Black Catholic Spotlight ~ { Print Version }
The National Black Catholic Congress
www.nbccongress.org

Sisters Academy Of Baltimore

Sisters Academy of Baltimore is a middle school for girls sponsored by four religious congregations: the Sisters of Mercy, School Sisters of Notre Dame, Sisters of Bon Secours, and Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. The school opened on September 7, 2004 with the fifth grade. By September 2006, our first class had advanced to the seventh grade, and we now have students in the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades, bringing our enrollment to forty-six students. By September 2007, the school will have completed its foundational phase and will have students in grades 5 through 8.

Our mission statement is: Sisters Academy of Baltimore, a Catholic, community-centered middle school, educates girls of different races, ethnic groups, and religions from families of limited economic means, particularly those in southwest Baltimore. The academy will empower its students to become agents of transformation in their families, communities, and society. Our vision is that our graduates will be well-educated, self-assured, spiritual, and committed young women who are so needed in our community, our nation, and our world. They will be leaders who make a difference.

Our targeted geographic area is southwest Baltimore, a blighted area marked by poverty, vacant houses, single-parent households, lack of education, and hopelessness. Of our total enrollment of 46 for the 2006-2007 academic year, 43 are African American. Our median family salary is between $20,000 and $22,000. Our students are selected after successful completion of our three-week summer program. Our new fifth grade students come from twelve different Baltimore City elementary schools; all of them are eligible for the federal lunch program. All are African-American.

The goal of Sisters Academy of Baltimore is to educate young girls who have the potential and motivation to be leaders in their communities. The objectives are that our graduates will deepen their spiritual roots; respect other persons; think logically; read perceptively; write competently; solve problems effectively; and engage in service directed toward the building of a more just and non-violent society. Sisters Academy of Baltimore educates the whole child in mind, heart, spirit, and body.

The program includes small classes with individual attention, a faith-based approach, an extended school day, a summer program, parental involvement, support during and into high school, and a dedicated staff with master teachers from religious congregations of women. Sisters Academy of Baltimore is part of the highly-successful Network of Nativity Miguel Schools educating over 4,000 middle school students in urban centers throughout the United States. More than 90% of the graduates complete high school and over 79% of the graduates attend colleges and universities.

Sisters Academy is not tuition-based because of the extreme poverty in the area. Instead, our sources of funding are sponsors for each child, gifts, grants and support from the co-sponsoring religious congregations. Parents contribute a monthly fee, assure that their daughters are on time, attend a monthly conference with the teacher, and provide volunteer service in the school. At the heart of our funding strategy are sponsors for the students. Our goal is that each student of Sisters Academy will be supported throughout her four years by an annual scholarship of $5,000. Scholarships are provided by individual donors, groups, organizations, and parishes. Scholarships support the operating expenses of the school, particularly in instruction and administration.

Although we are just beginning, there is a real sense within Sisters Academy that something important and significant is happening. Our young women are beginning to experience an excellent education and life-giving relationships. They will develop these gifts throughout their lives and share them with family, friends, and community.

Donations or inquiries made be made to Sister Delia Dowling, SSND, Sisters Academy of Baltimore, 146 Second Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21227. Sisters Academy of Baltimore is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax exempt.