Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

BRIDGEPORT—Foundations in Education, Inc (FIE) is pleased to announce the 2021 Innovation and Leadership Grants awards totaling nearly $140,000 to benefit Catholic schools in the Diocese of Bridgeport.

FIE awarded $56,683.56 to educators for their transformative grant projects. In light of the heroic innovative contributions of faculty and staff, FIE for the first time awarded $82,600 to all faculty and staff within Diocesan Catholic schools and the Office of the Superintendent. The Foundation’s Board took the extraordinary step of recognizing the frontline workers for their demonstration of innovation and leadership amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since its inception, Foundations in Education has awarded more than $500,000 in grant funding.

FIE’s Executive Director Holly Doherty-Lemoine shared, “In addition to the annual grant program, this year our committee recognized in a special way the heroic innovation and leadership exhibited by all faculty, staff, and administrators of the Diocesan Catholic schools during this tumultuous year of the coronavirus. In appreciation for their personal sacrifices and perseverance in providing students the excellent education which they deserve, whether in person or virtually, we awarded an Amazon gift card to each permanent employee of our Diocesan Catholic schools.”

The annual competitive Innovative and Leadership grant cycle takes place from September 15-October 31.

Each year, a Grants committee of the Board of Trustees reviews and evaluates each grant proposal and submits recommendations to the FIE Board for approval. Projects must align with the Foundation’s mission to strengthen and transform Catholic education and include unique and innovative approaches to teaching that will maximize impact on student learning.

Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Steven Cheeseman, commented, “We are extremely grateful to Foundations in Education for continuing to make valuable investments in our schools, teachers and students. Across the diocese, educators are working hard to provide robust learning with limited resources. This latest round of grant funding will help support students with both online learning and in-person instruction.”

FIE’s Executive Director, Holly Doherty-Lemoine, remarked, “We are happy we can bring so many of these innovative projects to life and provide an initiative that gives teachers something to look forward to in the midst of all the uncertainty of COVID-19. This initiative is an opportunity for us to celebrate teachers, who are among the unsung heroes of this pandemic.”

This year the awards reception took place virtually. In addition to awardees and their principals, attendees included Most Revered Frank J. Caggiano, Foundations’ Board of Trustees, Grants Committee, and donors.

Each awardee had the opportunity to acknowledge their award and explain their project and vision.

After listening to each presentation, Bishop Frank J. Caggiano shared his reflections with awardees.

“The creativity is extraordinary! The fact that this is happening when we are constricted in so many other ways portrays heroic leadership. I am deeply impressed that these challenges have not prevented, but inspired such imagination and creative proposals. This is Catholic education as it has always been imagined!”

For more information or to learn how you can donate to support innovation and leadership in the Diocese of Bridgeport Catholic Schools, please visit www.foundationsineducation.org.

2021 INNOVATION AND LEADERSHIP GRANT AWARDS

  • St. Catherine Academy for Special Needs, Fairfield: Classroom Robot for Students with Autism by Helen Burland $4,550
  • Kolbe Cathedral High School, Bridgeport: Kolbe Urban Vegetable Garden by Andrew DeCoster $4,000
  • Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, Shelton: Distance Learning – Owl Labs by Kristina DeSimone $11,000; and World Language Lab by Lisa Lanni $9,765
  • St. Gregory the Great School, Danbury: Together at the Heart: Creating Art Six Feet Apart by Jennifer Sullivan $3,500
  • St. Mark School, Stratford: Document Cameras to Reach, Teach and Engage Students by Amanda Di Costanzo and Stacey Zenowich $1,278.56 • Catholic Academy of Bridgeport-St. Ann Academy: Lights, Camera, Action! by Kathy McNeiece $3,500
  • Notre Dame High School, Fairfield: Social and Emotional Learning at Notre Dame High School by Chris Cipriano $12,090; Virtual Dance in the Community by Kristen McAfee $6,000; and Real Estate 101 Enrichment Course by Joshua St. Onge $1,000
  • All Diocesan and Diocesan-Sponsored Catholic Schools in Fairfield County: Demonstration of Innovation and Leadership Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic by all faculty and staff (full-time and part-time) and the Office of the Superintendent $82,600

Click here to view the event recording

 

Dear Catholic Educators,

I found it fitting that the daily reflection for January 31, the first day of Catholic Schools Week, in the Essential Teachings of Mother Teresa, a Christmas gift I received this year, read: “Love cannot remain by itself—it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.” Today, I write to you to thank you for your service, your love in action, for all that you do each day to support your students and their families. This past year presented us with challenges but it also afforded us an opportunity to demonstrate one of the key differentiators of Catholic schools —our teachers, administrators and staff. As Catholic educators, YOU showed up for our kids. YOU showed up, ignoring your own fears and anxieties. And, while many give lip service to “doing it for the kids,” YOU showed up and put the love of Christ in action. By meeting these challenges with compassion and flexibility, you placed the needs of students and families above all else.

Whether they were sitting in front of you or joining your class from home, you made sure that your students were safe. You found creative and innovative ways to meet the diverse academic needs in your classroom, you used every inch of your classroom and every tool at your disposal- many that you learned on the fly these past few months. But most importantly, YOU showed up for them. Please accept my gratitude for your service, for all that you have done and continue to do for the young people of the Diocese of Bridgeport. Know you are in my prayers. May God bless you and your family and may Our Lady continue to shower her blessings on our Catholic school family.

Sincerely,

Dr. Steven F. Cheeseman

Superintendent of Schools

DANBURY—In September, St. Joseph School was inundated with parents who wanted to enroll their children—so many that the Catholic school had to add classes.

Unlike Danbury Public Schools, St. Joseph’s was open in-person, a major draw for families, who did not want their children on distance learning.

“Our phones were ringing off the hook for those young ones,” said Louis Howe, principal at St. Joseph’s, a K-8 school that has had about 30 new students join since September. “Those young ones need to be in school. It’s tough for them to be on a computer.”

Interest has heightened locally and nationally in Catholic schools, which in recent years have struggled and even combined or closed due to enrollment declines and budgetary challenges.

“Our hope is that as families have experienced Catholic school education that they will see the value of it and that they will continue to send their students,” said Steven Cheeseman, superintendent of schools in the Dioceses of Bridgeport.

Their small size has allowed most Catholic schools in Fairfield County to do what many public schools have not during the coronavirus pandemic—open five days a week for all students who want to be there.

Many public schools have been on the hybrid model for at least part of the academic year and have had to temporarily close due to staff shortages or COVID cases. Danbury was on full distance learning until mid-January.

Only two Catholic high schools in the Bridgeport dioceses are on a hybrid model, while all other schools are open fully in-person, Cheeseman said.

Preschool decline

Similarly, public schools faced a drop in kindergarten enrollment, although Cheeseman said Catholic schools have seen a rise in kindergartners.

Catholic schools have historically seen pre-kindergarten as their “bread and butter,” Howe said.

“We saw the reverse,” he said. “Our K-8 is carrying our pre-K.”

St. Joseph’s is down about 20 pre-kindergartners from 45 students last school year.

Parents with young children have been concerned that preschoolers wouldn’t be good at wearing masks and did not want to worry about remote learning if necessary, Howe said.

“Some of these parents perhaps didn’t realize we’d be going this long without having to shut the school down,” he said.

He expects more pre-kindergartners could enroll. Already, one preschooler is supposed to start next week, he said.

“Parents are starting to realize we’ve got protocols in place,” Howe said. “We’re staying open and our preschool is up and running.”

Cheeseman said he has seen the same across the dioceses.

Filling the building

Without the preschool decline, Howe expects St. Joseph’s would have more students than last academic year, when 221were enrolled.

St. Joseph’s had 187 students enrolled before Labor Day, but reached more than 200 students by the end of the first week of school, Howe said. As of February, there are 215 students. There is a waitlist for this year and next year.

The school added another kindergarten and second grade class. This is the first time in a while that the school has had two classes for one grade, he said.

“It’s been a blessing,” Howe said.

“These families are seeing there is a difference of remote learning and in-school learning,” Howe said.

Over 20 families, largely in K-8, are on the waitlist for next year. Class sizes are 20 to 21 students on average, but cannot be increased at the moment due to social distancing guidelines, Howe said.

“I’m not willing to crunch desks together just to get more [students] in,” he said. “I’m not going to sacrifice safety for money.”

But he hopes restrictions could be eased next year, allowing more students to enroll. The building could hold between 400 to 600 students, he said.

“We’ll make this school full again,” Howe said. “That’s my mission, and I think we’re well on the way to achieving that.”

But the pandemic did hurt schools like St. Joseph Catholic Academy in Brookfield. After years of enrollment decline and financial challenges, that school closed permanently
at the end of last academic year.

The pandemic hurt schools’ ability to raise money, which was a contributing factor in closing the academy, Cheeseman said.

The National Catholic Education Association estimates COVID played a factor in closing 107 Catholic schools across the country, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Staying open

Catholic schools have a big advantage—their small size.

There are more than 7,000 students spread out between the Bridgeport diocese’s 25 elementary and high schools.Comparatively, Bridgeport has about 20,000 students, Danbury has around 12,000, Norwalk has about 11,500, Stamford has around 16,000 and Greenwich has roughly 9,000.

“We’re much smaller and more nimble,” Cheeseman said.

Schools range in size, with about 150 students at the smallest elementary school and around 375 elementary children at the largest, he said. The high schools range from 400 to 800 students.

“It’s easier to isolate the students in the classroom and limit movement and easier to social distance because we have a smaller school, unlike our public school friends that have thousands of students to deal with,” Howe said.

All but about eight St. Joseph’s students opted to be in-person, he said.

Parent Megan Cerullo said her children were “elated” to return to St. Joseph’s.

Students mainly stay in the classroom, where they eat lunch, and are not permitted to leave their hallways, Howe said. Each hallway has its own bathroom and teachers’ lounge.

“Everything is pretty much contained in the classroom,” Howe said.

This means quarantines are generally limited to one class, but even those have been rare, he said. Before Christmas, St. Joseph’s only quarantined one class. There have been a few COVID cases since then, he said.

“We’ve been very fortunate,” Howe said.

The average distance between desks is just over five feet at St. Josephs, Howe said. Across the diocese, desks are between four and a half to six feet apart, Cheeseman said.

Just like the public schools, it has been rare for the virus to spread within the Catholic school buildings. The schools have found only one possible instance, Cheeseman said.

Howe said families have been helping in following precautions, including students wearing their masks like it’s “second nature.”

“I believe really wholeheartedly that the reason we’re still open is: not only do we have a solid plan, but we also have the cooperation of our community,” Howe said.

For parents that do not want to send their children to school, the dioceses has created an online academy.

‘High hopes’ for future

“We’re seeing an increased enrollment for a reason,” she said. “I do believe a faith-based education is something that parents want for their children.”

She expects this will be a boost for Catholic schools beyond the pandemic.

“The challenge is getting them [families] in the doors,” Cerullo said. “Once they’re in the doors, we can show them everything we have to offer and how we stand apart from other schools.”

Ensuring the families feel like part of the community will be key to getting them to stay, Howe said.

“Once that happens, they’re not going to want to leave,” he said.

Cheeseman said he held a Zoom call with 22 families who moved this year from the public to Catholic school.

“Every one of them said, ‘I wish we would have done this sooner,’” Cheeseman said. “If that’s an indication, then I have high hopes for what the future can bring.”

By Julia Perkins   I   Danbury News Times

BRIDGEPORT—If you’re looking for an uplifting moment during a difficult time, watch this video that St. Ann Academy in Bridgeport sent Bishop Frank J. Caggiano after his recent visit to the school located in the Black Rock neighborhood of Bridgeport.

Bishop Caggiano was very touched by the video and the thoughtfulness of the students, faculty and staff who wanted to show their appreciation.

“St. Ann’s is like family.” This is a phrase we hear over and over from alumni and newcomers alike, and it’s the characteristic that makes us most proud,” said Principal Patricia A. Griffin, who said the children were very excited by the Bishop’s visit.

St. Ann Academy is located at 521 Brewster Street, Bridgeport CT, 06605
Phone: 203-334-5856. Online: https://www.catholicacademybridgeport.org/our-schools/st-ann/

NORWALK—Regina Pacis Academy will be celebrating our inaugural Regina Pacis Day, our Patronal feast day, on the first day of Catholic Schools Week, Monday, January 25.

Students will participate in Marian-related arts and crafts and assist with the baby items collection for Birthright. All activities will be led by our Grade 7/8 students. The day will conclude with the praying of the Most Holy Rosary in St. Mary’s Church, followed by an outdoor procession in the school parking lot, to which parents and siblings are most warmly invited. This day will be an opportunity for community building, prayer, and, God willing, one that our students remember fondly.

This feast day originated because “the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and the Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament were early missionaries to Hawaii. There, they established the first Catholic church on the island chain and dedicated that church to Our Lady of Peace. When on January 25, 1941, the Diocese of Honolulu was erected by Pope Pius XII, the Cathedral was dedicated to Our Lady of Peace—Malia o ka Malu Hale Pule Nui. It is due to this date that Our Lady of Peace is celebrated on January 24 in the United States.” (quoted from Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Branchville, NJ)

Kimberly Quatela, Principal of Regina Pacis Academy, remarked, “It is a great blessing to begin Catholic Schools Week with a special day of service, prayer, and community-building with our students. Providing our middle school students with the opportunity to organize and lead all the activities allows them to lead and form the younger students. Ending our day together in prayer to Our Lady will be a beautiful moment of grace in the lives of our faculty, staff, students, and families—a beacon of hope in a world that is often so focused on darkness.”

Regina Pacis Academy is an independent, Catholic classical school located in Norwalk, Connecticut, serving students in grades K-8, offering an academically rigorous curriculum from the classical tradition for all who desire to attend. Families hail from towns across Fairfield County and surrounding areas. The mission of Regina Pacis Academy is to achieve academic excellence and to nurture an intimate relationship with Christ as modeled by the Apostles, by providing a Roman Catholic classical education taught by teachers loyal to the Magisterium.

More information on Regina Pacis Academy is available at www.reginapacisacademy.org.

BRIDGEPORT- The Diocese of Bridgeport has released the 2021-2024 Strategic Plan for Catholic Schools: “To Make All Things New.”

This strategic plan focuses on four strategic priorities including ensuring a vibrant Catholic identity,  fostering academic excellence,  and strengthening the operational vitality and financial stability of schools.

The report is the result of a three-year effort by the Strategic Plan Steering Committee composed of diocesan and non-diocesan leaders in areas of education, finance, marketing, and strategic planning who worked collaboratively with the school leadership and consulted with others throughout the diocese.

“My gratitude goes out to all who participated in the planning process and made this strategic plan possible. I am especially grateful to our Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Steven Cheeseman, and his team in the Office of the Superintendent, as well as the members of the Education Commission of the Diocese who spend countless hours supporting our schools with their expertise,” said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano.

The diocesan school system includes 25 elementary and high schools that educate over 7,000 students throughout Fairfield County.

Among the recommendations made in the report is the creation of an Operational Support Network (OSN) to centralize and streamline certain administrative tasks across schools in the diocese, the development of financial and viability plans for all schools, the introduction of new governance models, and a yearly assessment of the Catholic identity in the schools.

“It is my belief that the successful implementation of this plan will lead to long term and systemic change. Through a re-allocation of resources, redistribution of leadership responsibilities, and a reimagining of the ways in which our schools carry out administrative and management functions, our hope is that we can remove much of the burden our school leaders shoulder so that they can focus on nurturing an ever-improving faith-filled academic program,” the bishop said.

Dr. Steven Cheeseman, Superintendent of Diocesan Catholic Schools, said the plan enables the schools to think strategically about their future while remaining student-centered and faith-focused.

“As we look to our future, we must challenge some of the fundamental assumptions under which we operate in order to meet the changing dynamics of our world. We need to ensure that schools can be nimble and agile, and that school-based leadership has the capacity to anticipate and envision the future, maintain flexibility, think strategically, and engage the broader community. Most importantly, as we think strategically about our future, we must always remain student-centered, and faith focused.

He said that as the schools move into the future, one of the biggest challenges remains the financial stability of the diocesan system as it is currently configured.

“With a concern that the true economic impact of the pandemic has not yet been fully revealed, we have to reexamine the financial health of our schools to reimagine how we share resources and services across schools, how we determine funding strategies given the financial strains of our families, and how we determine the number and location of schools needed in the system given demographic shift and community engagement,” Dr. Cheeseman said.

A realistic strategic plan for growth supports the entire diocesan school system and encourages further investment in schools challenged by demographics or other serious impediments, he said.

“The current educational, social, and economic realities represent the context within which this plan was written and require us to take bold action. It is against that backdrop that this strategic plan, To Make All Things New has been developed,” Dr. Cheeseman said.

The Strategic Planning Committee developed the To Make All Things New plan based on four fundamental guiding principles:

  1. Above all else, schools must be “Catholic First”
  2. Schools must provide academically superior educational programs
  3. Schools must demonstrate the vitality and financial stability
  4. Community stakeholders, including staff, parents, pastors, and board members must work collaboratively and engage the wider community in support of the school

The Strategic planning process was led by the Education Commission of the Diocese of Bridgeport who work collaboratively with the Superintendent to provide students with an academically rigorous education rooted in the Catholic faith and to ensure the future viability and vitality of our Catholic schools.

Click here to read the full strategic plan.

The dedication of teachers during this pandemic never ceases to amaze me. Take Margarita Nicolasa Sulugüí, a 4th-grade teacher from Guatemala, for example. I found out about her from Catholic Relief Services, which helps train teachers in her area.

When the pandemic made its way to her community, she decided to start visiting her students at home. Wearing a mask and carrying hand sanitizer, she visits 4 – 5 students per day, spending extra time with those who need additional help. Margarita gives her lessons in an open space – usually outside on a patio, on rocks, or under shady trees. After the visits, she makes herself available by phone for the parents who have questions about the homework. In the words of the parents, “Her visits are very good because we feel supported, we’re happy, we’re not alone.”

Let’s make sure we thank all of our teachers who are doing their best during this very difficult time. My special thanks to the teachers of our Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Bridgeport!

The previous reflection originally appeared on Bishop Frank Caggiano’s Facebook page. Follow the Bishop for daily reflections and weekly videos.

NEWTOWN— St. Rose students are back in school after the Christmas break and very excited to be here!

Enjoy these fun photos: Preschoolers jump for joy on their first day back in the new year; two Kindergarten students exchange Advent Angel gifts on the Feast of the Epiphany and first grade students place hay out for the camels on the Feast of the Epiphany then receive coins and little kings to celebrate the day.

St. Rose School is looking forward to their Virtual Open House on January 31st and special activities for Catholic Schools Week!

(For more information on St. Rose of Lima school, visit their website at: www.stroseschool.com.)

  • All Diocesan/Diocesan Sponsored Catholic elementary and high schools will close for students effective March 13th and will tentatively reopen on March 30th. Schools will begin implementing their distance learning instructional plan on Monday, March 16th.
  • All school activities and trips are cancelled until further notice
  • While we tentatively plan to reopen March 30th, we will continue to monitor the situation with local and state health officials in order to reassess and determine our next steps
  • Click here for more information

WESTPORT—St. Luke Youth teens have long been recognized for their faithful witness, joyful enthusiasm and willingness to share their time and talents with the parish. Now, a new internship has been created allowing teens to contribute to parish communications ranging from writing Gospel meditations to pitching stories to local media.

“This idea originated after a conversation with Deb Toner who is the youth minister for St. Luke’s,” shared Jennifer Coffman, mentor for the SLY Communication Interns. “I saw such joy in the SLY teens and would often say to Deb, ‘I wish we could simply unleash the teens into the world and let their special brand of enthusiasm change the culture.’ After saying this a few times, Deb and I decided to create an outlet to harness the evangelical spirit of the teens.”

Building on the post-synod focus on areas of evangelization, family life and community, St. Luke Church set out to redesign its website and rethink the way in which it communicated the Gospel with parishioners and the broader Westport community, especially by sharing the “good news” of what is happening at St. Luke’s. The internship was established to connect the communication and social media expertise of parish youth with the evangelical needs of the church.

Currently four teens—Allie D’Angelo, Chelsea Fox, Gabriel Sargent and Emma Van Riper—have volunteered to meet twice weekly to discuss upcoming parish programs and to brainstorm communication strategies for each initiative. Successes have already been noted with increased participation in fall and Advent activities and with increases in charitable fundraising efforts benefitting local charities. In addition, the percentage of opened emails and texts has doubled from Advent to Lent.

One SLY Communication Intern, Gabriel Sargent, has updated the website and written and designed several Flocknotes—including Gospel meditations and interviewing staff to highlight the work of parish volunteers. “Being a part of this mission has been such a powerful experience for me because it’s amazing to see how our work engages our parish,” Gabe shared.

“One of the most exciting aspects of this internship is the gift of watching these young teens blossom and seeing their faith deepen with each meeting,” noted Deb Toner. “The teens gain important skills in strategic planning, marketing and communications, presenting to parish advisors, while growing in their Catholic faith. They are learning how to become active Church members wherever they go to college or the workplace.”

SLY Communication Interns Emma Van Riper and Chelsea Fox agreed. Emma commented, “I love how the communication internship has allowed me to combine my passion for writing and my future communications major with my faith. Being able to explore this within the church has also enabled me to find my role in the youth group.”

Chelsea added, “I really love being a part of the internship program because I also want to pursue communications in college and maybe as a career, so it gives me a great opportunity to learn about different communication techniques while connecting to my faith.”

Since the inception of the program in October 2018, the teens have worked on many communication projects, including website design, parish-wide communications using Flocknote, event and activity promotion, Gospel reflections, traditional public relations including press releases, blog posts, event photography, social media assistance and parishioner tech support and tutorials for Flocknote.

SLY Communication Intern Allie D’Angelo added, “I have had the ability to go into groups within the church, such as the Men’s Group, to help them sign up for Flocknote and increase membership within the parish. The internship is a great way to incorporate faith into my passion for communications.”

“As a pastor, communications is a big part of my vocation,” shared Msgr. Andrew G. Varga. “It has been a joy and an enormous help to include the teens in this ministry. I would not have been able to keep the website updated, custom-design weekly Flocknotes and submit event language for local media promotion. I can bring my ideas to the interns and they work with Deb and Jennifer to create the best strategy and implementation plan. Personally, I look forward to Monday afternoons when the team gathers at the rectory dining room table and discusses the Sunday Scripture readings and upcoming Church events.”

There is a wonderful quote attributed to Saint Ignatius of Loyola that illuminates what is happening with this program: “Act as if everything depended on you; trust as if everything depended on God.” When parish leaders invite our teens to join them in sharing the Gospel and accompany the teens in their faith journey, Jesus takes it from there.

(To see the SLY Communication Interns’ work firsthand, visit the parish website at: www.saintlukewestport.org and receive updates by texting slwestport to the number 84576 or go to flocknote.com/SaintLukeWestport.)

GREENWICH—The Principal and Board of Directors of Greenwich Catholic School announced today that Mr. Patrick Ledley has been appointed as Assistant Principal for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, and Mr. Vincent Mascola has been appointed as Dean of Students, effective July 1, 2019.

The Assistant Principal and Dean of Students positions are new to the GCS Administrative Team, and were created in alignment with the Strategic Plan for Greenwich Catholic School: Innovate & Inspire 2021.

Assistant Principal Ledley comes to Greenwich Catholic from The Ursuline School in New Rochelle, NY, where he served as a Department Chair and Teacher, and was a member of the school’s Strategic Planning Committee for Fostering a Growth Mindset. Previously, he was a Teacher at St. Ignatius Loyola in New York City, and was the recipient of the Ignatian Educator Award.

“Mr. Ledley’s experience in teacher development, data-driven instruction, and curriculum mapping is impressive,” said Mario Gaztambide, Chair of the GCS Board of Directors. “His background, combined with his approachable demeanor and focus on student achievement, will be an asset to Greenwich Catholic School.”

Speaking about his commitment to Catholic education, Assistant Principal Ledley said, “As a product of Catholic education, and in building my career in Catholic schools, I see the value of enthusiastic and dynamic teaching, and look forward to fostering the education of the students at Greenwich Catholic School.”

Mr. Mascola joins Greenwich Catholic from the Guilford Public School system, where he served as an Administrative Intern, Classroom Teacher, School Safety Team Leader, and was a member of the School Culture and Climate Committees. As Dean of Students, Mascola will have oversight of discipline, enrichment, after-school and athletics programming, and dining.

“Mr. Mascola is committed to developing students of character, in partnership with the GCS administration, faculty, and parents,” said Patrice Kopas, Principal of Greenwich Catholic School. “We are confident that his expertise will have an immediate and positive impact on the student experience at Greenwich Catholic School.”

When asked about his role as Dean of Students, Mr. Mascola commented, “I am excited to be joining the GCS community, and look forward to working with all GCS stakeholders to continue promoting our core mission and values, while striving to continuously improve the academic and social/emotional growth of our entire student body.”

Parents were informed of the addition of the Assistant Principal and Dean of Students positions as part of a Strategic Planning Update from the Board of Directors in April. Additional initiatives presented at the Strategic Planning Update included plans to form Student Advisory Groups and hire additional teachers in the Math and World Language Departments.

About Greenwich Catholic School

Greenwich Catholic School is a co-educational Roman Catholic day school located on a 38-acre campus at 471 North Street in Greenwich. GCS includes Kindergarten through 8th grade students, as well as a Pre-Kindergarten program for 3 and 4 year-old children. For more information, please visit www.gcsct.org

BRIDGEPORT—“The first week after our new playground opened, one of my teachers came to me with tears in her eyes to thank me for getting it finished,” recounts Sister Christine Hoffman, ASCJ, principal of St. Raphael Academy in Bridgeport. “She told me that the students were having so much fun running around and climbing on the equipment and simply happy being children, and this was a source of joy for her.”

The St. Raphael Academy of the Catholic Academy of Bridgeport welcomes students in grades PreK-3. The initiative for the playground restoration for these youngsters began last year when Boy Scout Luke Feretti, a member of St. Stephen Parish in Trumbull and a senior at Trumbull High School, was exploring possibilities for his Eagle Scout Project. Luke connected with the diocesan Deacons Wives Ministry who knew of the tired condition of St. Raphael’s play space and the need for its renovation.

Luke agreed to take the project on. “I knew it was going to help kids who don’t have a lot of places to play in their neighborhood.”

When Father Giandomenico Flora, rector of St. Margaret Shrine in Bridgeport, dedicated the playground on June 22, the project had taken more than a year to complete, with assistance of a cadre of volunteers.

Luke’s Eagle Scout project was impressive in its own right. Luke met with Scout leaders and school board members, talked to contractors, and assembled a team of fellow Scouts to do the heavy work of hauling away the old equipment and clearing and leveling the land.

That project earned Luke his Eagle Scout badge, awarded at a ceremony this January.

His initiative set in motion the assistance of many others, a number of them in partnership with DWM and others connected to St. Raphael’s. “The playground project brought together many from our community, who gave of their time, talents and treasure,” says Sister Christine. “In particular, I am indebted to Luke and the Boy Scouts, who gave several days to the work, going beyond the scope of his Eagle Scout project by not only removing the previous structure but returning to assist in laying the new playground surface.”

After the old equipment was carted off, the degraded surfacing had to be removed—a huge job in and of itself. Then the enormous mountain of underlayment pellets for the new surface drew the Scouts again for this next phase, along with student volunteers from Sacred Heart University, parents from St. Raphael, and volunteers from the Hollow Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ). Angie Staltaro, program assistant for the City of Bridgeport, acted as project manager for part of this phase.

Luke was on hand right through the completion of the playground and its dedication by Father Flora. Headed for his freshman year at the University of Vermont this fall, the Trumbull High School graduate plans for a future in civil engineering.

Ilene Ianniello, president of Deacon Wives Ministry, was also on hand for the blessing. “When we walked on the grass-like topping of smooth artificial turf, it was like walking on a cloud,” she said.

In the end, the Deacons Wives Ministry was able to call on generous donors and volunteers for all expenses except that final topping, including the cheerful new playground equipment donated by the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Hamden.

Now enthusiastic youngsters could be seen bouncing up bright pink stairs, hiding in sheltered nooks, peering out of yellow portholes, choosing the long slide or the shorter one and swinging from the bars of the climbing dome.

“Our students love having this new space to play!” said Sister Christine, her face beaming as she watched the children’s joy.

(The only expense outstanding from the entire playground project is $10,000 for the turf surfacing. Anyone wanting to help out with this expense can send a check to Deacon Wives Ministry, 11 Green Acres Lane, Trumbull, CT 06611. Write “Playground Project” on the memo line.)

FAIRFIELD— Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic School welcomes all to their vegetable and flower garden! The students have worked hard in constructing a garden full of lush veggies and bountiful flowers, and now it is time to sell them to anyone and everyone. The St. Thomas “Giving Garden” stand will be located at the Fairfield Farmers Market on Sherman Green and will be open for business from 10-2pm on Sunday, July 21st. You might see a hut looking like it was built by thousands of garden gnomes. In fact, the shop design, all of its marketing, pricing strategy and the product design and harvesting were decided by the students themselves. This first course in running a market business includes the following upcoming 7th-grade students: Makayla Cunningham, Hollis Huntington, Nora Lesizza, Claire Russell and Maggie Russell.  Stop by and see them on Sunday—they have many veggies, herbs and flowers to sell!

And because I am a twelve-year-old writing a press release as if I was thirty, I highly recommend going to Saint Thomas Aquinas, where there are creative activities year-round such as “running the garden”. We hope you have fun checking out our garden goods, and thank you for participating in helping the students of Saint Thomas Aquinas learn about business!

About St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and recognized as an award-winning Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.  For nearly 100 years in the heart of downtown Fairfield, we have served a critical role in Fairfield County by providing a strong foundation for students in faith and knowledge at an affordable cost for students in Pre-K through eighth-grade.

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School is conveniently located at 1719 Post Road, Fairfield.

(For additional information please contact Barbara Turner, director of admissions, at 203.255.0556 x.225 or Barbara.turner@stasonline.net.)

STAMFORD—We are writing in response to The Stamford Advocate’s June 30 story, “Trinity Enrollment Drop Has No One Reason.”

The Diocese of Bridgeport’s transparency about the decline in enrollment has been more than matched by its commitment to the future of the school and its belief in the crucial role played by Trinity Catholic High School.

At Trinity, more than $8 million has been invested in our infrastructure, renovations, athletic fields and curriculum over the past three years alone. Bishop Frank Caggiano has visited the school, spoken with parents and personally unveiled plans for a new Trinity that will introduce exciting and contemporary learning opportunities that are second to none in preparing students for academic and career success.

But one thing won’t change — Trinity will remain authentically Catholic and academically excellent.

While Trinity faces multiple demographic, financial and academic challenges, many of the same issues are shared by public and private schools alike. However, much of the Advocate’s story was built on the comments of a few unhappy parents, and it left out the voices of those who are committed to Trinity Catholic High School and its future.

Mike Carlon, a Trinity Catholic alumnus and father of triplets who are seniors at Trinity, says there are “a number of reasons why we chose Trinity for our triplets — the high graduation rate, the strength and rigor of the academics, and the quality of the colleges and universities Trinity students get accepted to every year.”

“Trinity Catholic is not only a ‘college prep’ school, but a ‘life prep’ school,” states Liz Sweeney, a parent of three boys, two of whom have graduated from Trinity and one of whom is a junior here. “The teachers here are committed to excellence, where every teacher knows each student by name. They put extraordinary time, mentoring and ensuring each child’s success.”

Monica Loughran Welch, an alumnus of Stamford Catholic High (Trinity’s predecessor), raised her children in Trumbull. Monica believes the community has a role and a stake in Trinity’s success.

“It’s up to all of us to rebuild Trinity,” Welch says. “‘Angels’ and alumni can help enrollment by funding scholarships for those unable to pay full tuition. Our parishes can stand with Trinity and provide a Catholic pathway for our students. And cultural organizations can develop scholarships in support of various groups to ensure and maintain a rich diversity at Trinity.”

Perhaps parents of recent 2019 grad Maddie Ingram, Doug and Kate Ingram, said it best: “Maddie had teachers who cared about her not just academically, but as a whole person. Because of this and their guidance, Maddie was accepted at the college (Holy Cross) of her dreams.” She has a great foundation for heading to college, not only in her studies, but as a good person, a good citizen, and a good Catholic.”

These parents and students are not alone telling the continuing success story of Trinity Catholic in the lives of its students and the community. This year, 95 of Trinity’s 97 graduates in the Class of 2019 are going on to college. That is 97 percent of the class; historically in-line with the schools 95-100 percent college attendance rate, over the past two decades. This fall, Trinity’s Class of 2019 will be moving on to such prestigious universities as Brown, Purdue, Syracuse, Penn State, Ohio State, Alabama, Villanova, Maryland, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and many others.

These same students received more than $10 million in college scholarships and aid.

Likewise, the average Trinity student’s SATs (English and Math), outperform the Stamford Public Schools and surpass the statewide average. With the real cost of educating a high school student in Stamford approaching $20,000 per year, and private schools costing upward of $45,000 per year, Catholic education remains a bargain at less than half that price. It delivers great dividends for the community.

We are proud that our administration and leadership at Trinity are stronger than ever and well positioned to meet the challenges. We are entering our second year as a Trinity/diocesan team, bringing what we believe is a level of stability the school has not seen in many years. Bishop Caggiano and his entire diocesan team have demonstrated extraordinary support of Trinity during this period of reinvention.

If there is some uncertainty about the future of Trinity, it is more important than ever to tell story of the extraordinary measures taken by the diocese and school leaders to move Trinity forward. It is more important than ever to celebrate the diversity and creativity of our students, their academic achievement, and the profound belief we share in the power of Catholic education to transform lives — even of the students of different faiths who choose to come to the Trinity campus.

The story of Trinity Catholic is not simply important to alumni and current students; it is also a story about the power of faith, education and enduring values that have contributed so much to our young people and to the community. We invite all to join us in this living legacy.

By Patricia E. Brady and Scott E. Smith; Patricia E. Brady is Trinity Catholic’s head of school and Scott E. Smith is principal.

From her first years as a cloistered nun through her tenure as headmistress at Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich and Executive Director of the Catholic Academy of Bridgeport, Sister Joan Magnetti, RSCJ, has been committed to quality Catholic education for all students.

For more than five decades, she has followed the vision of her order’s foundress, St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, who formed the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1800 to make the love of God known through the Sacred Heart and to restore Christian life in the aftermath of the French Revolution by educating rich young women…and poor young women.

Sister Magnetti often recalled the words of St. Madeleine Sophie, who said, “You educate a woman, you educate a family; you educate a family and you educate a civilization.”

After ten years, she is retiring as Executive Director of The Catholic Academy of Bridgeport, which serves more than 925 children, many of whom are from the poorest families in the county.

Sister Magnetti has been recognized nationally for her commitment to Catholic education, her leadership, her innovation and her compelling desire to work with inner-city children. As she puts it, “Every kid deserves a good education, and it shouldn’t have to depend on a wallet.”

Joan Magnetti is, by her admission, a “Jersey girl,” who grew up in West Englewood and attended public school until fifth grade and later Notre Dame Academy. She went to Manhattanville College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1965. A product of the 60s, she was influenced in large part by Vatican II and John F. Kennedy’s presidency and believed that young people could make a difference. It is a belief she has shared with generations of students throughout her career.

She became quite impressed with the Sisters of the Sacred Heart at Manhattanville, almost all of whom had PhDs. “They were an extraordinary group of women,” she says. “There was a kind of joyfulness about them, and they had a very large world view. They cared about us as students, and the charity and love they showed us made an impression.”

After graduating from Manhattanville, she entered the Society of the Sacred Heart, an international group of 3,000 religious women who seek to reveal the love of God through education.

“I knew education was their mission and the radicality of giving your life to God; I never thought of doing it differently,” she says. “I love our religious order. I grew into a relationship with God and realized his love for me and wanted to serve him. I never thought about a career. It was all about God.”

During those years, the sisters lived a cloistered life with five hours of prayer a day, which included Mass, the Divine Office chanted in Latin, meditation and meals in silence.

“Everything was very regimented,” she recalls. “You couldn’t even go home if your parents died or there was a graduation.”

Sister always had a close relationship with her brother Donald, who entered the Jesuits and received his doctorate in Near Eastern Studies from Johns Hopkins University. He taught the Old Testament and Semitic languages at Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary before receiving his law degree and becoming a professor of torts and trusts at Fordham University School of Law.

With two children in religious orders, their parents Margaret and Gerald Magnetti would often joke, “You can’t say we didn’t do our part to support zero population growth.”

After Sister Joan finished her novitiate in 1968, she received her master’s degree in theology from Union Theological Seminary. She went to the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, where she taught history and religion and ran one of the houses on campus in addition to overseeing a CCD program for 450 children.

She later became headmistress at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart in Princeton, where she stayed for 13 years before returning to Greenwich as headmistress.

“I had a lot of work to do when I got there,” she recalls. “There was a prejudice about Catholic schools not being academically strong…and it was a convent school.”

There were only 295 girls in preschool to 12th grade and she faced fierce competition for enrollment from other private schools in the area.

“We worked hard and made it clear what our mission was. We were proud of being an allgirls Catholic school,” she said. “When I left, we had 777 kids, a $20 million endowment and a new middle school, science building and library. It was a lot of work and a lot of fun.”

After 19 years, she retired in 2009, and shortly afterward, Bishop William Lori called her. He knew about her commitment to inner-city education and recruited her for the new position of Executive Director for Catholic schools in Bridgeport. Bishop Frank J. Caggiano later created the model of one school on four campuses.

The Catholic Academy of Bridgeport, which comprises St. Andrew, St. Ann, St. Augustine and St. Raphael, recently received its 10-year accreditation. Sister said it has had a balanced budget for the past three years and an enrollment of more than 925 students.

With 80 percent of the students coming from homes near or below poverty level, the Academy awards $2 million in financial aid annually. Seventy percent of students are at or above the national norm in reading and math, and the high school graduation rate is 100 percent (compared with 63 percent for the Bridgeport public schools), and 99 percent go on to college.

AT RECENT FOUNDATIONS IN EDUCATION GALA Sister Joan Magnetti is congratulated by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano.

“I have always wanted things not just to survive, but to thrive,” she says. “So many schools throughout the country have closed, and I am thrilled with all that has gone on—we are thriving.”

She also points out that the Academy produces better results than the public schools with fewer resources. “I am very proud of our achievements and of our board,” she says. “I have never had such an incredible board in my career, and the bishop is one of our biggest supporters.”

Board Chair Bradford Evans, a senior advisor in Morgan Stanley’s investment banking division who has worked closely with Sister for the past ten years, says, “Besides being an outstanding leader and educator, Joan has been a wonderful colleague, mentor and friend who brings great warmth and wit to everything she does.”

Sister Magnetti, who lives in Bedford, N.Y., with several Sacred Heart sisters and her golden retriever Maddy, will stay on temporarily as coordinator of major gifts to assist incoming Executive Director Angela C. Pohlen.

“Catholic education is so essential—and not just for Roman Catholics,” Sister says, noting that 40 percent of the students are non-Catholic. “Our goal has always been to create an environment where kids can learn and find themselves and build strong character and have a sense that no matter what, they are loved.”

Looking back on her career, Sister recalls a favorite saying of St. Madeleine Sophie, who always told her colleagues that she would have founded the order all over again…for the sake of one child.

That “one child” has motivated Sister Joan throughout her 50 years in education. She has seen successes that can be measured in small ways and in large ways, and recently shared the comment of a girl graduating from St. Augustine’s, who wrote in her yearbook, “The most important thing I learned here is that God is always there to help me.”

And that, to Sister, was a monumental success.

By Joe Pisani