St. Cassian School

What a wonderful week of celebration it was for the Class of 2026! It began with a beautiful Baccalaureate Mass celebrated by Fr. Steve, followed by a joyful graduation celebration with graduates, parents, teachers and staff. The festivities concluded with our Commencement Ceremony, where we proudly honored the accomplishments of our graduates.
As we celebrated, we reflected not only on what our students have achieved, but also on all that lies ahead for them. Our graduates have been accepted to the most elite schools in New jersey and New York. They leave with the academic foundation and skills needed to succeed in high school and beyond. More importantly, they carry with them the values, character, and faith in our Lord that have been nurtured throughout their years at our Catholic school.
We congratulate the Class of 2026 and pray that God will continue to guide and bless them as they begin this exciting new chapter in their lives.

Congratulations to the entire seventh grade class for their exemplary work as participants of the Mock Trail experience. The Mock Trial Program, sponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, is one of the ways we bring authentic , real-world learning to the classroom. During a mock trial experience, students work with a judge, attorneys and other courtroom professionals while taking the roles of attorneys, witness and jurors. The program provides the opportunity for students to learn directly from professionals about the American legal system, while providing an emphasis on the development of public speaking skills, critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork.
We very grateful to Hon. John I. Gizzo, J.S.C., Bruce Humphreys, Esq., Gabriel Cusumano, Esq. and Office Lawrence for making this experience so wonderful for our students. We also want to thank Mrs. Cecere, our middle school Social Studies teacher, for leading our seventh grade students in this endeavor and Rose Neel, Esq. ( 7th grade parent) for providing a motivating and helping our our seventh graders prepare for the mock trial event.

We are extremely proud of our seventh- and eighth-grade students, who participated in this year’s Law Day writing and arts competitions hosted by the Superior Court of New Jersey Essex Vintage.
This year’s theme, “The Rule of Law and the American Dream,” challenged students to reflect on the importance of law in achieving individual and collective aspirations. Students were recognized for their outstanding work in addressing the theme through poetry, essays, and visual arts.
We are delighted to announce that our seventh grader, James Byrne, earned first place among participants from numerous schools for his thoughtful and insightful essay. In recognition of his achievement, James was also selected to read his essay at the awards ceremony held on May 1.
The school also proudly congratulates the following students, whose outstanding work was recognized in this year’s Law Day competitions:
Ariella Milton – 7th Grade, Essay Contest Riddhi Thanawala – 8th Grade, Essay Contest
Olivia Wing – 7th Grade, Poetry Contest Kamila Minchala – 8th Grade, Art Contest Madeliene Maka – 8th Grade, Art Contest Sofia Misurell- 7th Grade, Poetry
These students demonstrated exceptional creativity, insight, and dedication in responding to this year’s theme, “The Rule of Law and the American Dream.”
We also extend our sincere appreciation to Mrs. Gail Cecere, Social Studies teacher, for inspiring students to explore the theme thoughtfully and express their ideas with depth and originality. Special thanks are also extended to Mrs. Rafferty, Visual Arts teacher, whose guidance and encouragement helped students create remarkable works of art. Their dedication played an important role in fostering the talents and achievements of these outstanding students.

We are deeply honored and grateful to be recognized by Fordham University’s Center for Catholic School Leadership and Faith-Based Education at its 2026 Executive Leadership Dinner for our school’s implementation of STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). This recognition reflects the collective commitment of our school community and the Archdiocese of Newark to providing innovative, faith-centered learning experiences that prepare students for the future through an interdisciplinary approach while also nurturing their spiritual growth.
We express our sincere appreciation to our Superintendent, Barbara Dolan, for her unwavering leadership, guidance, and support of educational innovation. We are equally grateful to our Vicar of Education, Father Stephen Fichter, whose vision and encouragement have been instrumental in advancing excellence in Catholic education. A special thanks goes to Associate Superintendent Mary McManus McElroy; Assistant Superintendents Joseph Walsh and Joclyn Pylat; and our school’s STREAM Facilitators, Anna Jedynak and Michelle Petrillo, for their unwavering support of educational programs that enrich our students’ school experiences.
This recognition is not an individual achievement but a testament to the dedication of our faculty, staff, students, and families, led by our dedicated Principal, Mrs. Maria Llanes, and our Pastor, Fr. Steven DeAndrea, who embrace the STREAM philosophy at our school every day. Together, we continue to create meaningful opportunities for students to explore, discover, and grow as problem solvers, innovators, and people of faith.
Thank you to Dr. Gerald Cattaro, Director of the Center for Catholic School Leadership and Faith-Based Education at Fordham University, for bestowing this special honor and for his commitment to fostering educational excellence and innovation.

We are incredibly proud of our cast and crew for making Disney's Aladdin JR. such a tremendous success. The enthusiasm, dedication, and talent displayed by our students were truly remarkable.
A special thank you to Michael Yesenosky, director; Lisa Poggi, choreographer; and Abigail Mugleston, stage manager, for helping our students shine on stage.
We also congratulate our scenery design students, who were led by Marigene Rafferty, our visual arts facilitator, for their creativity and hard work in designing and creating the scenery for the production.
Finally, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the parents, the Home and School Leadership Team and staff whose support, encouragement, and dedication made this endeavor possible in so many ways.

God bless our First Holy Communion Recipients!

Join us .....Walk, run or cheer our participants in this fun event!

Congratulations to our sixth grade students for delivering a meaningful and beautiful presentation of the Living Stations fo the Cross,. Special thanks to Mrs. Gail Cecere for leading the students in this special Lenten experience, to all that assisted in bringing the presentation to fruition and to the parishioners and school families who attended.