User:Patkeenaghan/Enter your new article name here

New article name is Academy of Our Lady, Glen Rock, New Jersey Our School's History

On September 26, 1953, Archbishop Boland dedicated St. Catharine's School which opened on October 13, 1953 under Fr. Albert Mooney's leadership. Five hundred children in grades 1 through 5 were located in one wing and were taught by 5 Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth and 3 lay teachers. Sister Edmund Marie, S.C. was the principal and 5th grade teacher. In June 1954, the first kindergartn class graduated with a tradition that continues to this day: the presentation to each graduate a "Diploma" and huge lollipop. The 7th and 8th grades were added in September 1954. The first class of 51 students graduated in June 1955. In the same year 8 additional classrooms were added to the new school to become "the junior high wing." By 1963, St. Catharine's was the fourth largest grade school in the Archdioces with 14 sisters, 12 lay teachers a full time nurse and about 1400 students.

Over the next decade, enrollment declined which meant space for a pre-school program beginning in 1973, a new science lab, a bigger library and a new media center. In the 1980's, all day kindergarten began, a before-and-after school program to serve parents needs, and specialized instruction started with changing classes for grades 5 - 8. By the end of the 1980s, the Archdiocese decided to combine St. Catharine's and Our Lady of Mount Carmel schools in Glen Rock to from St. Catharine's Interparochial School (SCIS).

In 1993 SCIS received it's first Middle States Accreditation. A computer lab was added to the school and computers were placed in every classroom. In 1998, SCIS hired its first lay principal, Mrs. Patricia Keenaghan.

By the turn of the 20th century, SCIS was drawing children from Glen Rock, Fair Lawn, Ridgewood and many other surrounding communities so it wass decided that a different name was needed to reflect a single identity. After students and parishioners of St. Catherine's and Our Lady of Mount Carmel voted,   the class of 2000 became the first to graduate from the Academy of Our Lady. The new name was meant to reflect both high educational ideal and a dedication to the Blessed Mother.