Catholic schools around the Diocese of Rochester are celebrating Catholic Schools Week Jan. 30-Feb. 5 with a variety of special activities. Below are the events taking place at the schools that submitted their schedules to the Catholic Courier. For more information on specific events, please visit that schools’ websites.
In addition to these events, Bishop Salvatore R. Matano will celebrate Mass for Catholic Schools Week at St. Lawrence Church Feb. 2 at 9:30 a.m. Students and staff from St. Lawrence will attend the Mass, while students and staff at the other Catholic schools will be able to watch the Mass via the Catholic Courier’s livestream.
Monroe County
As part of Catholic Schools Week celebrations, Seton Catholic School, Brighton, will be collecting food all week for local food banks. The students will kick off Catholic Schools Week by wearing spirit wear and having a bagel and juice day Jan. 31. Students also will create valentines for the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse and Our Lady of Lourdes Church shut-ins. On Feb. 1, students may wear appropriate pajamas to schools. Third through sixth grades also will participate in a fun activity in the gym. Ice cream sundaes will be served in the classroom Feb. 2, and prekindergartners through second-graders will have a turn to participate in an fun activity in the gym. Students will dress like their teachers and teachers dress like their Seton students. It’s Crazy Hat and Sock Day at Seton Catholic Feb. 3, and the school will play Bingo together via Zoom. On Feb 4, students will wear red, white and blue to school, and a Catholic Schools Week Mass, led by the sixth-graders, will take place at 8:30 a.m. It also is “A Day at the Seton Cinema,” where students will get to watch a movie in the classroom and enjoy popcorn provided by the school’s parent-teacher association.
Students at St. Pius Tenth, Chili, will begin Catholic Schools Week with crazy sunglasses, hat and hair day Jan. 31. The students will visit the various decades for decade dress-down day Feb. 1. On Feb. 2, it is wacky Wednesday, or mismatch day. Students can bring nonperishable food items so they can wear a sports-related jersey or sweatshirt and jeans and sweats to school on Feb. 3. Students will use the cans in class to create a can sculpture. The classroom that can build the most creative can sculpture with the cans donated in their own homeroom will earn a special treat. All food items will be donated to St. Andrew’s Food Cupboard. On Feb. 4, students will participate in a Catholic Schools Week liturgy. After lunch, movies will be shown and treats will be provided for each classroom.
All week long, students at St. Lawrence School, Greece, will be collecting new gloves, mittens and socks to donate to the Center for Youth in Rochester, and each classroom will be participating in a door decorating contest. The school will kick off Catholic Schools Week with Crazy Hair and Mismatch Day Jan. 31. On Feb. 1, bus drivers and aids will come into the school for coffee and a treat, and small cards made by the students will given to thank them for all that they do for the school. Kindergarten through fifth-grade students will attend Mass with Bishop Matano Feb. 2. Also on Feb. 2, a fire truck from the North Greece Fire Department will be coming to the school, and the students will be making cards and posters for local first responders to honor and thank them for everything they do to keep the community safe. On Feb. 3, students will participate in a Day of Service and will be making valentine cards to be sent to the residents at The Village at Mill Landing Senior Living Community and local health-care workers at Strong Memorial Hospital. A police car from the Greece Police Department will come to school, and the students will be making cards to honor and the police for everything they do to keep the community safe. Catholic Schools Week will conclude with a day where students can wear jeans and their favorite sports team attire, and all classes will participate in mini-golf in the gymnasium during their assigned time.
All week long, students at St. Kateri School, Irondequoit, will be collecting various items for Sunset House, a hospice house located in Irondequoit. The school will kick off Catholic Schools Week with a prayer service led by fifth-grade students Jan 31. It’s also silly sock day, and there also will be a sock-hop dance in the gymnasium. It is “Twinning Tuesday” Feb. 1. Students can dress up like twins, triplets or any other multiples. In the evening from 4 to 8 p.m., there will be a fundraiser for St. Kateri School at Bill Gray’s Seabreeze. On Feb. 2, students will virtually participate in the Mass with Bishop Matano. They can bring in their favorite board games to play. In the evening, there will be a virtual preschool information night from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. It’s Team USA Day on Feb. 3. The students can show off their Olympic spirit for Team USA and also will be able to participate in some Olympic challenges. There also will be a virtual kindergarten information night from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4 is Super Hero Day, where students can dress up in their super hero gear. There also will be movies and popcorn in the classrooms. On Feb. 5, there will be a St. Kateri School student-designed Cafe Drink at the Barnes and Noble Towne Center in Webster from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The school community at St. Louis School, Pittsford, will gather in church for a school Mass to start Catholic Schools Week Jan. 31. On Feb. 1, it is crazy hat day, and students will receive an ice cream treat during lunchtime. Students will make cards for military men and women and wear red, white and blue to school Feb. 2. They also will participate in the livestream of the bishop’s Mass from St. Lawrence Church. On Feb. 3, students and staff will create a spiritual bouquet for St. Louis pastor Father Mitchell Zygadlo. Students and staff will escape the cold of winter with tropical day Feb. 4. On that day, they also can bring a can of soup for “Souper Bowl” to be allowed to wear a football jersey Feb. 11. There also will be a breakfast that day for staff. The school will conclude its Catholic Schools Week celebrations Feb. 5 with St. Louis School Family Fun. Families can complete tasks and take pictures, posting them on social media.
During Catholic Schools Week, St. Ambrose Academy, Rochester, will be participating a schoolwide community service project, making pet bandanas and blankets to donate to Lollipop Farm. On Feb. 1, students can wear yellow and black to school to represent the school mascot, the Bumble Bee, and a school picture will be taken. Students will have an ice cream sundae celebration Feb. 2. Bishop Matano will be with the school community Feb. 3 to celebrate Mass with the kindergarten through fifth-grade students. The school will conclude Catholic Schools Week with favorite sports team day. The fifth-grade students will play volleyball against the faculty/staff in the morning, and all grade levels will enjoy a movie and popcorn in the afternoon.
Holy Cross School, Rochester, will kick off Catholic Schools Week by celebrating its students with classroom awards Jan. 31. On Feb. 1, the students can dress as a super hero. They will color bookmarks for Mother of Sorrows and Holy Cross parishes and make thank-you cards for their parishes’ priests, women religious, and for the local police and fire departments. Students also can donate food to the food pantry. Holy Cross will celebrate our nation by wearing red, white and blue and making valentine’s cards for area veterans Feb. 2. On Feb. 3, students will create leaves for the school’s family tree and participate in a rosary scavenger hunt. In the afternoon, they will enjoy a movie with popcorn. Students will conclude Catholic Schools Week by wearing their Holy Cross spirit wear, writing thank-you notes to those who work in their school and participate in bingo games in their classrooms. In addition to these festivities, a Scholastic Book Fair will take place in the library all week long.
St. Rita School, Webster, will begin Catholic Schools Week Jan. 31 by getting comfy. Students are encouraged to wear their comfy clothes — sweatpants, sweatshirts and slippers (no pajamas). The students are asked to each bring a flashlight, pillow and blanket for extended reading time. On Feb. 2, students can wear their spirit wear or blue and gold clothing for spirit day. There also will be a school carnival led by the fifth-graders. At the carnival, students can play games and earn money for St. Jude’s Children Hospital. It’s wacky day Feb. 2, when students can wear their wackiest outfits to school. There also will be movies shown in each classroom. The school will have a Mass for Catholic Schools Week Feb. 3, which also will be streamed online for families. The students also will participate in a buddy class activity. The school will conclude Catholic Schools Week with SOUP-ER Day where the students can wear their team-inspired clothing and bring in cans of soup for Hope House. The students also will participate in the second-annual Minute to Win It.
Finger Lakes
Students at St. Mary School, Canandaigua, will kick off Catholic Schools Week by wearing comfy clothes and enjoying a movie Jan. 31. On Feb. 1, a prayer service with the theme “Let Your Light” shine will take place at 9 a.m., and in the evening, there will be an open house for prospective families at 6 p.m. On Feb. 2, middle-school students will lead the school in a day of service. Some of the service projects that will take place are making valentines for veterans and blanket making for Project Linus. On Feb 3, it will be casual dress day, and there will be a luncheon sponsored by the Parent Teacher Organization. Students in grades 5 to 8 also will participate in a volleyball challenge. The school will conclude Catholic Schools Week with Spirit Wear Day on Feb. 4.
St. Francis-St. Stephen School, Geneva, will kick off Catholic Schools Week with an outdoor Winter Carnival following 4:30 p.m. Mass at St. Francis deSales Church Jan. 29. It’s St. Francis-St. Stephen School Spirit Day Jan. 31. A movie will be shown and popcorn will be served. On Feb.1, students can dress as their favorite characters. It’s Celebrate the Nation Day Feb. 2. Students can wear red, white and blue for $1 donation to Catholic Charities to help fund efforts to help those affected by tornadoes in the South and the wildfires in Colorado. Students can wear crazy socks and/or crazy hats on Feb. 3. That day there also will be a schoolwide, COVID-friendly dance in the gymnasium. The school will conclude Catholic Schools Week with Souper Bowl Day Feb. 4. Students can bring in cans of soup for the local food pantry and can dress in their favorite team apparel or color. There will be a schoolwide pizza lunch party provided and Bingo as well. All week, there will be a Scholastic Book Fair, and Mr. Spink will be popping his “World Famous” popcorn every day.
St. Michael School, Penn Yan, will begin its Catholic Schools Week activities with sports day Jan. 31. On that day, kindergarten, first- and second-grade students also will participate in bowling. It’s mystery color day, and third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students will get their turn to bowl Feb. 1. It also will be pizza day. On Feb. 2, students will participate via livestream in the Mass with Bishop Matano. Students will escape the cold for a day at the beach with various beach activities Feb.3. The school will conclude Catholic Schools Week with a movies and ice cream on Feb. 4. Alumni of St. Michael School also are invited to visit the school Feb. 4.
Southern Tier
St. Agnes School, Avon, will kick off Catholic Schools with a community service challenge Jan. 31. Students in pre-K through sixth-grade will collect 100 coloring books and boxes of crayons for 100 days of school. The items will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House. On Feb. 1, the students will have fun with Father Michael Fowler, pastor of St. Agnes Church. Preschool students will join Father Fowler for prayers and a sing-along, and students in kindergarten through sixth grade will participate in a church scavenger hunt and question-and-answer session with Father Fowler. They will also get an ice cream treat. Students can dress as their favorite superheroes or book characters on Feb.2. The students will also participate virtually in Bishop Matano’s Mass from St. Lawrence Church. Students will learn about various careers during a career day Feb. 3. A military/doctor, dairy farmer, banker, physical therapist, NASA engineer and DEC officer will be visiting the school to talk with students. Family Fun Day bowling at Livingston Lanes and snow tubing at Greystone Tubing in Walworth will conclude Catholic Schools Week Feb. 4.
All Saints Academy, Corning will have an open house for prospective families from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 31. Jan. 31 is also a day off for current students, as teachers have a conference day in the morning. The school will start celebrating Catholic Schools Week Feb. 1 with crazy socks or hat day. A school Mass also will take place at 8:15 a.m. Each grade will choose a color to wear to school to represent their class on Feb. 2. Feb. 3 is school spirit day, which means students will wear the school spirit colors of blue and white to school. The school will conclude Catholic Schools Week by wearing their favorite team jersey or shirt to school on Feb. 4. During lunch, a special treat also will be provided to the students.
Like All Saints Academy, Jan. 31 is a teachers’ conference day at Holy Family School, Elmira, which means a day off for students. All week long, students will be collecting canned goods for the Samaritan Center. Students will wear their favorite colors Feb. 1. It’s sports day on Feb. 2, and students can wear their favorite sports team apparel, either professional or for a team they have played for. There will also be a teachers verse sixth-grade basketball game. On Feb. 3, there will be a school Mass at 9 a.m., which parents are invited to attend. Students can wear blue, gold or spirit wear to school that day. They will also write thank you letters to members of the Holy Family community. The school will conclude Catholic Schools Week with animal day. Students may dress in animal costumes, animal shirts or they are going to the zoo. They can also bring their favorite stuffed animal to share with their class. The school will be collecting items to donate the Chemung County SPCA. A guest will be at school to speak with students on humane treatment of animals.
All week, students at St. Mary Our Mother School, Horseheads, will be bringing in loose change for the local animal shelter, and the class collecting the most money by the end of the week will have the opportunity to pie the school’s principal Heather Bill in the face. On the first day of of Catholic Schools Week Jan. 31, students will wear silly socks and hats, create heart cards to send to veterans at the Bath VA and place mats for residents at ELCOR and Bethany Village in Horseheads. On Feb. 1, it’s class color day and first-grade students will create nose warmers to present to the entire school in the annual nose-warmer fashion show. The show will be recorded and put on the school’s Facebook page for families to view. Each grade also will decorate their classroom door to reflect the theme of Bible stories. The students and teachers have until Friday to complete their creation as voting will take place on the school’s Facebook page. On Feb. 2, kindergarten through sixth-grade students will view a presentation that focuses on character education, and students in pre-K 4 through second grade will gather to watch the movie “Toy Story.” Students will pack the Birthday-in-a-Bag supplies for the Food Bank of the Southern Feb. 3. Sixth-three bags, which each contain a birthday cake mix, frosting, balloons, candles and handmade birthday cards from the students, will be donated to celebrate the school’s 63rd birthday. Students in fifth and sixth grades will compete in a spelling bee, with the first- and second-place winners advancing to the Diocese of Rochester’s Spelling Bee in April. Also on Feb. 3, students will pray the rosary in their classrooms. The school will conclude Catholic Schools Week with Mass. Third- through sixth-grade students will gather to watch the movie “Sing.” In the afternoon, the Parent Association is sponsoring a family open skating night at the Corning Civic Center.
Tags: Catholic Schools
