Immaculate Conception School in Spotswood celebrated its 50th anniversary on Dec. 11.
Celebrating its golden anniversary, Immaculate Conception School of Spotswood prides itself on focusing on the development of the whole child through academics, sports, enrichment and religious education. The celebration began with a 5 p.m. Mass followed by a reception in the school’s cafeteria.
The Roman Catholic K-8 school has a long history of providing its students with a holistic education.
This year, Principal Mary Hamm is also celebrating her 25th year at the school and her 10th year as principal.
Former principals and teachers from the Felician Sisters were in attendance, and priests and alumni were also among the guests at the celebration. The classrooms were open throughout the school to give everyone a chance to step inside and do a little reminiscing, Hamm said.
Librarian Kathleen Gately is a proud alumna of Immaculate Conception School and has been working there for over 25 years.
“I just love it here,” she said.
Gately was a graduate of the first class to complete all grade levels — kindergarten through eighth grade — at the school.
Her children also attended the school and completed their kindergarten through eighth-grade education at Immaculate Conception.
“It is very family-oriented here,” she said.
Third-grade teacher Nancy Sarnak has been an instructor at Immaculate Conception School for the past 37 years.
“The school in itself is something to celebrate. It has such a family atmosphere,” Sarnak said.
The faculty members at the school are a very tightknit group. They learn each student’s name and have developed great relationships with one another. All the teachers are great friends in and out of the classroom, Sarnak said.
“What’s special about our school is that we focus on the whole child — the spiritual being, their education and their academics,” Sarnak said. Through the years,Gately and the rest of the dedicated faculty have seen the school improve and grow. Years ago, the school was mainly focused on academics. But through the years, she said, it has expanded and now has a broader range of subjects, including art, music and library.
There is also a larger range of things for students to do after school, Gately said.
“We even have a magnificent art fair,” Gately added.
Through the years, the school has offered sports at the junior high school level as well as activities for students who may not want to participate in sports, such as a group that builds with Legos and an Eyes of the Wild club that teaches students about animal life, Gately said.
Hamm said the 50th anniversary event included a celebration of the Eucharist followed by a small reception with light refreshments and a slide show featuring photos of the school’s journey to the present day.
The history of Immaculate Conception School is linked to the founding of Immaculate Conception Church. The school was established for the principal purpose of promoting the teachings of the Roman Catholic faith. In May 1946, Immaculate Conception Church began as a mission to St. Thomas the Apostle Church, located in Old Bridge. The Rev. Edward C. Henry was the mission pastor at the time. Between the years of 1946 and 1947, several Spotswood properties on Main Street were purchased by Immaculate Conception Church for parish use, according to the school’s website.
In March 1948, the church was incorporated into the Diocese of Trenton, and a small church building located on Main Street in Spotswood served 120 families. The school is now in the Diocese of Metuchen, which was formed in 1981.
According to the school’s history, due to the expanding parish, construction began on a new church, auditorium and school in 1955 and 1956. The church was designed to accommodate 1,000 people, and the school consisted of 12 classrooms. In November 1960, the complex was dedicated.
In September 1960, Immaculate Conception School opened with grades one, two and three. The initial enrollment was 198 students. Sister Mary Scholastica Odachowski, C.S.S.F. (Felician Franciscan Sisters), served as the first principal. The faculty consisted of two Felician sisters and two lay teachers. In September 1961, the school expanded to full capacity with an enrollment of 539 students in kindergarten through grade eight.
In 1965 a two-story annex was added to the existing school with 12 additional classrooms. In 1985 a Parish Youth Center was also constructed.
In 1994 a prekindergarten program was established for 3- and 4-year-old children, and in 1995 it expanded to include 2-yearolds. The pre-K program has grown over the years and now serves over 300 students.
Hamm has been the school principal since September 2001, and the present staff includes 33 lay teachers and three Felician sisters. The 2006-07 school enrollment numbered approximately 350 students in kindergarten through grade eight and over 300 prekindergarten students, according to the website.