The start of the school year at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy in Astoria also marks the debut of the academy’s new library.
The start of the school year at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy in Astoria also marks the debut of the academy’s new library.
St. Francis of Assisi School — now known as St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy — opened during the 1950-1951 school year. The grand opening featured a parade of students that the academy recreated on Sept. 8 as part of its 75th anniversary celebration.
For Kristen Gittens, sitting down to do homework with her 6-year-old daughter used to be a guaranteed disaster. Throughout her early education and first grade, Janessa Gittens struggled to pick up subjects like reading or spelling, and her anxiety coupled with frustration would lead her to break down into tears. She was terrified to get answers wrong, and it would completely overwhelm her.