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Catholic Schools Week is being celebrated throughout the archdiocese and the nation from Sunday, Jan. 26 through Saturday, Feb. 1. The theme this year is “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service.”
Below is a sampling of the special liturgies, programs and activities taking place in Catholic schools in the archdiocese to mark the week.
MANHATTAN
Corpus Christi School will begin celebrations with Mass on Monday; the pastor, Father Dan O’Reilly and others will speak about vocations and ministry. The week includes a sports day, math day, and written and oral communication day. On literature day students will dress as their favorite character in a storybook or novel.
Sacred Heart of Jesus will celebrate with a school spirit day, a “tie-dye Tuesday” and a jersey day. The students will play Bingo. The week ends with a school Mass in honor of St. John Bosco, patron saint of youth.
St. Joseph’s School-Yorkville will celebrate with alumni on Sunday, Jan. 26, with a Mass, tour and reception. The week includes community appreciation day, parent appreciation day, international day and faith and citizenship day. The week ends with student appreciation day where students will compete against teachers in games of skill!
Our Lady Queen of Angels will celebrate the week with a school-wide Mass, a buddy day and a grandparents breakfast. Students can participate in a Scholastic Book Fair. There will be a class buddy day and a day devoted to math mania.
STATEN ISLAND
Blessed Sacrament kindergarteners will do a project on baptism. Second-graders will have their parents and grandparents read to them; students will bring in books to donate to the Seton Foundation. Third- and fourth-graders will dress up as their favorite historical figures. Students in seventh and eighth grades will bring in photos that represent: Recognizing the Beauty of God’s Earth, Signs of Faith and Random Acts of Kindness. There will also be a diversity day, among other events.
Our Lady Queen of Peace will begin the week with the celebration of Mass. The Rosary and Altar Society will be honored, especially Helen Bryer who has been involved with the society for many years. There will be a school-wide recitation of the Rosary, a book fair, a comfy-cozy day, a get-up and move day, and a school spirit day. The school will participate in Feeding Our Neighbors campaign conducted by archdiocesan Catholic Charities.
St. Christopher’s will celebrate the week with its annual faculty versus eighth-graders volleyball game. There will be a book and bake sale. Second-graders will give presentations on what they want to be when they grow up.
St. Clare’s will begin the week with Masses Sunday, Jan. 26, with teachers and the principal and assistant principal speaking. There will be crazy hat and socks day, art activities and a music assembly. There will be special ceremony for eighth-graders and a prayer service for grandparents.
St. Joseph-St. Thomas will hold special events such as grandparents’ day, share a book day and board game day. There will be a Staten Island Catholic School Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Sunday, Jan. 26, at 2:30 p.m. There will be a “Jeans for Teens” clothing drive and students will participate in the “Feeding Our Neighbors” campaign.
St. John Villa Academy will begin the week with a Mass on Sunday, Jan. 26, at 10 a.m. There will be special themed days such as teacher appreciation day, career day, student appreciation day and international day. Olympic gold medalist Derrick Adkins will talk to the student body on Tuesday, career day.
St. Rita’s will kick off the week with the Feeding Our Neighbors campaign with a “souper bowl” on Monday, Jan. 27—students are asked to bring in a can of soup and dress down in their favorite football team’s clothing. There will also be a crazy hat spirit day, student spirit day and a parent appreciation day. A leadership prayer service will be held on Wednesday.
At Sacred Heart School students will begin the week with literacy classroom presentations and parents’ day. There will be a school spirit day, a heritage day and a math and science discovery day. Students will participate in the Feeding Our Neighbors campaign. There will also be a “Mystery Skype Day” in which students will skype with students from another Sacred Heart school in a mystery location.
THE BRONX
Our Lady of Mount Carmel will begin the week with an international prayer service. There will be an assembly on “Our Catholic Identity and the Social Mission of the Church.” There will be a spirit day, a religion bee and a special Mass.
St. John’s, Kingsbridge will celebrate with its annual science fair. There will also be a Scholastic book fair in the library.
St. Frances de Chantal will host a tea for grandparents, a pajama day and a movie day during the week. There will also be an Olympic day and other activities.
St. Lucy’s will begin the week with an opening Mass on Monday. There will be an open house on Tuesday, 9-11 a.m., and 7 p.m. there will be an international lunch during which students can wear traditional cultural clothing. There will also be a spirit day, a dress down day with crazy hats and sports activities during the week.
The week will begin for students at St. Margaret of Cortona with a school Mass Sunday, Jan. 26 at 10:30 a.m. There will be an “Eighth Grade Takes Over Day” where students will take the roles of the staff and faculty. Other events include crazy hat and silly sock day, pajama and movie day, and a student talent show.
SS. Philip and James begins the week with student appreciation day. There will also be a teacher and principal appreciation day, a pastor appreciation day and a “bowl-a-thon” where students will take a trip to the local bowling alley.
At St. Simon Stock, students will speak at all Masses Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 25 and 26. There will be crazy hat day with money collected going to St. Jude’s Hospital for Children. There will be special luncheons throughout the week. On Thursday, Jan. 29, there will be a carnival. The week ends with a parents and students versus teacher volleyball game and a school-wide Mass.
St. Theresa’s begins the week with a family Mass on Sunday, Jan. 26, at 10:30 a.m. There will be special celebrations to honor parents, grandparents, faculty and students. The week will end with a fashion show.
Visitation School will celebrate a special Catholic Schools Week Mass Friday, Jan. 31, at 9 a.m.
DUTCHESS COUNTY
At St. Denis-St. Columba’s in Hopewell Junction, students will create a “garden of virtues” in the hallway with decorations that reflect how they have grown and are being nurtured in virtues. There will be a Scholastic book fair. Students will collect food items for the St. Vincent DePaul Pantry. There will be a dads and donuts day, a faculty appreciation luncheon and a crazy tie, sweater and sneaker day. There will be an ice cream social, among other events.
At Regina Coeli in Hyde Park the week begins with the school’s annual ziti dinner. On Sunday, Jan. 26, students will address parishioners at Mass. The week includes various game shows based on academics and a movie night. Students will collect food for the Hyde Park Food Pantry.
Holy Trinity School in Poughkeepsie will begin the week with a prayer service on Monday. Grandparents will be invited to visit the school. There will be a faculty versus student volleyball game. The Home School Association will treat students to an ice cream social. There will be a pajama day and students will participate in a quiz bowl. The week ends with Mass on Friday.
St. Mary’s School in Wappingers Falls will hold an ice cream social, a special relatives day and a teacher appreciation day. There will be a Catholic book fair all week, and a “St. Mary’s Cook Off.”
WESTCHESTER/PUTNAM COUNTIES
St. Patrick’s School in Bedford will host an international luncheon on Tuesday. There will be a school spirit day, an international luncheon, and alumni day and a community service day. The week concludes with celebration of Mass on Friday, Jan. 31, followed by a spelling bee and an evening volleyball game between eighth-graders and the faculty.
At St. James the Apostle in Carmel, students will celebrate with family Bingo and a bowling event. Mass will be celebrated on Friday.
St. Columbanus in Cortlandt Manor will host crazy hat and socks day, a student versus teacher challenge, an ice cream social and an academic honors recognition ceremony. There will be a dress down day to benefit Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.
At Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Pelham Manor, students will enjoy breakfast with senior citizens from the parish. There will be a hot dog lunch, a pajama day and a day to play Bingo. Students will write Valentine cards for veterans and nursing home patients. There will be a food collection. Second-graders will make their first penance. There will be a writer’s workshop with author Jerry Reese.
St. Peter’s School in Yonkers will host a community blood drive Sunday, Jan. 26, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. During the week there will be a career day and an international day celebration of various cultures.
ROCKLAND COUNTY
At St. Anthony School in Nanuet the week begins with the celebration of Mass on Sunday, Jan. 26, followed by breakfast. There will be a spirit day, a crazy sock day, a faculty versus student volleyball game and a science fair. Students will participate in the “Feeding Our Neighbor” campaign. There will be a mad science assembly, a Jeopardy-like tournament, and a day for BINGO.
Students at St. Margaret School in Pearl River will participate in a school liturgy organized by the sixth grade. There will be a cultural arts assembly featuring Irish music and Ceili dancing. Other activities include a spelling bee, athletic competitions and an auction.
At St. Paul’s School in Valley Cottage students will begin the week by speaking at all Masses. There will be students acting as guest principals. Other activities include basketball competitions, spelling and math bees, and a variety of academic exhibits. Students will write letters to their pastor and make Valentines for military personnel. Eighth-graders will bury a time capsule, among other events.
ORANGE COUNTY
Sacred Heart School in Monroe will host its open house on Sunday, Jan. 26, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. There will be a bus driver appreciation day; a luncheon with grandparents; a spelling bee and a crazy hat day. Friday will be a school Mass followed by an “Afternoon at the Movies” hosted by the Home School Association. There will be a Snow Ball dance open to sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-graders from schools in the region.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Middletown kicks off the week with its annual pasta dinner on Saturday, Jan. 25. Students, faculty and staff will participate in a “Souper Bowl” drive for local food pantries.
St. Mary’s Little Lambs Early Childhood Learning Center in Port Jervis will host a Scholastic book fair and an alumni ice cream social.
ULSTER COUNTY
Kingston Catholic in Kingston will begin the celebrations with a Mass. There will be a science fair, winter carnival and a potluck dinner.
St. Joseph’s School in Kingston will celebrate a family Mass on Sunday, Jan. 26. There will be shadow days for prospective students. The school will participate in the Feeding Our Neighbors campaign. There will be a day for students to dress as their favorite characters and jeans and sneakers and wacky hair day, among other events. Storyteller Karen Pillsworth will be at the school Thursday, Jan. 30, at 6:30 p.m.; this event is open to the public.
