Maine Catholic Schools Week
Now in its 50th anniversary year, Maine Catholic Schools Week, January 28 - February 3, 2024, celebrates the mission of Catholic schools: to evangelize students by nourishing faith and encouraging academic excellence while accentuating the importance of community and service in a nurturing environment.
Each day of Catholic Schools Week is dedicated to a different theme. On Sunday, schools celebrate their parishes, oftentimes by having students actively participate in one of the Sunday Masses. Monday is a day during which schools celebrate their community. Tuesday is a day dedicated to celebrating students. On Wednesday, schools celebrate the nation and seek to communicate the value of Catholic education to government leaders. Thursday is a celebration of vocations, and on Friday, faculty, staff, and volunteers are honored.
Each of Maine's Catholic schools will hold a variety of fun activities, family gatherings, and special service projects during Catholic Schools Week. You will find a list of some of them below.
All Saints Catholic School, Bangor
Sunday, January 28 - Students will help to lead the 8:30 a.m. Mass at St. Mary Church, 768 Ohio Street in Bangor, and the 10:30 a.m. Mass at St. John Church, 217 York Street in Bangor.
Monday, January 29 - Students will bring in items for "Care Bags, as part of a partnership with the PATH Homeless Outreach Team
Tuesday, January 30 - Students celebrate our nation by wearing red, white, & blue and by making cards for local veterans' home and writing pen pal letters to students at another Catholic school.
Wednesday, January 31 - Students attend the 8:30 a.m. Mass at St. Mary Church, 768 Ohio Street in Bangor.
Thursday, February 1 - Students will wear Hawaiian or summer shirts. There will be an open house from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Friday, February 2 - Team building and outdoor fun.
Holy Cross School, South Portland
Sunday, January 28 - Students and faculty will attend the 10 a.m. Mass at the Church of the Holy Cross, 124 Cottage Road, South Portland. Students and family members will serve as greeters and gift bearers at all parish Masses. There will also be an open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with tours led by student ambassadors, volunteers. and teachers.
Monday, January 29 - Students will "Get to know your priests" with a question-and-answer session with Fr. Jack Dickinson and Fr. Alex Boucher.
Tuesday, January 30 - Catholic Schools Week Team Relay Races
Wednesday, January 31 - Federal Judge Lance Walker will speak to students about the American citizenship process and ceremony, and Amanda Doherty will talk about the many roles of courts and judges.
Thursday, February 1 - There will be a community first responder assembly. South Portland firefighters and police officers will speak to students about what they do to keep the community safe. Amanda Doherty will talk about the various public safety roles. Students will also participate in a penny challenge to raise money for charity and will play a Catholic Schools Week Trivia Game.
Friday, February 2 - The Penny Challenge concludes, and students will go bowling at Big Twenty in Scarborough.
Mount Merici Academy, Waterville
Throughout the week, the school will be holding a sock collection for the Children's Home and the Homeless Shelter.
Monday, January 2 - Nursery school and pre-K students will participate in a teddy bear relay with a fuzzy, stuffed friend.
Tuesday, January 30 - Elementary school students will participate in a spelling bee. A Catholic Schools Week Mass will be celebrated in the school gymnasium.
Wednesday, January 31 - It's pajama day! And students will participate in Family Feud.
Thursday, February 1 - It's Crazy Hat Day. Younger students will have a game day in their classrooms. Students in grades 4-8 will participate in a Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament. There will also be a bingo night from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Friday, February 2 - Staff and students will take part in a volleyball tournament after which there will be a dance party and popcorn.
St. Brigid School, Portland
Sunday, January 28 - Students will participate in the 9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Pius X Church, 492 Ocean Avenue in Portland. Thank you cards, made by second-fifth graders will be distributed to parishioners.
Monday, January 29 - A student coin competition for charity will begin. Students will also assemble mother and infant kits to donate to the Mother Seton House in Fryeburg.
Students will also participate in Catholic Bingo and in Catholic Escape Rooms.
Tuesday - January 30 - Preschoolers and kindergarten kids will head to Tumble Tikes Gymnasium, while older grades will participate in team relay races and the middle school students will hold a volleyball tournament,
Wednesday - January 31 - Students in preschool and kindergarten will play a Candy Land game while other grades will take an off-campus field trip to Happy Wheels.
Thursday, February 1 - Bishop Robert Deeley will visit the school. There will be a celebration of the Feast of St. Brigid with craft making. Students will enjoy tea and apple cakes with the Sisters of Mercy. Middle School students will participate in Catholic Jeopardy, while younger students will view an afternoon movie. It is also St. Brigid night at the Cheverus Hockey game with free admission.
Friday - February 2 - The entire school will participate in Dance Mania. St. Brigid School will also host a middle school luau dance, in which students from Holy Cross School and St. James School will also participate. It is also St. Brigid night at the Cheverus basketball game.
Sunday, February 4 - St. Brigid Day at The Rink at Thompson's Point.
St. Dominic Academy, Lewiston
Sunday, January 28 - Students will participate in the 5 p.m. Mass at Holy Family Church in Lewiston.
Monday, January 29 - Students will make Valentine's Day cards for residents in area nursing home.
Tuesday, January 30 - Veterans will be invited to join in morning pray, and various flags will be displayed in the hallways.
Wednesday, January 31 - There will be a presentation by "Mr. Drew and His Animals, Too," a nonprofit that takes in and cares for injured exotic animals. Students will also enjoy pizza.
Thursday, February 1 - Students will celebrate career day by dressing up as the occupation they might want to have when they grow up or dressing up as their favorite saint.
Friday, February 2 - Students will participate in Catholic trivia and write thank you notes to teachers, staff, and volunteers.
St. James School Biddeford
Saturday, January 27 - A student Mass will be held at Most Holy Trinity Church in Saco followed by a turkey dinner. Students will hand out postcards to parishioners at Mass.
Monday, January 29 - Classes will team up on a service project; Students will create cards for servicemen and women. Throughout the week, classrooms will compete in Rock-Paper-Scissors competitions.
Tuesday, January 30 - An open house will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students will create a hallway display on the theme of gratitude, faith, or thankfulness. Students will participate in buddy bingo, alternating with a class activity, and there will be a class party in the evening.
Wednesday, January 31 - Students will give cards to members of the military during morning prayer, and patriotic songs will be sung. Students will dress in red, white, and blue or other patriotic attire.
Thursday, February 1 - The school will hold an academic fair. Families are invited to come to see the different projects students have been working on.
Friday, February 2 - Students will work on a Noah's Ark STREAM (Science/technology/engineering/art/math) project. There will also be a Rock-Paper-Scissors championship competition. Middle schoolers will travel to St. Brigid School in Portland to take part in a luau dance party.
Saturday, February 3 - There will be a snowflake dance in the hall of Most Holy Trinity Church at 6 p.m.
St. John's Catholic School, Brunswick
Throughout the week, students will be collecting cereal for the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program and will hold cereal dominos at the end of the week. Students will also write thank you letters to parents and family members.
Monday, January 29 - Students will celebrate career day and dress for a future job they might want to hold
Tuesday, January 30 - Teachers and priests will compete again eighth graders in a trivia contest, and there will be a variety show at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, January 31 - Bishop Robert Deeley will visit the school and there will be a classroom buddy activity, such as reading, bingo or trivia.
Thursday, February 1 - The school will hold a winter carnival that will include a variety of activities including, knitting, nail painting, cooking, board games, a dance party, crafts, and more.
Friday, February 2 - Teachers will swap classrooms during the morning. There will a family lunch, and students and teachers will compete in a minute to win it competition in the afternoon.
St. Michael School, Augusta
Throughout the week, students will bring in toiletries and items such as toilet paper and diapers to donated to Bridging the Gap, a nonprofit in Augusta that benefits individuals and families experiencing economic hardship. IN addition, students will make artwork for veterans. And each day, there will be a good deed challenge.
Sunday, January 28 - Students are encouraged to attend the 9 a.m. Mass at St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Augusta.
Monday, January 29 - Students will participate in gym games and hula hoop competitions.
Tuesday, January 30 - Students will have spend time reading, and some grades will play Bingo.
Wednesday, January 31 - Middle school students will participate in a geography bee, while students in grades one and two go bowling. Preschoolers and kindergarten students will participate in a Teddy Bear Parade. And some grades will play Bingo.
Thursday, February 1 - Students will participate in Bible trivia. there will also be Disney trivia for younger grades, a puppet show for preschools and kindergarten children, and bowling for middle school students.
Friday, February 2 - Middle school students will take part in a Noah's Ark competition. Students will also participate in holiday trivia. There will also be gym games, bowling for some grades, and a student rally. In addition, preschoolers will make snowmen out of toilet paper.
St. Thomas School, Sanford
Throughout the week, the students will collect Pennies for Waypoint, which offers programs for adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
Monday, January 29 - Students will begin door decorating. In the afternoon. students with "Stop, drop, and read."
Tuesday, January 30 - Spark's Ark will give an animal presentation, and door decorating continues. In the afternoon, Grades 3-8 will build a Noah's Ark to see whose will float the longest. Pre-K through second graders will create animals.
Wednesday, January 31 - Morning Mass, followed by a "little things with great love" activity in honor of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the parish's patron. The students will create paper flowers for parishioners.
Thursday, February 1 - There will be a morning assembly followed by a pep rally. Students will sing their favorite hymns and create their own hymns. In the afternoon, students will put on a talent show for family members and school board members.
Friday, February 2 - Students will go bowling during the morning, paint a whole school mural, and watch movies and take part in board games in the afternoon. Fr. Bill Labbe will also visit to judge the door decorating that has been taking place throughout the week.
