By Catholic Philly Staff Report • Posted September 8, 2023

Around six dozen Catholic elementary schools in the five-county region have been recognized for attaining high marks in their mission.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office of Catholic Education recognized 62 parish and regional elementary schools Sept. 7 as Archdiocesan Schools of Distinguished Instruction.

Pastors and school administrators gathered to receive the awards at a ceremony hosted by St. Pius X Parish in Broomall.

Father Philip G. Bochanski, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia; Father Stephen DeLacy, Vicar for the Office for Faith Formation for Youth and Young Adults; and Dr. Andrew McLaughlin, Secretary for Elementary Education for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, were on hand to present the awards.

Some 29 schools exhibited growth, determined by comparing the Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE) score from this year’s testing to the NCE examinations taken by students in the previous academic year.

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Exceeding potential, for which there were 12 schools recognized, determined by analyzing the data from the ability testing (InView) and the achievement testing (Terra Nova) in which schools were found to have 85% of the classes meeting or exceeding their potential in all content areas at every level tested with a growth rate between 76 and 90%.

An additional 21 schools were honored in both categories.

Saint George Independent Catholic School in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia and Saint Andrew School in Newtown (Bucks County) achieved 100% in Growth and Exceeding Potential.

The full list of schools recognized follows:

21 Schools Recognized for Growth and Exceeding Potential

Cardinal John Foley Regional Catholic School (Havertown, Delaware County)
Corpus Christi Catholic School (Lansdale, Montgomery County)
Good Shepherd Catholic School (Ardsley, Montgomery County)
Mother Teresa Regional Catholic School (King of Prussia, Montgomery County)
Pope John Paul II Regional Catholic Elementary School (West Brandywine, Chester County)
Saints Peter and Paul School (West Chester, Chester County)
Saints Philip and James School (Exton, Chester County)
Saints Simon and Jude School (West Chester, Chester County)
Saint Andrew School (Newtown, Bucks County)
Saint Ephrem Catholic School (Bensalem, Bucks County)
Saint Eugene School (Primos, Delaware County)
Saint Genevieve School (Flourtown, Montgomery County)
Saint George Independent Catholic School (Philadelphia County)
Saint Katharine of Siena School (Wayne, Delaware County)
Saint Mary Interparochial School (Philadelphia County)
Saint Mary Magdalen Catholic School (Media, Delaware County)
Saint Luke Catholic School (Glenside, Montgomery County)
Saint Philip Neri Catholic School (Lafayette Hill, Montgomery County)
Saint Pius X School (Broomall, Delaware County)
Saint Teresa of Calcutta School (Schwenksville, Montgomery County)
Visitation Blessed Virgin Mary School (Trooper, Montgomery County)

29 Schools Recognized for Growth

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary School (West Grove, Chester County)
Blessed Trinity Catholic School (Philadelphia County)
Christ the King School (Philadelphia County)
Holy Family Regional Catholic School (Levittown, Bucks County)
Holy Family Regional Catholic School (Phoenixville, Chester County)
Holy Family Regional Catholic School (Aston, Delaware County)
Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic School (Philadelphia County)
Holy Trinity School (Morrisville, Bucks County)
Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Catholic School (North Wales, Montgomery County)
Mater Dei Catholic School (Lansdale, Montgomery County)
Maternity Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Elementary School (Philadelphia County)
Our Lady of Grace Catholic School (Penndel, Bucks County)
Our Lady of Mercy Regional Catholic School (Maple Glen, Montgomery County)
Queen of Angels Regional Catholic School (Willow Grove, Montgomery County)
Saints Colman – John Neumann School (Bryn Mawr, Montgomery County)
Saint Agnes School (West Chester, Chester County)
Saint Albert the Great Catholic School (Huntingdon Valley, Montgomery County)
Saint Anastasia School (Newtown Square, Delaware County)
Saint Athanasius School (Philadelphia County)
Saint Christopher School (Philadelphia County)
Saint Francis of Assisi School (Springfield, Delaware County)
Saint Helena School (Blue Bell, Montgomery County)
Saint Jerome School (Philadelphia County)
Saint Jude School (Chalfont, Bucks County)
Saint Katharine Drexel Catholic School (Southampton, Bucks County)
Saint Laurence School (Upper Darby, Delaware County)
Saint Maximillian Kolbe School (West Chester, Chester County)
Saint Patrick School (Malvern, Chester County)
Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic School (Glenn Mills, Delaware County)

12 Schools Recognized for Exceeding Potential

Holy Cross Regional Catholic School (Collegeville, Montgomery County)
Nativity of Our Lord Catholic School (Warminster, Bucks County)
Saint Aloysius Parish School (Pottstown, Montgomery County)
Our Lady of Calvary Catholic School (Philadelphia County)
Saint Cecilia School (Philadelphia County)
Saint Ignatius of Antioch School (Yardley, Bucks County)
Saint Isidore School (Quakertown, Bucks County)
Saint Martha Parish School (Philadelphia County)
Saint Mary Catholic School (Schwenksville, Montgomery County)
Saint Matthew School (Philadelphia County)
Saint Norbert Catholic School (Paoli, Chester County)
Sacred Heart School (Havertown, Delaware County)