State of the School 2025

This evening, I’ve had many people ask me: How’s DSHA? How’s the school year? My hope with my next few words is that I can give you some indication of how things are going here at DSHA. It is always a joy and a pleasure. I do get incredibly nervous for this evening, but then I look out, and I see this room of people who are such strong supporters of this school. As [Past President] Ellen Bartel said, we would not exist today if it wasn’t for each and every one of you. So, thank you so much for saying yes and coming tonight.

Each of you share deeply a belief in the mission of DSHA, and everything we do flows from that mission to form young women of faith, heart, and intellect who make a difference in this world. We are blessed to educate 646 young women from more than 130 elementary schools from across the greater Milwaukee area. We are truly one of the most diverse schools from where we pull girls geographically. Each of these young women brings her own gifts, her own story, her own experience. Together, they form a community rooted in this mission. Entrusted to us by the Sisters of the Divine Savior to make known the goodness and kindness of Jesus. What a mission that is to take on: the goodness and kindness. For me, to be able to work in a place where we are working on that every day is such a delight.

The mission and your support of it are why DSHA continues to flourish. This year, we are honored to be named the #1 Catholic high school in the state of Wisconsin. We are also the #1 Catholic school for STEM in the county, followed by the #1 Catholic school in the state of Wisconsin for college prep. These recognitions affirm what so many of you already know: DSHA is a place where faith and intellect grow together, where young women are not only challenged to achieve but to lead with courage, compassion, and conviction.

Growing in Faith

Just a few weeks ago, our community gathered for Mass with Archbishop Grob. He shared with our students the story of the salt doll. In that story, the salt doll journeys to the sea, longing to understand what the ocean is. When she finally steps into the water, she begins to dissolve, only to discover that she’s giving up herself and becoming something greater. The archbishop invited our girls to reflect on one simple yet powerful question: What do I need to give of myself to learn who Jesus is? In that moment, hundreds of young women in our theatre – bright, curious, and often pulled in so many directions – paused to truly consider what it means to give of themselves. I think that moment captured the heart of faith formation here at DSHA.

Faith here is not only received, it’s lived. It’s wrestled with, it's shared, it’s offered back through love and service. In our most recent survey, 71% of our students said that DSHA has helped them grow in their faith. By senior year, nearly 80% described themselves as being very or somewhat religious, a 23% increase compared to when they were freshmen entering these doors. At a time when fewer young people identify with their faith, that growth is extraordinary, and it happens in large part because of our Campus Ministry program where more than 140 young women are in leadership positions. This gives them the opportunity to guide their peers through prayer, worship, retreats, service. These students are not just participants in their faith, they're leaders in it. Faith gives students their foundation; heart gives them the courage and compassion. Last year alone, DSHA students completed more than 25,000 hours of community service. They volunteered at food pantries and shelters, served schools and nursing homes, and stood with those in need of companionship – not for recognition but because faith called them to action.

 

Building Community with the Marian Scholars

This year, we celebrated our sixth year of our Marian Scholars program. For those who may not know, this is a program that invites Dashers into the freshman class who have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. They attend DSHA fully included in classrooms with their peers. They’re supported by Dashers who are in school with them, and these mentors push into the mainstream classes to provide them support. Our mentors have the opportunity to earn a dual-credit through Marquette University, and we offer them the opportunity to earn credit toward an education course. We’re proud to share that our first Marian Scholar this year was just accepted into college: Shepherds College. Shepherds College has an acceptance rate of 58%. Grace Ratzel, DSHA '26, earned her way into this role.

What’s amazing is the next day, Grace was celebrated by her peers in [Theology Department Chair] Lisa Metz's World Religions class. They wanted to surprise her because she was so excited. I had the pleasure of seeing Grace the next day after her acceptance, and she was walking down the hallway with her peer mentor discussing room decorations. What a form of inclusion that is!

Our Dashers are learning that leadership is not about titles and awards, but it’s about empathy, integrity, and service. When alumnae return, they often tell me that DSHA gave them not just an education but a sense of purpose, an understanding that their gifts are meant to serve others. That is what heart looks like at DSHA. That is what your generosity makes possible.

Developing Intelligent Young Leaders

Of course, DSHA is committed to academic excellence, and it remains one of our greatest strengths. We’re proud to say that 100% of our graduates are accepted into a four-year school or university. Last year, the class of 2025, 99% of them are attending a university, and two of them are honorably entering a military academy. Members of the class of 2025 were awarded over $24 million in college scholarships, and they are attending more than 64 colleges and universities across the country. 29% of the class of 2025 was accepted into a highly selective institution. What does that mean? It means these are institutions that only take one in five applicants. 29% of our class was accepted into one of those schools!

We are sending girls off prepared to succeed in college. And when they’re here, Dashers are choosing to challenge themselves. They’re taking those risks, they’re taking classes they never thought they would. Almost 97% of our juniors and seniors are enrolled in at least one AP or dual-credit class. 85% of those students scored high enough on the AP exams to earn college credit – that’s compared to 67% of coed students.

These are incredible outcomes, but what truly matters is the transformation behind the numbers: Young women gaining competence, curiosity, confidence, courage to lead.

Looking Toward the Future

At this dinner, for the past few years, I’ve shared the vision that we’re making possible with the Forward in Faith campaign. This multi-year effort builds upon DSHA’s growth and success and will bring another transformation to the DSHA experience. Through scholarships, building improvements to support academic excellence especially in the area of STEM, and much-needed athletic facilities and renovations. To support these efforts, we’ve now raised $12 million, and of that, $2 million is already funding scholarships today, providing approximately 10 young women the ability to attend DSHA right now.

We’ve also made significant investments in the infrastructure of the 1949 building – you’ll know which one that is! It’s warmer and cooler thanks to a new HVAC system. We’re preparing for its conversion to a state-of-the-art STEM learning center with flexible classrooms, collaborative media spaces that we hope will mirror their college experience.

 

We’re really glad to share some exciting news with you tonight: In just a few months, we’ll be moving forward with our athletic field renovation. Our board of trustees has approved this next phase which includes secure parking to enhance campus safety, two new competitive turf fields that will elevate the outdoor athletic facilities. We plan to break ground this spring with the completion to be planned ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

 

I want to thank so many of you in the room tonight who have already supported the campaign. Your generosity is shaping the next century of DSHA, ensuring our students have spaces, facilities, and resources to grow in faith, heart, and intellect. And as we look ahead, our focus now turns to completing the campaign and beginning renovation of the 1949 building – a transformation that will redefine how we educate the next generation of leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math.

As I reflect on tonight and all the accomplishments and all that lies ahead, I'm reminded that none of this happens alone. Every success story, every scholarship earned, every act of service, every young woman who discovers her voice in this building – it all begins with each and every one of you. You, our supporters, our alumnae, our parents, our friends, our faculty and staff, the sisters, you are helping us form these young women, and they will carry out the goodness and kindness of Jesus every day at DSHA. Together, we ensure that DSHA stands not only as a school of excellence but as a community of transformation, one that nurtures faith, heart, and intellect in the next generation of women that I know will go out and make a difference in this world.