Principal Elizabeth Martino kicked off a new school year at Our Lady of Hope Regional School, Blackwood, by reiterating the school’s theme for the next nine months: Be The Good News.

“God is always with us. God has been good to each of us,” she told the first- through eighth-grade students as well as faculty and staff gathered in the school gym the morning of Sept. 6, the first day of class. She urged the students to share that knowledge with “the people we meet. … We want everyone to know the Good News of Jesus.”

Leading the assembly in prayer, she called upon the Lord to inspire the students to take a new interest in their classes and to be with the school’s 376 girls and boys as they “rediscover old friendships … and start new ones.”

Across the Diocese of Camden, elementary, secondary and high school students slung new backpacks over their shoulders and sported fresh haircuts and uniforms as they met up with old friends and tracked down new classrooms on the first day of school the week of Sept. 6. 

“Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!” first- and second-graders cheered along with Bishop Dennis Sullivan in thanking teachers for their hard work at Saint Rose of Lima School, Haddon Heights. The Bishop, joined by Dr. William Watson, diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Schools, and Father Robert Hughes, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Camden, visited numerous classrooms after greeting students at the door with handshakes and well-wishes.

“I wish you all God’s blessings for a new year,” Bishop Sullivan told the youngsters at Saint Rose of Lima, one of three schools he was to visit during the week.

For a smiling but emotional Jaclyn McGovern, it was a day of firsts in Blackwood for her and her children, fourth-grader Grace and second-grader Riley.

A public school teacher, McGovern and her husband, Blaine, parishioners of Sicklerville’s Saint Charles Borromeo, decided to send their children to Catholic school for the first time, citing the sense of community and values found at Our Lady of Hope. “It’s so important for kids today to learn morals; it’s always a good thing to have more Jesus in our lives.”

After hugging her children goodbye, she looked back at the school’s welcome committee – teachers, staff and energetic student cheerleaders – and knew the siblings were in good hands.

“The kids feel at ease,” McGovern said confidently.

Also feeling comfortable was the Dickerson family. “We’re excited to be back to a little bit of normalcy,” after the pandemic restrictions of the last few years, said Katie Dickerson, who, with her husband, Eric, saw their twins, Julia and Marley, off to the first grade.

Principal Martino agreed that “Our parents know that when they bring their kids here, the children are going to be well taken care of. Families are craving the core values [of the faith] that are taught here.”

In this new year, she said, “We’re excited to get back to what we’re all about – teaching students with a focus on the Catholic faith that leads us.”

Jennifer Mauro, managing editor, contributed to this report.

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