SALSTHON 2023 raised $243,791 for the Ronald McDonald House.

SALSTHON smashes fundraising goal: $243,791 to help children

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Students from three Wilmington catholic schools spent eight hours on the dance floor last weekend to raise  $243,791 for children in need. Salesianum School, Ursuline Academy and Padua Academy  shattered their $175,000 fundraising goal by nearly $70,000 in this year’s SALSTHON. “At the beginning, I was worried about hitting our number,” said senior Jack Gormley, the student body president at …

Ursuline students excitedly hopped into the military ambulance during a demonstration that celebrated Catholic Schools Week. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

Catholic Schools Week: Ursuline hosts military robots, more

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Dozens of Ursuline Academy’s lower school students cheered in excitement and awe as a military robot roved quickly around the parking lot and crushed a soda can with full force.  As part of National Catholic Schools Week, Ursuline dedicated Wednesday to a theme of celebrating your nation and invited a New Jersey National Guard unit designed to rapidly deploy and …

Ursuline's Upper School Principal Jeffrey Danilak addresses this year's scholarship recipients and their families. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

Ursuline celebrates achievements of 38 scholarship winners 

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Dozens of prospective Ursuline Academy students gathered with their families Sunday for a recognition ceremony celebrating their scholarships to the private all-girls Catholic school. Nearly all of the private schools hold similar ceremonies, both to honor students who earned the scholarships but also to convince those who may have several offers to pick their school.  “This ceremony allows us to …

Ursuline Academy performed their Christmas pageant Tuesday, telling the story of Jesus Christ's birth. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

Ursuline’s Nativity kickstarts celebration of Christmas

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Ursuline Academy’s second grade routinely offers a Christmas pageant at the end of the year, but this year’s was a bit fluffier. In addition to 13 students, the cast for the first time included animals – several goats, a calf, an alpaca and a donkey –  to tell the story of Jesus’s birth. “When Jesus was born, there were plenty …

From left, Ursuline's Sophia Filipowski, Maddy Cherry, Natalie Johnson and Gabriella Paolella after signing their letters of intent to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

Signing Day: 4 Ursuline Raiders commit to collegiate play

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Four Ursuline Academy seniors are hanging up their Raiders uniforms in exchange for collegiate garb. The students signed letters of intent with their chosen colleges and universities at a signing event Wednesday. “The early mornings, the late nights, overcoming injuries and pain, and staying motivated to get to this point requires hard work, requires discipline, passion, and above all, resilience,” …

Linda and Paul McConnell with Ursuline Academy Lower School students after announcing a $1.75 million donation to the school. (Ursuline Academy Facebook)

McConnells give Ursuline $1.75 million to keep growing

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

A Wilmington couple was surprised by thunderous cheers when dozens of Ursuline Academy Lower School students gathered to thank the couple for a $1.75 million donation. Paul and Linda McConnell’s gift will be split. The first $1.25 million will be used to create the Paul and Linda McConnell Young Scholars program, which will provide tuition assistance to low-income families in …

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Private schools go into overdrive with open houses

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Private schools across Delaware are in the thick of recruiting season, and most of them are holding open houses in the coming weeks. The programs for those open houses are designed both to entice the students, but also answer any questions they and their families have, so everybody can be sure the match is good. They are popular for both …

Ursuline seniors welcomed lower school students back to class Wednesday morning.

Winnie the dog, seniors welcome back Ursuline students

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

      Cheering Ursuline Academy seniors waving signs welcomed students of the lower school back to the classroom Wednesday, along with a new furry friend.  Winnie, who’s celebrating her first birthday Wednesday as students return, is a poodle mix that was adopted by the academy to provide emotional support for students.  Donna Kinzel, Usuline’s chief financial officer, said that …

Ursuline summer camp offers a slew of different programs to meet the unique interests of every child.

Ursuline camps go global with cooking, nature programs

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Delaware Live, Education

Ursuline Academy is creating an army of Rachael Rays and Bear Gryllses this summer through their dramatically revamped camps.  When Keith Stater came to Ursuline last year, the first thing he noticed was the academy didn’t offer camps structured around students’ interests. He set about to change that, and describes this year’s summer camp as a “complete restart.” As camp …

Ursuline sisters’ bilingual children’s book honors teacher

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

Ursuline seniors Ava, left, and Bella Lindia read their recently published book to Ursuline elementary students.   Ursuline Academy students wrapped in red sweaters were transported Wednesday to a tropical rainforest with colorful flowers and animated wildlife in Peru, thanks to twin sisters Ava and Bella Lindia. The sisters took the kindergarten to fifth graders on the voyage by reading …