Hope Hall School Marks 30 Years

Sister Diana Dolce, Hope Hall School Executive Director, teaching Social Studies to the first Hope Hall 8th grade class in 1994

The Sisters of Saint Joseph were founded in 1650 to be women who met unmet needs and serve all without distinction.

In 1992, Sister Diana Dolce, who had been teaching for several years, approached the SSJ Leadership Team to discuss her desire to meet an unmet need in the region. Sister Diana explained that there were significant gaps in the education system for children with learning challenges, such as Central Auditory Processing Delays, ADHD, and mild anxiety disorders. “These children required a different teaching approach; they could learn, but they learned differently,” says Sister Diana.

The Leadership Team said at that time, the Congregation could not afford to own and operate another school. They encouraged Sister Diana to explore options if she could find a viable path. “All I ever wanted to do was teach, not start a school and be the principal and executive director!” says Sister. “However, while spending time in prayer, it became clear that this was God’s plan, and I needed to act on it.”

In early 1993, Sister Diana gathered a group of 12 women, including Sisters Janice Morgan, Dorothy Meisenzahl, Margaret Mancuso, and Kathy Weider as well as a business owner, a parent, and other school Administrators, to discuss the idea. At the end of a two-hour meeting, they unanimously agreed to form a Steering Committee to launch the school.

By January 1994, Sister Diana secured a building in disrepair and negotiated a lease with no rent until September in exchange for repairs and cleaning out years of debris. “From February until the night before the first day of school, 300 volunteers dedicated 3,000 hours to cleaning, filling four 40-yard dumpsters with garbage, and painting the facility,” she recalls.

On September 7, 1994, Hope Hall opened its doors to 43 students in grades 3-8 with Sister Diana teaching 7th and 8th grade Social Studies while also serving as principal and helping with maintenance. On that first day, the school initiated a tradition of burying “I can’t” statements outside, symbolizing growth. Students expressed their doubts, such as “I can’t make friends,” and were encouraged to prove they could.

Sister Diana Dolce with the recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Award at the 2023 Hope Hall graduation ceremony

Hope Hall has since flourished, now serving 140 children in grades 3-12 and boasting a 100% high school graduation rate.

“Hope Hall alumni are an impressive group of hard-working, respectful, honest members of our local workforce who are contributing to making the Rochester Community a better place,” says Sister Diana.