Presentation BVM Elementary School opened for the first day of school on Sept. 9, and it was a special occasion.
The school is celebrating 100 years of Catholic education.
The year-long theme is Celebrating 100 Years of Faith, Learning and Community.
The school’s beginnings actually trace to 1918, when two Sisters of Saint Joseph began teaching Sunday School in the parish.
As the need for formal Catholic education grew, the Rev. John J. Moran established a parish school, which officially opened in September 1926 with 79 students.
Today, Presentation BVM has about 160 students in pre-K to eighth grade.
The school is located at 105 Old Soldiers Road, Cheltenham, but the boundaries extend into the Burholme area and there are a lot of city students enrolled.
Joyce Flanigan is in her seventh year as principal and 22nd overall at the school, having taught second and fifth grades.
The longest-tenured member of the faculty is Joan Schroeder, who has taught first grade for 28 years.
There were centennial decorations on the first day, while the kids were treated to pretzels and staff enjoyed a coffee bar.
Flanigan was outside greeting families and snapping photos as they arrived.
Presentation BVM has been designated as a School of Distinguished Instruction by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for the last three years.
The school was recognized last year for Growth and Potential.
“Presentation BVM is a special place,” Flanigan said. “It’s a close-knit, faith-filled community where we truly feel like a family. Our teachers care deeply about our students and about one another, and that care is reflected in everything we do each day.
“We want every child here to feel known, supported and excited to come to school. It is both a privilege and a joy to partner with our families as we help our students grow in kindness, confidence and faith.”
On Sept. 17, Bishop Keith Chylinski will celebrate a centennial Mass in the morning, with school tours to follow and Back-to-School Night later that evening.
The centennial celebration will be a year-long collaboration among the school, parish, Home and School Association, alumni and the broader community.
Planned activities include historical features, alumni engagement initiatives, community service projects, special events, commemorative merchandise, alumni spotlights and celebrations that honor the people, traditions and milestones that have shaped Presentation BVM over the last century. ••
For more information, call 215-379-3798 or visit presentationbvmschool.org
