St. Patrick in Wadsworth begins Catholic Schools Week with open house

St. Patrick School in Wadsworth will host its annual Open House on Sunday, Jan. 25, to kick off the nationwide Catholic Schools Week.

Sunday morning activities will include Mass at 7, 9 and 11 a.m., pancake breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., book fair from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Project Lead the Way demonstrations, and school tours provided by student council members from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Students, families, parishioners, alumni, and prospective families are invited to attend.

At 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, the Rev. Fred Pesek will officiate at a special Catholic Schools Week Mass. Following the all-school Mass, the Distinguished Graduate Award for 2015 will be presented to Mike Sosnoski of Wadsworth.

Sosnoski graduated from St. Patrick School in 1985, and continued his education at University of Missouri in Columbia. He entered the United States Marine Corp in 1992 for eight years. He is a retired police officer from the Vernon Hills Police Department, where he was awarded the Medal of Valor in 2003.

Principal Elisabeth Dworak recently announced that the Early Childhood program has added a five-day, full-day preschool session for children who are 4 and 5 years old by Sept. 1.

"This five-day class is a bridge to kindergarten to assist children in the transition to all day school," Dworak said. "Students will experience a self-contained preschool learning center experience, plus art, music, gym, library and computers with St. Patrick School specialists." The preschool will be showcased at the Open House.

In honor of Catholic Schools Week, planned special activities include an anti-bullying presentation, all-school bingo, Junior High and Grandparents Social, band concert, Pep Rally, food drive. The week will conclude with a staff versus students volleyball game on Friday, Jan. 30, at 1 p.m.

The annual Scholastic Book Fair will continue throughout the week. The fundraiser helps raise money for new books and equipment for the school's Literary Resource Center.

The theme for the national Catholic Schools Week is "Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service."