Catholic schools around the Diocese of Rochester are celebrating Catholic Schools Week Jan. 26-Feb. 1 with a variety of special activities. Below are the events taking place at each of the schools. For more information on specific events, please visit that school’s website.
In addition to these events, representatives from each school will celebrate Mass with Bishop Salvatore R. Matano at Sacred Heart Cathedral Jan. 30. The Catholic Courier will live streaming that Mass on its website.
Finger Lakes
• St. Michael School, Penn Yan, kicked off Catholic Schools Week with a bowling outing Jan. 28. Third- through fifth-grade students will participate in a Quiz Bowl with Father Leo Reinhardt, pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish, Jan. 29. Students can donate $1 and dress out of uniform Jan. 30. The money from the dress-down day will benefit Tyler Bray, a former St. Michael student, who is going on a mission trip in March to Lima, Peru, with the University of Pittsburgh Fellowship of Catholic University Students. On Jan. 31, the students are invited to bring in their favorite beach attire to change into for a beach party. The school will conclude Catholic Schools Week with a Mass at St. Michael Church Feb. 1. Grandparents are invited to join the students for the Mass and for lunch and games at school.
‚Ä¢ Students at St. Mary School, Canandaigua, will gather for a prayer service in the gymnasium Jan. 28. There will be an open school day for prospective families to visit the school Jan. 29. Students will assemble cookie trays to be delivered to community supporters Jan. 30. Ice skating and movie day is Jan. 31. Students may wear their favorite team attire and bring canned soup donation for local charity for “Souper Bowl” Day Feb. 1. There will also be a school Mass in the morning and the annual seventh- and eighth-grade volleyball game in the afternoon of Feb. 1 will bring the school’s Catholic Schools Week festivities to a close.
‚Ä¢ St. Francis-St. Stephen School, Geneva, will start off Catholic Schools Week with its 2nd Annual Oratorical Contest Jan. 28. Students can invite their grandparents or another special adult for a grandparents’ brunch Jan. 29. Students will wear crazy socks and/or hats to school Jan. 30. It’s decade days on Jan. 31 and students will dress in clothing from a particular decade based on their grade-level and will learn a dance from their decade. Students can wear their favorite sports team clothing and are asked to bring in a can of soup or other non-perishable food item for the Pre-K-kindergarten food drive Feb. 1. That day is also BINGO Day and the students will get to play BINGO in the afternoon.
‚Ä¢ The city of Auburn Mayor Mike Quill will present St. Joseph School, Auburn, with a proclamation for Catholic Schools Week Jan. 28. The students will also participate in jumping jack contest that day. The school will have open house Jan. 29 for all current and prospective families. Special person’s day will be celebrated Jan. 30 and career day and travel with us day Jan. 31. The school will wrap up their Catholic Schools Week activities with a closing Mass Feb. 1.
Monroe County
‚Ä¢ Students at St. Louis School, Pittsford, will celebrate Mass together Jan. 29. That day, the students will also get to wear crazy hats to school for crazy hat day. On Jan. 30, the students will wear mismatched outfits for mismatched day. Jan. 31 is color day and bus driver appreciation day. Fifth-grade students will perform their musical for the school community that day as well. On Feb. 1, the students are invited to dress down for “Souper Bowl” Dress Down Day and there will be a faith assembly concluding Catholic Schools Week.
• St. Pius Tenth, Chili, will celebrate Catholic Schools Week with its younger and older students working on games and crafts together Jan. 29-30. Family members are invited to participate in music classes with their students Jan. 31. On Feb. 1, the school will have a school Mass in the morning and in the afternoon, there will be school-wide bingo game and student of the month awards celebration.
‚Ä¢ Seton Catholic School, Brighton, will start their Catholic School Week events Jan. 28 with making valentines for the Sisters of Mercy motherhouse. It’s pajama day on Jan. 29 and students are invited to bring in their favorite board game. There will be ice cream sundaes and a open house for Seton children and families Jan. 30. On Jan 31, students can wear crazy socks and hats to school and are asked to donate a pair of socks for students at School No. 34. Fourth- through sixth-grade students will go head-to-head in a Challenge 24 tournament, while the pre-K through third-grade students will play BINGO. There will be a Mass on Feb. 1 led by first- and sixth-grade students. Seton will conclude Catholic Schools Week with “Seton Cinema” on Feb. 1 and with its Winter Carnival Feb. 2.
• St. Ambrose Academy, Rochester, students will enjoy a performance filled with magic tricks, puppetry and storytelling, inspiring them to never give up as The NED Show returns with a new assembly Jan. 28. On Jan. 29, the school will have an open house and book fair. There will be a character assembly Jan. 30. Grandparents are invited to read with their students and enjoy donuts and juice Jan. 31. On Feb. 1, students will take a trip to AMC Webster movie theater.
‚Ä¢ Holy Cross School, Rochester, will kick off Catholic Schools Week with a pep rally and faculty verse sixth grade games, followed by a second grade/alumni basketball game in the evening Jan. 28. Awards will be given out for the most colorfully dressed student Jan. 29. Students will write valentines and letters for veterans and military Jan. 30.In the evening on Jan. 30, there will be a family STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) night. Students will dress in their future career outfit or uniform and conduct career day presentations Jan.31. On Feb. 1, there will be a celebration of grandparents or special friends program in the church and a Catholic Schools Week Mass. Holy Cross will conclude Catholic Schools Week with service by collecting cans of soup for the St. Andrew’s and Holy Cross Food Cupboards for Souper Bowl Monday Feb. 4.
• A prayer service will begin Catholic Schools Week at St. Kateri School, Irondequoit, Jan. 28 and students are invited to wear crazy socks and bring a pair of socks to donate to those in need. There will also be BINGO in the gymnasium. It will be summer at St. Kateri on Jan. 29 as the students will wear appropriate beach attire and participate in beach activities. A walk-through for prospective families will also take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Activities will be organized between partner classes on Jan. 30. On Jan 31, students will participate in a school-wide day of service. Third- through fifth-grade students will travel to Foodlink where they will tour the facility and participate in sorting food, filing boxes and backpacks with donations. The younger students will work on brown bag lunch bags for the Open Door Mission shelter guests. St. Kateri will conclude Catholic Schools Week with Soup-er Bowl and Dance Party.
• St. Lawrence School, Greece, preschool students will dress like a penguin and there will be a school Mass Jan. 28. All grade levels will participate in a day of service on Jan. 29. In the evening on Jan. 29, the school will host an open house, book fair and art show. School spirit day and first responders lunch is scheduled for Jan. 30 and crazy hair and mismatch day with a stop-drop-dance throughout the day Jan. 31. They will close out Catholic Schools Week with mini golf in the gymnasium Feb. 1.
‚Ä¢ St. Rita School, Webster, will begin Catholic Schools Week with a opening prayer service Jan. 28. All are welcome to attend the school’s Catholic Schools Week Mass Jan. 29 at 9:15 a.m. and the school will be open for perspective families from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. There will be team reading Jan. 30 and all students will go bowling Jan. 31. St. Rita School will close out Catholic Schools Week Mass with a closing prayer service.
• Siena Catholic Academy, Brighton will begin Catholic Schools Week with a prayer service faciliated by seventh graders Jan. 28. They will also be collecting nonperishable food items all week for a can drive. On Jan. 29, students are invited to dress down, wearing t-shirts or sweatshirts related to service, like runs or walks for a specific cause. To demonstrate how crazy the school is for Catholic education, the students can dress in crazy clothes Jan. 30. Siena will conclude Catholic Schools Week with free ice cream for all students during lunch and a competition in the gymnasium Feb. 1. Those who donated to the can drive may dress down in their favorite sports team jersey or school athletic jersey.
Southern Tier
‚Ä¢ St. Mary Our Mother School, Horseheads, first grades will kick off Catholic Schools Week with a Nose Warmer Fashion Show in the morning and there will be a bake-off competition in the afternoon Jan. 28. Fifth- and sixth-grade students will volunteer at the food bank and there will be a school wide scavenger hunt Jan. 29. After attending Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral Jan. 30, sixth-grade students will visit the Rochester Museum and Science Center. Also that day, fourth-grade students will visit Bethany Manor Nursing Home to say the Rosary with residents, and pre-kindergarten through third-grade and fifth-grade will make cards for the nursing home. There will be an all-school movie on Jan. 31 and there will be a “Hugs and Kisses event for Moms and Dads” on Feb. 1
‚Ä¢ Students at the All Saints Academy, Corning, will kick off Catholic Schools Week with “Pairs Faith and Academics” where they can dress in clothing with animals on them or where matching clothing with another student. There will be Mass in the morning Jan. 29 and in the afternoon, Students will have ice cream sundaes and participate in saint games. The school will participate in a school-wide service project Jan. 30 and will host a spelling bee Jan. 31. All Saints Academy will end at Catholic Schools Week with a parent appreciation soup and bread lunch and an ice skating event Feb. 1.
• St. Agnes School, Avon, kicks off Catholic Schools Week with pajama day Jan. 28. Students will participate in a prayer service at St. Agnes Church Jan. 29. Pre-K through second grade students will take part in service projects Jan. 30, while third-grade through sixth-grade attend the Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral. There will be rollerskating and a pizza lunch during the day, and in the evening of Jan. 31, the school community is invited to a potluck dinner and talent show. There is no school on Feb. 1, but the students can participate in skiing or snowboarding at SWAIN Ski Resort or go bowling at Miller Lane in Honeoye Falls.
• Holy Family School, Elmira kicks off Catholic Schools Week with Mass and the living rosary Jan. 29. Students may dress up as their favorite Disney character Jan. 30 and the sixth grade students will attend Mass with Bishop Salvatore R. Matano at Sacred Heart Cathedral and then visit the Rochester Museum and Science Center. On Jan. 31, students may wear their favorite sports team apparal and enjoy hot dogs and ice cream sundaes for lunch. The Binghamton Zoo will be coming to visit the school and the students will wear their classroom colors Feb. 1
Tags: Catholic Schools
