Support

A Nurturing Environment

We’re dedicated to ensuring that your daughter has the support she needs to succeed.

Our fusion of mentoring, advisory and counseling services empowers our students to embrace their authentic self with courage and confidence. Enhancing the learning process, our support personnel guide the development of all Merion Mercy students with their academic and personal concerns, and higher education goals.

She will begin her high school journey with a personal orientation interview, and a dedicated advisor who will guide her all four years. We encourage a culture of talking about personal challenges, be it confidentially or in the open, and ensure there’s always someone there to listen.

Mentors
Our teachers are always available to provide mentoring to students. While our advisory program allocates a specific staff member, when it comes to mentoring, students are free to select a teacher (or teachers) they feel the strongest connection with. This allows for mentoring relationships based on shared interests and specific skill sets — we’ve found that the strongest mentorship often occurs through sports and extracurricular activities.

Advisors
Advisory groups have long been a part of the MMA student experience. Your student will be allocated an advisor who will be her dedicated contact throughout her four years at Merion. She will able to meet with them individually, as she needs, and also partake in an advisory group (of between 7 - 14 students) on a monthly basis. 

During monthly sessions, students engage in programming curated by The Social Institute (TSI), called #WinAtSocial. MMA partners with this program as it promotes character, empathy, teamwork, and other important life skills. The Social Institute is a national leader in curriculum designed to equip students to navigate the complex intersection of well-being, social media, and technology. TSI equips students to make positive, healthy, and high-character choices that fuel their health, happiness, and future success. 

Counselors
While advisors sit on our faculty or are professional staff, our counselors are licensed professionals trained to help students with more personal concerns. Their offices are open every school day, and girls are welcome to drop in, or make an appointment by email.

Our counselors are held to professional standards of confidentiality when dealing with personal student affairs, as outlined by the American Counseling Association, the American School Counseling Association, and the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
 

Holistic Student Review Process

Merion Mercy Academy takes pride in its commitment to cultivating well-rounded students—a hallmark of the private school experience. Recognizing the significance of going beyond traditional academics, we embrace a holistic approach that encompasses artistic expression, athletics, and co-curricular activities to foster comprehensive student development. Central to this ethos is the Holistic Student Review Process, a distinctive MMA initiative designed to ensure that students fully engage with the diverse array of opportunities available to them.

Led by Sister Danielle Gagnon, RSM, the Director of Mission, Ministry, and Belonging, and Maya Johnson ‘12, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, the Holistic Student Review Process also gauges the student's sense of belonging within the Merion Mercy community.

 

A Dedicated Space

Our counseling suites provide versatile meeting and workshop areas. The space allows MMA counselors, specialists, and tutors the opportunity to work with your student one-on-one, as part of a group, and/or with parents, teachers, and other professionals, giving her the freedom to share and to grow without distraction.

“The most special thing about attending Merion is the constant support from everyone. As I walk through the halls each day, I love knowing that I will pass by various teachers and classmates who have helped me at my worst, and celebrated me at my best.” 

—McKenna Foody ’23, Springfield, Pa.

Meet Our School Counseling Staff

Maria Carini

Maria Carini

Titles: School Counseling Services Coordinator
Email:
Sally McGovern

Sally McGovern

Titles: Assistant to Counseling and Summer Programs
Email: