NDA Faculty Member Speaks out

This comment, from a current member of NDA Hingham's faculty, appeared on our blog today. (So it appears that NDA has not exactly "moved on" after Mary Ellen' abrupt departure.)

Hello,
I just found this blog and I wish that I had known of it sooner.
I am an employee at NDA and I have, we all have, been very confused since Mrs. Cassani's departure. We were given a very vague letter and told not to say anything or we would be in violation of a confidentiality aggreement.
I have been troubled by this event and I have recently begun to formulate my own opinions and ideas about why Mrs. Cassani was dismissed.
I am considering writing a letter to the Administration and the board, but I'm wondering if there is any information available to explain why she was forced to leave.
I am left to assume that it was either a conflict between Mrs. Cassani and Mrs. Colin and or Sister Barbara, a difference in philosophy about how the school should be run, and or the difference between conservative Catholic ideals and principles (which this school was once built on) and some other progressive, liberal agenda.
I can't really say more at this time, but I can tell you that this school has suffered greatly from the loss of Mary Ellen. I think that in time, the truth will be revealed and I believe that it already has begun to.
Please don't take our (faculty) silence as not caring. We have been lied to and deceived. We have even been made to believe that Mrs. Cassani wants us to leave everything be.

March 30, 2009 12:06 PM

Dear Anonymous Faculty Member,

Thank you very much for letting us know how the faculty at NDA feels about Mary Ellen's termination. I feel that I have to warn you that we believe that the Administration at NDA was monitoring this site & since they have proven themselves to be vengeful, you should be careful or you, too, may be pushed out the door.

I will summarize for you what we know about this situation:

• Mary Ellen Cassani had every intention to return to NDA after her Medical Leave AND she had been personally assured, just a few weeks prior to her termination, that NDA was expecting her back.

• Mary Ellen did NOT choose to resign but was blindsided by NDA's Administration. In her heartbroken state, she signed a Confidentiality Agreement in order to receive some sort of compensation and/or benefits (I think).

• Mary Ellen did NOT contact us about this situation, however one of our classmates noticed that Mary Ellen was no longer being referred to as NDA's Principal, so we contacted her. She never told us any details! (Mary Ellen is honorable & keeps her word.) All she said was that she did NOT understand what had happened or why.

• We, her former classmates, wrote to the Board of NDA Hingham & to an NDA nun on the Board who Mary Ellen had considered her friend. Mostly, we were ignored but we were told (by someone that we had all known years before who was still involved at NDA) that "confidentiality" issues prevented any reponse to our inquiries.

• The more vocal we became, the more pressure was put on Mary Ellen from the NDA Administration & her former "friends". Mary Ellen decided it was best for her personally & emotionally ( & for her other family members who still had connections to NDA) to "let go" & move on (so in a way that faculty letter was correct "that Mrs. Cassani wants us to leave everything be".)

• Mary Ellen herself may be able to practice forgiveness but most of the Notre Dame Academy Class of 1972 never will.