Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

BRIDGEPORT—Foundations in Education Inc is pleased to announce more than $133,000 in grants awarded to educators in Diocese of Bridgeport Catholic schools for 23 projects, with award amounts ranging from $500 to $15,000. In its eighth year, this competitive grant program was the first of its kind in the Diocese of Bridgeport to offer innovation and leadership grants to teachers and administrators.

The awards reception, hosted by Foundations in Education (FIE), was held at Sacred Heart University’s Discovery Science Center and Planetarium on Thursday, January 30.

“These awards represent the very best of what we can offer our students and schools,” shared FIE Board Chairman Joe Purcell, addressing the Catholic school educators receiving 2025 grants in innovation and leadership. “Most importantly, your creativity, passion and dedication to our students embody what an outstanding Catholic education truly looks like.”

The grant program promotes excellence in Catholic education by supporting teachers’ creative projects, innovation and professional development. Grants funded through this program are designed to support transformative initiatives that benefit multiple grade levels and have a lasting impact on student learning.

This year, St. Joseph High School received four grant awards. President David Klein shared, “Foundations in Education is a valued partner and steadfast supporter of St. Joseph High School and our fellow Diocese of Bridgeport Schools. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the foundation for their continued generosity and commitment to the innovative educational opportunities we provide at St. Joe’s.”

Educators submitted grant proposals between September 15 and November 8, 2024. A grants committee of the Board carefully reviewed, evaluated and ranked each proposal. They then submitted recommendations to the Foundations’ Board of Trustees for approval. The committee, led by Henry Rondon, includes Dr. Julia McNamara, Sister Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, George Coleman, Fraser Randolph, Paula Summa, FIE Executive Director Holly Doherty-Lemoine, and ex-officio members Superintendent of Schools Stacie Stueber and Director of Personalized Learning Sarah Beck.

The Innovation and Leadership Grants initiative was the vision of Bishop Frank J. Caggiano who believes supporting educators’ creative ideas will promote innovation within all diocesan schools.

At the awards ceremony in Bridgeport, grant recipients had the opportunity to share their creative visions with Foundations’ Board of Trustees, Grant Committee members and donors who gathered for the event.

Milestone C, a Connecticut-based education company dedicated to shaping future STEM leaders, sponsored the event.

Two former awardees showcased exhibits of their 2024-2025 grant projects currently being implemented. Bill Thomas from Greenwich Catholic School presented his Lego Spike grant, while George Marrash from St. Joseph High School in Trumbull displayed his grant, Transforming Science Education to Meet the Needs of the 21st Century.

Thomas shared, “The LEGO Spike grant has had a profound impact on my third grade classroom! Students collaborate and use their critical thinking skills to create exciting LEGO designs with their peers. It has become an exciting project in our classroom that students look forward to every Wednesday!”

Marrash commented, “Thanks to this grant, my physics students’ thinking has shifted remarkably. Instead of focusing solely on how the equipment works or how the components fit together, they are now engaging in the deeper concepts and theories behind the technology. The grant has not only enhanced their technical skills but also inspired a more thoughtful, analytical approach to learning.”

Thanks to the generosity of donors, Foundations in Education continues its ongoing commitment to strengthening and transforming Catholic education.

“Generous and forward-thinking donors to Foundations in Education make this program possible,” Doherty-Lemoine. “We are grateful to all who value innovation and leadership in the classroom. Thanks to their philanthropic interest, we are able to help strengthen and transform Catholic education through these grants.”

Foundations in Education is an independent non-profit initiative created to assist the Diocese of Bridgeport’s ongoing mission to support Catholic education in Fairfield County by providing tuition assistance to families in need, supporting innovation in academic programs, and fostering opportunities for the professional development of school leaders. To learn more, visit www.foundationsineducation.org.

2025-2026 Innovation & Leadership Grants

• All Saints Catholic School, Norwalk: Faith in Focus: Immersive Biblical Journeys for Young Hearts and Minds by Laura Wrinn—$10,000
• All Saints Catholic School, Norwalk: Innovative Computer Technology Hands-On Learning Program Using Osmoplay by Sujavadee Tongparn—$2,198
• Assumption Catholic School, Fairfield: Hands-on Science: Creating a 21st Century Upper Elementary Science Program by Lauren Korres—$5,000
• Assumption Catholic School, Fairfield: Multicultural Music and Movement by Pauline Rayer—$1,318
• Cardinal Kung Academy, Stamford: From Pawn to Queen, Promoting Chess Excellence by Kyle MacDonald—$2,922
• Cardinal Kung Academy, Stamford: From the Page to the Lab, ‘Handling’ the 21st Century by Jeffrey Padilla—$7,500
• Catholic Academy of Bridgeport – St. Ann Academy: Dream Big! Library Makerspace by Shannon Maloney—$9,767
• Catholic Academy of Bridgeport – St. Ann Academy: Hands-On Science Lab by Talya Natlo—$10,000
• Greenwich Catholic School: Singing Is Believing by Angela Bou Kheir, Mark Radzin and Rebecca Steck—$7,500
• Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, Shelton: S.T.R.E.A.M. Professional Development by Darlene Gonzalez-Morris—$7,800
• Immaculate High School, Danbury: Building the Basics: Student-Created Computers from Scratch by Anthony Dausilio—$5,278
• Immaculate High School, Danbury: CNA Laboratory Medical Mannequin by Marie Hatcher, RN—$4,151
• Immaculate High School, Danbury: Stitching Knowledge, One Thread at a Time! by Celeste Andrei and Stephanie Rugg—$1,134
• Kolbe Cathedral Prep, Bridgeport: The Writer’s Lab by Eddie Louise Clark—$5,100
• Office of the Superintendent: Catholic Accompaniment Training by Patrice Kopas—$15,000
• St. Catherine Academy, Fairfield: Ready, Set, READ! by Lisa Lanni—$9,468
• St. Joseph High School, Trumbull: Artificial Intelligence Program by David Lasecki—$9,450
• St. Joseph High School, Trumbull: Engaging Visual Learning Through Lightboard Technology by Brian Gavin—$3,000
• St. Joseph High School, Trumbull: Innovative Physics Learning: Bridging Theory and Practice Through Advanced Technology by Johanna Retalis—$8,400
• St. Joseph High School, Trumbull: SJ World Language Podcast by Jackie Carvalho-Sullivan—$3,102
• St. Mary School, Bethel: Light Up Our Pre-K Classroom! by Toni Fiorillo—$3,000
• St. Rose of Lima School, Newtown: Financial Literacy, Skills for a Successful Future by Tanya Cicarelli—$2,000
• St. Rose of Lima School, Newtown: STEM Bins by Annmarie Winington—$500

ARLINGTON, VA—Most Reverend Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., Archbishop of Atlanta and Chair of the Board of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has appointed Steven Cheeseman, Ed.D. as the next President/CEO of NCEA, effective August 1, 2024.

Dr. Cheeseman replaces Mr. Lincoln Snyder who resigned from his position earlier this week in order to pursue other educational opportunities.

Click here to read a statement from Bishop Caggiano on Dr. Steven Cheeseman’s appointment to the National Catholic Education Association

Cheeseman has served as the Superintendent of Schools in the Diocese of Bridgeport, CT since 2016 and in the past year has also served as the Interim Executive Director of the Seton Collaborative in the same diocese. Prior to his tenure in Connecticut, Dr. Cheeseman was Associate Superintendent of Schools in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, NY and a teacher/administrator at both the elementary and secondary levels. He has also been an Adjunct Professor at St. Joseph College in Patchogue, NY and from 2009 to the present has been an Adjunct Professor at Fordham University Graduate School of Education. Early in his career he was involved in various capacities in parish Faith Formation and Youth Ministry.

Known widely as a faith-filled, passionate, innovative and entrepreneurial leader, Dr. Cheeseman has accomplished a great deal in his current diocesan role and is well-positioned to lead NCEA into the future with a clear vision that is mission-driven. As a strong communicator, strategic planner and collaborative colleague, he will assist NCEA staff in their roles in service to the Catholic school community in the United States.

Some of the hallmarks of his superintendency include: developing and implementing Transforming the Paradigm, a multi-million dollar donor funded initiative that focuses on personalized learning for students, as well as, differentiated professional development for teachers and administrators; leading the transition of a diocesan elementary school into a classical Catholic academy and supporting other school models within the diocese; mentoring boards as they transitioned their governance models; creating The Seton Collaborative: An Operational Support Network for schools; and creating, implementing and securing donor funding for the Aquinas Institute for Teacher Formation to assist Catholics who seek to be teachers with obtaining appropriate degrees and credentials.

Holding NY State Certification as a School District Administrator and a teacher, Dr. Cheeseman earned a BA, MA, and Professional Diploma prior to earning a Doctorate in Education Leadership & Technology in 2004 from Dowling College in Oakdale, NY.

Dr. Cheeseman has received numerous educational awards and recently received the Benemerenti Medal which is a Pontifical Honor. He and his wife, Danielle, have three adult children.

In service of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, NCEA strengthens Catholic school communities by convening all stakeholders and providing professional development, data, public policy and resources to support faith and intellectual formation.

STAMFORD– Two students from Cardinal Kung Academy in Stamford will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point this fall after completing a rigorous application process.

Future officers Thomas V.I. Grimm, 18, of Ridgefield, Conn., and Kathleen Liberatore, 17, of Tuckahoe, N.Y., are members of a Cardinal Kung graduating class of just 23 students. They join roughly 1,300 cadets in the incoming West Point class of 2028. They will report to R-Day (Reception Day) on July 1.

Grimm received his nomination from Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal while Liberatore received hers from New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman.

Grimm has had his sights set on West Point since he joined the Civil Air Patrol wing in Danbury, Conn., at 13. At the start of high school, he printed out the required “Steps for Admission into West Point” and taped it to his closet door. His parents saw military potential in Thomas from an even earlier age.

“Thomas was a determined fisherman at 5 and a pious and often officious altar boy at 7,” said his dad, Leon P. Grimm. “At 10, Thomas started making breakfast and school lunch for not only himself but for his 5 siblings as well.”

At around the same age, young Thomas told his mother, Nancy, that he had “decided to say yes and be obedient to any authority without hesitation or considering the inconvenience.”

HEADED FOR WEST POINT—Cardinal Kung Academy graduates Future officers Kathleen Liberatore, 17, of Tuckahoe, N.Y., and Thomas V.I. Grimm, 18, of Ridgefield, Conn., meet with Fr. Matthew Pawlikowski, chaplain of West Point.

The Liberatores have been attending West Point football games for years.

“When you step onto campus, you can sense the bigger meaning of the institution,” said Kathleen’s mother, Colleen. “It calls you to put the interests of others ahead of your own, and that’s Katie’s nature.”

Kathleen’s interest in West Point was solidified after attending the Summer Leadership Experience in 2023.

“It provided me a glimpse into the cadet lifestyle,” Kathleen said. “I discovered my love for the powerful combination of academics, physical exercise, and military training. I relished military days out in the field, calling cadences, playing intramurals, sharing family-style meals, and even waking early to be ‘on the wall’!”

The Liberatores credit Kathleen’s stellar academic and athletic record to her “classical Catholic education” as well as “avoiding all video games, social media, iPads, and iPhones until she received her driver’s license.” Colleen and her husband Angelo believe this upbringing created discipline but also made “books and athletics Katie’s natural outlet during her formative years.”

A small group of parents—including Nancy and Leon Grimm—founded Cardinal Kung Academy in 2018 with the full support of Bishop Frank Caggiano of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport. Approximately 120 students are matriculated full time in 2024. The school follows a rigorous classical curriculum; the students read original texts and participate in seminar-style discussions. Latin is required for at least three years.

Cardinal Kung Academy is a college-preparatory junior and senior high school, offering a liberal-arts style program in the classical tradition with a rigorous, integrated curriculum. Through a community of exceptional faculty, committed administration, supportive families, and generous benefactors, the school forms students to be lifelong learners who thrive in college and adulthood. Students are committed to intellectual excellence, moral integrity, and service to others. Founded in 2018, it is accredited through the New England Association of Schools & Colleges

Cardinal Kung Academy, which prohibits students from using phones on campus, graduated its first class in 2021. It is located at 948 Newfield Ave. Stamford, CT 06905, (203) 329-8296 For further information visit: https://cardinalkungacademy.org

Danbury, CT – Immaculate High School named Erin Calamari of New Fairfield its new Director of Advancement effective July 1. Calamari brings 13 years of extensive experience to the school in fundraising, capital campaign management and communications while working for various colleges and private sector organizations.

Before joining Immaculate as the Assistant Director of Advancement, her previous positions include Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations at St. John’s University, Associate Director of Annual Fund Programs at Columbia University and Director of Development, Annual Programs and Alumni Relations at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

She joins Immaculate during an exciting time, as it’s celebrating the school’s 60th anniversary and its “Empowering our Legacy Beyond Today” capital campaign.

“I was immediately attracted to the spirit and close knit community at Immaculate,” Calamari said. “I look forward to continuing to build on the school’s incredible legacy so we can position it to excel into the future as well.”

Calamari replaces Debbie Basile of Bethel, who has worked at Immaculate for 11 years, most recently as the Director of Advancement. Basile’s children graduated from Immaculate and she has played an integral role in getting the school to where it is today. She will be spending her retirement with family and traveling.

“I will miss all my incredible colleagues at Immaculate, the alumni, parents and students that have helped support our community and fundraising efforts over the years,” Basile said. “I know that our mission to secure Immaculate’s future is in good hands and I will definitely be back to visit!”

Immaculate’s $4 million capital campaign improvements include replacing the aging turf and track complex for student-athletes, where ground was broken June 6. It also includes other campus improvements and the establishment of a Robert E. Gerwien Sr. Scholarship Endowment Fund. Gerwien was a long time principal at Immaculate.

About Immaculate High School

Immaculate High School is a private, non-profit Catholic college-preparatory institution serving students from 28 communities in Connecticut and New York. A continued commitment to our 60-year tradition of being a value-based, student-centric, outcomes focused Catholic high school, has driven our rising trajectory as evidenced by our exemplary Niche ratings.

The following is a letter written by Dr. Steven F. Cheeseman, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Bridgeport:

Editor’s note: This essay won third prize in the annual Fairfield University Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest open to Bridgeport middle-school students.

Social justice. Social justice can mean lots of things to many people. It could mean a law or policy being changed and reworded, an apology, or someone finally owning, correcting or facing consequences for their actions. So what is social justice? The concept of social justice is when each person can exercise their rights within a society. What happens when that right is violated? Injustice, homophobia, racism, sexual harassment, and many other problems fall under social injustice. Vanessa Guillen is just one of many examples that if these problems are left untreated will hurt people.

Pictured: Student Winners of the 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest, left to right: Olivia Hewitt, second prize, St. Augustine Academy; Jaiden Cook, first prize, St. Ann Academy; Isobel Joergensen, honorable mention, St. Ann Academy; and Nayeli Blandon, third prize, Interdistrict Discovery Magnet School.
Contributed photo / Owen Bonaventura, Fairfield University., Photographer / Owen Bonaventura

A great issue in our society is sexual violence. Sexual violence can affect people of different ages, sexes and races. More than half of women and almost one in three men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes. Experts know the number is underestimated in this issue because numerous cases go unreported because survivors might feel ashamed or frightened to talk about what happened to them. When people experience this issue, with or without the right support, they can leave people with a lifetime of trauma that could take years of self-work to overcome, and without justice even more. Leaving this issue alone isn’t fair or reasonable. People need to show awareness and bring more attention to this issue.

More people need to teach their kids that this is never OK to do this to a person or to stay quiet if they know someone who has done it. The “Me Too” movement, made to show awareness, as well as the “I am Vanessa Guillen” movement, which was created after the disappearance and murder of Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood after she reported sexual harassment against her commanding officers, show exactly why this a much bigger issue than some people make them out to be and how we as the people can combine our powers and make a change. In fact, the family of Vanessa Guillen have arranged protests, made speeches, met President Trump, and has gone as far to make an act under her name to change the way sexual harassment is dealt with in the military, allowing it to be reported outside of the chain of command. On Dec. 15, 2021, the “I am Vanessa Guillen Act of 2021” passed on its second try and the family plans to go back to the originally worded act to see if they can get more leverage for the survivors of sexual violence in the military. This alone is referred to as “making history.” Imagine what the people could do if more people participated in protesting, teaching and learning about this topic; how much change would there be?

To conclude, activism and change is no easy task, however, if there was a chance that we could make a better place for the kids, the little people of the future. If there was a chance, we could make safer places for them to grow and learn; would it be a hard choice? Everyone needs help, change can be a one man job, but it would be easier as a team. No one is alone.

Nayeli Blandon is an eighth-grader at Interdistrict Discovery Magnet School.

Credit: Nayeli Blandon @ ctpost.com

DANBURY, CT – Immaculate High School is proud to announce that two students achieved perfect scores on the math portion of the SAT exam in December. Both Jie Du ‘23 of Danbury and Yipeng “Simon” Zhao ‘24 of Sandy Hook scored an 800 on the math section. SAT scores are used to determine college admissions and merit-based scholarships.

Principal Wendy Neil praised faculty and staff for their dedication to supporting students. “We have an amazing faculty, counseling team and support staff who all play a role in our students’ success,” said Neil. “Congratulations to Jie and Yipeng for working hard to achieve this tremendous honor.”

About Immaculate

As a college preparatory high school, Immaculate’s college readiness program enables all students to create a successful, personalized academic profile. With an 11 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio, students receive individual academic support. Each counselor is assigned 125 students compared to the reported American School Counselor Association’s 2020-21 national average report of 415 students per counselor. This means Immaculate has three times the number of counselors per student than the United States average.

Immaculate High School is a private, non-profit Catholic college-preparatory institution serving students from 28 communities in Connecticut and New York. A continued commitment to our 60-year tradition of being a value-based, student-centric, outcomes focused Catholic high school, has driven our rising trajectory as evidenced by the 2022 Niche A+, Best Schools ranking.

Immaculate High School is proud to celebrate its Boys Cross Country Team for winning the Class S State Championship this weekend. The team competed in the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) at Wickham Park in Manchester, Connecticut on Saturday, October 29.

Congratulations to the team and to the medal winners who earned All-State honors: Seamus Reidy ‘23 who placed second, Lorenzo Lopes ‘26 who placed seventh, Ben Gasparrini ‘23 who placed eighth and Trevor Fuller ‘25 who placed eleventh. On the Immaculate Girls Cross Country Team, Keelin Bremner ‘23 placed fifth to earn All-State.

Immaculate High School is a private, non-profit Catholic college-preparatory institution serving students from 28 communities in Connecticut and New York. A continued commitment to our 60-year tradition of being a value-based, student-centric, outcomes focused Catholic high school, has driven our rising trajectory as evidenced by the 2022 Niche A+, Best Schools ranking.

FAIRFIELD– Notre Dame girls soccer coach Wayne Mones has reached a milestone in his decades-long career. With Tuesday night’s 4-0 victory against Immaculate, Mones earned his 200th win coaching soccer at the high school level.

Athletic Director John Johnson commented, “The Notre Dame athletic community congratulates Coach Mones on his landmark victory. His win total is a testament to his long-term devotion to his players and the game of soccer. More impressive even is the high character student-athletes produced in his program.”

Mones’s coaching resume includes 86 wins with the Central Catholic boys, 114 wins with the Notre Dame girls, and an additional 212 wins with the Western CT State University men. With a record of 200-86-37 at the high school level and 212-89-34 as a college coach, Wayne Mones has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence on the pitch.

“Players make the coach look good”, Mones said. “I’ve been lucky enough to have had many great players over the years.”

For more information, please contact John Johnson at jjohnson@notredame.org.

TRUMBULL—St. Joseph High School recently hosted a service day for their students on July 14, 2022. During the event, 30 SJ students packed nearly 100 backpacks for the children at the Sterling House and Mercy Learning Center.

“There is nothing like a brand new backpack and school supplies to start the school year,” remarked Jessica Costa, director of marketing & enrollment management at St. Joseph High School. “Community service is an integral part of the curriculum at St. Joe’s and during this Back 2 School Supply Pack, students worked diligently alongside their peers to carefully prepare backpacks for children ages 5-14”. Participants also donated items to contribute to each backpack. Each student also included a handwritten note for the backpack’s recipient with well wishes for a great new school year.

The Mercy Learning Center, located in Bridgeport, provides basic literacy and life skills training to women with low income using a holistic approach within a compassionate, supportive environment. All women are welcome without regard for race, religion, color, creed, sexual orientation or national origin. The Sterling House is an organization that is ever-responsive to the needs of the Stratford community—when they see a need, they fill it. St. Joseph High School is proud to serve as a partner with both The Sterling House and Mercy Learning Center and to support their missions as they prepare to support clients for a successful school year ahead.

In addition, prior to the start of the backpack drive, students heard from Michael Rosati, director of youth development at Sterling House, and alumni of St. Joseph High School on the importance of community need awareness and servic­­­­­e.

The school hopes to make this an annual event each summer.

There are plenty of issues occupying our hearts and minds these days. A school choice movement in Connecticut – providing parents in underperforming public school systems with vouchers and education savings accounts for better educational choices – should be among them, which could significantly impact the education of future generations.

The recent Supreme Court decision in Carson v. Makin supports the school choice movement by removing an obstacle to public funding that makes access to parochial schools a choice for more families in more states.

The issue in a nutshell

Many public school systems often in inner cities, are underperforming, if not failing. Parents of children in these schools have few other public options. Yes, there are magnet and charter schools that are public, receive state funds and charge no tuition, but admission is determined by lottery, the luck of the draw. This can and should change, as is happening on the topic of school choice in other states.

There is a better way

School choice brings accountability to all parties involved, saves taxpayer dol1ars and affords parents critical educational choices for their children. In Bridgeport, for example, it costs almost $17,000 to educate each student. At parochial schools, the cost to educate students is significantly less and the outcomes achieved are far superior. At the Catholic Academy of Bridgeport, which educates approximately 900 pre-K through grade 8 students on four campuses, the cost of a child’s education is only about $7,000. More than 85 percent of Catholic Academy students cannot afford the annual tuition of $5,150 and thus qualify for need-based financial assistance. Many families attend for as little as $100 a month.

The Catholic Academy of Bridgeport raises over $2.2 million each year, provided by generous private donors and foundations to cover scholarship funding for those families in need. The academy welcomes students of all faiths; 40 percent of an students are non-Catholic. Importantly, teachers’ pay is based on a merit system, where one of the factors in a teacher’s compensation is the outcomes or success that their work brings to students.

Connecticut does not provide school choice programs like vouchers and education savings accounts to help parents with educational options and the funding to select a better alternative for their child, like Catholic Academy of Bridgeport.

School choice momentum in other states

Other states are catching on, particularly post-COVID. According to the Wall Street Journal, more than 30 states have introduced bills to establish or expand educational choice programs, including strongholds like Virginia and New Jersey that have traditionally opposed school choice. Providing parents a choice and helping to save taxpayer dollars have helped to remove other longstanding policy barriers.

One of these barriers is teachers unions, who naturally oppose school choice programs, claiming that funds to expand choice are taken from public schools. Yet this claim is not valid. In Indiana, legislators have funded voucher programs, yet 93 percent of all education funding still goes to public schools – not a drain at all. State legislators are stepping up to reject the idea that teachers unions should have a monopoly over how K-12 education dollars are spent. These states are leading the way in establishing education systems that give parents more choice, with better outcomes for their children and more productive use of city and state education dollars.

So why not in Connecticut?

Like many policy issues, change comes from building a coalition of support and leadership on topics that taxpayers care about. According to the Friedman Foundation for Education Choice, as of May 2016, Connecticut provides no financial assistance (either in the form of vouchers or tax credits) to parents wishing to send their children to private schools in place of public schools. This must change.

Parochial schools, like the Catholic Academy of Bridgeport, provide better outcomes for students with fewer dollars than their public school counterparts, while saving taxpayer dollars. In Bridgeport alone, where the education budget is funded mostly at the state government level, choice programs would save all state taxpayers significantly. Most importantly, as parents are able to choose the educational model that best fits their children, student success would improve across the board. Thus, the prospects for Bridgeport as a whole improves, bringing further cost savings to Connecticut.

Vouchers should be adopted in Connecticut to give all parents, especially those in inner cities like Bridgeport, equal opportunities to educate their children at the best school of their choice while saving taxpayer dollars. We must demand this of our state legislators. The future of our children trapped in the state’s underperforming public schools depends on it.

John J. Kennedy is on the board of Catholic Academy of Bridgeport

FAIRFIELD — If you are tuning into ESPN programming for the NFL, chances are you will see Dan Orlovsky among those analysts debating anything about the sport.

With training camps opening soon, news is ramping up in the NFL. So Orlovsky, the Shelton native and former UConn and NFL quarterback, will be on air to speak plenty about the upcoming season.

On Thursday morning, Orlovsky discussed his ESPN role — among other things — as the guest speaker at The Patterson Club for “Kolbe Conversations Edition No. 3: Let’s Talk Football.” It was a fundraiser for Kolbe Cathedral High School, a private school in Bridgeport.

“I don’t want to ever get into the media world of being somebody who thinks they can say anything that they want since they are on television,” Orlovsky said. “You’ve got to say what you’re convicted about. Saying something gets you into trouble. … I think a lot of people get into this industry and they are scared to be wrong, especially in the social media world because when you are wrong in the social media world, it spreads quickly. I think if you are scared to be wrong, you’ll never be convicted to be right. I want to be one of those people that (people say about), ‘That dude wasn’t scared to be wrong.’”

The trip to Patterson is a short one for Orlovsky from his home in Westport, where he is husband to Tiffany and father to four, including triplets. That and a full schedule at ESPN keeps him busy.

He had to get home right away on Thursday to expand more about quarterback Baker Mayfield being traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Carolina Panthers. He has a setup in his office to do remote TV work.

Orlovsky, 38, also does color for a college football game each Saturday. And soon, the network will officially announce what has been reported for months: Orlovsky will be a part of a backup Monday Night Football team broadcasting a handful of games this fall, then five per season beginning in 2023.

“This is the greatest accomplishment in this part of my career,” Orlovsky said. He said it will be No. 3 overall, behind being drafted in the fifth round by the Detroit Lions in 2005 and leading UConn to its first Division I bowl victory at the 2004 Motor City Bowl.

Orlovsky said he looked at other broadcasting options this past spring, speaking with FOX, CBS, Amazon and “a bunch of the big gambling entities” before deciding to stay with Bristol-based ESPN.

“I had conversations with everybody. I was sitting there going, ‘OK, we are going to tap into everybody and see what grabs my attention the most and what really do I want to do the next couple years and the next step, 10 years from now?’” Orlovsky said.

Orlovsky spent his first four NFL seasons and last two with the Lions. His career-high starts was seven in 2008. In between, he played for Houston, Indianapolis and Tampa Bay. Orlovsky retired following the 2016 season.

Those days in film study for the opposition have served Orlovsky well in his current occupation. During the season, he is picked up for a drive to ESPN’s New York City studio for “Get Up” appearances or to Bristol for other shows. On those rides, and in his spare time, he is constantly reviewing NFL game films from the last weekend.

As he noted on Thursday, that all started watching film as Shelton High’s starting quarterback. He led the Gaels to the 2000 Class LL state championship his senior season, defeating Greenwich 22-8 at West Haven High.

He can still recall the weather on that championship Saturday almost 22 years ago (“it was 2 degrees”) and he remembers who he threw touchdown passes to. And of course, there’s the satisfaction following the hurt from finishing 9-1 as a junior and not making the postseason.

FAIRFIELD– Notre Dame High School has announced a leadership change in its athletics department.

John Johnson has been appointed as athletic director for Notre Dame in Fairfield, Conn. Prior to this role, Johnson spent the past twenty-two years teaching in Trumbull and will be starting his fifth season as Notre Dame’s head football coach this fall.

“I am extremely honored to be named the next athletic director at Notre Dame. The school has a strong reputation of both academic and athletic excellence, and I look forward to building on that solid foundation as we continue to grow and innovate our programs,” Johnson said.

Last season, Johnson led the Notre Dame football team to the state quarterfinals with a record of 8-2. He was also recognized as the 2022 National Football Foundation SWC Coach of the Year.

In a statement about the new hire, Principal Chris Cipriano commented, “It is with pleasure that I welcome John to the staff at Notre Dame. As we’ve seen during his tenure as football coach, his commitment to success and to support each student-athlete is extremely strong. I look forward to his work with all of our athletic programs and all of our athletes. There is no doubt that he will help to continue to advance the mission of our school and our athletic program.”

Notre Dame Catholic High School is a coeducational diocesan Catholic high school located in Fairfield that provides a college preparatory education to approximately 500 students coming from 35 different cities and towns.

TRUMBULL—St. Joseph High School, striving to be southern Connecticut’s premier college preparatory school, was proud to host a service day for its students on Monday, July 11, 2022. During the event, SJ students packed 177 snack bags for the clients at The Thomas Merton Center (Bridgeport) as well as 62 Food4Kids Weekend bags for children at The Sterling House Community Center (Stratford).

“These are two incredibly important organizations within the community,” remarked Jessica Costa, director of marketing & enrollment management at St. Joseph High School. “Sterling House provides multiple opportunities and events to feed those in need throughout the year, and the Merton Center serves an average of 400 meals per day. At St. Joseph High School, we believe that community service and a life in service to others is a core part of our educational foundation. We are so proud of the students who will be generously volunteering their time to give back to those in need.”

35 SJ students (from grades 9-12) participated in the Meal Pack Service Day. The school hopes to make this an annual event each summer in addition to the athletic camps and academic programs offered.

What an awesome first year in the CAS Grows Garden! Check out our recap of all the fun our classes had this Spring!🌱

Special thanks to our “Garden Lady” Danielle Jahn for all of her hard work and dedication throughout the year!