Welcome

Father Donohoe recently offered Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.  During his homily, he spoke eloquently with the children about the power of the Rosary. At one point, he asked the children to hold up rosary beads if they happened to have a set with them. Instead of holding up a set, one of the Kindergartners raised both arms, like Arnold Shwartzanegger, as if to show his muscles.  The double entendre made me laugh as the Blessed Mother showed her strength, and the power of her intercession, through the little one. What a great reminder of the power of prayer!

This fall, by the grace of God, we again welcomed over 400 new and returning students to Saint Catherine of Siena School to begin the 2023-2024 school year.  There is no doubt that Saint Catherine has continued to intercede on our behalf and helped us to continue to grow our Catholic community of learners. At the start of the year, we heard stories of the summer adventures of students and educators. Two members of our community, a new SCS Middle School student and a Middle School educator, prayed at the High Altar in the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. These prayers before her body and the prayers of other students, families, and teachers who prayed for her intercession were definitely heard and have given us the opportunity to welcome more children and families to our faith community.  It inspires me each day to see our students and their teachers shine God’s light; whether it is in the classrooms, out in the schoolyard, or on our field.

If you’ve visited our campus recently, you will see that we have continued to make many changes and improvements to our buildings.  A new boiler has been installed in our Lower School building. New cement planters have been placed in our school yard; they not only bring more green to our campus but also protect students on our field. Ductwork in our Little Hawks Preschool and PreK Building and Gymnasium supports the new HVAC system which is now up and running. Behind the scenes, we have continued to make investments in curriculum and technology for all grade levels. This year, each teacher and hourly aides will receive an increase in compensation for all their hard work and dedication.

As we do every year, we ask for your help, through our Fund for Saint Catherine, to keep SCS growing. The Fund for Saint Catherine, our Annual Fund, supports our overall strategic goals: 

• To keep tuition affordable for our families, while providing support for those who may  need some assistance
• To continue to provide a rigorous and engaging curriculum that supports academic excellence and high standards
• To attract and retain quality faculty and staff 

Funds raised will help us ensure that Saint Catherine of Siena School remains dedicated to providing the highest-quality Catholic education.   Last year, your generosity helped us raise more than $123,000 in support of our mission.  We ask you to prayerfully consider renewing at this level or, if you are able, to consider your gift this year, increasing as we strive to raise $150,000.  Each gift helps us to empower our students by giving them the foundation they need to reach their full academic, social, and spiritual potential. Without this support from generous families, grandparents, alumni and friends, our continued growth and ability to adapt to these ever-changing times would not be possible. Thank you! Regardless of your capacity to give financially, thank you for considering the possibility of joining one of our Strategic Plan Implementation Committees. Our Strategic Plan 2022-2027 Lux et Veritas is helping us to guide our growth as a learning community and our next implementation meeting is Wednesday, November 8th in our Middle School Cafeteria from 4:30-7:30. Please continue to pray for our success as we spread the Light and Truth of the Gospel. 

Early this Winter, our gymnasium floor will be refinished. Our new logo will be painted in the center court. There is no doubt that each time we use the court, as when we use our new Gavin Field, the logo emboldened in the wooden floor will be a reminder of our Catholic faith and our rich history. May the spontaneous gesture by our Kindergartner remind us of the power of prayer, especially that of the Rosary. May our Blessed Mother and Saint Catherine continue to intercede for us. Thank you in advance for your generosity and love for SCS! 

With Grateful Prayers,