St. Mark School Celebrates 60th Anniversary with Community Events

Stratford, CT – St. Mark School is proud to announce the celebration of its 60th anniversary, marking six decades of educational excellence, community engagement, and student growth, all rooted in the values of Catholic faith.

Founded in 1964, St. Mark School has become a cornerstone of the Stratford area, offering a nurturing, Christ-centered environment where students are inspired to learn, grow, and make a positive impact on the world. With a focus on academic excellence and spiritual formation, the school is committed to the holistic development of each child—spiritually, intellectually, morally, socially, and physically—as outlined in its mission statement

To commemorate its 60th anniversary, St. Mark School will host a series of exciting events throughout the year, including a school-wide Safety Day, an alumni outing at Two Roads Brewery, an Anniversary Gala at Riverview Bistro, a Golf Outing Orange Hills Country Club, and an Anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano on April 25, 2025, the feast of Saint Mark.

In celebration of this milestone, St. Mark School proudly brought back its Safety Fair, where students participated in hands-on demonstrations from the Stratford Police, K-9 Unit, Fire Department, and 911 Dispatch. A highlight of the event was the arrival of the Yale New Haven SkyHealth helicopter landing on the school parking lot.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, the school is working on a special art project, creating a "School Family Tree" featuring hand-drawn "selfies" to represent the vibrant community. The school is also excited to partner with Project Linus for a school-wide community service project, "60 Blankets for 60 Years," where students will come together to create handmade blankets to bring warmth and comfort to children in need.

Additionally, Bishop Frank Caggiano will honor the school’s 60th anniversary with a celebratory Mass for St. Mark School children on Friday, April 25, 2025, the feast of Saint Mark.

“We are excited to bring our community together to celebrate this milestone,” said Melissa Warner, Principal of St. Mark School. “It’s an opportunity to honor our past, celebrate the present, and look forward to the next 60 years. As we reflect on our founding roots in the charism of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, we are reminded of our mission to extend God’s love and accompany our students and families on their faith journey, trusting the Holy Spirit to guide us in passing on Catholic education to the next generation.”

About St. Mark School

Sixty years ago, St. Mark parishioners and their pastor came together to build a school that would provide Catholic education to the children of the newly founded St. Mark Church. The school opened on September 9, 1964, with ninety students in Grades 1 to 3 and was initially staffed by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth from Monroe, Connecticut. Over the next few years, additional grades were added, and by 1967, all eight elementary grades were in place, with lay staff joining the faculty. The Sisters continued their involvement until 1992, when the teaching staff became entirely lay, and the first lay principal was hired. In 2009, St. Mark School was honored with the prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award. Today, the school serves nearly 250 students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8.

St. Mark School will host an Open House for prospective Kindergarten - Grade 8 families on Sunday, January 26, 2025 from 10 am–12 noon. For more information, visit www.stmarkschool.org.