East Catholic High School's Newsletter

A Message from the President

Dear East Catholic Family,

It has been another couple of busy weeks here on The Hill. We wrapped up Walk-a-thon on Friday with a celebration in the newly renovated Rev. Robert E. Saunders Gymnasium. Lots of fun prizes were given out to dozens of students. Many thanks to all who contributed to the total raised, over $66,000! A portion of the funds raised will be used for some needed landscaping work on campus.

On Monday, November 11th, we honored Veterans from the extended East Catholic family. This was our third year doing the event, and each year it keeps getting better! Students made care packages for active military, heard from a panel of veterans, made videos thanking veterans, and a group went off campus to East Cemetery in Manchester to put coins on veteran grave markers. We hosted a great group of veterans with a pancake breakfast and heard from our keynote speaker, David Callahan ’83 who served in the US Navy. Many thanks to Adrienne Andrews and Kathy Reilly for the hard work in organizing the day.

We had a Parents’ Association meeting on Tuesday. I highly encourage all parents to attend one of their monthly meetings. They get updates from me and other staff about how the school year is going, and they help plan and run various events throughout the year. It is also a great way to meet other parents. The next meeting will be January 7th at 6:00 in the conference room.

The girls’ swim team had 8 swimmers compete in the CIAC Class S finals and finished fourth out of twenty-four teams! Congratulations on a great season! Football is still playing. They are 7-1 going into this week’s game at Plainville on Friday night. Their final regular season game will be on Wednesday, November 27th at 5:00 at Cheney Tech vs. Northwest Catholic. It should be a great game!

Please be in touch with any thoughts, concerns, or positive celebrations!

Peace,

Sean P. Brennan ‘85

Chief Administrator

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 2024

On Monday, November 11th, East Catholic had a half-day for students to honor those who have served or are currently served in our Armed Forces. We were humbled to host so many veterans from our community- alumni, family members, and friends. Students prepared and served a pancake breakfast to our visitors and then held a special presentation in the auditorium. Our guest speaker, David Callahan '83, spoke about his time in the military, why he got involved, and the impact it had on his life.

Students also went off-site to put pennies on veterans' graves at East Cemetery, while others stayed at school to create goodie bags to send to soldiers overseas. Thank you to all who contributed to the day through donations and time.

Office of Student Life

Reminder about Winter Uniform

The East Catholic handbook can be found on the FACTS Family Portal under "Announcements."

Please see pages 18-20 for information on Dress Code.

Winter uniforms are to be worn now through April Vacation. The Winter dress code consists of pants for young men- no shorts. Polos may still be worn with or without a quarter zip, sweater, or vest.

Shoes: Vans or knockoffs must be solid without laces. No backless shoes

Campus Ministry

CT Institute for Refugees & Immigrants

East Catholic sponsored its first family in its new partnership with the CT Institute for Refugees & Immigrants this past month. We collected donations for a family of seven immigrating to CT from Uganda. From housewares to linens, toiletries, and cleaning supplies, we gathered over 40 items to help the family settle into their new home.

Each month, East Catholic will sponsor a family as an example of our "Love thy Neighbor" school theme in action. The collections are through different advisories each month and led by Campus Ministry and a team of dedicated students including Audrey Plourde '25 and Aria Petrone '25 (pictured) and Jayne Quackenbush '27, Olivia Balskus '25, Joelhyanis Davila '25, and Piper Davis '25.

Shelter Meals

Campus Ministry and student volunteers prepared its first meal for November, this time for the South Park Inn in Hartford. A hot meal of rolls, pasta and meatballs, a salad and homemade cookies was served to about 45 patrons. The next shelter meal will be Nov. 19th for ImmaCare.

Advancement Office

Walk-a-thon 2024!

Fine Arts

Coffee House

Tri-M's Coffee House took place on Wednesday evening. Our student musicians showcased their talents for friends, family, and guests. The entire evening was student-created and student-run. Congratulations to the performers on a wonderful night of music.

To see our performers again, please join us for the Christmas Concert and Art Show on Thursday, December 12th.

Alumni Spotlight

Voting is now open for BroadwayWorld's Next On Stage, Broadway's biggest national competition for high school and college students.

The first round of voting began October 31st and ends at 11:59pm on November 20th. The first results show (announcing the Top 15 finalists in both age categories) will air on Friday, November 22nd.

For each round, contestants will be voted on by the general public and then judged by our returning, all-star panel of judges.

Kendra Obrycki, Class of 2023, is a college nominee, currently a member of the Class of 2027 at Salve Regina.

Vote for Kendra here: Kendra Obrycki - Journey to the Past BroadwayWorld's Next on Stage

Athletics

Signing Day

Wednesday, November 13th was National Letter of Intent (NLI) Signing Day. East Catholic celebrated our seniors who have committed to continuing their athletic career at the collegiate level. We held a Commitment Day event for the following students:

Avery Prewo- Babson College soccer

Sarah Gionfriddo- Salm State University field hockey and ice hockey

Alex Thiele- Eastern Connecticut State University lacrosse

Ciara Flaherty- St. Michael's College softball

Grace Veltri- Salve Regina University soccer

Colten Yates- Rutgers University lacrosse

Congratulations to these senior student-athletes and their families for all the hard work and dedication to their sport. We look forward to following your careers beyond East Catholic!

Girls Swim

Our Girls Swim Team came in 4th overall out of 24 teams in the Class S Championship Swim Finals! Congratulations, girls!

Highlights:

200 medley relay - 4th

200 freestyle - Ally (7th)

200 IM - Audrey (4th), Karlee (10th), Haylee (20th)

50 freestyle - Olivia (9th), Harper (21st)

100 butterfly - Kaitlyn (6th), Audrey (7th)

100 freestyle - Olivia (13th), Harper (18th)

500 freestyle - Ally (6th), Anna (7th)

200 freestyle relay - 5th

100 backstroke - Anna (9th), Karlee (12th)

100 breaststroke - Kaitlyn (4th), Haylee (16th)

400 freestyle relay - 6th

Winter Sport Start Dates

December 2nd:

Girls basketball

Boys hockey

December 5th:

Track

Boys basketball

Boys swim

Winter Sports

With the winter sports season ahead, please be sure you have registered your athlete with Family ID.

To register, a parent or guardian will use this link.

For those that have used FamilyID before, use this embedded link to register an EXISTING user.

If you need additional assistance with registration, contact FamilyID at support@familyid.com or 800-311-4060 x3. Support is available Monday-Friday.

1961 Bleachers to 2024 Adirondack Chairs

Alumnus Chris Malone '78 and his crew at Opportunity Works Connecticut, Inc. (www.owct.org) have designed and built a set of Adirondack chairs from the 1961 mahogany for you to enjoy on your porch or deck. While priceless in history, we are raffling off the chance to own this pair for $25 a ticket.

Home | Adirondack Chairs (square.site)

School Counseling

PSAT Scores

PSAT scores are out for the juniors and seniors. You can check your College Board account online to see your score once it has posted. School Counselors are happy to review scores with anyone who has questions.

Admission Office

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

*Entrance Exam:

Saturday, December 14th at 8:30 am

*The October, November, and December exams are the only exams where prospective students are considered for merit scholarships. (Other financial aid options are available.)

Please contact Chad Malone '08 (malonc@echs.com) or Abby Diemar '00 (diemara@echs.com) with any questions.

Parents' Association

Welcome Back!

We will be having our first Parents' Association Meeting on Tuesday, January 7th at 6:00pm in the first-floor conference room. We can't wait to see some new faces, as well as our returners. 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 2024-2025 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.

Please use the link below to place your order:

https://www.cognitoforms.com/GozziTreeWreathFarm/EastCatholicHighSchoolHolidayBalsamWreathSale2024

Holiday Wreaths

Plan ahead for your holiday decor! Wreath sales are now OPEN!

The Parents' Association will begin taking orders for wreaths on Wednesday, November 13th. All orders must be submitted by Wednesday, November 20th.

When you place your order, mark your calendars for wreath pick-up on Wednesday, December 4th. 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.

Lyman Orchard Pie Fundraiser

The Parents' Association is excited to announce the Lyman Orchards Pie Sale fundraiser!

This year, stock up on their famous pies for your upcoming holiday gatherings. We also have delicious cookie dough and other treats from the Simply Shipped Collection.

Here's how to order:

Login: Create a profile on MCM Fundraising: https://my.mcmfundraising.com/signup/5FHT. You may already have an account from last year. This helps us track orders during distribution.

Find Your Store Link: Once logged in, you will see a "Your Store Link." Share this link with family and friends who'd love to support our school while getting delicious treats for their holidays!

Sale Dates: The sale runs from Thursday, November 14th, to Tuesday, November 26th.

Pick-Up: Frozen items like pies and cookie dough will be delivered to East Catholic for pick-up on Wednesday, December 11th. We cannot store the frozen items at East, so please make arrangements for pickup.

Need Help?

If you encounter any problems with the platform, don't hesitate to email the Parents' Association at echsPA@echs.com. We're here to help you navigate the process and get your orders in!

Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping!

Mark your calendars! Our Textile Recycling Drive is back!

December 3rd-6th (immediately following Thanksgiving break) we will be filling a garage bay with any items cluttering up your home! If you are using Thanksgiving break to purge your home of excess before the holiday season, put it in your car and bring it to East Catholic.

The collection will begin on Tuesday, December 3rd and wrap up on Friday, December 6th. Volunteers from the Parents' Association will be at the garage bays (near the Junior Lot) to help you unload your vehicles during drop-off from 7:00-7:45am and during pick-up from 1:45-2:30pm.

We're hoping this advance notice will give everyone time to gather their items for donation. If you have any questions, contact the Parents' Association at echsPA@echs.com.

Our partnership with CMRK provides us with the opportunity to "declutter with a purpose." We help to reduce waste, support charitable groups such as The Big Brother Big Sister Foundation, and, in turn, receive a monetary donation to East Catholic for the donations (per pound). For more information on CMRK, visit their website: https://cmrkne.com.