Mount Saint Joseph Academy Opens New Wellness Center
At 10:00 AM on Thursday, December 10, 2009, Kathleen Fraser, Principal of Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Dr. Mary Jane England, President of Regis College, and Molly Santry of New Balance, cut the maroon and gold ribbon to one of the two doors to the new Mount Saint Joseph Academy Wellness Center. The officers of the Mount’s Athletics Association, President Brianna Rizzo, Vice President Christina Mulcahy, Secretary Lindsay Galante and Treasurer Micaela Brown, cut the ribbon to the other one.
At the formal opening, students, administrators, faculty and trustees welcomed leaders from New Balance, Regis College, and representatives from the Brighton-Allston private and public sectors. Brianna Rizzo, a four-year, three-season athlete and an honor student, welcomed State Representative Kevin Honan, Marc Ciommo, Brighton-Allston City Counselor; John Holiver, President of St. Elizabeth Medical Center; Kathryn Tappen, NESN’s studio host for Boston Bruins and good friend to the Mount, and many others. Dr. England spoke of the need for wellness programs for adolescents as well as the benefits of the collaboration among New Balance, Regis College and Mount Saint Joseph Academy. Kathleen Fraser assured all present that their investment in the “Get Fit, Get Balanced” program will reap significant and lasting dividends for the students of the Mount, present and future.
The Wellness Center is a two-room space with resistance machines, cardio machines, flat screen televisions, a Wii program, mats, and other strength and flexibility implements. The “Get Fit, Get Balanced” program features individualized health assessments and the development of individualized wellness plans for students and staff. It is staffed by Regis College staff and students and staff members from the Mount, and is available to all students. Christa Gillis, the Mount’s Health and Physical Education teacher, conducts classes in the center as well as in the school gym and the Health classroom. Coaches also bring their teams to the Center for conditioning. Individual students and staff, once they have completed an orientation, may use the Center whenever it is open.
The Wellness Center is a classic example of how partnerships can make possible opportunities that single entities cannot. In 2008, Dr. Toni Hayes, Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professionals at Regis College, Jeanne Smith, Assistant Principal at the Mount, Kathleen Fraser and Heidi Hoffman of New Balance collaborated on a grant called the “Get Fit, Get Balanced” Program. This program is designed to extend and deepen the school’s commitment to the total health and wellness of the students by establishing a Wellness Center at the school and by incorporating a Fitness Curriculum into the already existing academic and co-curricular offerings focusing on Health and sound decision making skills.
Jeanne Smith was notified in August of 2008 that New Balance had awarded a $100,000 grant to Regis College and Mount Saint Joseph Academy. In preparation for the Wellness Center, a team of Regis College students working in a service project, moved the Mount’s four year old Robotics Shop, where students work as part of the Robotics FIRST competition. Then, 130 volunteers from City Year painted walls in the center, the corridors and stairwells of the Academy. Electrical and cable upgrades were made. In the meantime, Jeanne Smith, former Director of Athletics, coach and Health and Physical Education teacher at the Mount, and Christine Kloiber, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, designed the center, ordered equipment and oversaw all operations.
Young women at the Mount have the opportunity to make sound decisions for fitness in their own school in a center where all students, athletes and non-athletes alike, may individualize their own wellness programs with the help of a variety of adult partners. Representatives of the Mount and Regis are now contemplating next steps in the Mount’s Wellness initiatives.
In its 124th year, Mount Saint Joseph Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory high school founded and sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston and serves young women from throughout Boston and the surrounding towns and cities.
Kathleen Fraser
Principal
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