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On Thursday, May 18, the 2nd grade students in the South Boston Catholic Academy did a wonderful job leading us in the school Mass for Ascension Thursday as Greeters, Readers and bringing up the gifts of bread, wine, and water to the Altar. The SBCA Children’s Choir sounded amazing! The Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ commemorates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. Following the account of Acts 1:3 that the risen Jesus appeared for 40 days prior to his Ascension, Ascension Day is traditionally celebrated on a Thursday, the fortieth day of Easter. Father Christopher Boyle, our Parochial Vicar was the Celebrant at this Mass. We all wish Father Boyle the very best as he will be leaving us and has been appointed to St. Agnes Parish and St. Camilla Parishes in Arlington, MA. In addition, as Parochial Vicar to the Catholic Parishes of Arlington, and he will be the Priest Chaplain to the students at Arlington Catholic High School. After the Mass, Dr. Civian, our Principal, handed Father Boyle many cards and Thank you notes from the SBCA students wishing him well and everyone applauded him. He was so grateful for the well wishes from the students, families, faculty and staff of SBCA. Miss Keough’s 2nd Graders put together a book for Father Boyle wishing him well. “How lucky we were to have a priest like you! SBCA will miss you! We are thankful for all you have taught us during your time in South Boston.” Love, Ms. Keough’s 2nd Grade Class. All of us at SBCA are sad to see him go, but so excited for him and his next adventure! Thank you and God Bless you always, Father Boyle! New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info about South Boston Catholic Academy.

On May 10, the students in the South Boston Catholic Academy’s Early Childhood Program did a fantastic job singing at their SBCA Spring Concert, much to their parent's and families’ delight. They joyfully sang a medley of songs that included... “You are my Sunshine”, “This Little Light of Mine” and a grand finale by all the students who sang “ABC-You Later.” Our Grade K2 to 6th Grade performed their concert on May 11. Their performance was outstanding also and included both vocal and instrumental solos. They did a fantastic job singing at their SBCA Spring Concert, much to the delight of their parent's and families. They wonderfully sang a medley of songs that included... “You'll Be in My Heart”, “Seasons of Love” and a grand finale by our 6th Graders who sang “Queen Medley” led by their classmate Emmett Shelton, who surprised us all with his fabulous vocals. The 6th Graders were also accompanied by another classmate of theirs, Kanav Vashishth, who did a fantastic job playing the electric guitar. A BIG Thank You to our very talented Music Teacher, Mr. Carlo Bunyi, who sang a wonderful rendition of “Danny Boy” and all the wonderful students, families, faculty and staff at SBCA and to everyone who made these Spring Concerts possible and so enjoyable! Spring has sprung at SBCA! “Music is life itself.” - Louis Armstrong. “Music can change the world.” — Ludwig van Beethoven. New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info about South Boston Catholic Academy.

This past Saturday morning, May 6, 2023, was a picture perfect day for the Second Grade students at South Boston Catholic Academy and in the Parish Religious Education Program who received their First Holy Communion at Gate of Heaven Church. Congratulations and God Bless all these wonderful children and their families in this year’s First Holy Communion Class! The Celebrants at this Mass were, our Pastor, Father Robert Casey and Monsignor Liam Bergin. Thank you to Father Casey, Monsignor Bergin, our Principal, Dr. Helenann Civian; Vice Principal, Mrs. Denise Moriarty; and our Second Grade Teachers, Ms. Kayla Keough, Ms. Meghan Leslie, Ms. Caitlin Jackson, to all the Second Grade families and the staff at South Boston Catholic Academy, to our Parish Religious Education Second Grade Teacher, Mrs. Joan Dixon, and to the Second Grade families in the Parish Religious Education Program and to all who helped to make this year’s First Holy Communion extra special. Congratulations to Mrs. Dixon who is retiring this year after many years (over 15 years) with the Parish Rel. Ed. Program. We are grateful for her dedication, time, talents and love she has shown to all the children and families in the Parish Rel. Ed. Program. Especially those in the Second Grade. God Bless you Mrs. Dixon. We all wish you a Happy Retirement! May is also the Month of Jesus’ and our Blessed Mother, Mary. It is a centuries-old custom of Catholics to dedicate the month of May to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The month of May is always part of the Easter season, the fifty days we celebrate in the liturgy the Resurrection of Our Lord, a time also of awaiting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In honor of our Blessed Mother, Mary, and all Mother’s, A Happy and Blessed Mother’s Day! New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

Learning about Fractions: In Ms. Stephanie Olsen’s 3A Class, her students were introduced to fractions through an engaging game of Kahoot! They learned how to break a shape into fractions and new math vocabulary such as unit fractions, numerators, and denominators. Even better, at the end of the game the class broke out into a round of applause when their classmate won the game! Writing Project: 3A also just finished up an opinion writing unit. In their project they read about the difference between cats and dogs to decide which one they liked better. They used graphic organizers to gather their thoughts. Then, they practiced stating their opinion, giving a reason why, and an example of their reasoning. Once they finished their graphic organizers, they wrote rough drafts. When editing their drafts, they focused on using transition words to make their paragraph cohesive! Ms. Olsen is very proud of the consistent hard work and determination! 3B Store: In Ms. Juliana Sammarco's 3B Class, her students were given a task to make a product ONLY made of paper. They had to come up with a price for their product as well as a slogan and a short commercial as to why other students should buy their product. There were lots of items being sold and 3B had a wonderful time creating and doing this in class project! Book Report: 3B did such a great job with their cereal book report. They created a title for their cereal based on the book. On the borders of their boxes they added the main characters, setting, problem and solution. The back of the box also had some sort of game or puzzle related to their book. 3B were so creative when coming up with their cereal boxes and enjoyed making them! New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

“The most important asset of any library goes home at night—the library staff.”— The Reverend Timothy S. Healy, SJ “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” —Albert Einstein “Libraries always remind me that there are good things in this world.” —Lauren Ward “Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve, and contribute to improving our quality of life. Libraries change lives for the better.”—Sidney Sheldon It is easy to say that the students, families, faculty and staff at South Boston Catholic Academy love going to the Library, especially to the South Boston Branch Public Library. A BIG Thank you to the Children’s Librarian, Danielle Crickman, (Librarian Dani) and to all those that work there for being so welcoming and helpful to everyone including the SBCA students, families, faculty and staff. Our students love going on class field trips to the South Boston Branch Library to get their new Library Cards, to sit and listen at Storytime, to borrow great books to take home and read with their families and friends and so much more things to do at the Library. Librarian Dani has also come to SBCA to visit with the students and to explain what makes the Library so special and the importance of reading. She comes and reads great stories to them, too. She teaches them how to find books in the Library that they are interested in, books they need to help with classroom projects and book reports, etc... Whether you are young, middle aged or older, there is always something for everyone at the Library. We are all grateful and lucky to have such a great local Library to go to in our neighborhood. New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

The Easter Season is called the Great 50 Days and celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It begins on Easter Sunday and ends on Pentecost Sunday, the 50th day after Easter. It also includes the Ascension of the Lord, which occurs on the 40th day after Easter. The Easter season is a joyful time for celebrating the presence of the risen Christ in the church and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Some Christians observe the Easter Octave, which is the eight days from the first to the second Sunday of Easter. The first seven of these eight days are also collectively known as Easter Week. The Easter Octave is concluded by the Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday. In Christian churches that celebrate the Easter Octave, it marks the beginning of Eastertide referring to the week following Easter, or the fifty days from Easter to Pentecost Sunday. It is a joyful feast and a special festival season for the church. During Easter Week, on Thursday, April 13, 2023, the students, families, faculty, and staff at South Boston Catholic Academy celebrated a special school Mass celebrating the Easter Octave. Ms. Samantha Guildford’s and Mrs. Patricia Coleman’s 4th grade students did a wonderful job participating in this Mass, as Greeters, Readers and bringing up the gifts of bread, wine, and water to the Altar. Our SBCA Children’s Choir, led by the Music Teacher, Mr. Carlo Bunyi sounded amazing as they sang the joyful songs of the Easter Season. Father Robert Casey, our Pastor, was the celebrant at this Mass. New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

We recently had a special visit from Jerry Pallotta, an author of children’s books. There is nothing like a good book and Mr. Pallotta has many good books. “Jerry Pallotta is an award-winning author of children's alphabet books and imaginative fiction. He combines interesting facts, detailed research, humor, and realistic illustrations that mesmerize children everywhere.” “He is the author of The Icky Bug Alphabet Book, Dory Story, Butterfly Counting, and Who Would Win book series, and tons of other children's books!” “A dynamic speaker, Jerry frequently visits elementary schools and libraries across the country to encourage children by teaching them how to create their own alphabet books.” The students at South Boston Catholic Academy loved to hear him tell where he gets his ideas and inspirations for his books. The students at SBCA truly love to read books and many of Mr. Pallotta’s books are among their top favorites. Thank you, Mr. Pallotta, so much for coming to SBCA and sharing your love of books and reading with us. New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

On Friday afternoon, March 31, Ms. Faith Smith’s 6Th Graders lead the students, families, faculty and staff, at South Boston Catholic Academy, in praying the Stations of the Cross at St. Brigid Church. They all did an amazing job with their drawings depicting the 14 Stations of the Cross, reading the descriptions of what each of the Stations of the Cross represents and leading us all in prayer: “We adore You, O Christ, and Bless You. Because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world”. Our Music Teacher, Mr. Carlo Bunyi, provided wonderful music as we reflected on each of the Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross refer to a series of depictions of Christ’s journey. They represent 14 key moments in the trial, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus Christ. Stations of the Cross, or the Way of the Cross, have been celebrated by Roman Catholic believers for centuries, typically right before Easter. We wish Everyone a Blessed and Happy Easter, from All of us at SBCA! New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

¡Hola y Bienvenidos! The 5th and 6th grade students presented their chosen Spanish-speaking country at the SBCA Cultural Fair! Each student completed a trifold board on one of the 21 Spanish-speaking countries. Some students chose to make food from their country including empanadas, gallo pinto and plantains! K1-4th grades came to the Cultural Fair to learn about the countries and get their homemade passports stamped. Here are some of the favorite things the students liked learning about regarding their Spanish speaking country…Sampling the different foods, the different customs, cultures and traditions and colorful and historical sceneries, the famous people, such as athletes, singers and actors that came from the different countries and the famous mountains and waterfalls. The students in the 5th & 6th grade did an amazing job with this Spanish class project. A BIG Thank you to our Spanish Teacher, Ms. Taylor Avery for her wonderful guidance and help. You can see from all their work, time and energy that the students and their families put into this class project that they truly loved learning about these Spanish-speaking countries. All the students at SBCA loved touring, viewing and learning about these Spanish-speaking countries, too and, of course, were so excited to get their very own passports stamped from these different countries. New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

The students at South Boston Catholic Academy enjoyed celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and also the students at the Early Childhood Center, with help from our terrific Student Council members that helped the Toddlers and K0 students celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the Patron Saint of Ireland and of the Archdiocese of Boston, on Friday, March 17, 2023. We started the day off with a School Mass at St. Brigid Church that the 6th Graders participated in as Greeters, Readers and students brought the Gifts up to the Altar. Our SBCA Children’s Choir sounded wonderful, too. Father Christopher Boyle, our Parochial Vicar, was the celebrant at this Mass. At school students took part in a day filled with Leprechaun Hunts, wonderful Irish Step Dancing, from our many talented students, and we all enjoyed the wearing of green! St. Patrick had a great love for God and he taught about the great love God has for all of us. We hope everyone had a Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Beannacht Lá Fhéile Pádraig daoibh… is Irish for, St Patrick's Day Blessing to you! New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

Cheers rang out from the 3B classroom as students watched their ZOOMED-in classmate, Nora Witkin, clinch the school’s top speller spot in the 12th round. The next step for our winner is competing in the 2023 Boston Citywide BCYF Spelling Bee that will take place on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at the Boston Public Library, Copley Square Branch. Congratulations to all our superb South Boston Catholic Academy spellers for their diligence, determination, and school spirit! A Special Thank you to Mrs. Evans, our Upper Elementary Literacy Coach and Latin Teacher, for organizing this Annual School Spelling Bee. We wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day! New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

On Tuesday, March 7, our former First Grade Teacher, Sister Evelyn Hurley, SCN, who taught students for many years celebrated her 108th Birthday. Our Pastor, Father Robert Casey, visited her at the Mother House in Nazareth, Kentucky as she celebrated her 108th Birthday. He also celebrated a Mass in her honor for her birthday and brought her well wishes and greetings from all of our Parishioner and SBCA students, teachers and staff. Father Casey also brought the beautiful cards that the SBCA students made for her to wish her Happy Birthday and to let her know she is in our thoughts and prayers. Ms. Caroline Gannon, who is currently one of our three First Grade Teachers, told her students in 1C a little about Sister Evelyn and how she was her dad’s, Paul Gannon’s, First Grade Teacher. Here are some of what Ms. Gannon’s students wrote in their Birthday card to Sister Evelyn…Dear Sister Evelyn, Happy Birthday! What is your secret? Do you eat your vegetables? Another student wrote… Dear Sister Evelyn, Happy Birthday! Wow 108 that number is really BIG! And another student wrote… Dear Sister Evelyn, Happy Birthday! My teacher, Ms. Gannon, said you taught her dad in First Grade. Sister Evelyn was born in South Boston on March 7, 2015, she became a Sister of Charity of Nazareth in 1933 (90 years ago). She resided at St. Brigid Convent for over 60 years and taught the First Grade at St. Brigid School, South Boston for most of those years. She is an amazing woman and Religious Sister. She prays for everyone daily. Dear Sister Evelyn, All of us at SBCA wish you a Very Happy and Healthy 108th Birthday! God Bless you always. New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

Ms. Faith Smith’s 6th Grade students learned all about Ancient Egypt by taking a virtual field trip, writing their names using hieroglyphics, choosing what they would keep in their tombs, and being wrapped like mummies. Fantastic job 6th Grade! Some interesting facts about Ancient Egypt…The Ancient Egyptian civilization spanned more than 3,000 years. King Tut was only 9 years old when he became ruler of Ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptian women and men were treated equally. Some Egyptian doctors had specialized fields of study. Ancient Egyptians loved board games. Cats were considered to be sacred animals. Egyptians kept many animals as pets. Most pyramids were built to be tombs for pharaohs. It took about a mile’s worth of bandages to wrap a mummy. There have been more than 130 pyramids discovered across Egypt. The Great Pyramid, or the Pyramid of Khufu is the tallest and largest Egyptian pyramid of the three pyramids towering over Giza. It is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still in existence, despite its being the oldest wonder by about 2,000 years. The Pyramids of Giza are naturally temperature controlled. The hieroglyphic alphabet consisted of more than a thousand unique hieroglyphs. Ancient Egyptians were probably the first society to read and write. The Ancient Egyptians forged one of the earliest peace treaties on record. New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

For the students at South Boston Catholic Academy, the past week was another special week full of great fun, activities, and letting all our families, friends, teachers, and staff know how much we care and appreciate them. The students had a chance to celebrate our 100th Day of School. What is the meaning of 100 school days? 100 School Days marks the 100th day of learning in the school year. It offers students and teachers time to reflect on the work done by students and allows schools to celebrate achievements and accomplishments. The students had a chance to think about all the different ways we can count up to 100 to celebrate our 100th Day of School! In Ms. Byrne’s class, they did 100th Day Exercises - including counting out 100 M&M’s. The older students made fanatic and interesting posters using their creativity and imagination. Each class celebrated its 100th day in unique and special ways. We hope everyone had a wonderful St. Valentine’s Day! Saint Valentine is the patron saint of love. Believers say God worked through his life to perform miracles and teach people how to recognize and experience true love. This famous saint, an Italian doctor who later became a priest, inspired the creation of the holiday of sending letters/cards to those we love on St. Valentine's Day. The students made Special Valentines with messages to their parent(s). The students had parties in their classrooms where they had a chance to exchange cards and candy with everyone in their class. Shout out to our Home and School Committee for all their great help and support, our awesome Student Council, who helped write, organize, and deliver candy grams for the students, and to Ms. Olsen, for her wonderful guidance and help with this year’s Students Council. New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

A BIG Thank you to Nicholas Foligno, an American Professional Ice Hockey Left Winger for the Boston Bruins, Janelle Foligno, Author and Blades, the team mascot for the Boston Bruins for coming to visit the students at South Boston Catholic Academy. They came to tell us about the importance of heart health and how we can keep our heart healthy by exercising and eating right. Janelle Foligno, wrote a book entitled, “Dear Heart, A Letter To My Special Heart” that she dedicated to her daughter Milana. Janelle read her inspiring story to the students. Quoting Janelle, “Milana’s journey has taught us a lot. It’s identified the important need for congenital heart defect research and heart research in general, which has spear-headed our efforts to make a difference for those battling heart disease. Our mission is to live a heart healthy life. Not only for Milana, but for ourselves and others. We strive to create a family foundation that can grow as we do. It’s important for us to give back through philanthropy and show our children the positive impact it can have to their communities.” The Foligno family is dedicated to helping others learn more about the importance of our heart health. For more information about them and our heart health, go to http://heartsplaybook.com/our-story.html. Thank you again to The Foligno Family and the Boston Bruins for this very special visit to SBCA. The students loved meeting them and learning about the importance of keeping our heart healthy. February is Heart Health Month. Stepping away from the computer once a day to get some fresh air and sunshine can improve your mood by increasing serotonin levels and the production of endorphins. Getting outside can also increase red blood cell production, which carries oxygen throughout the body and to your brain. New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

South Boston Catholic Academy officially kicked off Catholic Schools Week on 1/29 through to 2/3/2023.This Annual Celebration of National Catholic Schools Week is a fun, exciting and meaningful week promoting the importance of having faith, being kind to one another, caring for one another all the while getting an excellent education. Teachers and students focused on this year’s theme Faith. Excellence. Service. We celebrated our wonderful school and community in a number of ways including the following: School Spirit: Students decorated their classroom doors for a 'Door Decorating' competition using CSW related theme or another of their choice. Judges will observe the doors and pick a First, Second and Third Place Winner. Students had a chance to write how they feel about being a student at SBCA and what they Love about SBCA… A student wrote, I am so lucky and blessed to go to SBCA because… “I have so many friends that go here. SBCA has the best teachers. I learn to read and do math so well. We get to have specials.” Another student wrote, What I Love about SBCA is…“My friends and my teachers.” Our Catholic School Week officially initiated the return to our 'Mystery Guest Reader'. This activity provides parents with the opportunity to select a date/time to come into the classroom and read to their child and their classmates. Monday 30th was Parent Appreciation Day. The Students made cards/crafts/letters of thanks to parents/guardians for making the sacrifice to send their children to Catholic school, and especially SBCA. Tuesday 31st was Teacher Appreciation; we had a much appreciated delicious Faculty Luncheon hosted by Home and School. Thank you to the wonderful and supportive members of our Home and School Committee. Father Casey, our Pastor, our SBCA Children’s Choir and our school community celebrated a Mass for the Feast Day of Saint Brigid of Kildare and everyone had a chance to view this Mass on the Catholic TV station. Thursday February 2nd we welcomed new families to come for a visit to SBCA and tour the Open House from 9 – 11AM at both SBCA and the Early Childhood Center. The Student Council and other ambassadors made everyone feel welcomed, and directed families through both school buildings. Thursday February 2nd was Student Appreciation Day. The students, teachers and staff were treated to pizza for lunch provided by Mike and Tony from the East Broadway Market. Thank you both again for your kindness and generosity to SBCA. Friday 3rd was Crazy Hat, Hair or Sock Day! It was a Free Tag Day for all! What a fun way to end a very special week at SBCA. A Special Thank you to everyone who helped to make this year’s Catholic Schools Week extra special for all the students and families at SBCA! New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

Music consists of several elements such as melody, rhythm, pitch, and harmony. While these are commonly known, the best way to learn music is by experiencing it. As you can see from the photos the students at South Boston Catholic Academy and at the Early Childhood Center are enthusiastic about Music Class as their Music Teacher, Mr. Carlo Bunyi, shares his love and knowledge of music with them. In music class, the students learn music through body movement, song study, basic theory, history, language, and instrument playing. To supplement music class, students who are in the SBCA Choir learn about vocal technique and expand their song repertoire. Regular singing engagements include the students' Mass and the Christmas and Spring Concerts. It is wonderful to see many of our students who are enjoying being in the SBCA Children’s Choir. In Music Class they have been incorporating movement into the music piece entitled "Syncopated Clock". In this activity, the use of scarves parallel the beat and melodic contour of the piece. Students also immerse in music literacy by learning the rudiments which include note reading. To apply music literacy, the students get to play on different instruments either individually or as a group. This gives them the opportunity to be a performer/collaborator and build their confidence on stage. In celebration of MLK Day, the students learned about Freedom Songs which were used during the Civil Rights movement. These songs reflect the social struggles at the time and the fight for equal rights. “Music is life itself.” — Louis Armstrong. “Where words fail, music speaks” - Hans Christian Andersen New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

Thank you to our Book Buddies in Ms. Guildford’s and Mrs. Coleman’s 4th Grade classes! The students in Ms. Brook’s K0B class and Ms. Sullivan’s K0D class in the SBCA Early Childhood Program were so happy to see their Book Buddies in grades 4A and 4B from South Boston Catholic Academy who came to visit them in their classroom. They sat down with their 4th Grade Book Buddies and had fun reading some of the great books from their classroom Library. They are hoping to spend more time reading with their book buddies throughout the rest of the school year. Reading is essential and serves as a basic building block for learning. Reading with children is a powerful tool for early literacy. The first 5 years of reading to a child matters. It also creates an important bond and can play an essential role in brain development. By reading to children, you provide them with a deep understanding about their world and fill their brains with background knowledge. Background knowledge is essential for reading comprehension. “You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book!” – Dr. Seuss. “There are many little ways to enlarge your world. Love of books is the best of all.”– Jacqueline Kennedy. The 4th Graders, as well as all the SBCA students, had a chance to buy some great new books at our Scholastic Book Fair. The students and teachers were excited to get new books to read at home, in the classroom and with their Book Buddies. Thank you to all the SBCA parents who helped to make this book fair a big success and encourage the joy of reading for all the children! Also, as you can see from the pictures, the 4th Grade students had a fun day assembling and decorating their Gingerbread Houses. In Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., famous “I Had a Dream” speech, the 4th Graders wrote about how they can make the world a better place. One of the 4th grader students wrote… “My Dream for myself: To go to college and be a Vet.” “My Dream for the world: To find a cure for Cancer.” “My Dream for my community: I would like to work very hard to stop world hunger.” Some of Dr. King, Jr’s famous quotes…“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” “Love is the most durable power in the world. This creative force, so beautifully exemplified in the life of our Christ, is the most potent instrument available in mankind’s quest for peace and security.” New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (1929-1968) is a civil rights legend. In the mid-1950s, Dr. King led the movement to end segregation and counter prejudice in the United States through the means of peaceful protest. His speeches—some of the most iconic of the 20th century—had a profound effect on the national consciousness. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the most quotable speakers of the 20th century. Some of his famous quotes are… “The time is always right to do what is right.” “Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase.” “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” “The surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.” He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964; he was the youngest person to ever receive this high honor. The students at South Boston Catholic Academy and in the Early Childhood Program read about Dr. King, Jr. and did projects in their classrooms and in Art Class based on his achievements and legacy… Ms. Massey’s K0A students in the Early Childhood Program talked about Martin Luther King Jr. and how his dream was for people to be kind to one another no matter what they looked like. For our craft we made a heart with two hand prints to represent loving one another no matter what we look like. Ms. Vareika’s K1A students read "Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King." by Jean Marzollo. We talked as a class about who Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was and the important and brave things he did. Then, each student thought of one way they can "change the world." We wrote their idea on a handprint which they glued onto a paper plate that was painted to look like the world. Ms. Tempinski’s K1B students also read the book, "Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr." by Jean Marzollo. Talked about what Martin Luther King, Jr. did to change the word. The students then did an art project making the world with blue and green ink then glued on hands with the words, "To change the world I will..." They dictated and wrote words to finish the sentence related to the book and had class discussions about Martin Luther King, Jr. Mrs. Finn’s K1C students celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday by reflecting on how they could make the world a better place. Students first created an earth by using blue and green ink. Next, they were asked what they could do to make the world a better place. They wrote their responses on a hand. Some of these responses included “Play with someone who has no one to play with”, “smile”, “be kind to people” and “plant seeds to grow flowers”. Ms. Sudhalter’s K1D students also talked about ways they can be world changers to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Then painted paper plates with earth colors and added a hand print and a way we can change the world. Mrs. Connolly's K2A students learned about the great American hero, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The children learned how Dr. King believed in solving problems peacefully. They practice being calm and peaceful in the classroom and find ways to solve problems with their peers without getting upset. Everyone watched part of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech while working on the classroom magazine, Let's Find Out. They read books, made books, and created a Dr. King craft to celebrate his birthday. In Art Class, Ms. Szmurlo’s students read “A Picture Book of Martin Luther King Jr.” by David A. Casilla. We talked about how he changed the world and used his ministry to empower people peacefully. First and second grade drew portraits of Martin Luther King Jr., fourth grade unscrambled a puzzle and fifth grade worked on a collaborative poster. They did a fantastic job with their portraits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Happy Birthday Dr. King! Thank you and God Bless you and your family. New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

On January 6, 2023, the students at South Boston Catholic Academy celebrated the Feast Day of Epiphany aka Three King’s Day and Little Christmas at St. Brigid Church. Students, families, and teachers attended Mass on this special day. The students in Ms. Olsen’s Third Grade class and in Ms. Sammarco’s Third Grade class did a wonderful job participating at this Mass as Greeters, Readers, and Bringing the gifts up to the Altar. We want to Thank Father Ross Chamberland, OFM for coming and being the guest Celebrant at this Mass. The SBCA Children’s Choir directed by our Music Teacher, Mr. Claro, did a marvelous job singing at this Mass. The students in Ms. Gannon’s First Grade class and Ms. Leslie’s Second Grade class also did a marvelous job singing “We Three Kings” and “Angels We Have Heard on High” at this Mass. At the end of Mass, several teachers took their students to see the beautiful Nativity Scene that was in the church. Epiphany is when the Three Kings/Magi came to see Baby Jesus and brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The gifts they brought symbolize Jesus's identity and mission: Gold for a King, Frankincense – incense for God, and Myrrh used to anoint the dead. Epiphany commemorates the manifestation of God to the world through Jesus Christ. The 12 days between Christmas and Epiphany are known as the “Twelve Days of Christmas” and Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas season. On January 6th the 4 th , 5 th and 6 th Graders celebrated Día de los Reyes Magos (Epiphany) during Ms. Avery’s Spanish Class with a Rosca de Reyes (King's Cake)! Inside the cake are hidden little baby Jesus dolls, symbolizing how Jesus, Mary, and Joseph had to hide from King Herod. In some Spanish-speaking countries, the tradition goes that whoever gets the slice of cake with the baby in it has to host the next party! New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.