St. Stephen - St. Edward School celebrates Catholic Schools Week

WARWICK — Beginning with a family Mass on Sunday, Jan. 27, and concluding on Saturday, Feb. 2, St. Stephen - St. Edward Elementary School, located at 75 Sanfordville Road, joined parochial schools throughout the nation in the celebration of National Catholic Schools Week.

Sponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association, the annual observance begins on the last Sunday in January and runs all week with open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and the public in general.

The theme this year was “Catholic Schools Raise the Standards,” a reference to the association’s recent launch of national standards and benchmarks for effective Catholic schools to promote high academic standards and Catholic identity.

St. Stephen - St. Edward School has been the parish elementary school of Saint Stephen the First Martyr Parish, serving children in grades pre-k to eight, for more than 40 years. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and also AdvancED, a premier accreditation organization described as the world’s largest education community.

The school celebrated the week with several events including open house days for new families and, on Thursday, Jan. 31, a student concert, open to the public and attended by Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt, Mayor Michael Newhard, Albert Wisner Library Director Rosemary Cooper and Faith Ferguson, president of the St. Stephen - St. Edward Home School Association Executive Board.

Due to changing demographics in some communities and resulting low enrollment, 26 out of 159 parish and New York Archdiocesan elementary schools were determined to be at-risk of closure this June.

However, with its average enrollment of approximately 300 students and sound financial footing, St. Stephen - St. Edward School does not fall into any category of schools at risk of closure now or in the future.

For additional information, call 986-3533 or visit: www.ststephen-stedwaed.org