Hello friendly faces! It’s that time of the week! We’re back with a new CNSM Meet a Mom spotlight brought to you in part by Mary Gifford of Gifford Law. This week we are pleased to introduce you Chicago mom of two and the president of Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette, Elizabeth Schuster.
Elizabeth is passionate about the Regina Dominican High School, an independent all-girls Catholic high school built for girls with unique programs that allow each student to find and become the best version of herself. Elizabeth tells us what makes Regina Dominican the premier high school on the North Shore.
Hi Elizabeth! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your geography.
I am Elizabeth Schuster, I was born and raised in Scranton, PA. (Yes, as in The Office, and yes it is a real place:) I currently live in Lincoln Park, Chicago with my family.
What brought you to Chicago?
Work at The Vanguard Group and grad school at Northwestern University brought me to Chicago, my role as president of Regina Dominican brought me to the North Shore.
Tell us about your two little cuties.
We have two bold and fun loving daughters. Bodhi is 5 years old and Ruhani is 10 months old. Bodhi loves to dance, ride her bike, ski, make art and play teacher but her favorite thing is being a big sister. Ruhani loves to giggle and makes us feel like the most interesting and fun humans on the planet by always shining the best smiles when she sees us.
What are one or two fun facts to know about you?
- Once upon a time, I worked at the Denver Fire Department -Station 1.
- I love to snowboard.
What are your favorite North Shore local places to spend with the family.
We love going to the pool at Michigan Shores in Wilmette, the playground at Ramona, playing in the gym at Regina Dominican and watching Regina Dominican High School sports and dance performances.
We love how family friendly all the restaurants in Wilmette are but we were blown away by the kindness and hospitality at Sophia Steak. They create a lovely experience even for the tiniest of diners.
What gets you through a tough day?
Hearing either of my daughters giggle or squeal with joy.
You are President of Regina Dominican High School. Tell us about this award winning school and what makes it so amazing.
Regina Dominican High School is the premier independent Catholic school on the North Shore that challenges young women to be independent thinkers, relentless truth-seekers, and confident, compassionate leaders. We are a school that is built FOR girls, not just with girls. It is an important distinction because our entire school is customized to the unique needs of young women striving to reach their greatest potential. We create a joyful and supportive educational environment for students from all backgrounds. We understand that social and emotional health is at the core of achievement for young women. We invest in young women who are confident in who they are and the gifts they bring to the world. We are a collaborative community that seeks input and feedback from our community to continuously improve our already phenomenal school. This results in outstanding parent and student satisfaction and tremendous outcomes in gaining acceptance to students’ first choice of university.
Our college counseling program is a four year collaborative process with parents and students that creates incredible outcomes. 92% of the class of 2022 were accepted to their first choice college and were offered over $10M to attend those colleges.
What does your role mean for the school?
My role as President is one of servant leadership. The office of the president exists to remove barriers and allow our talented faculty and staff do what they do best and create an optimal learning environment for the young women in our care. My role collaboratively sets the strategic direction for the school and works to ensure the resources needed to achieve that strategy are available.
Why an all girls school over coed?
I could go on about this forever!
All girls schools are more important today than ever. Society can be tough on young women, there are pressures and anxieties hitting adolescent females at a disproportionate rate. All girls schools blast gender stereotypes to oblivion, create a vibrant sisterhood and encourage a growth mindset in ways that are just not possible in co-ed schools.
While you will hear many anecdotal stories, the research tells us the following as recently reported in Psychology Today:
“Girls in same-sex schools are more apt to excel athletically and to have opportunities for school leadership roles; When children learn with single-gender peers, they are more likely to attend to their studies, speak more openly in the classroom, and feel more encouraged to pursue their interests and achieve their fullest potential; Girls exposed to high-achieving boys in the classroom are apt to set their educational goals lower and to lack confidence in their own abilities than girls not so exposed; Girls in classrooms with high-achieving females are more likely to pursue ambitious educational goals even when of average ability themselves; Greater exposure to high-achieving boys in high school negatively impacts girls’ science and math grades, according to recent findings from the National Bureau of Economic Research.” [source]
What are one or two unique initiatives that come from Regina Dominican High School?
1)The Leadership Institute at Regina Dominican High School helps Regina Girls be prepared to successfully lead, embrace new opportunities, and confidently tackle the challenges facing female leaders. The Leadership Institute is a resource center that supports leadership development across the curriculum. Through specific programming, we enable our students to discover their voices, find their passions, and build leadership skills for success at RDHS and beyond. Unique to Regina Dominican, these programs are designed for all students to acquire, practice, and apply new leadership skills critical for the next generation of women leaders.
2) Over 80% of our students are athletes. We encourage students to step out of their comfort zones, to try new things and to embrace the deep learning that can come from being on a team. The role of athletics at Regina Dominican is to create a stronger sense of self confidence in building relationships with others and an expanded capacity for empathy. Students develop a deep sense of self and how their actions affect others in addition to building a foundation for a lifelong commitment to fitness.
What’s on the horizon for Regina Dominican High School?
We are in the middle of the largest renovation to Regina Dominican’s campus since its founding. It is a 4 phase plan that will do the following:
- Create a student-centered facility that strengthens community bonds and supports collaboration amongst students, faculty, and staff.
- Resize and redesign to modern educational standards and enrollment.
- Build a sustainable, eco-friendly, and secure campus with best-in-class athletic and academic facilities.
- Create a student-centered facility that strengthens community bonds and supports collaboration amongst students, faculty, and staff.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about yourself or Regina Dominican High School?
We would love for you to visit us so you can hear, see and feel what we are so passionate about!
How can our readers get in touch with you to learn more about an education at Regina Dominican High School?
Please visit our website, www.rdpanthers.org or reach out to Bridgette Jasinski-Cima Director of Enrollment-North Shore, [email protected] to learn more about what RDHS can do for the young women in your lives.
About our Meet of Mom Sponsor
A very heartfelt thank you to CNSMoms’ Meet a Mom sponsor, Lake Forest mom of three and owner of Gifford Law, a solo Estate Planning Firm (wills and trusts). Mary, we appreciate your support of local moms in our North Shore communities! Learn more about Mary by visiting her Meet a Mom spotlight here! Contact Mary directly here: [email protected].
