There was a lot of activity, and a great variety of activity, as Curley celebrated Catholic Schools Week. Thank you to all who participated at Pizza John’s, at the Holy Hour and at the presentation on the “Teenage Brain.” As we move into February, this Sunday’s liturgy observes the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. Mary and Joseph follow their faith tradition, presenting their “first-born” on the 40th day after his birth. Rituals, both faith-based and secular, provide moments of celebration, create memories, and join generations together. Perhaps this feast can also remind us that parents are the first and primary educators of a child, and any success that a young person has in life most likely started at home. The success of Catholic schools comes from that joint effort of parents and school, so thank you for that partnership.



-- Fr. Donald

I offer thanks to Friar Chris for planning an exciting and dynamic Catholic Schools Week. The events of the week allowed us to focus on the mission of Curley and to celebrate the important place Catholic education has in our lives. Curley has been a blessing in my life, and I am grateful to join you as a member of one Curley Family.

Recently we enjoyed a presentation by Dr. Jensen on the development of the Teenage Brain. She spoke about the process in which the human brain develops and the characteristics we should expect from our sons at this point in their lives. The presentation included many issues that can negatively affect brain development: substance abuse, technology overuse, lack of sleep, etc. Your sons heard the same message. I encourage all families to engage in conversations with their sons while these topics are still fresh for them.  

 -- Jeremy Joseph ’96

• Recently a few students have called their parents to report an illness and to be asked to be picked up from school without reporting to the school nurse. As a reminder, our policy states: If a student becomes ill during the school day, he should be instructed to report to the Health Office. The nurse will notify the parent/guardian. Our expectation is that students will follow this procedure. Please remind your son of this procedure. If your son contacts you because he is ill, please instruct him to report to the school nurse.
• For all attendance related matters, please email Mrs. Raynor at sraynor@archbishopcurley.org. If you prefer to call the school, please understand the mornings are very busy and if no one is able to answer the phone, parents are asked to leave a voicemail in the general mailbox, which is checked regularly throughout the day. Attendance matters include notification of an absence, lateness or the need for an early dismissal. 
• When dropping off a forgotten item for a student to the Main Office, parents are asked to please bag the item and put the student's name on it. If possible, also please email your student that the item is in the Main Office. This will avoid having to call into a classroom and interrupting instruction time. 

Thank you to so many of you that have donated to the Special Olympics Maryland Polar Bear Plunge! The SGA is grateful for your support. As part of the Cool Schools Plunge, the SGA traveled to Sandy Point State Park on January 29 with over 4,000 other school plungers to represent Curley. As of today, the SGA has raised $1,365 for Special Olympics Maryland! But the FUN ISN'T OVER! We are still collecting money for one more week as we prepare to host the TEACHERS PLUNGE at Curley on Thursday, February 6.

The following faculty/staff members are in the lead --

1st Place -- Mr. Billy Benton

2nd Place -- Deacon Tim Maloney 

3rd Place -- Mrs. Emily Vandergriff 

All teachers participating have reached the fundraising point where they will get water dumped on them...yay! Remember, the more money a teacher gets, the more water they get dumped on them! Other staff members participating are: Mr. Muth, Mr. McCue, Mr. Olszewski, Mrs. Lindsay, Mr. Streckfus, Dr. Osarczuk, Mrs. Burton, Fr. Chris, Mr. Ayd, Mr. Pipkin, Mr. Patino, Mrs. Wysocki, Mrs. Bartomioli, Dcn. Dan Miller, Mr. Dotterweich, and Mr. Joseph. We encourage you to donate online to our fundraising page -- https://support.somd.org/team/605368! 

If you are donating in honor of a certain teacher, please note that online upon donation so that teacher gets the credit. We appreciate your support of Curley and of Special Olympics Maryland. Stay tuned for more details regarding our in-person plunge and how to watch live! 

Thank you to all of the Students, Faculty, Staff and Alumni for a wonderful Catholic Schools week. Second Quarter report cards will be available in Plus Portals on January 31. Please remind your son to see his teacher(s) if he has any questions or needs additional support.  I also want to thank everyone who was able to attend the “Teenage Brain” presentation with Dr. Jensen. We look forward to more opportunities like this to support the growth of our young men.

-- Ken Pipkin

We are excited to announce our upcoming STEM Symposium, an event that highlights student achievements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The event will be held on Thursday, March 27, 2025. To make this event a success, we invite individuals and local businesses to partner with us as a sponsor. Your support and that of local businesses will help foster innovation and excellence in STEM education while showcasing your commitment to the development of future leaders in these fields. Below are the available sponsorship opportunities :  

Einstein Sponsor ($300)

Show your support at this impactful level. Benefits include:  

- Advertisement in the program  

- Logo displayed on a board at the STEM Symposium  

- Logo featured on award certificates  

Newton Sponsor ($200) 

Help fuel inspiration by sponsoring refreshments for attendees. Benefits include: 

- Display board at the refreshment area during the STEM Symposium  

- Advertisement in the program  

Mendel Sponsor ($100)  

Named after Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics. Benefits Include: 

- Advertisement in the program  

Family Sponsor ($30)

Support a student and help us subsidize printing costs for the event. Benefits include: 

- Name listed in the program  

Your generous sponsorship will directly impact students by enhancing the quality of our event and supporting their exploration of STEM disciplines. If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor, go HERE to donate. If you have any questions, please email Kim Burton, Science Department Chairperson.  

Thank you for your consideration. Together, we can inspire the next generation of innovators! 

Thank you to all of our families that have begun donating to the Gala through our "themed" gift registries. We are encouraging our families to continue to donate a gift to the auction based on your son's class theme. We will update the families on their "class rankings" next week!

Class of 2028: “Items for Him”

Class of 2027: “Items for Her”

Class of 2026: “Outdoor Adventure/Summer Fun”

Class of 2025: “Gift Cards”

The class with the highest percentage of gifts donated will win a dress down day and class pizza lunch. All parent names from the class with the highest percentage of gifts donated will be entered into a raffle and the winner will win (2) free tickets to the black tie Gala on April 12. We ask all gifts to be donated by March 12 at the latest. 

PLEASE NOTE –

• Gifts purchased from the Amazon registries will ship directly to Curley, unless otherwise changed/noted upon ordering.
• Your gift does not have to come from the registry list. If you find a gift that fits to your class theme elsewhere or you would like to make a gift basket, etc., we love that too!
• Consider a group gift! You are always welcome to organize a group gift with several families to purchase a larger gift or experience.
• Please make sure to add your student(s) name(s), his class and parent name to the gift when sending to or dropping off at school to ensure all students/families involved are given credit for the gift. Please have gifts sent or dropped off directly to school to Attention: Gala.

For other Gala opportunities, including hosting gift gathering parties, sponsoring, tickets or volunteering, please contact Mrs. Caroline Palmisano at cpalmisano@archbishopcurley.org or 410-485-5000, ext. 211. We thank you in advance for your support!