Advancing the Mission

Dear Friends,

The dramatic transition to springtime is seen on campus with the greening grass, budding trees, and student-athletes abound, competing in lacrosse, softball, tennis, track and field, and baseball. At the same time, our senior Class of 2023 is wrapping up their time with us and preparing for their transition to college. As soon-to-be graduates of Pope Francis Preparatory School, we celebrate their final weeks by reflecting on how far they have come and by looking forward to all they will achieve in the years to come.

As a private, Catholic school, we have so much to be proud of and so much to be grateful for. The work to advance our mission involves all departments and constituents of the school and our successes are evidenced in many ways. In this school year alone, we have so much to celebrate. Champions were crowned in girls soccer as Western Mass champs, boys basketball as Western Mass champs, boys hockey as Division 1 State champs, and new school records were set for individual athletes in soccer, basketball and track. Girls volleyball was added as a fall sport. The Cardinal Coders robotics team competed and placed very well in their inaugural year against high schools throughout the state.

Our mission advances by investing in our facility, technology, and faculty. With a full incoming freshmen class, our consistent enrollment growth will be supported in the fall by the addition of four new classrooms. These rooms are presently being equipped with the most current teaching technology available.

Strategic efforts have been in place to increase teacher salaries and enhance retirement benefits. As a result, our students are blessed by the consistency and retention of our talented and inspiring faculty and staff members. A team from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges visited in the fall and validated the hard work and dedication of the Pope community by granting full accreditation for a multiyear term.

With our faith at the center of all that we do at Pope Francis Prep, our mission is advanced and enhanced through opportunities like morning Mass twice a week, confession weekly, adoration often, in-school preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation, and our commitment to serve one another. This commitment to one another extends beyond campus. Daily, I witness the generosity of our parents, grandparents, alumni, board members, and friends who share their gifts of time, expertise, and financial support with our school. The incredible participation and the results of this year’s Day of Giving confirms that the future is bright at Pope Francis Prep!

Whether you were on campus today, last month, or it has been a while, I invite you to come and see us soon. Know that we keep our Pope families and friends in our prayers and I ask that you keep all of us in your prayers.

Best,

Dr. Paul Harrington Head of School

Working alongside Mrs. D'Amour was always a pleasure. Her determination for Pope Francis Prep's success was palpable. I always felt that Michele's belief in our mission guided her decisions as board chair. I am grateful for her mentorship and consider her a close friend.”