St. Francis/St. Hedwig Hosts First Open House

With the question of the name settled, St. Francis/St. Hedwig School opened its doors Wednesday night to offer returning, transferring and new students and their families a chance to tour the building, speak with current students, meet teachers and more. 

St. Francis students, clad in their gray and black uniforms, guided visitors through the halls and introduced them to teachers. Other students were posted at the front doors, passing out informational sheets about the open house and flyers for “Beanstalk: The Musical” which will be performed in the St. Francis gymnasium this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Just inside the door, a table held brochures, tuition breakdown sheets and more. The event organizers said they were pleased with the turnout, as several people filed into the building during the two-hour open house.

“We have a lot of material that a lot of people worked very hard to put together,” said Dr. John Salatto, the principal of St. Hedwig School who will also head the combined school when the name change goes into effect July 1. The material was designed to give interested students and families the facts on the new school.

In March, the Archdiocese of Hartford announced it would combine St. Francis and St. Hedwig schools. At first the name St. Theresa was chosen for the new school, however enough public concern grew over the change that the archdiocese announced this week it would revert back to the schools' original titles.

With the name change now behind them, most of the parents, students and staff of the combined St. Francis/St. Hedwig School indicated they are moving on.

Parents are asking about different details, like the pricing and concept behind the new grey and light blue uniforms and whether or not students will move from classroom to classroom. The students, however, are more concerned about what the mascot of the new school will be and how many of their friends will be in their new class.

“I hope most people just understand that these kids are welcome here,” said Dan Dooling, whose daughter is currently enrolled in the second grade at St. Francis. 

Now, Salatto said, the focus is on uniting the students and preparing the building for the fall opening. With plans to "spruce up the building" over the summer already in place, Salatto spoke of various community building events planned for the coming months.

On May 26, the two schools will take a combined field trip to see a New Britain Rock Cat’s baseball game and the schools will also hold a Block Party on May 28 at the school’s field on Church Street. An ice cream social and hot dog roast the week before Labor Day will give the students of new school another chance to socialize. 

“A lot the kids already know each other,” Salatto said. The two schools already have shared softball and baseball teams and their social dances are combined as well. This is partially because of resources – St. Francis has a gymnasium and a field for school use, where St. Hedwig does not.

“[The St. Hedwig] kids are looking forward to what it has to offer,” Salatto said.

Alexis Woods, a 5th grader at St. Hedwig who attended the open house, expressed her excitement at the resources in the new building, including the library and computer lab.

“[St. Hedwig School] has more of a ‘gymnatorium’,” said Woods’ mother, Helen Rosado, referring to the cafeteria that also functions as a gymnasium and an auditorium for the students. Though cautious at first, she is now impressed with the resources and opportunities that the new combined school can offer her daughter. Many of the other parents seem to feel similarly, Rosado said.

 “Probably only like four or five are going to another school,” Alexis said of her classmates.

 When asked if Alexis would be attending the new St. Francis/St. Hedwig School, Alexis’ father, Barry Woods, responded with an emphatic ‘yes.’

 “And that’s a definite,” he said.