The Black & Gold Report

January 5, 2024 Volume 1 - Issue 17

Dear Saint Families and Friends:

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called opportunity, and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”

-Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Greetings from Berks Catholic! Happy New Year! It’s always a little tough coming back from a vacation break. But it was so nice to see our great Saints this week! At our Christmas Mass on the last day of school in December, I shared with the students that when people asked me this year what I got for Christmas I was going to tell them Berks Catholic! As I was sitting at a high school friend’s house over break for a post-Christmas gathering, that question was asked. I proudly started rattling all the wonderful things that I have experience at Berks Catholic so far this year. My friend responded with an exuberant “Wow!” It’s such a blessing to be working with such dedicated colleagues and such wonderful students and families at BC. And I love telling people all about it.

As the break ends, the work begins again. As we gear up for the close of the second academic quarter, our focus needs to turn to Mid-Term Exams which begin next Friday. In just two weeks, we will have completed half of the school year. It seems a bit odd to be wishing people a Happy New Year at the same time that we are ending half of our school year. I have no doubt the second half of the school year will go just as quickly. Let us continue our good work together in 2024. May you and your family enjoy peace, love and happiness in this new year.

It’s a great day to be a Saint! Together, we rise!

John Petruzzelli

Principal

610-374-8361 ext. 253

Email: jpetruzzelli@berkscatholic.org

Twitter: jpetrobcsaints

Instagram: john.petruzzelli.9

The Week Ahead

Monday, 1/8

NHS Toy Collection Dress Down

Tuesday, 1/9

Faculty Meeting

Wednesday, 1/10

Coaches vs. Cancer Dress Down ($2)

Thursday, 1/11

School Mass (9:00 a.m.)

Last full day before Mid-Term Exams

Friday, 1/12

Mid-Term Exams – Periods 1 and 6

11:00 a.m. Dismissal

Let Us Pray…

For St. Catharine School, one of our amazing partner schools, that their students, families and staff experience happiness and love throughout the new year.

For discipline in preparation for Mid-Term Exams and success in taking the exams.

Congratulations to Senior Brody Kline who earned his 100th win in Wrestling in his high school career. Brody is the first Berks Catholic wrestler to reach this milestone!

Belated congratulations to the members of the Water Polo Teams who received All-Star recognition for this past season:

Second Team (Girls) –

Senior Marianna Ott;

Second Team (Boys) –

Juniors Matthew Kerchner and

Trey Stricker.

SAINT OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to Junior

Edgar Fernandez

who was named this week's

Saint of the Week!

Congratulations to Freshman Nathan Leonhardt who participated in the pre-game ceremony at a recent Philadelphia 76ers game. Nathan rang the Liberty Bell with Eagles Super Bowl Champion Chris Long. Great job, Nathan!

Congratulations to the following Ice Hockey players who were selected to represent Berks Catholic in this year’s All-Star Game: Senior Billy Dos Santos-Moore and Junior Nate Hnatishion.

Congratulations to the following who won our Christmas Characters Dress Down Contest before Christmas:

The winners all received a Wawa gift card.

'25	'26	'27
Jack Chiarelli	Gunnar Maciejewski	Anthony Lalli
Eddie Franco	Tim Machion	Lily Yohn
	Keith Messner
	Dominic Valent
Faculty	Miss Davis	Miss Ziegler

Thank You....

We received the following message from Ms. Alex Cirko, Vice President of Mission & Ministry

at Penn State St. Joseph Medical Center, thanking us for our donation of clothing to assist people in need who come to the ER. She writes: “Thank you to the students of Berks Catholic who so generously provided warm clothing items for the patients we care for who, often times, leave the hospital with nothing. There are times the clothes on their backs are all they have, and they can be unsalvageable. Your generosity will allow us to offer them clean, warm clothing when they are discharged. Those patients may not know where the clothing items came from, but they will know that someone cared. That someone, is you! Your generosity reflects your Mission and Belief Statements. More importantly, your selfless giving answers the invitation to care for the ‘least among us.’ This is the true calling of a ‘Saint’ – to give of oneself in service to others.” Great job, Saints!

What’s Happening

New Year’s Resolutions

A few years ago, Pope Francis shared his teachings and quotations to form his popular New Year’s resolutions. As we begin 2024, let us reflect on the Holy Father’s words:

· Don’t gossip.

· Finish your meals.

· Make time for others.

· Choose the ‘more humble’ purchase.

· Meet the poor ‘in the flesh’.

· Stop judging others.

· Befriend those who disagree.

· Make commitments, such as marriage.

· Make it a habit to ‘ask the Lord’.

· Be happy.

School Mass

Our next school Mass will take place on Thursday, January 11th at 9:00 a.m. in the Franco-Post Auditorium. Parents and guardians are welcome to attend. For those wishing to attend, please sign in at the Main Office before coming to the auditorium.

Martin Luther King Holiday

The Martin Luther King holiday on Monday, January 15th is a holiday for all students. Teachers and staff will participate in a professional development workshop at school.

Financial Aid Applications

COMING SOON: The Tuition & Financial Aid mailing with important details for the 2024 - 2025 school year including STS Payment Plan and STS Financial Aid Application instructions will be arriving soon in your postal mailbox. That process begins in January. If you have questions, please contact Tracy Donoff in the Financial Aid Office at tuition@berkscatholic.org or 610-374-8361 ext. 223.

Inclement Weather Policy

Each year we remind families of how we communicate during inclement weather. Forecasting the weather for school closures is not an easy task. Our community is large enough that snow may accumulate on one area and not in other areas. Berks Catholic puts a great deal of time and effort into determining whether to keep schools open, start late or close due to inclement weather. A decision will be made by 6:00 a.m., when conditions are stable enough to make the announcement the night before, we will do so.

Berks Catholic will report all school schedule changes to the local news media, BC social media, BC website and One Call.

Please click on the link for a copy of our Inclement Weather Policy

Mid-Term Exams

ONE WEEK AWAY! Mid-Term Exams begin next Friday, January 12th! Now is the time to prepare for them. Please encourage your student to study now and not to wait for the day before the exam. Dismissal on exam days is 11:00 a.m. Buses have been made aware of the early dismissal. The Mid-Term Exam schedule is as follows:

Friday, January 12

Period 1

Period 6

Tuesday, January 16

Period 8

Period 3

Wednesday, January 17

Thursday, January 18

Period 2

Period 7

Period 5

Period 4

Sophomore Sponsored

Faculty Breakfast

The next Faculty breakfast will take place on Wednesday, January 31st.

Sophomore parents and guardians please click on the link to sign up.

Sophomore Sponsored Breakfast sign up

The Bible by the Numbers

When you lack courage for your task, check out Joshua 1.

Social Media

Did you see our posts this week about our community partnership with John Paul II Special Learning Center? Keep up with all the happenings at the school on our social media channels. Check out what our students are doing day-to-day in class; important news articles; sports and activities; and more! Be sure to follow the school on social media for all the latest updates, pictures and school information. Facebook: Berks Catholic; Twitter: @BerksCatholic; and Instagram: berkscatholic.

It's a great day to be a Saint!

It's a great day to be a Saint!

Our Mission

Berks Catholic High School is centered on the four pillars of God, Family, Academics and Fun. As a vibrant Christ-centered community, the Administration, Faculty and Staff are dedicated to providing a challenging academic environment for a diverse population of young men and women. Through Christian principles rooted in the Catholic tradition, we strive to positively impact our students spiritually, intellectually, socially, physically and emotionally, so they can live productive lives of service in this world and attain eternal life.

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