Our Lady of Mercy Academy (New York)

Our Lady of Mercy Academy
Address
815 Convent Road Syosset , New York 11791 United States
Information
Type	Private, College Preparatory School
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Established	1928
Color(s)	Blue and White
Mascot	Lady Mustang
Website	http://www.olma.org

Founded in 1928 as a Catholic College preparatory school for young women, the purpose of Our Lady of Mercy Academy (OLMA) is to provide a comprehensive education according to the precepts of Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy. The academy is centered on the teaching of Christ, and provides young women with an environment intended to nourish spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and social growth. Students are guided and supported with the intention of making them well-rounded, merciful, and intelligent women. Our Lady of Mercy Academy is governed by a Board of Directors and sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy.

• Our Lady of Mercy Academy is chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York, is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, and is a member of the Mercy Secondary Education Association and the National Catholic Education Association. Programs for each student are planned to meet the requirements of the New York State Education Department.
• There are over 30 extracurricular activities, including a sports program. The Academy is located on a spacious campus with tennis courts, a soccer field, 2 softball fields, and a gymnasium.
• However, as the campus was originally built as a residence and not a school, the upkeep is expensive. As a result, this daily upkeep of an 81 year old building causes an inability to upgrade technology, a very tight expense budget, and a sense that there is never enough money to accomplish the school's stated mission.
• Unlike other schools, there are two co-principals, plus two assistant principals, a director of curriculum and supervision, a director of technology, a director of mission effectiveness and a director of athletics, which makes administration cumbersome in a relatively small school..

Faculty

The school is headed by co-principals, currently representing the secular and religious aspects of the school. The faculty and staff of our Lady of Mercy Academy claim to educate students in a holistic fashion within an environment designed to be compassionate and with reverence for one another and for the world. The philosophy of Our Lady of Mercy Academy is based on the Church’s threefold mission: to impart the message of Jesus, to advance the building of Christian community, and to bear witness to the Gospel message. The Academy's stated principle of Fides, Mores, Cultura (Fidelity to Principle, Moral Integrity, and Enrichment of Life), and it claims to educate its students to seek personal fulfillment as aware, contemporary Christian women. Mercy sometimes turns out National Merit Scholars, Finalists and more-often Semi or quarter Finalists. Unfortunately for the faculty, there is no tenure, union or association and as a result many faculty move on to better paying institutions. As a result, there are faculty members who are not fully certified New York State teachers.

Curriculum

The academic curriculum at Mercy is challenging, and includes an Honors Program and Advanced Placement courses. However, there is contention, i.e., should there be an inclusion strategy or are advanced/honors classes only for the best and the brightest. On this issue, there is no overall consistency--each academic department does its own thing. Seniors may enroll in accredited college courses offered through St. John's University. Extra tuition is required to pay for the St. John's courses. It is difficult to receive full college credit at a more to most competitive college. Additionally, it appears that the St. John's history course as taught is a repeat of 10th grade European History and 9th grade World History. The Advanced Placement courses are superior in that they will be recognized by all colleges in accordance with their acceptance rules. The Social Studies Department is the only academic department to offer multiple Advance Placement courses in an inclusive manner. English, Science and Mathematics offer only one course in senior year to the selected best and brightest.

All freshmen are required to take half a year of dance and half a year of gym, as well as music, computer technology, and regular subjects (Intro to Genre, World History, Math, science, and a language). The languages offered are Spanish and Italian. Juniors and Seniors are required to enroll in electives, and are given to opportunity to choose among many: seven art classes, computer classes, social sciences [by edict of the co-principals not open to Juniors].

Most Mercy graduates continue their education in competitive colleges, which is amazing given the students general lack of interest in all things academic. The only willing work done is apparently only for Sports Night, dance and the play.

The Mathematics curriclum as detaled in the Course Catalog, page 13 (http://www.olma.org/pdf/Course_Catalog_2009-2010.pdf?rn=1265060) is bizarre in concept and rather difficult to follow. Apparently your daughter will classified as math-elect or math-deficit. It has the feel of a cult.

Uniform

The uniform consists of a plaid kilt and a sweater. Each grade level wears a differnt color sweater. For Freshman and Sophomore years, girls wear a blue and green plaid with Freshman wearing green sweater and Sophomores wearing navy blue sweaters. At the end of Sophomore year, the class votes on what kilt pattern they will wear for the next two years (so that Juniors and Seniors end up having different kilts) with corresponding sweaters. Underneath girls wear a white collar button-down or golf shirt.

Clubs and Activities

The school nickname is the Lady Mustangs. (Per chance isn't a Mustang a male horse)

• Sports Night and Spirit Week, along with the play, are the overarching activities
• Amnesty International
• Art
• Art National Honor Society
• Badminton
• Band
• Basketball
• Businessworks
• Computer Classes
• Computer Club
• Creative Writing
• Crew
• Cross Country
• Dance
• Driver Education
• Ecology
• Equestrian
• Forensics
• Italian National Honor Society
• Lacrosse
• Leader's Club
• Library
• Math
• Mercy Action (Service for Freshman and Sophomores)
• Mercy Mentors
• Mercy Players
• Mixed Chorus
• JV and Varsity Mock Trial Teams
• National Honor Society
• OLMANAC
• Photography
• Pro-Life
• SADD
• Ski Club
• Soccer
• Softball
• Spanish
• Spanish National Honor Society
• Student Council
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Track and Field
• Tri-M Music Honor Society
• Video Club
• Volleyball
• Windows (Literary Magazine)
• Witness (Service for Juniors and Seniors)
• Yearbook ("The Tower")

Traditions

"Mercy Girls" tend to refer to themselves as that throughout their time at school and well after graduation. There are several respected traditions including the Senior Stairs (marble steps located in the center of the building reserved for use by Seniors and staff only) and the OLMA seal (a marble mosaic located at the foot of the Senior Stairs that is not stepped on). In an effort to ease the transition for incoming Freshmen, the school also sponsors several events that pair a new girl with members of the Upper Class - these are called Sophomore Buddies, Junior Friends and Senior Sisters.

Notes and references

• Administrative Team 2007-2008, Our Lady of Mercy Academy

External links

• Our Lady of Mercy Academy