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Memo
To: All ASCS Parents
From: Steve Virgadamo
Date: February 3, 2023
Re: Week 22–Head of School Journal Entry – January 30, 2023 – February 3, 2023
Catholic Schools Week 2023 –
A neighbor of mine with 4 children in the town-sponsored school asked me this week what was all the “hoopla” about Catholic Schools Week. She said, “I know you’re the Head of a Catholic School but what exactly and why are you celebrating.”
A current parent at ASCS said "I love the daily activities of Catholic Schools Week for the young scholars. It truly is exciting and fun for the young people to have a pep rally, a talent show, an all-school celebration of the Eucharist and lunch with first responder heroes, but what is the real purpose of Catholic schools’ week and what are you celebrating?”
So, what, and why are we celebrating?
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a congressionally mandated project of the National Center for Education Sciences. It is often called The Nations Report Card. It provides national, state, and district-level results about academic achievement. The National Assessment of Educational Progress is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what students in public, charter, private, and Catholic know and are able to do in various subjects.
For 2022, the nation’s students experienced across-the-board test score declines on the 2022 NAEP reading and math assessments, however, that wasn’t the case for Catholic schools. And that is just the beginning of our reasons to celebrate Catholic schools’ week at ASCS.
Recently, the Governing Board of the National Center for Education Statistics took time to spotlight some of the National Report Card results as related to Catholic schools.
A few of the most notable trends in Catholic school performance included the following:
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Despite the pandemic, the average score for Catholic school students enrolled in 4th grade in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 remained consistently high on the fourth-grade math and reading assessment.
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Among eighth graders, the average score for Catholic school students declined by 5 points, compared to an 8-point decline nationally, on the math assessment between 2019 and 2022. However, Catholic school scores did not change and remained the highest on the eighth-grade reading test.
- NAEP also includes teacher and student survey questions.
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In a teacher survey administered with the 2022 NAEP, 59% of fourth-grade teachers in Catholic schools expressed job satisfaction, compared to 42% of fourth-grade public school teachers.
- Eighth-graders in Catholic Schools were more likely to express academic confidence than their public school peers. In a survey accompanying NAEP, 71 percent of eighth-graders in Catholic schools expressed high confidence in their skills and knowledge related to reading, compared to 61 percent of public school students. And 53 percent of Catholic school students expressed high confidence in their math skills and knowledge, compared to 40 percent of public school students.
Based on just the few trends above, one would be wanting to celebrate Catholic schools. But when you consider the academic performance of Catholic school scholars, the passion of our teaching staff and link those with that the understanding that All Saints Catholic School also forms young people in a true vision of the world it is so easy to be excited and a good reason to celebrate Catholic schools.
WE celebrate Catholic Schools Week because:
- An All-Saints education seeks nothing short of human flourishing. ASCS exists to educate the whole person and to provide an education that contemplates the full meaning of the human person and the ultimate meaning of the world as God’s creation.
- Catholic education at All Saints is manifested in our curriculum. It unites the full array of liberal arts with the sciences. The rigor of intellectual engagement is how the ASCS staff challenges the students to move past the easy choices of sectarianism and secularism and engage instead in both faith that thinks and reason that prays.
- At All Saints we offer an education founded upon the fundamental claim that the world is created, that God is its creator, and that the human being is made in the image and likeness of God. This also changes everything. It means that all knowledge is ultimately complementary and that all human life is invaluable. It means that the most rigorous science demands the most rigorous theology, and vice versa, because the object of an ASCS education is truth itself.
With so much to celebrate, it is easy to see why nearly 85% of the families currently enrolled have already registered for the 2023-2024 school year. The word about the success of Catholic education in general and ASCS specifically is becoming more and more well-known in the greater Norwalk Community. This is most probably true because you, the parents, continue to tell the ASCS success story in forming young scholars, but specifically share information about our willingness to be Christ-centered, academically rigorous, transparent in communication, and a willingness to partner with each family.
Last Sunday we hosted an Open House for families considering ASCS for the 2023-2024 school year. First many thanks to the parent ambassadors who were present to help new families with such an important decision as the education of a child. The pathway to College and the stairway to Heaven begins at All Saints.
Between the families registered and the unannounced visitors, we toured nearly 40 student prospects in grades PreK-7. The number of inquiries we receive daily continues to increase. The demand for an ASCS seat in a classroom is more than we have ever seen.
If you have not already done so, please be sure to return your intent to enroll for next year today. We want to be sure we accommodate each returning family before we open up classroom seats to the new families seeking an All Saints education.
The 2023-2024 new online Admissions portal is open, and we are receiving applications from new families. We are not processing applications for new families nor releasing any seats in our classrooms to new families until after February 10. Once again, this is to allow our current families to allow the opportunity to reserve a classroom seat at the appropriate grade level.
Scholarship Assistance and Re-Enrollment
Once you have returned the intent to enroll form you will want to be sure to apply for tuition assistance from the Bishops Scholarship Fund. Applications for assistance can be filed as TODAY! All applications must be submitted by March 1. If you’d like help completing the application process, please let me know.
Angel Benefit and Saintly Honors Awards Dinner
Our Angel Benefit and Saintly Honors Awards Dinner is scheduled for April 29th. Eileen D’Andrea is doing a great job leading this effort. The leadership committee consists of: Tanya Small, Nicole Culhane, Janet Mitchell, Colleen Pratt, Michele Cihal, Pat Stapleton, Joey Smith, Denise Vuoso, and Maurice Redhead. Eileen is still looking for new members for the committee. Come join us and have some fun planning an inaugural ASCS event. Please email Eileen at mrs.dandrea@ascs.net if you have an interest in helping.
Honorees include:
Sr. Sally Norcross will receive the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Founders Award – This is the highest and most prestigious award to be given out by ASCS. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton founded Catholic Schools in the United States, so this award each year is given to someone who played a significant role in the founding and/or growth of ASCS.
Holly Dougherty-Lemoine/Bishop’s Scholarship Fund will receive the St. Katherine Drexel Award. St. Katherine is the second American-born Saint and the patron saint of philanthropists. This award is given each year to an individual influential in providing or securing philanthropic support of ASCS.
Father Sudhir/Pastor of St. Phillip Church will receive the St. John Neumann Award. St. John Neumann is the patron saint of Catholic education and is given each year to a priest who manifests leadership in the promotion of ASCS and Catholic Education.
Sgt. Sal Calise of the Norwalk Police Department will receive the St. Aloysius Gonzaga Award. St Aloysius is the patron saint and model for servant leadership. This award is given each year to a community leader who manifests the qualities of servant leadership and is committed to improving the quality of life in greater Norwalk.
In addition, the Angel Benefit Dinner will recognize teachers for years of service. This is an opportunity for parents to pay tribute to a teacher who touched their child’s life in a special way. Specifically plan on attending the dinner to honor, pay tribute and extend a debt of gratitude to:
30 Year Service Awards
· Maureen Fahey
· Peggy Farrington
25 Year Service Awards
· Jeanne Fuller
· Pat Stapleton
· Laura Wrinn
20 Year Service Awards
· Kathy Iannazzo
· Rachel Inzitari
15 Year Service Awards
· Beth Cuthbertson
· Eileen D’Andrea
· Al Martins
· Rosa Milo
10 Year Service Awards
· Maurya Brown
· Michele Cihal
· Roseanne Corrente
· Linda Dunn
· Leslie Lombardi
· John Mezzacappa
· Margaret Perez
· Joey Smith
· Liz Spezzano
· Katherine Tarzali
· Denise Vuoso
For those parents who may be unable to attend the dinner, there will be a commemorative e-journal providing a place for parents to extend heartfelt gratitude and congratulations.
Tickets, sponsorships, and commemorative journal ads will be available for purchase next week. Watch your mailbox. More to come on all this next week from Eileen and the Angel Benefit Dinner Committee.
School Culture
How do we know we are building a healthy school culture? Let me share a couple of observations from the week.
At our Catholic school’s week pep rally, I watched a third grader with an ASCS clapping hand noisemaker. She was clapping it so hard that it broke. Duclane, the chivalrous third grader next to her, demonstrated the virtue of generosity of spirit and gave her his noisemaker. Of course, he was rewarded with Dunn Dollars for his virtuous act.
The ASCS staff never stops thinking of ways to enhance the educational experience for our scholars. Art Teacher Kate Tarczali, Learning Academy Director Peggy Farrington, and Advancement Director Eileen D’Andrea successfully secured three Innovation and Leadership Grants.
· Kate’s was entitled: “It’s not just crayons! Innovation in the Art Room” and will enrich the Art experience for ASCS scholars.
· Peggy’s was focused on securing “Tools to enhance the Educational Experience for Scholars with enrolled in the ASCS Learning Academy.”
· Eileen’s grant entitled “STEM Pilot Training” will enable us to offer Flight Ground School Classes coupled with actual flight simulator time for our students next year.
Officer John organized pediatric CPR training for staff and students.
A Saintly Whisper
“The school was not the end; it was rather the instrumental means for improving the way of life.”
-St. John Bosco
Have a blessed weekend. Stay warm and of course, make family memories.
In Christ:
Steven Virgadamo
Head of School
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