By William W. Crist | Superintendent of Schools
Welcome back and greetings to all. Those telltale signs that the seasons are changing also signal to all of us in the Catholic schools of our diocese that young people will once again bless our hallways with their presence.
Some exciting changes that we are proud to announce:
Our facilities have all received a top to bottom cleaning, needed painting, and attentive polishing. We are witnessing great progress with the groundbreaking last spring at Notre Dame Junior-Senior High School in Utica for the new multi-purpose room, the Msgr. Francis J. Willenburg Center. Also noteworthy is the fact that Rome Catholic has a new home at the former St. Peter’s School building. We are elated to keep Catholic education alive and a vital choice for families in the Rome community.
All of our schools continue to receive improvements in technology and upgrades to their systems, as well as hardware and software. ‘One-To-One technology’ is becoming a very common theme throughout our diocese. We are living, working and learning in the 21st century and are pleased to witness this exciting and transformative time for our students.
With the new year comes new building administrators that we welcome to our diocese. Mr. Brian Nolan joins us as the new principal of Bishop Grimes Junior-Senior High School. Mr. James Fountaine will take over the helm as principal of St. John the Evangelist in Binghamton, and we happily introduce Mrs. Susie Kitchen, principal of St. James in Johnson City.
Throughout the summer our teachers and principals have had opportunities to participate in professional development and planning for this new school year. I would also like to acknowledge the many new teachers and staff in our schools and a dedicated existing faculty who continue to offer their tireless commitment and dedication to our schools and students.
All of these improvements signify the strong commitment by our diocese and Bishop Robert J. Cunningham to all of our Catholic schools. Catholic education is a priority in our diocese as well as a genuine pathway of evangelization through our collective encounter with Christ and his teachings.
We are blessed with the presence and confidence of our students and families who challenge us to do our best in reinforcing the mission of our Catholic faith through the example that lives in Jesus Christ while promoting academic excellence and offering service to others.
Have a great year — I hope this will be your best year ever. Blessings to all those in our Catholic schools and all the good you will do throughout this year!
