Welcome to Catholic Academy of Waterbury!

We are a STREAM school, serving students in Pre-K3 through Eighth Grade.

Established in 2018 as a heritage school of both St. Mary and Blessed Sacrament, Catholic Academy of Waterbury has grown into a true family of students from many different towns and schools.  We work diligently to educate our students’ hearts and minds, rooted in Catholic tradition while embracing innovation through Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, the Arts, and Math. The engaging teaching and learning that takes place in our classrooms each day is a testament to the quality, Catholic education afforded to our students which poises them for success now and in the future.

 

Mission

Catholic Academy of Waterbury, through a collaborative STREAM program, nurtures an inclusive, diverse student body to maximize spiritual, academic, moral, and social development.  We promote mutual respect, self-discipline, self-motivation, and an awareness of global citizenship in an environment in which students encounter the love and truth of Jesus Christ.

History

Catholic Academy of Waterbury is one of the newest schools in the Archdiocese of Hartford and is rooted in the STREAM model, blending the quintessentially Catholic School that you know and love with Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, the Arts, and Math in all curricular areas, positioning each child to be successful members of our ever-changing global community.

Lovingly and carefully developed from the successful heritages and legacies of St. Mary School (1888-2018) and Blessed Sacrament School (1956-2018), Catholic Academy of Waterbury became a reality on July 1, 2018. On the grounds of Blessed Sacrament Parish, we utilize the former Blessed Sacrament School and Rectory for our educational programming. Rooted in tradition, we are committed to trailblazing best practices in education and igniting the faith of our children in an effort to provide our students with the best possible faith-based education.

To address a decline in the number of school-age children and be prudent with the facilities in the community, a team was commissioned to plan for the future of Catholic Schools in Waterbury.  From this important work came Catholic Academy of Waterbury. Prior to its opening, both St. Mary and Blessed Sacrament had been experiencing declines in enrollment in recent years.  That, with increasing financial responsibilities of aging buildings, necessitated the positive change that is Catholic Academy of Waterbury. We’re not aware of any other Catholic School in the area that has had a more successful transition such as this in so many ways. There were 284 possible students from St. Mary and Blessed Sacrament who could have become members of the newly established Catholic Academy for its inaugural year. That alone is an extraordinarily strong enrollment figure for any Catholic School. However, our STREAM model, inspiring mission, and thoughtful planning and marketing allowed us to open well above that number with 324 students, together under one roof.  This included two Pre-Kindergarten classrooms and two sections each of Grades 6-8.

Under the leadership of Mr. Jonathan DeRosa, former Principal of St. Mary School and then Catholic Academy, and Mrs. Michele Banach, former Co-Principal of Blessed Sacrament School and then Academic Dean, Catholic Academy of Waterbury began the 2018-2019 school year with such exceptionally strong enrollment in Pre-K3 through Grade 8, that two temporary modular classrooms were added in an effort to welcome everyone to our new STREAM academy.

As the year evolved, with the support of new interim leadership under the experience of Mrs. Valerie Mara, then Assistant Superintendent of Academics and current Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Hartford, as well as Very Rev. James M. Sullivan, Rector of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, their dedication allowed Catholic Academy to come into its own while keeping St. Mary and Blessed Sacrament alive in tradition.

Mrs. Christa Chodkowski, a 1997 graduate of St. Mary School and 2001 valedictorian of Sacred Heart High School, was appointed Principal of Catholic Academy of Waterbury, beginning with its second year.  She came to our school with a love of Catholic Schools, a legacy in the Waterbury community, and several years of experience as a Catholic School Teacher, Principal, and Archdiocesan Administrator. The 2019-2020 school year began with 269 students as enrollment started to level off as we began to graduate some of those larger middle school classes. As a result of a global pandemic, Catholic Academy of Waterbury immediately shifted to remote learning on March 16, 2020. Thanks to the dedicated professionals of our school, students had continuous instruction for the remainder of the school year, with teachers working tirelessly using learning platforms such as Google Classroom, Seesaw, and Zoom to engage in teaching and learning.  Staff made heroic efforts to ensure that students had the best possible education during unprecedented times. One example of note was the honoring of our Eighth Graders with a drive-by celebration and surprise outdoor graduation ceremony as well. At the conclusion of this school year, our dear Academic Dean, Mrs. Michele Banach, who has historic roots in Blessed Sacrament School, retired after many years of service to our school community.

While we pride ourselves on planning ahead for most everything, we never could have imagined what the 2020-2021 school year would bring. Catholic Academy reopened its doors with the option of in-person or remote instruction to allow families to make a decision that was best for their children.  The graduation of a very large eighth grade class and the pandemic resulted in a decrease in enrollment, particularly at the early childhood level. However, with such a strong base, our school opened with a solid 218 students and one of our last very large middle school classes. As one of the very few schools in the area to remain open full time for the vast majority of the school year, our students were not only engaged in the Catholic Education you know and love, they were lovingly cared for during a challenging time for the world.  We have emerged even stronger and more resilient than ever before.

As we emerged from the height of the pandemic during the 2021-2022 school year, we experienced unprecedented interest in our school. In 2021, we graduated a class of almost 50 eighth graders and planned for enrollment to level off. However, with so many families interested in a faith-based education, solid social-emotional learning, as well as a return to normalcy, Catholic Academy found itself in a unique position in terms of enrollment.  We had 20 more students interested in Kindergarten than seats available. As such, a second Kindergarten classroom was opened to accommodate the desire of families to have a Catholic Education for their children. 2021 also saw the beginning of our Inclusive Incredibles initiative which features stories and experiences that support the growth of our beautifully diverse community and the return of children’s theater with a production of Willy Wonka Kids!

As the fifth year of Waterbury’s STREAM Academy began, the community looked toward 2022-2023 with joyful hope. At this time, enrollment had increased to over 200 students, continued to experience increased interest in our school with over 180 applications for new students received and about a 5% increase in enrollment!  We celebrated alumni and friends of our heritage school at our first annual awards dinner with about 500 guests!  Inaugural recipients include those who have made a positive impact on the St. Mary, Blessed Sacrament, and/or Catholic Academy community.  We recognized: Msgr. John J. Bevins, Margaret Josephs, Mallory Madden Lessard, Janet Flaherty, Christa Szantyr Chodkowski, Dawn Maiorano, and the Stanley Stasaitis family!  While still a new school, Catholic Academy has historic roots and provides a quality, Catholic education for our students. This annual tradition is embarking on its third year as the new 2024-2025 dinner is underway. 

We welcomed the leadership of our new Assistant Principal, Mrs. Mary Jane Brigantic, in 2023-2024. Mrs. Brigantic was a well-respected Catholic Academy teacher and supports Mrs. Chodkowski in the efficient operation of our school in pursuit of high quality teaching and learning. This year also saw stellar Knights Athletics with both the boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams winning the Greater Hartford Parochial League championship!

Catholic Academy of Waterbury is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and is positioned for success now and in the future thanks to the dedication of our community. May God bless you all!

Catholic Academy enrolls students from the greater waterbury community and beyond!

Our school family consists of students who live in:

Bristol, Naugatuck, Middlebury, New Britain, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott, and more!