IMPORTANT REMINDERS & KEY DATES
School Closed – Monday, January 19 (MLK Day)
Please be reminded that Saint Dominic Academy will be closed on Monday, January 19, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., Day.
Middle States Association (MSA) Survey Reminder
A reminder to all members of our community to please complete the Middle States Association Survey as soon as possible. Your feedback is important and greatly appreciated. Click here to take survey
Save the Date: Academic Pathways Meetings (ELAN)
We have scheduled the following Academic Pathways meetings in the ELAN:
- February 12: Grade 9 Student & Parent Meeting | 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
- February 17: Grade 10 Student & Parent Meeting | 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Catholic Schools Week
January 25-30
DOMINATION
Friday, January 30 (12;00 p.m. dismissal)
DOMS Acceptance Day (Accepted Students Day)
Sunday, February 1
1:00-3:00 p.m.
Catholic Schools Week Themes:
Monday, January 26
Meme/Character Day
Tuesday, January 27
Dress as Your Grade (MS & 9th Babies, 10th Teens, 11th Adults, 12th Elderly)
Wednesday, January 28
We Wear Pink
Thursday, January 29
Performative vs Frat
Friday, January 30
Grade Colors
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuxes & Tiaras
Presidents Day (No School)
February 16
Ash Wednesday
February 18
COMMUNITY NEWS
Souperbowl of Caring is Back!
Beginning Tuesday, January 20, SDA will launch the Souper Bowl of Caring Food Drive to support Mercy House in Jersey City. In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the National Day of Service, we ask our community to donate nonperishable food items, including canned and boxed dry goods.
Please bring at least one item to donate during our Campus Ministry Prayer Service on Tuesday. Every contribution matters, and together we can make a significant impact. This year, our goal is to collect over 2,026 items for those in need.
Let us support our community!
JANUARY 22: VIBE RECHARGE
As we wrap up the quarter, we’re excited to host a Vibe Recharge ?? in collaboration with several SDA clubs!
SDA Spirit Wear Day
Wear your favorite SDA spirit wear on Thursday, January 22 to show your school pride.
Club Events | 1:00 – 1:35 p.m.
Students are invited to stop by any of the events hosted by our clubs during this time.
Student-Athletes
Student-Athletes will host a special presentation in the Media Center on Morgan’s Message.
Senior Class Ice Skating Night Fundraiser: A Huge Success!
On Saturday, December 20, the Senior Class hosted its 2nd Annual Ice Skating Night Fundraiser. This event helps offset the cost of the Senior Class Trip and Senior Prom. It was a tremendous success, raising $1,114 for the Class of 2026. Everyone who attended had a great time. We are grateful for the strong support from our school community.
Mr. McCall extends a heartfelt thank you to everyone who worked hard to make the evening possible, including the Student Government Executive Board and Senior
Committee Student Government members: Sarah Abraham, Abigail Brescia, Trinity Policarpio, Victoria Pelegrino, Bianca Peralta, Keira Barth, Caite Poindexter, Emily Matos, Rafaela Alvarado.
A special thank you to Stefania McCall ’97 for generously donating all the snacks for the concession stand. This allowed 100% of concession sales to go directly to the Senior Class.
We would also like to recognize Gianna Monnecka ’25 with an extra special thank you. As a senior last year, Gianna suggested this fundraiser and worked tirelessly to bring it to life. Now as an alumna, she continued to support the event behind the scenes by helping secure the Secaucus Ice Rink and ensuring this wonderful tradition could continue.
SFIC Summer Camp Opportunities (Applications Due January 31)
The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children (SFIC) is offering two summer camp opportunities for high school students, with a limited number of fully sponsored spots. Sponsorship covers program cost and transportation. Students do not need to be SFIC tuition assistance recipients to apply.
SFIC Advanced Space Academy (July 12–17)
SFIC will sponsor six current freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to attend an all-expense paid program at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
SFIC Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) Program (July 6-10)
SFIC will sponsor ten current 8th and 9th grade students to attend the PEEC summer program in Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania.
Applications and required documents are due to SFIC by January 31.
See the attached materials for full details and application forms.
SFIC Advanced Space Academy
SFIC Pocono Environmental Education Center Program
IN THE CLASSROOM
Seniors Mentor Freshmen in Special MEDQUEST Lab
Last Friday, MEDQUEST seniors and freshmen came together in the MEDQUEST lab during the Academic Meeting block for a special mentorship session focused on this year’s medical assistant theme: “Compassionate, Dedicated, and Driven.”
During the lab, seniors worked in small groups with freshmen to discuss and reinforce what these qualities look like in the Medical Assistant profession and why they matter in clinical settings and everyday life. After preparing in class, the seniors were ready to lead meaningful conversations, share insight, and guide the freshmen as they build their skills and professional mindset.
This collaborative experience was a great example of MEDQUEST leadership in action and a strong reminder of the values that shape future healthcare professionals.
THOUGHTS FROM THE CAMPUS MINISTER
“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” –Matthew 6:34
There I was, toeing the line along with a couple hundred other teens, waiting for the race official to set off the starting gun. I could already see the finish line in my head, imagining myself finishing among the top runners in the day’s event.
There I was, focused on the last step before I had even taken the first. It can be helpful for athletes, and really anyone working toward a goal, to use mental imagery to help us reach our goals. What will success look like? The challenge is neglecting to see all the steps in between. In so doing, we fail to honor, enjoy, and celebrate the journey in between beginning and end.
And here we are, another year beginning, another semester kicking off. Have you set your resolutions for 2026? How about the spring semester? What are your goals? And there we will be. Before we know it, another semester will wrap up and another year will come to a close. Are you already imagining the end of the spring semester? Can you already envision the close of 2026?
Running, like any rewarding activity, engages our various senses. It nurtures and nourishes the mind, body, and soul. And, it has a lot to teach us. Every step a runner takes, every single foot strike, captures a single moment in time. It is the place
where what has been gives life to what will be. Every single step is a new beginning. A new way forward. New life. Every foot strike creates a coming together of the past and the future. This moment is the present.
Each present moment is an opportunity to be fully aware. Aware of who we are, how we are, and where we are. And in each present moment, there is God. God with us.
Too often, many of us spend our time worrying about the steps we’ve already taken. Did I say the right thing? Did I do the right thing?
And just as frequently, we spend our time worrying about the steps we’ve yet to take. Will I say the right thing? Will I do the right thing? Worrying about the past and the future pulls us from the present. When we are absent from the present, we can’t see the beauty of the world that surrounds us – the sights, the sounds, the smells, the feel of the glorious world God has created. Absent from the present moment, anxiety settles in.
It recreates what was, often in its own untrue way, and fantasizes about what will be. Absent from the present, we can feel detached and isolated.
The wisdom of Matthew 6:34 is its invitation to be present in your life today. It is an invitation to be connected with the people and places where you find yourself now.
The beauty of God lies in God’s eternal nature. For God, every moment is the present. Yesterday, today, tomorrow – God is with you.
Whether you feel bound to what was, fully present to what is, or pulled into what will be, know that God is present with you in all those places. And maybe, just maybe, answer Matthew’s invitation to let today’s troubles be enough for today.
I became a truer version of myself, as a runner and as a person, when I learned to be present to, with, and in each step.
So, be present today. Perhaps, you will see the world, God, and yourself, in a new way!
Peace,
Rev. Crews