Fall 2022 Newsletter for Families, Donors, and Staff of the 14 Catholic Schools in the Independence Mission Schools Network

As always, we have a lot of exciting things happening in our network: one of our schools is turning 100 this year and one of our students was the very first to be accepted to Cristo Rey Philadelphia’s Class of 2027!
New Websites Invite Everyone To Take a Fresh Look at IMS and Each of Our 14 Catholic Schools

New websites for the Independence Mission Schools network and our 14 Catholic schools launched this fall along with a new network logo. The IMS website address remains imsphila.org. Visit and click on the Schools tab to find an overview of the 14 schools and direct links to each school’s new website.
Representing St. Joseph's Prep at the High School Fair held at St. Helena-Incarnation (SHI) is 2019 SHI alum An-Khang Nguyen (far left), who won a full scholarship to attend. The Pottinger family (right) visited all three fairs.
High School Fairs Help Families Assess Their Options

At three Regional High School Fairs hosted by IMS during September, this year’s high school admissions process got a running start. Admissions representatives and students from 26 local high schools were on hand to meet with families and students in grades 5-8 during separate fairs held at
St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Helena-Incarnation and St. Rose of Lima.
Staff Spotlight: 
Meet Jill Valunas, Chief of Schools

Jill Valunas has joined IMS as Chief of Schools. She will be instrumental in executing our five-year strategic plan, which aims to make IMS a leader in achieving positive educational results at a large scale. Jill is managing professional and leadership development within our 14 schools to ensure we are providing best-in-class academics to help our students achieve significant growth in math and reading.
Congratulations to Our 2022 IMS Award Winners 

Every year, IMS recognizes the amazing people who make our work possible. These awards are the highest forms of recognition within our organization. Awardees are nominated and recognized by both their school communities and the greater IMS community.
IMS Award winners, from left: Clare DuBrin, Mary Kate McCoog, Sandy Reilly, Mark Gonzalez, Tina Van Thuyne, Mary Iacovelli, Kathy Hartke, Dani Mirow, and Diane Muller. Not pictured: LaToya Winkfield, Michael Tirta, and Taylor Cassedy Wagner. 
St. Rose of Lima Turns 100! 

Built in 1922, St. Rose of Lima Catholic School has been serving the Overbrook/Carroll Park section of Philadelphia continuously for a century! On November 5th we celebrated the 100th anniversary of this special school.
Three Students Receive Books and Hoops Scholarship

In memory of Janis Cash, a beloved Catholic elementary school teacher and basketball coach, Janis Cash Books and Hoops Scholarships were awarded to three St. Rose of Lima Catholic School students.
Donor Spotlight:
Mary Lou Quinlan Demonstrates the Power of Perseverance

Mary Lou Quinlan is a highly-awarded women’s marketing expert, speaker, actor and author of the New York Times bestseller, The God Box. She credits her success to her eight years at St. Helena Catholic School (now St. Helena-Incarnation).
 IMS Hosts First-Ever Career Open House 

Our Talent Recruitment Department hosted the first-ever Independence Mission Schools Career Open House at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School last spring. The event provided opportunities for our leaders to network with potential job candidates. The event was so successful, we held another in July at St. Martin of Tours Catholic School and plan to host a third in 2023. 
Taking part in the Career Open House are (from left) Principals Sharon McCloskey (St. Thomas Aquinas) and Sean Murray (St. Martin de Porres), Principal Manager Jennifer Nobles, Principals Nick Huck (St. Helena-Incarnation) and Diane Muller (St. Veronica), Deputy Chief of Schools Benny Morten, Principals Tom Whittle (St. Barnabas), Brigid McClelland (SS. Cyril & Philomena), and Durrell Harris (St. Raymond’s), and St. Malachy Assistant Principal Betsy Rafferty.
Fall Photos from Around the IMS Network
Students at Our Mother of Sorrows/St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic School got to work “building community” with many back-to-school team activities.
Students at The DePaul Catholic School participated in an outdoor Mass to celebrate the feast day of Saint Vincent DePaul.
St. Martin de Porres’ Outdoor Adventure Club used fire-making skills they learned to make S’mores!
Christina Bradley congratulates her son Tyeer H., an 8th grader at St. Veronica Catholic School who was the first student accepted into Cristo Rey’s Class of 2027.
Enrollment is Open for This Year and Next 

Our rolling admission policy enables families to enroll a student at any time during the school year. That means it’s not too late to enroll for this current school year and see how your child thrives in a loving, safe, and high-achieving learning environment. Applications for the 2023-24 school year are also open. It’s never too early to secure your child’s seat for next year. Apply today at imsphila.org/schools.
How to Support Our Catholic Schools

You can help Independence Mission Schools make a transformative difference in the lives of nearly 4,000 children in some of the most underserved neighborhoods in Philadelphia.
Donate to any IMS school online or by sending a check to PO Box 37012, Philadelphia, PA 19122
Redirect your PA tax dollars to scholarships for IMS students. Click here to learn how.
Make a stock gift by emailing Christina Soza or by calling 610-200-5100 x108
Independence Mission Schools is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. EIN: 45-4720688
Students Benefit from Tax Credit Scholarships

The PA Tax Credit Scholarship Program (also known as EITC) allows individuals and companies to redirect their PA state tax liability to scholarships for students in financial need—which includes about 95% of students who attend an IMS school. Click here to learn more.
The 14 Independence Mission Schools
  • St. Barnabas
  • SS. Cyril & Philomena
  • The DePaul Catholic School
  • St. Frances Cabrini
  • St. Helena-Incarnation
  • Holy Cross
  • St. Malachy
  • St. Martin de Porres
  • St. Martin of Tours
  • Our Mother of Sorrows/St. Ignatius of Loyola
  • St. Raymond of Penafort
  • St. Rose of Lima
  • St. Thomas Aquinas
  • St. Veronica