The 2022-23 school year has been filled with blessings in our Diocese of Rochester Catholic schools. Our school communities remain strong, joyful and Christ-centered as we’ve embraced the spirit of the Eucharistic Revival in our pursuit of faith, knowledge and service. One way our schools have sought to bring students closer to the true presence of Jesus in the holy Eucharist is through regular participation in eucharistic adoration. Input from local pastors, teachers and parents was used to develop recommendations and guides for age-appropriate lessons and themes for celebrating monthly adoration with elementary-aged students. Throughout the diocese, schools have taken up the invitation and developed their own programs for bringing students to adoration.
Academically, our schools continue to shine. In spring 2022, as evidenced on New York state exams in grades 3-8, our students demonstrated proficiency levels of 61 percent in ELA and 54 percent in mathematics. This exceeds the New York state average by 14 percent (average 47 percent) in ELA and 15 percent (average 39 percent) in math. Our schools continue to focus on a culture of growth, using teacher collaboration to share ideas and strengthen our instruction. A key initiative in this area has been our teacher-led Professional Learning Communities, which meet virtually every month to review data, discuss curriculum and research new ideas to take back to the classroom.
Although staffing has been an area of concern in all areas of education — public and private — our Diocese of Rochester Catholic schools have been blessed with a fleet of mission-oriented and dedicated educators. Our principals, teachers and support staff continue to go above and beyond for our students, ensuring that each of our schools does the very best for our students. We cannot thank them enough.
If your family is considering a Catholic education for your children, please visit our diocesan website to find a great school near you! Thank you for your continued prayers and support of our Catholic-school ministry.
James Tauzel
Superintendent of Catholic Schools
