Union Catholic Principal Sister Percylee Hart, RSM, Delivered Inspiring State of School Address – TAPinto.net

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — Union Catholic Principal Sister Percylee Hart, RSM, delivered a very inspiring State of the School Address on Thursday morning, which featured a powerful and informative presentation of video clips from administrators, faculty members, and students who provided highlights from this school year.

The entire broadcast can be viewed here.

Below is a list of many of the highlights and topics from the presentation, which was broadcasted over UCTV.

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  • UC’s enrollment continues strong with 740 students
  • Over 400 applications have been received for the Class of 2024
  • UC’s diverse student body represents 80 towns and 11 counties across New Jersey
  • This past March, Sister served as the Grand Marshal of the Union County St. Patrick’s Day Parade
  • In November, Sister was honored as the Irish Business Association’s Woman of the Year
  • This year, three initiatives have invigorated UC’s Institutional Advancement movement: first, the creation of a Planned Giving Office now allows friends, families and alumni of Union Catholic to leave UC in their wills and estate plans; second, the promotion of charitable annuities as a form of donation has resulted in an increase in gifts to UC, and third, the creation of an endowment ensures the financial success of Union Catholic well into the future
  • UC offers over 50 different clubs
  • Students for Human Dignity spent a day of service at St. Joseph Social Services in Elizabeth, sorting and distributing food packages for the underserved
  • Student Council’s Thanksgiving food drive collected over 31 baskets of food for families in need
  • Glamour Gals are visiting area nursing homes and rehabilitation centers to pamper residents with manicures
  • Crayon Club is hard at work organizing fun activities for special needs teens
  • The Student Movement Against Cancer volunteered at multiple Christmas parties for children fighting cancer, procured and distributed gifts for adolescents undergoing treatment, and continues to collect soda tabs for the Ronald McDonald House
  • UC formed the Connection Crew, a team of students from grades 9-12 who create interesting content for UC’s social media initiatives and capture daily UC life
  • UC established SDSN (Schedule Dedicated to Student Needs) days that are comprised of activities that provide students with the ability to alleviate the causes of stress and find positive means to handle stress
  • To date, varsity teams have a combined record of 74 wins, 42 losses, and have earned state sectional titles along with multiple county and conference championships
  • Girls Volleyball – Conference, Union County and State Sectional Champions
  • Gymnastics – 4 team members qualified for State Sectionals
  • Cross Country Girls – NJ Catholic Track Conference Champions and Watchung Division Champions at the Union County Championships
  • Boys Basketball – Paterson Charter School Christmas Tournament Champions
  • Winter Track Boys and Girls – Union County Relay Champions and Team Titles at the Essex County Coaches Season Opener Meet
  • Cross Country Boys – Catholic Conference Champions
  • Girls Basketball – Brunswick Classic Christmas Tournament Champions
  • Swimming – Currently have won an astounding 18 straight swim meets
  • Volleyball Head Coach, Nancy Saggio, earned her 500th career win
  • The Fall Legacy Breakfast, hosted by the Alumni Relations Office, celebrated the 41 UC families in which one or both parents are alumni and have a current student enrolled at UC
  • Over 340 people attended the Grandparents Breakfast to celebrate the special bond between generations
  • The UC Performing Arts Company’s Cabaret Night combined the awesome talents of today’s UCPAC with that of performers and crew members from past UC productions
  • On the January 10 College Alumni Panel, recent graduates shared informative perspectives on college with the senior class
    UC’s Parent Council hosted an outstanding Pub Night in November and is working hard to make the March 20 Tricky Tray the best yet
  • Union Catholic’s 2018-19 edition of its yearbook, Momentum, won second place in the American Scholastic Press Association’s Annual Review and Contest Awards
  • UC expanded its water filtration system to twelve units throughout the building
  • The school counseling office has been refurbished to add more conference space and offices
  • The next phase of the athletic complex has been completed, including a scoreboard and storage shed
  • A new electronic message board has been installed on UC’s front lawn which allows for multiple messages to display

In closing, Sister Percylee outlined what’s in the future for UC by stating UC’s short and long-term goals.

  • Renovate the theater, including seating and flooring
  • Upgrade the electrical supply to the school to allow for school-wide air conditioning
  • Enhance the STEM program
  • Expand the scholarship program
  • Grow UC’s technology infrastructure
  • Grow the UC endowment
  • Construction of a student center at the heart of the building

“It is an exciting time to be a member of the UC Community,” said Sister Percylee. “Every day our students explore their interests, discover their unique talents, and stretch their limits on their journey to become all God calls them to be. The plans we have in place to advance and strengthen UC will become a reality.”