The Black & Gold Report

January 30, 2026 Volume 3 - Issue 23

Dear Saint Families and Friends:

“Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.”

-Og Mandino

Greetings from Berks Catholic! It is frustrating not to see immediate results when you work hard on something. I’m guilty of impatience when I do not see the results I expect in the time frame I expect them. Yet, in a way, that’s exactly what I signed up for by being a teacher, and now Principal. So often, we do not see the long-term achievements of our students. We may not know about their successes in life until long after they leave us. It is key to remember, as the quote above states, we plant now and the harvest, or the impressive results, come later. The same is true for our Saints. The studying one does, the work in the weight room, the service completed, might not bring immediate results. But when students stay focused and continue to work hard, success will follow. Please continue to encourage your Saint if they don’t necessarily see the result they want immediately. Have a great weekend.

It’s a great day to be a Saint!

A Time to be BOLD!

John Petruzzelli

Principal

610-374-8361 ext. 253

Email: jpetruzzelli@berkscatholic.org

Instagram: john.petruzzelli.9

Monday, 2/2

Course Selection Begins

Student Appreciation Day

Decades Dress Down

Great Saints Trivia Challenge

Student Gift Card Give-Away

Tuesday, 2/3

Priest Appreciation Day

Disney Dress Down

Wednesday, 2/4

Minions Dress Down Day

100th Day of School

Hold Drill

Thursday, 2/5

College Counseling Course Selection Night (6:00 p.m.)

Friday, 2/6

School Mass (9:00 p.m.)

For the Diocese of Allentown as we give thanks for 65 years of faith, service and sacrifice.

For young people that they may find encouragement and guidance as they navigate the issues of life.

Congratulations...........

Congratulations

Sophomore

Tyden

Shuman

who was named

Saint of the Week.

Freshman Class President

Congratulations to Freshman Keira Mills who was elected Freshman Class President! Way to go, Keira!

Congratulations also to all the Freshmen who courageously ran for Class President. We are proud of you for wanting to serve your classmates. We thank Janelys Abreu, Yahir Davilla-Herrera, Nikolas Irizarry, Jasper Langumas, Cecelia Pollock, Saray Rodriguez and Alli Schearer.

Congratulations to Senior Regan McClure who was awarded First Place for her art submissions to the Yocum Annual High School Juried Art Show! Excellent work, Regan!

Congratulations to Jonas Batista ’27, Serena Burkey ’26, Mackenzie Burkholder ’26, Regan McClure ’26, Sena Thompson ’29 and Emma Nohemi Dominguez-Seaman ‘26 who had their artwork accepted into Yocum Annual High School Juried Art Show!

100th Win

Congratulations to Junior wrestler Andrew Messner who earned his 100th win of his high school wrestling career in a match last weekend against Wilson High School. He becomes the 5th Saint wrestler to reach this milestone. Marvelous job, Andrew!

Congratulations to the Wrestling Team who finished second in the BCIAA Wrestling Championship last week. The match went down to the very last bout of the evening. Terrific grit, guys!

Thank you to those families who joined us for our Open House yesterday. It was a pleasure having so many Future Saints with us!

Thank you also to those Future Saints who attended the Partner School Night yesterday for the Boys’ basketball game. We hope you had fun and enjoyed the game.

What's Happening

School Mass

Our next school Mass will be Friday, February 6th at 9:00 a.m. Parents, guardians and families are always welcome to join us for Mass. If you plan to come, please sign in at the Main Office before coming to the Franco-Post auditorium.

Reflection by Pope Leo XIV

In a recent article published by the Vatican News, Pope Leo XIV shares his thoughts on compassion. You can read his reflection at: Pope Leo: Compassion is a matter of humanity, not a religious issue - Vatican News

Report Cards

Report cards were distributed on Wednesday this week. If you have not received it, please ask your Saint for it.

Course Selection

Course selection begins in earnest next week for students in grades 9 through 11. Students received course selection information this morning. Mrs. Vilardo will meet with each grade to discuss the following: appropriate placements, qualifications for classes, Career and Technology, Virtual High School and Dual Credit opportunities. Teachers will work directly with students to help guide them through class selections. Students are encouraged to schedule meetings with the College Counseling Department through their calendly links to assist with appropriate class selection. Course selection papers will be collected March 6th and require both a student and parent signature. The College Counseling staff will hold a parent Course Selection Night next Thursday, February 5th at 6:00 p.m. in the Senior cafeteria for any parent wanting more information about the course selection process.

*Please be aware that payment for course selection is now invoiced through Simple Tuition Solutions (STS). Payment must be made by March 31st. If payment is not received, this may delay scheduling of classes for your Saint.

Catholic Schools Week

Given the snow days this week, the CSW events from this past Monday and Tuesday have been rescheduled for next Monday, February 2nd and Tuesday, February 3rd. Our Parent Appreciation Day treats for parents and guardians at morning drop off have been rescheduled to Wednesday, February 11th.

News from the Tuition Office

Advanced Placement (AP) Test Fee invoices are DUE January 30, 2026! If your student is taking an AP Class, please pay your invoice for your test fee:

1 AP Exam = $99.00
2 AP Exams = $198.00
3 AP Exams = $297.00
4 AP Exams = $396.00
5 AP Exams = $495.00

2nd QUARTER Report Card Hold: Once your overdue balance is paid, please have your student visit the Tuition Office to receive his/her report card.

Financial Aid

The 2026–2027 Financial Aid Application is OPEN and accepting most recently completed tax documentation from the 2025 or 2024 tax years.

Please complete your application as soon as possible and by April 15, 2026 for maximum financial aid consideration. Please click on the links for instructions:

STS Financial Aid Instructions - English

STS Financial Aid Instructions - Spanish

Please use the links below if assistance is needed. Please access and refer to your STS account for detailed tuition, fee, and financial aid information. If you have difficulty logging in, please email STS Customer Support. The Tuition Office is happy to assist with any questions at 610-374-8361 ext. 223.

Access Your STS Account

BCHS Tuition Office

STS Customer Service

Service Hour Requirement

With the conclusion of the First Semester, we would like to remind families that each year’s service requirement needs to be fulfilled by the end of March. Students are not eligible to attend Prom if service hours are not completed. Please continue to encourage your Saint to complete his/her hours. Deacon Lanciano can answer questions or give suggestions for hours. If you have any questions, you can contact Deacon Lanciano at rlanciano@berkscatholic.org or 610-374-8361 ext. 258.

Help Wanted – Coaches Needed

We are hiring! The Athletic Department is looking to hire several coaches for the upcoming seasons. If you know someone qualified who may be interested in coaching at BC, please have them contact Athletic Director Bill Hess at bhess@berkscatholic.org or 610-374-8361 ext. 230.

Make a Joyful Noise Competition

IT’S TIME TO VOTE FOR BC! Please watch and vote for our school spirit video in the diocesan “Make a Joyful Noise” (MAJN) competition. MAJN challenges each school to get the entire student body involved in the video. We hope you enjoy the video as much as we did making it. Our goal is $5000. You can read more about the MAJN Competition by clicking here: Turn Up the Joy! ‘Make a Joyful Noise’ Supports Catholic Schools- AD Today.

You can find the video and vote for BC here: https://p2p.onecause.com/.../berks-catholic-high-school-bchs

The Saints Locker has openings! Please contact Mrs. Cunningham at 610-220-1583 for more information. All diocesan volunteer clearances are required for anyone wishing to volunteer in the store.

Yearbook Senior Ads

TODAY IS YOUR LAST CHANCE! Friday, January 30th is the last day to create your student pride ad for this year’s yearbook. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase and highlight your Saint. You can order at www.jostensyearbooks.com. After this deadline, we will not be able to accept any additional tributes. Please contact Jostens Ad Service at 877-767-5217 weekdays between 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. EST or visit www.jostensadservice.com/student with any questions.

Senior Ad Form

BC By the Numbers

221: Number of Tootsie Rolls in the bucket for “Guess the Tootsie Rolls” CSW Game this week.

The Bible by the Numbers

When you are concerned about sin, check out Ephesians 4:30-34.

Social Media

Did you see our posts for our snow day announcements? 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!

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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