East Catholic High School's Newsletter
A Message from the President
To the East Catholic Family,
 
The 2022-2023 school year is off and running! It has been great to have our students back on campus. We enjoyed our week of welcoming students through our Orientation programs, and had a wonderful New Families Picnic on Saturday!

Our theme of the year is "Grit." We spoke with our students this week to introduce this theme, which entails perseverance in the face of adversity. We will be doing programming throughout the year in relation to this theme. Over the summer, all students were required to read "This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women" as our One Book, One Community. Each English class will begin the year covering this book. Next Friday, we will have our Convocation program during which we will come together as an entire student body to discuss the book and relate to our own personal stories of how we've exercised grit and experienced the ability to use our failures as a growth lesson.

This year, we are also welcoming exciting new faces to our faculty! As our Director of Campus Ministry, we welcome Mrs. Maggie Seaver. In our English Department, we welcome Mr. Thomas Burke. In our Language Department, we welcome Mr. Robert Caldwell (Latin), Mr. Joshua Gladstone (French), and Mr. Timothy Shaffer (Spanish). In our Science Department, we welcome Mrs. Romina Italia who will join us part-time teaching Biology. In our Social Studies Department, we welcome Ms. Tiana Lamontagne who will join us part-time teaching World Civilization. In our Technology Department, we welcome Mr. Domenic Burby. In our Athletics Department, we welcome Mr. Jordan Jeroszko as our part-time assistant AD. Please join us in welcoming them to our school community! You will have the opportunity to meet many of them at Back to School Night next Thursday, September 8th at 6:00PM.

We are continuing this year with our Advisory Program. Advisors are faculty and staff members throughout the building who have a group of 10-12 advisees each. Each student during Orientation met with their advisor, and will continue to meet with them throughout the year. The Advisory program promotes meaningful relationships between teachers, staff, students, and parents while providing support to families. Through weekly meetings with their advisor, students experience a more personalized environment set to observe and encourage academic and social progress throughout high school. Advisors will serve as the first touch point for parents that are concerned about their student within school. At Back to School Night, each family will get to meet with their student's advisor for an introduction. We are looking forward to growing on the success that the Advisory program brings to East.

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A few calendar notes:
Monday, September 5th - Labor Day (No School)
Tuesday, September 6th - First Official Day of School
Thursday, September 8th - Back to School Night at 6:00PM
Friday, September 9th - Convocation/One Book, One Community (11:30AM Dismissal)

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A few thoughts about drop-off and pick-up:
School begins at 7:32AM and there is often traffic entering in the morning, so please plan accordingly. When dropping off in the morning, please be aware of a few options and suggestions.
·        If your son or daughter has athletic equipment to drop off, feel free to drive around the back of the building and drop off by the gym.
·        If you are dropping off in the main circle, please drive around the circle as far as possible to allow traffic to continue moving.
·        Please be careful at pick-up in the main circle as it gets pretty crowded!

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Exciting Projects:
Thank you to our generous donors throughout the 2021-2022 school year! Because of your contributions, we were able to break ground this summer on the construction of our new Integrated Technology Center. In a world of ever-changing technology, our new center will allow students to develop new skills that will carry them into the future to become responsible, independent, and creative users of information and technology. Included in the ITC will be 3D printers, a Computer-Aided Design Lab, a TV & Media Broadcast Studio, and it will serve as the new home for our Robotics Team to design and engineer their robots for competition. The ITC will be open for all students in the coming months.

In addition to the creation of our Integrated Technology Center, many of you will notice when driving on to campus that the Annex building has been fenced off. This summer, many hours were spent cleaning out the building. We will be beginning demolition on the building soon. The Annex building is a rich piece of our history here at East Catholic, as it served as the original convent for our Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. The Sisters, whose order founded East Catholic High School in 1961, lived in the Annex building for many years. It later served as classrooms for our students and offices for our staff. When the Math & Science wing was added to East Catholic, all classrooms and offices moved out of the Annex. Once it comes down, it will be turned in to additional green space to welcome all of you onto campus.

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There is no shortage of excitement in the building as we've gotten underway with the school year this week! Throughout this newsletter you will find important information and updates from various departments throughout the school.
 
As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns, brennans@echs.com
 
Peace,
 
Sean P. Brennan ’85 - President
Dean of Academics and Dean of Student Life Reminders
Academic Integrity
  • East Catholic has a zero tolerance policy in regards to cheating
  • Plagiarism, either from web/print sources or the work of other students, is not tolerated and will be handled in accordance with the Student Handbook
Textbooks
  • Students will gain access to textbooks on Tuesday, Sept. 6th
  • Textbooks can still be purchased if you have not already done so. Please visit http://echs6042.org/ to do so. Please contact me at burbyg@echs.com with any questions.
Student Handbook
  • Students are required to read the handbook and be familiar with its contents. Students are to sign and return pages 47 & 48 to their advisors by Friday, Sept. 16th
Emergency Contact Cards
  • At orientation, each student received an emergency contact card to be filled out and signed by their parent. Please have these filled out and returned to your advisor no later than Thursday, Sept. 8th.
Tardiness
  • School begins at 7:32am and students are expected to be in their first class by the time the bell rings
  • Students are allowed 10 tardies per semester
  • Seniors are able to come in late if they have a first period study hall. Please remember to sign in at the main office.
Uniforms
  • Boys are allowed to wear khaki/navy shorts until further notice from administration
  • Boys are expected to be clean shaven and their hair can be no longer than the top of their collar
  • Girls skorts are to be no shorter than 3 inches above the knee
COVID Protocol
  • If you are sick, stay home.
  • If you test positive for COVID, please notify me at reillyj@echs.com
  • Students who test positive are to remain home for 5 days, after which if you are not experiencing symptoms you can return to school
  • The day you test positive is day 0. The 5 days after that you are required to remain home.
Need to make a payment for school lunches? Log in to PaySchools Central. In addition to making payments, you may access the toolkit for downloadable flyers and other information. Click here to login to PaySchools Central.
School Counseling Reminders
Welcome Back to all of our sophomores, juniors and seniors and welcome to East to our freshmen! Counselors met with all students during orientation days and will be available for meetings during study halls and flex period. We will continue to meet with students individually and in groups. Students are encouraged to make appointments with their school counselor for next week if they have any questions or concerns. 

If at any point throughout the year you're struggling in a class, please remember to advocate for yourself and see teachers in regards to extra help. We have a 20-minute flex period each day in our schedule which is a great time to meet with a teacher. Teachers can also be available to meet after school if you coordinate a time to meet with them. We want to see you all succeed in the classroom and are here to help you do that!

Please make a habit of checking your emails regularly. This is a habit you will want to have once you move on to college, so it is important to develop that here in high school. Us counselors, as well as teachers, send important information via email and it is your responsibility to make sure you are receiving that information on time.

Reminder: All schedule changes must be done by Tuesday, September 20th (end of the first full 8 day cycle). Any schedule change requests made after this could incur a $100 fee. This includes classes for both 1st and 2nd semester.
Seniors
  • Update your resumes on Naviance!
  • College Admission Counselors will be visiting our school throughout the fall. Below you can find a list of some upcoming visits. Please sign up on Naviance at least 2 days prior. You may attend if you have a free period or prior approval from your last period teacher. All visits begin at 1:40PM.
  • The CommonApp is live! Login to create your account and work on your applications. For schools that do not use CommonApp, you will have to use the application specified on their website. Your counselor will be meeting with each of individually to go through your list of schools that you want to apply to.
  • Make sure to request a letter of recommendation with your teacher of choice, both in person and on Naviance.

Sophomores
  • Update your resumes on Naviance!
  • Each of you will be working with a new school counselor this year - either Mrs. Fiori or Mrs. Luker. Your counselor will set up a time to meet with you this semester to get to know you better.
  • This year you will be taking the PSAT on Wednesday, October 12th. Practice tests are available online through KhanAcademy. If you have any questions or are nervous about taking the test, please schedule a time to meet with your counselor.
Juniors
  • Update your resumes on Naviance!
  • Students who intend to go through the athletic recruitment process for Division I and II schools must register with the NCAA this year.
  • Juniors are welcome to sign up for college visits on Naviance. They will have the opportunity to meet with the Admission Counselor joining us at 2:00PM on the scheduled day. Below you can find a list of some upcoming visits.
  • This year you will be taking the PSAT on Wednesday, October 12th. Practice tests are available online through KhanAcademy. If you have any questions or are nervous about taking the test, please schedule a time to meet with your counselor.


Freshmen
  • All freshmen will be working with Ms. Boisselle as their counselor this year. She will be setting meetings times with each of you throughout the semester to get to know you all better.
  • This year, you will be setting up your Naviance account. It will be important that you get to know the features of Naviance, and check it regularly.
  • Transitioning to high school academics can be difficult, but school counseling is here to help you at any point if you are struggling! We want you all to start on the most successful note possible here at East.
Upcoming College Visits in September

Tuesday, Sept. 20th - Merrimack College & Western Connecticut State University
Wednesday, Sept. 21st - Johnson & Wales University & University of New England
Thursday, Sept. 22nd - American International College & Roger Williams University
Friday, Sept. 23rd - University of New Hampshire

The full list of visits throughout September, October, and November can be found on Naviance.
Campus Ministry Reminders
Welcome Maggie Seaver, our new Director of Campus Ministry!
We are very excited to welcome Mrs. Maggie Seaver as a our Director of Campus Ministry this year! When asked how she feels about joining East in this role, Seaver said "I have been so welcomed by all since my first day and I truly feel blessed to be in this position. The sense of Community is strong here at East, and I look forward to bringing my gifts to this Ministry."

Mrs. Seaver worked in public schools as a special education teacher for many years before settling into a role in faith formation within the Church. As she now gets to blend various passions into one, we can't wait to see all the positive contributions she makes to our Campus Ministry team here as an East Catholic Eagle!
Here are some important reminders from Campus Ministry:
  • Every Tuesday, we host Mass in the Chapel at 7:00AM which is open to all students.
  • Members of this year's Peer Ministry team were present at Freshman Orientation to assist with making the Freshman feel welcome on their first day. We are thankful for the leadership and positive spirit that our Peer Ministers bring to the school.
  • Freshmen retreat is right around the corner! On Tuesday, Sept. 13th, the entire class will head to St. Bartholomew Church in Manchester for the day. The students will get to know their classmates better through ice breakers, prayer, faith sharing, and both small and large group activities.
Service Hours:
Every student is required to complete 10 hours of community service each year. Up to 5 of those service hours can be within our East Catholic community. At least 5 of those service hours must be in service of those outside of our community. Campus Ministry actively works to set up engaging service opportunities for our students, so all student are more than welcome to ask the team to help you find an option that fits you best. We will post upcoming service opportunities here in the upcoming newsletters as well!
Athletics Reminders
Fall sports are well underway and we are looking forward to a great season for all of our teams!

We are excited to welcome the following new coaches for our fall sports:
  • Boys/Girls Cross Country welcomes Molly McClintock as head coach. Ms. McClintock is also a social studies teacher here at East.
  • Girls Field Hockey welcomes Erin Orvis as head coach and Rebecca Rumley as assistant coach. Rebecca also works as a member of our Advancement office here at East.
  • Boys Soccer welcomes Matt Trymbulak '17 and Nikita Akimov as assistant coaches.
  • Girls Volleyball welcomes Tiana Lamontagne and Kristen Reilly as assistant coaches. Ms. Lamontagne is a new part-time social studies teacher here at East, and Ms. Reilly is a Spanish teacher here at East.

Check out the dates below and come support your fellow Eagles in the first competition of their season!
Cross Country: Tuesday, Sept. 20th @ Wickham Park
Football/Cheerleading: Saturday, Sept. 10th @ Bacon Academy
Field Hockey: Thursday, Sept. 8th vs. Farmington on ECHS Lower Field
Boys Soccer: Friday, Sept. 9th vs. Tolland on ECHS Lower Field
Girls Soccer: Thursday, Sept. 8th @ Tolland
Swimming & Diving: Tuesday, Sept. 13th @ Farmington at Miss Porter's School
Volleyball: Thursday, Sept. 8th @ Maloney

For information on times and more dates, please visit the CIAC schedule website here.

FamilyID Reminder:
You all should have received an email to sign up for FamilyID. FamilyID is a secure registration platform that provides an easy, user-friendly way to collect forms for all of our students. Athletics will be requiring that all students upload their physical forms through Family ID. Please visit this link to register for an account if you have not already done so. If you have any questions, please email dahlquistj@echs.com.

Visit our online Spirit Shop here to purchase East Catholic Athletics merchandise!

Not involved in a fall sport but want to be? It's not too late! Here at East we encourage all of our students to get involved. If interested in one of the above sports, go to the Athletics page on our website and email the head coach to see if they are still accepting new players. Some sports may have filled their rosters for the season but there are definitely some that are welcoming more!
Back to School Night
Thursday, September 6th at 6:00PM

Parents and Guardians are invited to East Catholic's Annual Back to School Night on Thursday, September 8th at 6:00 P.M. This is an opportunity for families to meet East's administration, their students' teachers, and follow a mini-class schedule. The evening will begin in the auditorium and refreshments will be served. Please note that this event is intended for parents and guardians only. Below you will find the schedule for the night:

  • Parents will arrive in the auditorium at 6pm for a brief meeting before moving to classes.
  • We will begin in our Advisory groups. Parents/Guardians will receive a printed schedule.
  • Parents will go through a mini schedule during the night. Each class will be 5 minutes long with a 5 minute passing time.
  • Teachers will give a brief overview of the course.
  • Please join us in the Conference Room for refreshments.
  • The Spirit Store will also be open.
 
Day 1 schedule with H period added
6:00-6:10pm Auditorium
6:15-6:20pm Advisory (pass out schedules and raffles tickets)
6:25-6:30pm A period
6:35-6:40pm B period
6:45-6:50pm C period
6:55-7:00pm D period
7:05-7:10pm E period
7:15-7:20pm F period
7:25-7:30pm G period
7:35-7:40pm H period

Admission Office Updates
The Admissions Department kicked off the 2022-2023 school year by hosting a New Families Picnic for incoming students and families in the class of 2026, and transfers from the classes of 2025, 2024 and 2023. New students had the opportunity to meet their fellow classmates, enjoy lunch, and play games on campus. We were so excited to meet the families who have joined our East Catholic family!

We are looking forward to hosting an in-person Open House on Thursday, October 6th.
 
We have been busy providing tours to prospective families interested in attending East in the future. This fall we will also be accepting inquiries for "Eagle for a Day" shadow visits for prospective 8th graders. Help us in spreading the word to your friends and community about all the great aspects of East Catholic!

The Admissions Department also continues to accept applications for the 2022-2023 school year!
Advancement Office Updates
A message from Heidi Carlson, Director of Advancement:

I am so blessed to have worked at East Catholic over these last ten years. I am proud of where we are and remain confident that with the continued strong leadership of President Sean P. Brennan ’85 that East Catholic will continue to grow and thrive. I extend a personal thank you to the numerous and generous alumni, friends, and families who have stood with us to insure the school is secure and well-positioned looking ahead as well as confidently undertaking exciting new initiatives such as the Integrated Technology Center. I also thank the wonderful East Catholic families, the Parent’s Association and selfless volunteers, the caring and dedicated faculty and staff, and of course, the talented and inspiring students who are the heart of this school. Thank you for allowing me to be an honorary Eagle – a title I will always treasure!

If you have questions for the Advancement team, please contact Rebecca Rumley at rumleyr@echs.com.
WalkEast 2022 - East Catholic's Annual Fall Fundraising and Spirit Event!  

This year we are excited to host our student-led WalkEast event on Friday, October 14th. Please consider providing prizes for our student participants or sponsoring the event with a custom tee-sign! The campaign will kick-off in mid-September. Please help us make this fun for our students! We gratefully accept donations of gift cards, teen-appropriate merchandise and items, as well as sponsorships from families and friends. More information about the event forthcoming in the next newsletter!
Neighborhood Assistance Act
If the Company you work for files taxes in the State of CT, you may be interested to learn that East Catholic High School has been approved for participation in the 2022 Connecticut Neighborhood Assistance Act (NAA) Tax Credit Program through the State of Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. This program allows for certain CT businesses to receive a tax credit for funding approved municipal or non-profit projects. East Catholic’s project is the replacement of the Auditorium Roof, making it watertight and energy efficient.
 
For information about East Catholic's approved project please contact Rebecca Rumley at rumleyr@echs.com. Additional information about the NAA program is available at https://portal.ct.gov/DRS/Credit-Programs/Neighborhood-Assistance/Neighborhood-Assistance-Act-Tax-Credit-Program. Each business requesting a tax credit must complete Form NAA-02 and submit it electronically to DRS between September 15 through October 3, 2022. Please consult with your tax advisor to confirm eligibility and requirements of participation.
Support East Catholic While You Shop!
Shop on Amazon and Support East Catholic!
Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchase to East Catholic. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service. Support East Catholic by shopping at smile.amazon.com and search for East Catholic.
Support East Catholic at ShopRite
ShopRite stores that participate in the ShopRite for Education program are committed to making a difference for the communities that their customers call home. Through this program, participating store owners provide free educational equipment and supplies to local accredited non-profit public and private schools, kindergarten through high school.

Supporting East Catholic is simple! Just link your Price Plus® Card to East Catholic's code, 18411, and each time you shop, the school will earn points towards free educational equipment and supplies. You can enroll your card by visiting www.shopriteforeducation.com.
Upcoming Events and Dates to Remember
Monday, September 5th
No School - Labor Day

Tuesday, September 6th
First Official Day of School

Thursday, September 8th
Back to School Night - 6:00PM

Friday, September 9th
Convocation/One Book, One Community - 11:30AM Dismissal

Tuesday, September 13th
Freshmen Retreat

Wednesday, September 14th
11:30AM Dismissal

Thursday, September 15th
Walkathon Materials Distributed in Advisory
East Catholic High School | 115 New State Road, Manchester, CT 06042
| phone: 860-649-5336 | fax: 860-649-7191 | www.echs.com