The following is a letter from Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J., president of Georgetown Preparatory School, to the School community on June 16, 2020.
Dear Members of the Georgetown Prep Community,
On 29 May, we held two very special Masses: a virtual Commissioning Mass to celebrate the rising underclassmen, and what I can only imagine was Georgetown Prep's first (and hopefully last!) virtual Semi-Baccalaureate Mass honoring the Class of 2020. At the Commissioning Liturgy, it has become somewhat of a custom to give a "State of the School" address to all attendees. Well, as I know you already know, nothing about the last three months has been "customary." Yet, I can say with all sincerity, I have never been prouder to be the leader of our nation's oldest Catholic High School and only Jesuit boarding school.
As I said in my address two weeks ago, since we all left campus in March, I have seen remarkable things these past few months. I have seen students show up for distance learning and try hard to make it work, even from halfway around the globe. I have watched teachers and staff labor to learn a whole new way of teaching, to adjust lessons, to engage their students, even while trying to look after families of their own. I have seen clubs and reflection groups gathering, working together, and even having fun together. I've seen a senior class step up and lead from afar. It is not what we would have chosen, but we chose to make it good, to do it as well as we could. And we did! To one and all – teachers, students, staff – I say on behalf of Prep, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!
A lot goes into making Georgetown Prep the premier secondary school it is. We have an unbelievably dedicated and talented faculty and staff. We have ambitious, eager, and wonderful young men. We have parents and families who work with us as partners, entrusting us with the education of their sons. Yet, none of this would be possible without the Georgetown Prep community's enormous generosity.
On 21 April, we launched the Prep Strong: Keeping Our Family Together campaign. We established this short-duration campaign to help Prep families who are suffering from financial displacement due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic afford their sons' education here. We cannot bear to think that even one current or incoming student might have to turn away from us due to financial concerns brought on by the events of this spring and summer when we reopen in the fall.
With two weeks left in the fiscal year, I ask again for your help. We need to keep our Prep family together. Many of you have already contributed to this year's Annual Fund and to the Prep Strong campaign. I cannot thank you enough for your support. There is still time to make a difference and we ask you to continue your support of Georgetown Preparatory School and of our students.
Thank you for all you do to sustain and enhance John Carroll's 231-old-dream.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J.
President