multicultural community. And still, we must struggle for racial and ethnic equity in education. Our Stone Ridge students have the privilege of studying and working side-by-side with peers from around the world.

On Saturday, February 1, students from five of the six continents of the globe gathered to celebrate their heritages and their roots at the fourth annual Multicultural Family Festival. The evening opened with a moment of silence that each might pray in his or her own tradition to honor the memory of the courageous young men and women, an international team, who had lost their lives that morning in the space shuttle accident. 

Then Sister Mamie Jenkins invited all assembled to join her in the singing of the national anthem followed by a parade of nations. Children clad in brilliant national dress marched up on the stage singing, "It's a Small World," and they experienced an internationality that diplomats can only dream of.

With the hustle and bustle of a Moroccan bazaar, visitors wandered from booth to booth to sample exotic cuisines, to mingle with friends and learn about distant lands. In some corners, slide shows beckoned visitors to warm beaches while at other stations, music of the sirens lured the listener to launch out into the deep. And really, what are the distant lands? They are the lands where one learns much more than geography.

Perhaps it is in the distance that one discovers that beneath the many colors of the skin, all blood flows red and that love speaks many languages. For this one day at school, this one moment in time, students of all ages could learn to dance their joy and sing their passion and touch the energy of life in many cultures and many colors. And perhaps the diplomatic corps of Washington took a small step forward.