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The Principal’s Newsletter

  • Jun 26
  • 7 min read

Updated: Jun 30

Fourth Quarter

As we close another wonderful school year and welcome summer, I am filled with gratitude for God's many blessings upon our school community. This year brought opportunities for growth through our reaccreditation process, campus improvements, and even a few unexpected challenges. Through it all, we have witnessed the strength, faith, and resilience of our Divine Redeemer family and have been reminded that with God, all things are possible. 


This final quarter was filled with memorable traditions and celebrations, including our Field & Water Day, Light of Christ ceremony, HSA Fun Run, DRS Art Night, Mary´s Crowning, Literacy Day & Night, HSA Food Sale, Parent Nights, First Communions, Confirmations, and many other special events. We are grateful for the students, families, volunteers, and staff who made these experiences possible.


A special farewell to the Class of 2026. We are proud of the young men and women you have become and pray for God's blessings as you begin the next chapter of your journey. We also look forward to welcoming our rising Class of 2027 as our school's new student leaders.


As summer begins, I encourage all of our students to keep learning through new experiences, their summer assignments, tutoring, and summer camp opportunities.


As we prepare for the year ahead, there is much to be excited about. With over 175 students already enrolled, a dedicated faculty and staff team taking shape, new enrichment opportunities on the horizon, and important campus improvements underway, we remain committed to providing an outstanding Catholic education rooted in faith, academic excellence, and service. 


Thank you for your continued support. May God bless you and your family with a safe, restful, and joyful summer.



Academics


Based on the global scores, DRS students achieved above the 60th percentile nationally in math, reading, and language usage on MAP assessments, a testament to the hard work of our students, teachers, and families. Be on the lookout for the end of the year report sent home.



Reacreditation Process Is Over!


Last May, Divine Redeemer Catholic School successfully completed the Diocese of Charleston Catholic Schools Internal Review Accreditation process, which takes place every five years. This comprehensive review evaluates the school's mission, programs, leadership, Catholic identity, academic excellence, and overall effectiveness in meeting students' needs. The process confirmed the strength of DRS as a faith-filled, mission-driven community with dedicated educators, engaged families, and a commitment to continuous improvement. The valuable feedback and recommendations received will help guide the school's ongoing growth and future success.


Renovations


We concluded the school year with exciting improvements to our campus, including the complete renovation of one of our Learning Villas and the installation of a beautiful new playscape in the lower courtyard. While there is always more work ahead, we are grateful for the progress we have made and for the continued support that helps us enhance our learning environment for all students.



Faith in Action


Lent Project Results And Interactive Stations Of The Cross


Thank you to all of our students and families who participated in our donation drive for the Church Blessing Box during Lent! Your generosity helped support many individuals and families in our community.

Here are the totals collected by each prayer partner group:

  • K3 & 8th Grade — 143 items

  • 7th Grade & 2nd Grade — 184 items

  • 6th Grade & 1st Grade — 246 items

  • 4th Grade, 5th Grade & K4 — 155 items

  • 3rd Grade & K5 — 419 items! Outstanding job!


Together, our school donated 1,147 items. Thank you for living out our Catholic values through service, generosity, and care for others. We are proud of what we accomplished together!


Also, for the first time, our students participated in an Interactive Stations of the Cross experience presented by our DRS 8th-grade students in collaboration with students from Bishop England. At each station, the children learned about a part of Jesus' journey to the Cross, prayed together, and received a special item to place in their "Stations bag" as a reminder of that station and the Passion of Our Lord. This meaningful, hands-on experience helped bring the story of Christ's sacrifice to life and deepened our students' understanding of the Lenten season.



Mary´s Crowning


In May we celebrated our traditional Mary’s Crowning. 


First Communion And Confirmation


Congratulations to all our students who receive their First Communion and Confirmation this year!


Students Life


Soccer Practice Club Added To Our Afterschool Offer




Farm Visit!


We owed our students this beautiful surprise since Catholic Schools Week.

We had so much fun!




Earth Day At DRS


We had special activities to emphasize the importance of environmental awareness, and the project of residue separation, composting and recycling at our school.





Last Week Of School


One of the highlights of the week was our beautiful Passing of the Light ceremony, during which our 8th-grade students symbolically passed the Light of Christ to the 7th graders, who will become next year's graduating class. This cherished tradition serves as a reminder that leadership, faith, and responsibility are passed from one generation of students to the next.


Our students also enjoyed an exciting Field & Water Day, filled with games, laughter, fellowship, pizza, and a refreshing Kona Ice treat. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the friendships and memories made throughout the school year.


Finally, we said a heartfelt farewell to our 8th-grade class. We are incredibly proud of all they have accomplished and look forward to seeing the amazing things they will achieve in high school and beyond. Congratulations, Class of 2026! We wish you God's abundant blessings on the journey ahead.




Family Life


Parents Night- Online Safety


We had an exclusive Parent Night on Online Safety with experts from the Kay Phillips Child Advocacy Center. We learned practical ways to help protect our families online and navigate today’s digital challenges with confidence. Our students also received a talk from the Citadel DoD Cyber Institute.

We will keep working on bringing more experts in different topics to continue learning together.




Events


March HSA Food Sale


Dear community, thank you so much to everyone who helped make this Food Sale such a success! We are incredibly grateful to all the volunteers who gave their time with the setup, cooking, selling, and clean-up, as well as to those who donated food, supplies, or monetary contributions. We raised over $5,000 for our Financial Assistance Fund.

Thank you all for supporting our school and helping make a difference for our families.


Literacy Day & Family Night


On March 26, our school community came together to celebrate the joy of reading! Throughout the school day, students and staff dressed as their favorite book characters, bringing beloved stories to life across our campus.


That evening, families joined us for our Literacy Day & Family Reading Night, which featured a variety of interactive activities designed to foster a lifelong love of reading. The event was filled with learning, laughter, and fellowship as students and their families explored books and literacy together.


We are deeply grateful to our teachers and staff for their creativity and dedication in planning this special event, and to our families for their enthusiastic participation. Your support helped create a joyful and meaningful experience for everyone involved.


Events like these highlight the importance of the partnership between school and home. By encouraging a love of reading, we help nurture not only our students' academic success but also their curiosity, confidence, and lifelong love of learning.


Thank you to everyone who helped make our Literacy Day & Family Reading Night such a memorable celebration. We look forward to continuing this wonderful tradition for years to come!



HSA Fun Run


One of the highlights of this school year was the return of the DRS Fun Run! Students enjoyed a day filled with energy, excitement, and school spirit as they ran, encouraged one another, and celebrated being part of the DRS family.

This event would not have been possible without the dedication and generosity of our Home & School Association, volunteers, sponsors, donors, and families. We are sincerely grateful to everyone who contributed their time, talents, and resources to make the Fun Run such a success.

Thanks to the incredible support of our community, we raised an impressive $9,000 to benefit our school. We would also like to recognize our Top Five Student Fundraisers, who together raised an outstanding $3,193. Their enthusiasm and commitment played a tremendous role in the success of this year's campaign. Congratulations as well to the Ruz family, winners of the Charleston County Parks Family Pass drawing!

Most importantly, thank you to every student, family, volunteer, and supporter who participated in the DRS Fun Run. Your generosity, enthusiasm, and school spirit helped bring back this beloved tradition in an unforgettable way. We look forward to making next year's Fun Run even bigger and better!



DRS Arts Night


Our DRS Arts Night was a wonderful celebration of the creativity, talent, and dedication of our students. Throughout the evening, students confidently shared their gifts through a variety of performances and artistic displays, making it a truly memorable event for our entire school community.


We are incredibly proud of every student who participated. Their hard work, enthusiasm, and willingness to share their talents reflected the vibrant spirit and creativity that make DRS so special.


We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our families, teachers, and club leaders for their encouragement, support, and dedication. Seeing so many family members and friends gathered to celebrate our students made the evening even more meaningful.


As we look ahead, we hope to continue growing this cherished event, providing even more opportunities for students to discover, develop, and share their unique talents with our community.


Thank you to everyone who helped make this year's DRS Arts Night such a wonderful success. We can't wait to celebrate again next year!




Have A Blessed Summer Break! ☀️

As we conclude another wonderful school year, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our students, families, faculty, and staff for their dedication, support, and partnership. Together, we have celebrated many accomplishments, created lasting memories, and continued to grow in faith, knowledge, and service.


We wish all of our families a restful, joyful, and blessed summer filled with opportunities to recharge, spend time with loved ones, and enjoy God's many gifts.


Please continue to check ClassDojo throughout the summer for important school updates, announcements, and back-to-school information.



Summer Office Hours


Monday–Thursday: 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.


Thank you for being an important part of the Divine Redeemer School family. We pray that you have a safe and blessed summer and look forward to welcoming everyone back for another exciting school year!


Important Tips For Summer


This free website offers books that can be read, and listened to, in either English or Spanish! https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/



Divine Redeemer Catholic School is a Christ-centered, culturally diverse community where we: embrace the uniqueness of every student, enrich our students through faith and knowledge, and empower our students to be advocates for themselves, their community, and the world.



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