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Hello, Cardinal Family!
My name is Laura Ripley, and I am so happy to introduce myself to you as the new Dean of Academics here at JPII. I began here in late July; I arrived here after five years at The Episcopal School of Dallas, where I taught English. Prior to that, I was in NJ/NYC for 20 years (several schools, many roles!). I am not exaggerating when I say that I’ve loved every day here! This is a special place, full of warmth, welcoming, and joy.
When I’m not at work, you can find me scouring Expedia for my next trip….I love to travel, and my favorite destinations are Seattle and NYC, where my two grown sons live. They’re far away, but at least they chose places to live that are fun to visit! I also love to read, dabble in calligraphy, and spend time near the water (which is tough to find in Dallas!). I’m also a diehard Villanova Wildcat, so March Madness is my favorite time of year! Growing up in Arkansas, though, college football ranks up there, too (Go Hogs!). All in all, I’m very blessed to have found JPII to enrich my life so very much!
I’ve spent the first weeks of school visiting classrooms, and there are great things going on here, to be sure! I’ve seen everything from Oreo-measuring lab activities to discussions of the hero’s journey to conversations tackling tough morality questions. It’s been wonderful seeing our students engaged and involved! The campus is definitely bustling and buzzing with energy!
I’m certainly looking forward to visiting more classes, going to more games, and simply involving myself in this terrific community!
Finally, here is a link to a great article full of great suggestions to start the year off right from Harvard’s School of Continuing Education. Though it is addressed to college students, it has some super tips for our Cardinal students, too!
My prayer for all of you is that you have a joy-filled year, blessed with all good things.
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