A Message from the President

Dear East Catholic Family,

It is hard to believe that the 3rd quarter ends next Thursday, the 26th! Time flies! Thankfully, the snow has melted, the days are getting longer, and spring sports are underway. Congratulations to all our winter athletes on successful seasons, and best of luck to our spring teams.

I would also like to congratulate Stage East members for a wonderful performance of Little Women a couple of weeks ago. Anyone who has ever been part of a musical theater production knows how much hard work goes into it. From the actors, to the stage crew, to the musicians in the orchestra pit, hours upon hours of work come together for a show to be successful. It was also nice to see so many freshmen involved. Bravo to all involved.

And lastly, congratulations to Aetos Dios for a second-place finish at their first competition of the 2026 season. The task for the robots was not an easy one, yet our students persevered to a solid finish. They have additional competitions coming soon.

We had a wonderful Mass with Archbishop Coyne last week. He celebrated the Mass with Father Daniel and Father Marcin in the auditorium. Following Mass, Archbishop Coyne prayed with individual students and staff in our chapel. We also enjoyed having lunch with him as well. He also announced that when the Archbishop celebrates a Mass at a high school, he provides the President with an "Archbishop’s Day Off" to be selected by me. Stay tuned for when we will have it.

Looking forward, there is a 1:00 dismissal on Monday the 23rd, and there is no school on Tuesday the 24th as teachers will be at our annual Catholic Educators Mass and Celebration at the Cathedral of St. Joseph. Sophomores will have their Ring Ceremony on Thursday the 26th at 6:30 in the auditorium, and their skate party in the next night.

Easter weekend begins the following week with a half day on Holy Thursday. The school will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday. I hope you all get the chance to celebrate with family and friends.

As always, please be in touch with comments, concerns, and celebrations.

Peace,

Sean P. Brennan ‘85

Chief Administrator

Follow Us!

East Catholic is a busy place! There are new things happening daily with students, staff, and programs. Be sure to follow us on your favorite social media apps for the latest updates!

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Seniors and Senior Families

This year’s Baccalaureate Mass will be combined with the Seniors from Northwest Catholic High School, East Catholic High School, and St. Paul Catholic High School. The Mass will be held at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, 140 Farmington Ave., Hartford, CT, on Sunday, May 17th at 2:30 PM with Archbishop Coyne as the celebrant. Due to the nature of a combined school Baccalaureate Mass the Office of Catholic Schools will host a small reception immediately after. Families are asked to please RSVP to the reception at the following by April 1:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKw5FvxQv8u0dmhUZ-otA4JXZ59UTmdDSDAvHbpREC6b5fGA/viewform

FACS St. Patrick's Day Breakfast

Members of our East Catholic High School staff and School Board had a wonderful time celebrating Catholic education Tuesday morning at the Annual Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools (FACS) St. Patrick's Day Breakfast in Hartford.

It was a morning filled with Irish spirit, community, and a shared mission to support our students across the Archdiocese. Two of our students were even part of the event! Natalie Ansaldi '27 performed the National Anthem in a trio of students from other Catholic high schools and Angel Vazquez '29 submitted his essay to be published in the program. (You can read it here.)

We are so proud to stand with FACS in their work to make a faith-based, college-preparatory education accessible for all families!

Raising the Curtain: An Evening of Blue and White!

It’s time to celebrate the spirit of East Catholic! We are thrilled to invite our alumni, families, and friends to the 2026 Spring Gala on Saturday, April 25.

Join us at The Lodge at Maneeley’s for an unforgettable night hosted by Sean Brennan ’85, Chief Administrator, and the one and only Conor ‘GameDay’ Geary ’05.

Expect an evening filled with live music, incredible student art offerings, and exciting live and silent auctions, as well as raffles!

Scan the QR code in the image or use the link below to register today! Don’t miss out on our biggest night of the year as we support the future of our students.

Register here: Raising the Curtain: An Evening of Blue and White East Catholic High School 2026 Spring Gala

Questions? Contact Abby Wehr '00 at wehra@echs.com.

Save the Date for the Annual Golf Tournament!

Planning is underway for the 35th Annual Tom Malin Eagle Invitational! Join us on Friday, June 12th at Blackledge Country Club in Hebron, CT, as we come together to support East Catholic Athletics and recognize this year's honoree, Joan Penders! More information on sponsorships and how to register your foursome for a fun day of golf will be coming soon.

Annual Fund

The Today Fund for Annual Giving is underway! Consider a gift to support enhanced programming, campus improvements, and scholarships.

We invite you to join us in reaching 100% parent participation this year! Every gift ensures that our students have the very best environment in which to learn and grow.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/ways-to-support-echs

A Visit to the College Fair

Some of our juniors hit the Hartford Convention Center this past Wednesday for the NACAC National College Fair! Guided by our School Counseling team, students connected with representatives from over 200 institutions. It was a fantastic opportunity for our Eagles to explore their options and start defining what they’re looking for in their future college home.

Little Women: The Musical

Bravo to our wonderful cast and crew! The performances of Little Women came together beautifully!

Celebrating Our Partners in Health!



March is National Athletic Training Month, and we want to extend a huge thank you to our dedicated team from Integrated Rehabilitation Services!

Whether they are on the sidelines on the field or in the training room helping with recovery, their expertise and care keep our Eagles healthy, safe, and ready to compete. We are incredibly grateful for the professional support they provide our student-athletes all year long.

Thank you to Stacy Garceau and all of our trainers from Integrated Rehab for being such an essential part of the East Catholic family!

Spring Sports

While pitchers and catchers were able to begin practice this past week, the spring athletic season officially kicks off on Saturday for all sports! Good luck to our teams this season!

All Conference Athletes

Congratulations to the following winter athletes on receiving All-Conference recognition:

Game Schedules

You can find the most up-to-date sports schedules here: FusionPoint Sports (fpsports.org)

Select your team using the drop-down in the banner at the top and subscribe!

Please contact Jon Dahlquist (dahlquistj@echs.com) with any questions.

Get Your Gear!

Ready to cheer on your favorite teams?! Create your own spirit wear for games and pep rallies! Choose the product and design for the front and it will ship right to your home.

Order here: BSN Spirit Gear

A Visit with the Archbishop

On March 12th, Archbishop Coyne visited East Catholic to celebrate an all-school Mass. Father Marcin and Father Daniel concelebrated. Following the Mass, Archbishop Coyne stayed for brunch with staff, board members, and some peer ministers. He then paid a visit to our Robotics Team in their lab to hear about all of the work they have accomplished this year.

Connecticut March for Life

On Wednesday, March 18th, Mr. Shaffer and a dedicated group of students joined fellow citizens at the State Capitol for the 5th Annual Connecticut March for Life. It was a powerful day of unity as national and local leaders gathered with people from across the state to stand for life.

Kairos: March 18-20

Over 50 juniors and seniors answered the call to Kairos and attended the retreat at Holy Family this week. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to step away from daily distractions, foster deeper and more authentic relationships with themselves, their peers, and God in a supportive community. We are excited for their return to school next week!

Save the Date: April "Savers" Fundraiser

Planning to declutter soon? Please save your donations for the Parents’ Association fundraiser in April!

• What to Save: Clothing, household goods and furniture, and anything you would typically donate to Goodwill or Savers.
• The Goal: The more weight we collect, the more money we raise for the school. Stay tuned for specific drop-off dates!

Thank you for your continued support!

Uniforms and Spirit Wear!

The Rainbow Graphic Spirit Store is open monthly from the 1st to the 15th!

Place your orders here: Home | East Catholic (inksoft.com)

We also have our in-house Eagles' Nest in the front lobby! Click here to purchase items and pick-up in school: Home | Eagles Nest (square.site)

Please reach out to Helen Tully (tullyh@echs.com) or Shyanne VanAllen (vanallens@echs.com) with any questions!

The 2025-2026 School Calendar has been posted to the ECHS website and portal.

Please reach out to Maica Lane-Umali (Lane-UmaliM@echs.com) with any questions.

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