American Province Ministry Connections
October 2021

Hope Partnership for Education 
 
Virgil Sheppard - President and CEO
With a cloudless blue sky overhead, September 8th was a picture-perfect first day of school at Hope. Teachers were overjoyed to welcome students back to in-person learning, and students seemed genuinely happy and excited to see their teachers and friends after a long period of virtual learning. A “blue carpet,” balloons, and jolly “Welcome Back” sign greeted students as they entered the building, where they also found “Welcome Home” balloons suspended from the lobby ceiling.
The sounds of laughter, whooping, and cheers in the gym signaled that it was back to school time at Hope Partnership. As we have returned to in-person learning, a huge component for the year will be amplifying student voice and socio-emotional learning. One tool we will be utilizing to support both areas will be the Holistic Student Assessment (HSA). This learning tool will provide data directly from the student’s voice to better support socio-emotional learning for the school year. 
Washington School for Girls (WSG)
 
Dr. Beth Reaves - Head of School
Washington School for Girls (WSG) has returned to five days of predominantly in-person classroom instruction. Having students back on campus has been an exciting time for our school as we reconnect with our community and welcome new family, friends, and supporters. The entire school community has made a collective effort to create a safe, yet familiar school environment.
We have had a great deal to celebrate, most notably our first all-school, in-person Eucharistic liturgy since returning from distance learning. Many of our incoming students had never experienced Mass. This was not only a wonderful way to introduce students to Mass but a way to immerse ourselves anew into a ritual so integral to our faith.

During this Eucharistic liturgy, Friday, August 20, 2021, we were honored to have welcomed His Eminence, Wilton Cardinal Gregory as the principal celebrant and homilist. Cardinal Gregory made history last year, becoming the first African American Cardinal in the Catholic Church. During his homily, Cardinal Gregory encouraged students to “love God and your neighbor. Everything else you do [in life] will be placed in the right order.” Although this liturgy may have looked much different from prior celebrations, as students and faculty wore face masks and sat in alternating pews, the energy remained the same: positive and purposeful. Students prayed for guidance and pledged to be young ladies of courage, faith, and service. The adult community is filled with pride as our students continue to embody and act on this commitment with each passing day!
Sponsored Ministries of the Society of Holy Child Jesus 
Casa Cornelia Law Center * Providence Center

Co-Sponsored Ministries of the Society of Holy Child Jesus
South Central Los Angeles Ministry Project (LAMP) * 
Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep * Hope Partnership for Education * 
Cristo Rey New York High School * Washington School for Girls
 
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Ministry Connections is a monthly publication highlighting ministries sponsored or co-sponsored
by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.