Catholic schools around the Diocese of Rochester will be celebrating Catholic Schools Week Jan. 26-Feb. 1 with a variety of special activities:
Finger Lakes
* Students at St. Michael School, Penn Yan, will be allowed to wear beach attire, sports-themed apparel, and crazy hats, socks, slippers and hairstyles during various parts of their school’s Catholic Schools Week celebration. They’ll also express their thanks to parents, faculty and volunteers, go bowling, kick off the school’s bullying-prevention program, and enjoy Mass and lunch with their grandparents.
* St. Mary School, Canandaigua, will launch its Catholic Schools Week celebration Jan. 26 with a Mass and coffee hour. Later that week students and parents will deliver cookie and candy trays to the school’s supporters in the community. On Jan. 30 and 31 St. Mary’s drama club, the St. Genesius Players, will present "Joseph and the Dream Team Extreme," and on Jan. 31 the school’s youngest students will participate in a trike-a-thon to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
* Families from St. Francis-St. Stephen School, Geneva, will begin their celebration Jan. 25 with an evening Mass followed by a family dance. On Jan. 27 the school’s eighth-graders will get to switch roles with the principal and teachers, and the next day there will be skits and activities to promote the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. Later that week students will enjoy ice cream sundaes, spend time with their reading buddies and special guests, wear their pajamas to school, and play bingo.
* Auburn Mayor Michael D. Quill will kick off the festivities at St. Joseph School, Auburn, by visiting the school and making a special Catholic Schools Week proclamation on Jan. 27. Later that week students will make cards for patients at the VA Medical Center, listen to presentations from guest speakers on Career Day, spend time with their reading buddies and invite their favorite people to join them at school for Special Persons Day. The school also will hold an open house and a book fair before concluding the week with a Jan. 31 Mass.
Monroe County
* St. Louis School, Pittsford is featuring open houses from 9:15 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 28 and Feb. 6; Mass on Jan. 29; Bus Driver Appreciation Day Jan. 30; and an annual "Souper Bowl" canned soup collection all week ending with a football-themed dress-down day Jan. 31.
* St. Pius Tenth, Chili, is featuring a coffee hour after Masses; a parish staff visit day; a Mass Jan. 28; the Olweus Anti-Bullying Program kickoff with Amazing Magic Joe Assemblies; buddy activities; an open house and ice cream social Jan. 30; and spirit day featuring gym hockey with buddies and schoolwide relay races. The school will make birthday bags for a local food cupboard as a service project.
* Siena Catholic Academy, Brighton, will have a prayer service and Siena students will make rosaries for sixth-grade diocesan students; an anti-bullying "Mix It Up Day"; a "Siena’s Got Talent" show; a visit with Rochester Knighthawk Joseph Walters; a "Souper Bowl" dress-down day; and a student/faculty basketball game at 7 p.m. Jan. 31 at Bishop Kearney High School.
* St. Joseph School, Penfield, will have bowling; a Mass at 11 a.m. Jan. 26; a book fair; a Knights of Columbus fundraising pasta dinner from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 26; a Blue and Gold/School Spirit Day; tours of the school from 9 to 11 a.m. Jan. 29; an ice cream social; thanking community members with "hugs and kisses"; a lunch for the learning community staff; an open house from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 30; and a Jan. 31 Night of Jazz fundraising concert featuring saxophonist Vince Ercolamento and pianist-composer John Nyerges.
* St. John Neumann School, Rochester, will have prayer partners; a Valentine’s Day card-making service project for local seniors; a basketball frenzy, which combines a free-throw contest with academic games; an open house and state of the school presentation from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.; a Red and Black/School Spirit Day; dancing with a DJ; a Catholic schools Mass at 9:15 a.m. Jan. 30; and bowling.
* Holy Cross School, Charlotte, will have an opening Mass at noon Jan. 26 and an open house from 1:30 to 3 p.m.; wear a hoodie day; buddy service projects; a second-grade basketball game with alumni free-throw contest and alumni cheer; accelerated reading awards; crazy sock day; visit a Catholic school day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan 28; jump rope for heart; a pre-K and kindergarten information night from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29; and a closing Mass at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 31 celebrated by Bishop Salvatore R. Matano, followed by the Olweus anti-bullying program kickoff, peace awards and a board game afternoon.
* St. Kateri School, Irondequoit, will have a coffee hour and open house after the 10 a.m. School-Parish Mass at Christ the King Jan. 26; Bill Gray’s supper; a prayer service; an assembly for the Olweus anti-bullying program featuring the Rochester Knighthawks; a dress-down day; roller skating; donuts with dad; and a Soup-er Bowl soup collection.
* St. Lawrence School, Greece, will have a parish thank-you day and Mass; book fair; science fair; book and pajama day; country/western day with square dancing; a family night at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28; roller skating; team spirit day; and school spirit day with a Mass at 8:15 a.m. and a kick off to the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.
* St. Rita School, Webster, will have an opening prayer service at 8:10 a.m. Jan. 27; Visit a Catholic School Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 27; a USA spirit day; bowling; a Catholic Schools Week Mass at 9:15 a.m. Jan. 29; a wacky outfit day; a Soup-er Bowl soup donation day; a closing prayer service and the Olweus anti-bullying program kickoff Jan. 31.
* Seton Catholic School, Brighton, will have Mass at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 27; a sock and shirt collection; a visit from the mobile dome planetarium; beach day; roller skating; books, board games and buddies; Sundae Fun-day; an open house from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30; a Souper Bowl Day where students can wear their favorite sports team apparel; a day at Seton Cinema; and a Feb. 1 chess tournament and a winter carnival extravaganza.
Southern Tier
* Immaculate Conception School, Ithaca, will feature a pasta dinner; "Meet the Principal" coffee hours after Sunday Masses with first-year Principal Don Mills; an open house and book fair; Visit a Catholic School Day; Catholic Schools Week Mass featuring a school children’s choir; fish-fry fundraiser in conjunction with Elmira Notre Dame High School; and another Meet the Principal opportunity after Sunday Masses at St. Catherine of Siena Church, also in Ithaca.
* St. Mary Our Mother School, Horseheads, will have a book fair; uniformed students at weekend Masses; Birthday-in-a-Bag; Trail Mix Train; letters and drawings for Bishop Salvatore R. Matano; spelling bee; dress-down days; student fun day; donations for injured military veterans; Scouts leading the Pledge of Allegiance; open house/community fair; Living Rosary; throat blessings; gifts for parish priests; and faculty/staff volunteering at Food Bank of the Southern Tier.
* Among the activities for All Saints Academy, Corning, are students in uniform at weekend Masses; Community Service Day; Ice Cream Sundae Day; open house; Mass with junior-high students leading the liturgy; an Italian-themed social and dinner for families; Pajama Day; staff retreat; and the first Corning Catholic School Alumni Social featuring alums from St. Mary, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Patrick, Corning Catholic South, Corning Catholic North and All Saints Academy.
* Holy Family School, Elmira, will highlight its week with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Salvatore R. Matano. The liturgy will take place at 9 a.m. on Jan. 28 at St. Mary Southside Church, with students filling several liturgical roles. Other featured events will be Favorite Jersey/Sweatshirt Day; fundraising dinner; visit by Andy the Armadillo; anti-bullying awareness activities; P.J. Day; Make Your Own Sundae Day; teacher/staff retreat day; and open house.
* Catholic Schools Week highlights at St. Agnes School, Avon, will include a prayer service and community breakfast; Dress Down Day; roller skating; Grandparents’ (or Special Relative/Neighbor) Day; bingo; Souper Bowl canned-food donation day; Pajama Day; potluck dinner followed by talent show; Mass; community service project; and concert by The Dady Brothers. The concert will be at St. Agnes Church on Jan. 31 at 12:30 p.m., and all are invited to attend.
* St. Patrick School, Owego, will offer Mass with parent/alumni speakers; Hats Off to Catholic Schools Day with students wearing favorite hats; open houses; classes engaging in special service projects; Gym Day with gym clothes worn to school; Wacky Wednesday with clothes worn backwards and mismatched; Student Appreciation Day with the Father’s Club providing a special dessert at lunchtime; family supper; Mass; Faith Bingo; and a weeklong book fair.
