• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Michael Wright, principal of The School of the Cathedral in Homeland, thanks Christine Unitas, fifth grade instructional assistant, for her dedication to her students during the pandemic. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Baltimore archdiocesan schools employees recognized with monetary gifts

March 31, 2021
By Catholic Review Staff
Catholic Review
Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Coronavirus, Feature, Local News, News, Schools

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn
James Sellinger, chancellor for education for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, presents Freddie McCall, fifth grade teacher at The School of the Cathedral in Homeland, with a monetary gift of gratitude for his dedication during the coronavirus pandemic. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Employees in Archdiocese of Baltimore schools will head into the Easter break with some good news, a one-time monetary gift in recognition of their service during a 2020-21 school year made more challenging by the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a news release from the Department of Catholic Schools, the April 15 payroll distribution will include the gifts, which were made possible by $600,000 in donations from benefactors across the Premier See. 

More than 1,950 employees will receive a gift. According to the Department of Catholic Schools, all administrators will receive the same amount, and faculty and staff will receive the same amount.

The announcement was made the morning of March 31 at The School of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland by James Sellinger, chancellor of education for the archdiocese.

“We have been immensely blessed by the selfless service, dedication and professionalism of our Catholic school employees,” Sellinger said in a news release. “In spite of the enormous challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, their commitment enabled Catholic schools in the archdiocese to continue educating students without interruption and to reopen for in-person instruction on time at the start of the current school year.”

Schools across the state closed to in-person instruction in mid-March last year. While most public school jurisdictions did not welcome students into buildings until recently, Catholic schools in the archdiocese did so last August, with many opting for in-person instruction, but some families choosing remote learning, adding to the logistical hurdles for teachers and administrators.

“We’ve modeled the way,” Sellinger told the Review. “The teachers and administrations of all these schools have carried the play. They’ve done it safely and responsibly. 

Olivia Ross, a third grader at The School of the Cathedral in Homeland, gets excited during a classroom exercise March 31, the same day teachers and administrators received special bonuses in appreciation for the extra work during the coronavirus pandemic. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

“They dedicated a lot of hard work to make this happen. This is not an easy task, to be standing there in front of a classroom, teaching in-person instruction, then on the back end, they’ve got people on a screen, they’re teaching remotely. It’s tough.”

Principals elsewhere in the archdiocese shared the announcement with their staff and personally delivered letters of appreciation from Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori and the Department of Catholic Schools.

“It’s been a long year,” Sellinger told the Review. “You can only say so much in words, so the archbishop, Dr. (Donna) Hargens (superintendent of schools) and I decided we wanted to express our gratitude. We took a page out of the playbook of a few other archdioceses, and raised the $600,000 from very generous benefactors who wanted to acknowledge the discipline and dedication to our Catholic schools. 

“To give them (teachers) a monetary gift on top of it as they head into Easter break, it gives them a little momentum and demonstrates that the community overall has so much gratitude for our teachers.”

Michael Wright, principal of the Cathedral school, made the rounds and personally delivered the news. 

“I know our teachers have worked so hard, this show of support means a lot to them,” said Wright, who came to the school in 2007 and is in his sixth year as principal. “To have students in school, five days a week, shows everyone is in this  together. 

“There’s been a lot of behind the scenes work. The archdiocese had a task force, our school had a task force, just getting multiple points of wisdom from different people made it a community effort. I think that’s why it’s successful. I know it means a lot to our teachers, and it brings joy to my heart to see them so happy.”

The recipients included Peggy Snyder, a fourth-grade teacher and former Catholic school principal.

“I have a renewed appreciation for teachers,” Snyder said. “It’s just an honor to be working in Catholic education. I’m not here for the money, but this is very much appreciated.”

According to the news release, there are 45 Catholic schools in the archdiocese, encompassing 37 elementary/middle schools, six high schools and two early learning centers, which enroll more than 17,000 students.

Kevin J. Parks contributed to this article. 

More school news

school choice

ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

2025 Stellar graduates

2,156 seniors graduate from Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Thank you to a one-of-a-kind teacher

Radio Interview: Dominican sister at Mount de Sales shares faith journey from astrophysics to religious life

Question Corner: What are my Easter duties?

Walking the Emmaus road as a family

Pope on Easter: Jesus’ resurrection makes Christians pilgrims of hope

Copyright © 2021 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Catholic Review Staff

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • 3 North Americans named to Vatican dicasteries for ecumenism, interreligious dialogue

  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

  • St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

  • superman Movie Review: Superman

  • DUAL ENROLLMENT Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

| Latest Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Latest World News |

Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order as part of class action lawsuit

Ukraine religious leaders issue ‘desperate cry’ to world to end Russia’s war

care of creation

Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass

sorry baby

Movie Review: Sorry, Baby

ICE

ICE deports Iowa parishioner to Guatemala homeland as supporters pray for his release

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Expert discusses serious harms of smartphones for children and how to limit their use
  • Movie Review: Superman
  • Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order as part of class action lawsuit
  • Ukraine religious leaders issue ‘desperate cry’ to world to end Russia’s war
  • Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass
  • Movie Review: Sorry, Baby
  • ICE deports Iowa parishioner to Guatemala homeland as supporters pray for his release
  • Come away and rest awhile
  • French woman hopes sharing mystical encounter with Minnesota Benedictine helps sainthood cause

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en