Parent Connection

DeSales will be conducting an annual exercise of its emergency early dismissal plan.

This exercise will be conducted on Friday, November 7, 2025.

All students in the full day preschool programs and students in K-8 will be released 15 minutes earlier than their regularly scheduled dismissal time. If your child rides the bus they may arrive home 15 minutes earlier. Parents who pick up should plan on arriving 15 minutes early.

*Mrs. Zimmerman's PK students will be released at their normal dismissal time.*

There is no school on Tuesday, November 11th in honor of Veteran's Day.

10/31 Earl Bird winner - Yvette Giermek

11/01 Cally Couturier

11/02 Marvin Forbes

11/03 Jen Shearman

11/04 Shannon Landow

11/05 Zack Klug

We are honored to offer the Janet M. Federspiel DeSales Swim Team Scholarship to a member of the DeSales Swim Team. This scholarship was established by the family of Janet M. Federspiel, who passed away in July 2021. Two of Janet’s grandchildren, Lydia Lamont (DCS ’21) and Dylan Lamont (DCS ’23), are proud graduates of DeSales Catholic School.

Janet was a valued volunteer for the Swim Team, serving as a coach, official, assistant coordinator, and mentor. Her dedication and enthusiasm helped shape the program and inspired countless young swimmers.

The application form and full scholarship guidelines can be found here: https://www.desalescatholicschool.org/.../Janet...

The application deadline is November 19, 2025.

This past Sunday DeSales Knights swam for the final time this season at Championships, and what an incredible meet it was!

The 8 & Under group took 4th place in their division. They all swam great especially considering how much excitement was happening around them! Congratulations to Allie Hay and Olivia VanDemark for achieving All-Star time swims.

The 9–10 swimmers also placed 4th in their division, with many achieving personal best times. Their relay team had an amazing performance, dropping nearly 10 seconds off their best time!

The 11 & Up group dominated, earning 1st place in their division. Jon Cordle broke the school record in the 200 freestyle, while both Jon Cordle, Joey Cassenti, and Jack Stockton earned 1st place finishes in their events.

Across all age groups, our swimmers brought home 13 heat winner ribbons, a huge increase from last year!

The Knights truly swam their hearts out this season, and we couldn’t be more proud of every single swimmer.

Great job Knights!

Dear Families,

The National Junior Honor Society is pleased to announce a clothing drive to benefit the Salvation Army. We are collecting new underwear, socks, pajamas, as well as gently used clothing items. Your generous donations can be sent into school and will help provide essential clothing to those in need within our own Lockport community.

We kindly ask that you consider contributing any of the listed items. The last day to donate is December 5th.

Thank you for your support and generosity.

Sincerely,

National Junior Honor Society Members

Report cards will be issued on Friday, November 14th.

Date: Monday, November 24, 2025
Inclement Weather Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Time: Morning (Exact time TBD)

Get ready to trot! Join us for some fun, fitness, and festive spirit the morning of November 24th. In case of bad weather, we’ll move the event to November 25th.

The next HSA Meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 9th at 6:30pm in the DeSales Cafeteria.

Just for attending, your child (grades K thorugh 8) will earn a free dress down day and you will be entered to win a gift card! Earn extra entries by bringing a donation for our Annual Spring Auction - anything new goes! (bottles of wine, gift cards you won't use, new toys, kitchen items, beauty items etc)

No babysitter? No problem! We will have a few quiet activities for children to play.

We’re excited to share that DeSales has partnered with CatchCorner to make renting our gym and facilities easier than ever! Outside organizations can now reserve space for a variety of activities, including basketball and volleyball games, soccer practices, meetings, and even birthday parties—all in one convenient place. Whether you’re planning a team event or a special celebration, our facilities are available to meet your needs. To view availability and book your rental, simply visit the CatchCorner link.

November Breakfast Menu

November Lunch Menu

Lunch extras are available daily. To review the prices of these extras, please review this page.

Please note there has been a change to the DeSales School Calendar. There will be no school for students on Wednesday, November 4th for Parent Teacher Conferences.

In July 2023, DeSales Catholic School was granted the status of Candidate for Accreditation by the Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA).

The MSA accreditation process helps schools, and essentially students, continuously grow and improve.

What is MSA?

The Middle States Association is a worldwide leader in accreditation and school improvement. For over 125 years, the Middle States accreditation process has been helping school leaders establish and reach their goals, develop strategic plans, promote staff development and advance student achievement.

The Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association accredited early-childhood through post-secondary, non-degree granting public, private, faith-based educational institutions including special purpose schools, and learning services providers.

What is accreditation?

Accreditation is a self-evaluation process that schools and school systems voluntarily use to demonstrate they are meeting a defined set of research-based performance standards. The standards examine schools in a holistic way, supplementing student-testing data to provide a more complete measure of a school’s performance and chart a strategic and realistic course for continuous school improvement.

The MSA Standards for Accreditation

When it comes to evaluating schools and school systems, the Middle States Association looks at the whole school- not just test scores. We realize that improving outcomes requires a comprehensive approach. When we assess whether a school should be accredited we look at how the school performs in MSA’s accreditation process and evaluate your institution holistically, focusing on five core areas that ensure excellence and continuous growth. These are:

● Foundations: Align your mission, core values, and goals with the needs of your school community to create a clear vision for success.

● Governance and Organization: Establish effective leadership, governance structures, and policies to guide decision-making and promote ethical practices.

● Student Well-Being: Create a safe, inclusive environment that prioritizes the physical, emotional, and social development of all students.

● Resources: Optimize financial, human, and physical resources to ensure sustainability and support for educational goals.

● Teaching and Learning: Deliver a rigorous, mission-aligned curriculum that promotes student achievement and prepares learners for future success.

To learn more about The Middle States Association, visit: https://www.msa-cess.org

Vision Statement

• DeSales students will be well-equipped to successfully meet the challenges of modern day society with faith, dignity and integrity.

Mission Statement

• Is a center of excellence that inspires individual students to reach their greatest potential inside and outside the classroom.

• Is a nurturing community dedicated to advancing the highest academic standards and an exceptional faith-based education rooted in the values of love, compassion, mercy, sacrifice and justice as taught by St. Francis DeSales.

• Provides students with the fundamental building blocks to be innovative, critical-thinkers, and responsible future leaders.

The Ski and Ride Passport Program allows a student in 3rd, 4th or 5th grade to skior ride free up to 2 times at each participating ski area for just $45. To learn more, visit iskiny.com.

Email: Knuutilak@desalescatholicschool.org
Website: http://www.desalescatholicschool.org/
Location: 6914 Chestnut Ridge Road, Lockport, NY, USA
Phone: (716)433-6422
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeSalesCatholicSchool