Jacqueline Quiñones Sienkowski was officially installed as Cornelia Connelly School’s new Head of School on Friday, September 13, during the Mass of the Holy Spirit. Among the students, faculty and staff at the Mass were parents, alumnae, friends, representatives from the Diocese of Orange, Connelly board members, and past and present Heads of School from Connelly and Mayfield Senior School of the Holy Child.
Following an introduction by Pricilla Forbes, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Connelly was honored to have Rev. Gerald M. Horan, O.S.M., preside over the Mass and Installation ceremony. Sister Eileen McDevitt, SHCJ—the Director of the Holy Child Network of Schools, travelled from Philadelphia to perform the installation. She spoke of founder Cornelia Connelly’s strength, her devotion to God and education, and how Cornelia’s faith and love for God carried her through times of change. Change that Jackie will face as she strives to bring Cornelia’s vision to life through her leadership.
Sister Eileen continued, “Cornelia was a wife, a mother of five children, a convert of Catholicism, all before and while founding the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in Derby, England, in 1846. It was her faith in God—our God made flesh—the wondrous absurdity of God who took on all of our humanity, that gave her the courage and the confidence to do more, and to be more, than anyone of her time or our time could ever imagine. This is now your heritage, Jackie. It is articulated in the Goals and Criteria for Holy Child schools, but they are only words. It is up to you to give them life, heart and spirit—actions not words. We hand this on to you gently and with confidence in what God plans to do through you for this community. Welcome to the Holy Child family and thank you for taking on what Cornelia called the ‘sweet laborious task of education.’ Jackie, may you be held up every day by God’s love and by our prayer and support for you.” She then led the entire audience in the blessing, asking everyone to extend their right hand to bless Jackie as she stood in front of the Connelly community.
Jackie closed the ceremony with words of thanks to all those who traveled to her installation to provide support. She expressed to Connelly’s administration, faculty and staff, and students that “her heart beats with yours. To extend the metaphor…I am the moon, 14% smaller than you. You, this community, are the sun. Because of you I get to shine a little today, but without you, I could never shine at all. I am humbled to be your Head of School. Thank you.”
Jackie came to her career in teaching through Teach for America after working with the Office of the Public Defender in San Diego. From her own childhood growing up in East Los Angeles, Jackie saw the benefits of a quality education and fought for her own continued education after high school—first at community college, then at UC-Riverside and UCLA. Jackie graduated from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego and worked diligently to give voice to those often marginalized in society—many of whom were juvenile offenders. It was through this experience Jackie learned to make a difference in the lives of children, we must meet them before they become part of the criminal justice system which, ultimately led her to Teach for America where she was a Connecticut corps member.
Jackie taught with the New Haven Connecticut Public Schools before returning to California and joyously finding her way to Cornelia Connelly School of the Holy Child. At Connelly, Jackie has taught freshmen and junior English, Advanced Placement Language and Composition, began the Journalism program and the “Connelly Chronicle,” and then most recently was the Dean of Students.
Jackie balances a full-time career in education with parenting five-year-old twins. She is an avid reader and loves to travel. She, her husband, her two children and their Goldendoodle Charlie, live in Yorba Linda.
