Superintendent’s Catholic Schools Week Message ‘Great Things’ are truly happening in the Diocese of Greensburg

The theme “Great Things Happening” perfectly captures the spirit of Catholic Schools Week 2025, Jan. 26-Feb. 1, in the Diocese of Greensburg, reflecting our commitment to excellence. As Superintendent, I witness firsthand how this promise manifests across our schools through three essential pillars: student safety, academic and extracurricular excellence, and Catholic faith formation. This commitment to excellence defines our educational mission to meet the challenges of modern education while preserving our Catholic values.

This edition of The Catholic Accent will introduce readers to the numerous advances made across our 12 Catholic schools. As our principals, teachers and staff share their inspiring stories within these pages, I want to spotlight several key achievements from the past year that showcase our commitment to delivering an education that equips students for academic success and life.

Student safety remains foundational to our mission. Under the leadership of Chief Ryan Maher, the Diocesan Police Department has achieved comprehensive coverage across all our schools. Our expanded team of 23 officers ensures each school maintains a dedicated security presence during school hours, extending coverage to athletic competitions and field trips. The department has also acquired several police vehicles to support this vital mission.

Our schools continue to distinguish themselves academically, with three elementary institutions earning top private school recognition. In a post-pandemic initiative, Geibel Catholic Junior-Senior High School has broadened its global perspective by piloting a partnership to welcome international students. Looking ahead, Greensburg Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School has forged an innovative partnership with Central Westmoreland Career & Technology Center to introduce vocational and technical education programs, expanding opportunities for our students.

Professional development remains central to our mission. This fall, we hosted an inspiring diocesan-wide workshop for school administrators and faculty at the Fred Rogers Institute at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, featuring nationally renowned educator Dr. Christine Bonfiglio from the University of Notre Dame. Her presentation on innovative student engagement strategies energized our educators and reinforced our key priorities for Catholic education in our Diocese.

Our schools cultivate well-rounded students through a rich array of activities. From traditional performing arts and sports to innovative offerings like our esports program, which seamlessly blends STEM education with competitive gaming, we provide diverse growth opportunities. Our students engage in meaningful activities ranging from musical productions, community service programs, creative pursuits, academic competitions and robotics, to name a few. These activities not only enrich our students’ educational experience but also teach valuable life skills such as teamwork, leadership, problem-solving and time management.

The CYO flag football program has seen growing enthusiasm in its second year. We are pleased to welcome Aaron Detwiler as our new CYO Athletic Director. His extensive youth athletics experience will prove invaluable as he works alongside Michael Collett, who is preparing for retirement, and Amanda Iwinski, our CYO liaison to the Office of Catholic Schools. Under this new leadership, our athletic programs continue to emphasize competitive excellence, character development, sportsmanship and the integration of Catholic values into athletic competition.

Faith formation remains the cornerstone of our mission. Students actively participate in Mass and receive comprehensive religious education. Through collaboration with the Office of Faith, Family and Discipleship, we provide enriching spiritual growth opportunities, including KNOW HIM events that have touched hundreds of students. This spring, we are excited to offer special National Evangelization Teams retreats to further enhance our students’ spiritual journey.

While student safety, academic and extracurricular excellence, and Catholic faith formation remain our primary mission, we also strive to make Catholic education financially accessible to all families in our community. The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program continues to exemplify our community’s extraordinary commitment to Catholic education, marking its third consecutive year of growth. Pennsylvania offers qualified participants a substantial 90% state tax credit on their contributions through this innovative program, with the remaining 10% potentially qualifying as a charitable tax deduction on federal returns (contributors should consult their tax advisors for personalized guidance). This year, the generosity of over 200 dedicated donors has enabled us to provide vital tuition assistance to more than 1,200 students, making Catholic education accessible to families across our community, and demonstrating our community’s profound belief in the transformative power of Catholic education.

None of these achievements would be possible without our dedicated administrators, faculty and staff, whose commitment to excellence shapes tomorrow’s leaders. To the families who choose Catholic education: your trust inspires our continued dedication to providing an exceptional educational experience. Your partnership in this educational journey strengthens our community and enables us to maintain the highest academic excellence and faith formation standards.

As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, these accomplishments reflect our ongoing commitment to excellence in education, faith formation and student development. Great things are indeed happening in our schools, and we are proud to share this journey with our community. Together, we look forward to building upon these successes and creating even more opportunities for our students to grow in knowledge, faith and character.

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