A Message from the President

Dear East Catholic Family,

In this edition of News from the Hill, I hope everyone gets a chance to see how amazing our students are as they move outside our school walls. The experiences they are having and the confidence they bring to those experiences is incredibly impressive.

Perhaps most noteworthy were the five students who spoke at Mass at their respective parishes during Catholic Schools Week. Our students consistently offer to speak about East, and they do so with great pride. Many thanks to Carson Bedard, Cora Tierney, Raymond Martin, Sophia Zimmerman, and Maddie Skehan for their courage and strong representation of why East Catholic is a great school.

In another outreach opportunity, our talented ECCE students joined Fr. Daniel Hackenjos as the ecumenical choir for the Archdiocese weekend TV Mass. They did an excellent job, and the Mass regularly draws upwards of 30,000 viewers each weekend. Thank you to Mr. Link and Fr. Daniel for putting this together.

Attention parents of Seniors, please see the note below about Baccalaureate Mass on May 17th. Archbishop Coyne is bringing all three High Schools together for one Baccalaureate Mass followed by a reception for students and their families. Please RSVP as requested so they can plan for accurate numbers.

Winter break begins after school today. School offices will be closed on Monday, February 16th. School offices will be open from 9:00-2:00 for the remainder of the week. I hope everyone has a relaxing and safe break!

Should you have any questions, concerns, or celebrations, please be in touch.

Peace,

Sean P. Brennan ‘85

Chief Administrator

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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

Pep Rally

At the end of Catholic Schools Week, we celebrated with a spirited pep rally in our gymnasium. Students took on different grade levels for a dodgeball game, and concluded, as we always do, with our school song.

All-School Mass Dress Code Reminder

This is a reminder during All-School Masses:

All students must be in full uniform. Please note the specific requirements:

• Boys: Oxford shirt and tie.
• Girls: Oxford shirt.
• All Students: Quarter-zips are required. (Seniors have the privilege to wear their senior vest in place of the quarter-zip.)

For complete uniform details, please refer to the Parent-Student Handbook (pages 18-19): Parent-Student-Handbook.pdf

Save the Date for our Spring Gala!

We're gearing up for an exciting night to celebrate the spirit of East on Saturday, April 26, 2026! If you like to join the planning committee, please contact Abby Wehr, Director of Development at wehra@echs.com. Stay tuned for more details on the event and additional opportunities to help support one of our most exciting events of the year.

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 in March.

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

College Readiness Course

With the new semester underway, our office is happy to announce our brand-new College Readiness class for juniors is off to a great start. Students have been exploring their post-secondary interests through assessments and self-reflection, and they will connect these to potential majors and career pathways. 

Junior SATs

East Catholic will also be offering the SAT for all juniors on March 11th. All juniors have been registered at this time, and more information on what to expect the day-of will be forthcoming. This will be an 11:30 dismissal day. 

Books Wanted!

We have a call-to-action for anyone who may be "spring cleaning" over break. The School and College Counseling Office has a miniature put-and-take library for students to explore various books and enhance their creativity and literacy skills. We want to encourage anyone who has any books laying around to donate to our collection so that we can expand our offerings to students. If you would like to consider donating, please have your student bring any donations to their school counselor.

Little Women: The Musical

Our talented cast and crew of Stage East, as well as the musicians in the pit band, have been hard at work preparing another wonderful show!

You have 3 chances to catch a performance:

• Friday, March 6th at 7:00pm
• Saturday, March 7th at 1:00pm
• Saturday, March 7th at 7:00pm

ECCE on TV!

Our talented ECCE students are bringing their musical gifts to the Archdiocese of Hartford!

Fr. Daniel Hackenjos, Dean of Religious Life, recorded last weekend's TV Mass and our ECCE musicians were invited to provide the liturgical music for the upcoming broadcast. We are so proud of these students for sharing their voices and representing our school in this special ministry!

(As a special treat, Father Daniel grabbed lunch with the group after Mass!)

In case you missed it, you can watch the Mass and hear our students' vocals at this link or in the video below: https://vimeo.com/1162586237

Winter Captains Celebrated!

At the conclusion of Catholic Schools Week, we celebrated our school, with a focus on our winter sports and athletes.

Eagles' Take Action & Captains' Council

During the Eagles' Take Action meeting this week, Mr. Rocco was our guest speaker. He emphasized the importance of being a good leader and teammate. His talk focused on the true heart of leadership and the importance of staying present during the high school journey.

Mr. Rocco redefined leadership as an act of service rather just a title. According to him, a true leader cares for everyone on the team equally, celebrates the wins of their teammates with genuine enthusiasm, and lifts others up during moments of struggle, whether that's during a game or in the classroom.

It is easy for students to feel overwhelmed by the "what's next," as they worry about applications and future pressures. Mr. Rocco offered a vital reminder: don’t let these years pass you by. He encouraged the Eagles to cherish the unique bond of their current team and to find joy in the present moment. We are incredibly grateful to Mr. Rocco for sharing his wisdom and helping our students grow into better teammates and community members!

Track Championship Weekend

Class S Indoor Track Championship Meet for Boys and Girls takes place on Saturday, February 14th at Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven. Good luck to all those competing!

Softball Fundraiser

The softball team is preparing for the Spring season ahead with some fundraising! You can support our girls here: Colleen’s Pop-Up Store - Double Good Online Fundraising

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

East Students Shine During Catholic Schools Week

To celebrate Catholic Schools Week, five of our exceptional students visited local parishes on January 25 and February 1 to share their personal experiences at East Catholic. We are incredibly proud of these students for their leadership and for articulating the impact of a Catholic education to our broader community.

Our Student Ambassadors:

• Raymond Martin – St. Bridget’s, Manchester
• Carson Bedard – St. Paul’s, Glastonbury
• Cora Tierney – St. Bartholomew, Manchester
• Sophia Zimmerman – St. James, Manchester
• Maddie Skehan – St. Margaret Mary, South Windsor

Each student did a fantastic job representing the Eagle spirit. Notably, Maddie Skehan spoke eloquently about how East Catholic has pushed her academically, provided unique opportunities for growth, and strengthened her faith. She also shared a heartfelt "thank you" to our faculty and staff, noting how their kindness and dedication to student success make East a truly special place.



Special thanks to our Peer Ministry team for coordinating these visits and supporting our students as they shared their stories with our partner parishes!

All-School Mass

East Catholic hosted the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur at our February All-School Mass and treated them to a brunch afterward. The Sisters, many of whom previously worked at East Catholic, are located in Windsor and East Catholic maintains strong connections with them at various points through the year.  

Shelter Meal

Students TT Button, Biz Carmon, Aaliyah Austin-Christopher, Olivia Keise, and Larkee Htoo helped Mrs. Cavanaugh prepare a shelter meal for the South Park Inn on February 12th. This was the second shelter meal this month. The March meals are March 5th and 12th.

Dorothy Stang Day



The East Catholic community had a spirited celebration of Dorothy Stang on February 12th, a day of remembrance for her martyrdom. Sister Dorothy spent four decades of her life protecting Amazonian farmers and the rainforest from illegal logging and was murdered on February 12, 2005. Students honored her memory by wearing yellow, posting about things they stand for, and participated in prayer services with their religion classes in our school chapel.

If you know of a student interested in attending East Catholic High School, please be sure to share their important dates with them:

Eagle for a Day: Register here to shadow a current student: https://forms.gle/oGrvXce3vrNTFtht7

Entrance Exams:

Saturday, February 21st at 8:30 am

Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 am

Register here for the exam: https://forms.gle/pypER9JDfHy4DWuE6

Please contact Chad Malone '08 (malonec@echs.com) with any questions.

Parents' Association Meetings

We can't wait to see some new faces, as well as our returners, at our Parents' Association Meetings this year! Remember, ALL are invited! Come to hear updates on the school, learn about upcoming events, and meet some fellow parents and guardians!

Be a part of the success of the 2025-2026 school year!

For more information on upcoming events and volunteering opportunities, visit

East Catholic High School - Parents Association (echs.com)



Any questions? Email echsPA@echs.com.

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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