Catholic Schools, Organizations, Received $460K Allocations To Fund Sports, Arts Programs For ALL Youth Across Staten Island

BP Fossella, Cardinal Dolan announce almost $460K in allocations to Staten Island Catholic schools and organizations

Funds will go to sports and arts programs available to all student-aged youth

Staten Island, NY – Borough President Vito J. Fossella, joined by Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan, announced today that his office has allocated $457,300 to 21 Catholic schools and organizations on Staten Island. These discretionary funds will be used to enhance sports and arts programs that are available to all students, regardless of religion or background. This includes defraying the cost of participants in the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) program.  

The schools and organizations who received the funding include: Blessed Sacrament School; Catholic Charities; Father Vincent Capodanno Catholic Academy; Holy Rosary Church; Monsignor Farrell; Moore Catholic High School; Notre Dame Academy; Our Lady of Good Counsel; Our Lady Queen of Peace; Our Lady Star of the Sea; Sacred Heart School; St. Ann School; St. Charles School; St. Christopher School; St Clare’s School; Academy of St. Dorothy; St Joseph by the Sea High School; St. Joseph Hill High School; St. Patrick’s School; St Peter’s Boys High School and St. Theresa School-St. Rita STREAM.

“Mary Pat and I were fortunate enough to enroll Dylan, Griffin, and Rowan in Catholic elementary and high schools on Staten Island. It was one of the best decisions we made. We also recognize there are many families who do not have accessibility to the educational and recreational activities Catholic schools have to offer. By providing this funding, we’re making these types of programs more accessible and available to families who otherwise couldn’t afford it,” said Borough President Fossella. “The schools and organizations in attendance today are at the core of what education should look like for all Staten Island students of all faiths. We want to thank the school leaders and staff for their consistent effort in teaching the borough’s children. We also extend our gratitude to Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan for his guidance and support to all our schools, especially during the struggles of the pandemic, which was one of the Catholic schools system’s finest hours.”

“We say it over and over again, our great Catholic schools are worth all the blood, sweat and tears that go into keeping them open and thriving, and so today we say thank you to Borough President Fossella for this generous gift, which will help us do just that,” said Cardinal Dolan. “Our Catholic schools are academically excellent, and serve students from all religious and ethnic backgrounds, and sports and arts programs are a vital part of every child’s education.”

Superintendent of Schools in the Archdiocese of New York, Mr. Michael J. Deegan said, “Well before the pandemic we were doubling down on the social and emotional health of our students as we strive to teach the whole child.” Deegan continued, “Physical health through exercise and the intellectual and emotional benefits of arts programs have everything to do with the continued success enjoyed by Catholic schools as evidenced by yet another year of exceptional state test scores. I extend my sincere thanks to Borough President Fossella for his support of these very important programs, which will positively impact the lives of countless students and families on Staten Island.”

Banner Image: Catholic school classroom. Image Credit – MChe Lee

BP Vito Fossella

The Office of the Borough President has a responsibility to advocate for the entire Borough of Staten Island and all its residents, and represents the Borough's interests within City government. The Borough President communicates directly with the Mayor and the City Council to emphasize Staten Island’s budget priorities. In addition, the Borough President is responsible for reviewing major land use decisions and proposing sites for city facilities within the Borough. As the chair of the Borough Board, the Borough President leads Staten Island’s City Council delegation and Community Board chairs in the process of reviewing and approving the transfer of public properties to private use. The Borough President’s Office houses the Borough's Topographical Bureau, which maintains the borough’s official maps and assigns street addresses. The Borough President monitors the delivery of city services on Staten Island, and acts as a liaison between residents and city agencies when problems arise to devise solutions. The Borough President is also responsible for appointing one member to the Panel for Educational Policy and one member to the City Planning Commission, as well as some 150 members to Staten Island’s three community boards.