A Message from the President

Dear East Catholic Family,

In the last two weeks, we wrapped up the first quarter of the school year, were treated to four impressive performances of The Importance of Being Earnest, inducted new members of our National Honor Society, and easily surpassed our fundraising goal for Walk-a-thon!

Stage East has been rehearsing for the Fall play for a couple of months. What is even more impressive is that they have two separate casts. Each cast had two performances. Congratulations to all cast, crew, and especially Mrs. Quackenbush for putting on great shows!

On Wednesday, November 1st, we inducted a handful of new seniors and a larger group of Juniors to the East Catholic Chapter of the National Honor Society. It was a lovely ceremony run by the officers of NHS: Braeden Pagani, Suzanne DePasquale, Adam Eskin, and Sarah Posniak. Many thanks for their leadership and for Mrs. Taylor’s oversight. All in attendance were blessed to hear the keynote speaker, Sister Peggy Evans, SNDdN.

Our students have been actively engaging with our community service initiatives. We served shelter meals and supported the MARC Halloween Dance here on campus. Thanks to all who were involved. Remember, all students need at least 10 hours of community service each year. Get involved!

Our Walk-a-thon came to an end this week with a spirited Spirit Week. It was great to see so many students having fun with the different days. See more below, but we are extremely grateful to all who donated in helping us reach our goal!

Looking forward, good luck to Braeden Knotts and Bella Jensen as they compete in the State Cross Country Open on Monday. We will have our annual Memorial Mass on Sunday, November 5th at 2:00 in the auditorium. The Parents Association will have a couple of fundraisers beginning on Monday, November 6th (see below).

Tri-M will host a Coffee House on Wednesday, 11/8 in the cafeteria. We will recognize students who have committed to colleges and universities on Signing Day, 11/9.

As we did last year, rather than giving a day off for Veterans Day, we will come to school for a half-day to recognize the importance of our fellow citizens who served or are still serving in our military. We will spend time doing service projects but also hearing from Veterans on Friday, 11/10.

As always, please be in touch with good news, questions, or concerns.



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!

Facebook: East Catholic High School

Instagram: @eastcatholichighschool

Twitter: @EastCatholicHS

Veterans Day Program

On Friday, November 10th we will be honoring our veterans with a pancake breakfast. If you know a local veteran who should be recognized for their service, please have them reach out to Kelly Shea, Director of Marketing and Communications, at [email protected] for details.

Gozzi Wreath Sale

Plan ahead for your holiday decor!

The Parent Association will begin taking orders for wreaths on Monday, November 6th. All orders must be submitted by Tuesday, November 14th.

When you place your order, mark your calendars for wreath pick-up on Thursday, November 30th. Distribution at the school will take place at dismissal that day. Wreaths will not be stored at the school, so arrangements must be made for pick-up.

All proceeds from the Wreath Sale will go toward scholarships and supporting other programs at school.

Please use the link below to place your order:

East Catholic High School Holiday Balsam Wreath Sale 2023 (cognitoforms.com)

Next Meeting

Our next Parent Association Meeting will be on Tuesday, November 14th in the first-floor conference room at 6:00PM. All are welcome!



Any questions? Email [email protected].

Stage East

Stage East performed Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest on stage in the East Catholic High School last weekend. The cast and crew did an amazing job bringing this play to life! If you did not get a chance to see this performance, be sure to check out the talented members of Stage East in the musical in the Spring.

Congratulations on completing quarter one! Hopefully students are settled into a routine and connecting with their teachers.

Students,

Report card time is always a great time to do some deep self-reflection:

• Where did I try my hardest?
• Is there an area I let slip?
• Are my study techniques and organizational strategies working for me?
• What resources are available to me if I want to improve my grades for second quarter.

Parents/Guardians,

This is a great conversation to have with your son/daughter. Ask them to tell you more about the number grade you see on their report card.

• How much did they put into that grade?
• How often did they ask questions in class or during extra help sessions?
• Where do they think they can improve and what strategy will they use to accomplish the improvement?

Quarter 2 is already underway and each day matters!

The month of October held many college focused programs and meetings. We started the month with preparing for the new digital PSATs. Students did an amazing job rolling with the new format and testing day was a huge success. Look for scores to be posted to College Board accounts on Monday, Nov 6th.

While underclassmen were near the start of their journeys, seniors were working on wrapping up their journey by submitting their applications. On Nov 1st we had over 60% of the senior class already submit one or more applications and some already have a decision back! Seniors have also had the opportunity to meet with college admissions counselors each afternoon here on campus.

We then had a panel of 6 colleges/universities speak to our Junior class as a springboard to their college exploration. We encourage all families to start planning their college visits based on days students have off from East. As we head into the start of November, we are pleased to host the Jesuit College Tour. Fourteen Jesuit Colleges from around the country will be here on November 6th in our small gym. An email was sent home with more details. 

There is always something going on in the school counseling office, do not hesitate to stop in, call or email!

Junior College Panel

The School Counseling Department held a Junior College panel on Monday, October 30th. The visiting schools were Western New England University, CT State (formerly Manchester Community College, Holy Cross, UConn, Providence, and Assumption University. After hearing a brief presentation from each representative, students divided into breakout groups to visit with a specific college of their choice to ask questions related to their interests.

We are looking forward to the Jesuit College Fair on Monday, November 6th!

Shelter Meals

On October 30, in cooperation with Campus Ministry, student volunteers prepared food in the East Catholic cafeteria kitchen and transported it to South Park Inn in Hartford where they served about 40 people.

Campus Ministry coordinates these meals twice monthly- once at South Park Inn and once at ImmaCare in Hartford.

We are thankful to our donors who generously sponsor this specific program for us! The next Shelter Meal will be served on Monday, November 6th.

Student Spotlight

On Saturday, October 28th, the cross-country team competed in the Class S Championship at Wickham Park where the boys placed 10th and the girls placed 6th! From the team, Bella Jensen and Braeden Knotts, our two All-State runners, will be competing in the State Open on Monday, November 6th. Good luck to both runners!

East Catholic Hall of Fame Nominations

The East Catholic Hall of Fame Committee is accepting nominations of worthy candidates for induction. The next ceremony will be held in March of 2024. 

Using the link provided, submit your nominee and a short narrative explaining why they should be inducted into the East Catholic Hall of Fame. Please consider nominating someone in one of the following categories:

Alumni: Graduates whose achievements have brought honor to themselves and to East Catholic High School. Alumni become eligible for induction ten years after graduation.

Athletes: Alumni whose athletic achievements brought honor to themselves and to East Catholic High School. Alumni athletes become eligible for induction ten years after graduation.

Friends: Individuals who have served East Catholic in a special way through their loyalty and dedication.

Staff: Past and present faculty/staff members who, through their service, have made a significant contribution to the students, the school, and the East Catholic community.

All nominations are confidential.

Here is the link for submissions: East Catholic Hall of Fame Nominations (google.com)

For more information, please contact the Advancement Office:

Julie Scalora, Director of Advancement, (860) 649-5336 x6234, [email protected]

Shyanne VanAllen, Administrative Assistant, (860) 649-5336 x6236, [email protected]

Rainbow Graphics has Spirit Wear available this month, in addition to their uniform items (sweaters, quarter zips, and senior vests). Click on the link to access their online store: Home | East Catholic (inksoft.com)

The 2023-2024 School Calendar has been posted to the ECHS website and portal.