President's Report: Our Enduring Mission

Last school year the Board of Trustees went through the process of reviewing our Mission Statement. The Mission Statement was two paragraphs long, and began with a historical explanation of the starting of the school. While interesting, it did not really reflect the purpose of a Mission Statement.

Both our accreditation review by the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) in the fall of 2019 and the Jesuit Province Sponsorship Review the previous spring recommended that we review – and condense – our Mission Statement.

Our goal was to more succinctly state our mission, not to change it.

We began with a student and faculty committee to take some initial stabs at a rewrite. From there, we presented the Board with a few options, and over the course of four Board meetings last year and the Board retreat in February, we tweaked and wordsmithed dozens of versions.

At our board meeting on May 21, 2020, the Board approved the following Mission Statement for Regis High School:

Regis High School transforms Catholic young men through an academically exceptional Jesuit education in a caring community which inspires leadership, generosity and a lifelong passion for service as Men for Others. Regis is tuition free and merit based, giving special consideration to families in need of financial assistance.

In this Annual Report issue of the magazine, we list those who have supported our mission at Regis High School. This is who we are, this is what we do, and this is what you support. And we are very grateful for that support, which allows us to fulfill this mission day after day, year after year, in person, in hybrid, or even in remote instruction during times of a pandemic. Thank you for making our work here on 84th Street possible.

In a year when there was so much uncertainty, our Regis community rallied to support our mission. Just shy of the record Annual Fund year of 2018, our alumni, families and friends came together to clearly show that the education of the next generation of leaders is important and worthy of your backing. On behalf of our 530 students, and all those who will continue to benefit from a Regis education for generations to come, thank you.

I write these words on Thanksgiving weekend, and while this will not show up on your doorsteps for several weeks afterwards, I want you to know that as we move into the season of Advent leading us to the joy of Christmas, I remember our alumni, students, faculty and staff, and all your families every day in my Mass in the Regis Chapel of the Sacred Heart. I pray that these seasons are filled with love and laughter, even in the midst of this pandemic.

God bless.

Daniel K. Lahart, SJ President