To mark the start of National Catholic Schools Week, St. Mary School Swormville (SMS) held it's annual Open House on Sunday, January 28th. Teachers, staff, alumni, and current school families were on hand to answer questions, give tours of the school, and showcase the many reasons that SMS is the "place to Bee” for a Catholic education in Northern Erie and Southern Niagara Counties.
National Catholic Schools Week (CSW) is an annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. Now entering its 50th anniversary year, CSW has traditionally been held the last week in January. The week-long celebration highlights what makes Catholic schools the best choice for many families. This year’s theme is Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.
Members of the SMS parent community took the opportunity the weekend before Open House to speak to members of our parish at all weekend Masses. They urged young families to consider the ways in which a Catholic education gives your children “more”. Lauren Suttell, a life-long St. Mary’s parishioner, HSA president, alum, and mom to 3 current SMS students had this to say,
“Our students score in the top percentiles against state and national averages and our graduates routinely climb to the top of their high school classes whether at public or private schools. I certainly don’t mean to downplay the academics. What I am here to do is to ask you to consider, what if you could have MORE? St Mary’s offers so much more than just its high quality academic experience. Our school is able to focus on each student on an individual level, and play a transformative role in their personal, social, emotional, physical, spiritual and yes, intellectual, journey.”
The MORE that Lauren mentioned includes things like:
• Montessori style learning for Pre-K
• Art, Music, Spanish & Physical Education for Pre-K - 8
• Daily, student-led prayer, Religion as a core subject and student participation in weekly Mass
• Monthly school-wide service projects, facilitated by our 8th grade class
• Athletic opportunities for students as young as Kindergarten
• Makerspace Lab, Cross-curricular Projects and STREAM Engineering Activities
• Opportunities in the arts, including a Spring Musical, Fall Play, Art Club, Advanced Choir, and Instrumental Music
• Preschool, elementary, and middle school all on one campus
• A wide variety of Home School Association (HSA) sponsored family and parent events
SMS does offer MORE than your average school - it offers a family, united in faith and community. It’s more than just children going to school together, it’s families growing up together.
If you’d like MORE for your children, we invite you to call us. Spend a little time with us and see if SMS might BEE the place for your family too! Contact Rebecca Kisailus at 716-689-8424 with questions, or to set up an on-school-time tour. Enrollment is open now, contact us before classes fill up for the fall!