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4251 L Street Philadelphia, PA 19124
1-215-289-4220 1-215-289-4229 (FAX)

Contact Person: Sister M. Margaret Fleming, IHM Principal

Celebrating 50 Years

Saint Lucy Day School was founded in 1955 at the request of parents who wanted their children to receive the special education services they needed in a spiritually enriching environment. Administered by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ihmimmaculata.org , this school revolutionized the idea of providing education for children who are blind or partially sighted without isolating them from family and the regular school system. St. Lucy Day School is one of the five Special Education schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and serves Visually Impaired students from a five county area. In April, 1997, Saint Lucy Day School was chosen as one of the 25 most innovative Catholic schools in the nation.

Saint Lucy Day School was once again accredited by The Commission on Elementary Schools of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools on April 27. 2001

Governance

The Office of Catholic Education of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia monitors the policies and procedures of the special education schools in the diocese. One of the greatest strengths in the daily governance of our school is that of the spirit of collegiality. The administrator accords professional respect to each staff member and values the individual expertise of each person. Whenever practical, decisions are made in consultation with the faculty and a consensus is reached. This respectful attitude flows through staff to the students who are given a freedom, within boundaries, to strive to become their best selves. Written guidelines are provided for the teachers in the regular education classes who have children mainstreamed into their classes; workshops are held for both faculty and students in the regular education classroom to enable them to respond to the needs of a visually impaired child in the class as well as to develop reasonable expectations for the child's performance. Similar guidelines are also provided for teacher aides and visitors for the same reasons.

Mission Statement

Saint Lucy Day School for Children with Visual Impairments is a Catholic School that provides spiritual and academic instruction, as well as training in all areas of the expanded core curriculum; thus preparing students for the challenges of life and pursuit of higher education.

Philosophy

Saint Lucy Day School for Children with Visual Impairments, established in 1955 as one of the five special education facilities of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and supported by Catholic Charities, revolves around three basic beliefs regarding life, personhood and community. The first belief is that life is a gift. The second belief is that we all have a unique personhood and are loved equally by God. The third belief, and the mission of St. Lucy Day School, is that all of us, students, family and staff in the community of Christians, are one. We are a gift to each other. We share the responsibility to help each other grow in love; to find our place in the Kingdom; and strive for and, with God's grace, to realize our greatest spiritual, academic, and emotional potential.

Who is St. Lucy

Lucy was one of the earliest Christian saints to achieve popularity, having a widespread following before the 5th century. She is the patron saint of the city of Syracuse (Sicily). Because of various traditions associating her name with light, she came to be thought of as the patron of sight and was depicted by medieval artists carrying a dish containing her eyes.

According to some texts, Lucy came from a wealthy Sicilian family. Spurning marriage and worldly goods, however, she vowed to remain a virgin in the tradition of St. Agatha. An angry suitor reported her to the local Roman authorities for being a Christian, who sentenced her to an unchristian way of life. This order was thwarted, according to legend, by divine intervention; Lucy became immovable and could not be carried away. She was next condemned to death. In actuality, Lucy was probably a victim of the wave of persecution of Christians that occurred late in the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. References to her are found in early Roman sacramentaries and, at Syracuse, in an inscription dating from AD 400. As evidence of her early fame, two churches are known to have been dedicated to her in Britain before the 8th century, at a time when the land was largely pagan.

One of the patron saints of virgins, St. Lucy is venerated on her feast day, December 13, by a variety of ceremonies. In Sweden, St. Lucia's Day marks the beginning of the Christmas celebration. On that day the eldest daughter of the family traditionally dresses in a white robes and wears as a crown an evergreen wreath studded with candles.