Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Atlantic City, is forming multiple community partnerships and collaborating with individuals and organizations to preserve its 112-year legacy of Catholic education for Preschool – 8th Grade students. Over the past two years, the school has raised significant funds for programs and tuition assistance, added co-curricular and extracurricular classes for students, and increased teaching resources for students and staff.
Increased marketing efforts, annual fund appeals, grants, and community outreach, helped the school raise over $150,000 in the 2019-2020 school year. “Many of our parents lost jobs during Covid and were hit hard financially. Through the generosity of many, we were able to help parents keep their child enrolled in OLSS with tuition assistance. By developing strong relationships in the community, donations continue to support our school in this current school year, for which we are extremely grateful.” Carol Spina, Principal.
Community partnerships with organizations like, Girl Scouts of Central and Southern N.J., give our students experiences, free of charge, in STEAM programming, Nature Programming, and Leadership Development. Professional leaders in the Atlantic City area volunteer their time weekly to teach students as part of the school’s expanded co-curricular program. Stockton University is providing homework help for students and helped get the school’s community garden project and garden club in motion. Generous donors are enabling the school to purchase a 16 X 8 Greenhouse, shelving for the greenhouse, and two raised beds that will be handicap accessible. Funding for 44 additional Chromebooks was secured for one to one learning for students, and technology infrastructure is being brought up to speed to handle increasing internet demands of the school and its future STEAM lab.
On October 9, Brilliantly Resilient, motivational speakers who provide faith-based organizations with practical applications to overcome challenges, volunteered to bring their program to OLSS for faculty professional development and support teachers in working with Covid guidelines and protocols in school. Faculty has also had additional instruction for responsive classrooms, online programs in math, reading, and STEAM.
Our Lady Star of the Sea School welcomes new families and has openings in some grades from Preschool through Eighth Grade. For a safe, personal tour, please contact Greg Freelon at freelon.greg@olssac.org or call 609-345-0648. For questions or to volunteer, please contact Principal, Carol Spina at spina.carol@olssac.org.