News

As part of the Pi Day celebration on March 14, our 6th and 7th grade accelerated math students, working in groups of 2 or 3, created terrific posters.  They found out about the history of this magical number and why it is called an irrational number.  They learned how important this number is when computing circumference, area, and volume of everyday objects.  They had fun adding exciting facts and colorful pictures of Pi.  One poster even includes an original Pi song.

On the second week of Lent, the faculty and principal spent a beautiful morning at St. Alfonso Retreat House in Long Branch. The teachers enjoyed two spiritually uplifting talks by Deacon Paul Makar of Assumption parish. Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions, but it can also be one of the most stressful. The hope of the retreat was to give this amazing group of teachers the opportunity to be with the Lord and rest awhile.

During Lent, the students, teachers and staff of ACS attend Stations of the Cross weekly. We pray and reflect on Jesus’ journey from being sentenced to death through His crucifixion and death. This year students were blessed with the opportunity to venerate the relic and an icon of Blessed Bishop-Martyr Mykola Charnetsky. In 1945, the Russian Communists’ secret police (the KGB) arrested Bishop Charnetsky and sentenced him to a six-year term of hard labor in Siberia. Transferred numerous times, he served his sentence in thirty different prisons and labor camps, and was subjected to six hundred hours of interrogations and torture. Blessed Bishop-Martyr Charnetsky, known as “the healer of souls” was beatified by St. John Paul II on June 27, 2001 in Lviv, Ukraine.

On March 2nd the first grade class celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday. We learned about who he was and had special guest readers (the 8th graders) read "Horton Hears a Who" to us. As a special project we got to pretend we were the Cat in the Hat BG creating masks. It was a fun filled day for us!

ACS Student Council recently sponsored a Crazy Hat contest for ACS students. Congratulations are extended to all participants. This year we had the largest amount of participation with kindergarten having the most! It made it very hard to pick out a winner from each class.
The following students were voted as having the craziest hat in their class:
PK – Michael                  K – Mia J.              Gr 1: Jada
Gr 3: Julian                   Gr 4 Isaiah N.       Gr 5: Calaeb C
Gr 6: Victoria G.             Gr 7: Ayden V       Gr 8: Alyssa M.

After reading a powerful article titled, "Why Are Your Clothes So Cheap?" in Religion class, the sixth graders discussed their responsibilities as Christians to society and the world.  They decided they needed to share their knowledge as well as gather information from their favorite companies.  

So the sixth grade writers are at it again! Each student wrote to their favorite businesses asking about the working conditions of their employees and letting them know that they are concerned consumers.

Their letters were impressive!

We wrapped up a week of fun activities during the Catholic Schools Week with a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon. These teachers work so hard! We are so impressed how far beyond "the call of duty" they extend themselves for their students. Thank you for going the extra mile. You’re our heroes.

On Friday morning, February 3rd, 2017 police officers, firefighters and EMS visited Assumption school for special breakfast as part of the school’s activities for national Catholic School Week. The good work they do is not often mentioned in the papers or on the evening news, but they are the unsung heroes of our communities. Thank you for your service and we ask God’s blessing and protection on each of you.

During Catholic Schools Week the Kindergarten, First and Second grade classes participated in a Science Day. They presented various projects they created from recycled products. The students from each class introduced themselves as well as their projects to their classmates and even had a mini question and answer session. They did a great job and were very creative!

National Catholic Schools Week will be observed from January 29th to February 4th  at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School in Minersville, PA, St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School in Passaic, NJ, Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic School in Perth Amboy, NJ and St. Basil Academy in Fox Chase, PA.
 
This year’s theme “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service.”  celebrates who every person involved in a Catholic School is called to be.  Jesus, the Good Shepherd “came that they might have life and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10).  We are invited to an abundant life in Jesus Christ.  When we fully live and breathe this faith, we live in His abundance.  It cannot help but raise the standard of all of life around us.
 
Our heartfelt gratitude is offered to all who are part of the family of our four schools.  We acknowledge and thank the clergy, religious Sisters, the administrators, teachers, and all of the support staff for their sharing of this giftedness in their skills through their person.  This enables each school to reflect abundant life in Jesus Christ.
 
Special thanks to the parents who seek the best for their children and offer their love and support for the school staff and students.  You do it because of your living out your inspired desire for abundant life.  We admire your tremendous personal and financial sacrifices to ensure a high standard of education and religious formation for your children.
 
Uppermost are our admiration and best wishes for every student in each school family.  The highest ideals of a Catholic school can only encourage each student to strive to be their best in the pursuit of the abundant life offered to all by Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  We pray for each student as each grows in the skills and understanding of achieving the best in your Catholic School family.  May all grow in closeness with Jesus as we strive to be fully who we are called to be as a faithful student of a valued Ukrainian Catholic school.
 
We are particularly grateful for the meaningful example of excellence each school provides for the Church and for the community of which they are a part.  The striving for high standards in Catholic education positively encourages others to excel in who they are and in how they live within the community.  A Catholic School which raises its standard is fulfilling its mission of inspiring others to excellence, and thereby living the abundant life in Jesus Christ.
 
Especially helpful are the individual organizations and businesses who offer financial help to our Ukrainian Catholic schools.  Donations by persons and groups who desire to support the high standard of education and religious formation in our schools are enablers.  Such valued donors truly breathe Jesus Christ’s call to abundant life.  Can there be a better way to share one’s wealth and blessings than with children growing in knowledge and faith?  Choose to financially help our Ukrainian Catholic schools to fulfill their sacred mission to teach and prepare our children with high standards and ideals.
 
All involved in our Ukrainian Catholic schools will be especially remembered in prayers offered throughout National Catholic Schools Week.  May your hearts be filled with gratitude as you reflect on your achievement at raising the standard of education.  May all of us continue to be inspired to be our best providing the optimum example to those whom we serve and to those among whom we attempt to raise the standard of education.
 
God bless you richly in ways only He can!