In honor of Grandparents’ Day, schools across the Diocese of Trenton hosted special celebrations to give grandparents the opportunity to spend some time with their grandchildren.

In Mother Teresa Regional School, Atlantic Highlands, that meant tea time.

The annual Grandparent’s Tea, held Oct. 3, brought together school, community and family for a “Spoonful of Sugar” at this Mary Poppins themed gathering.

School leaders planned an entire day of activities for the special guests. Attendees started the morning with Mass celebrated by Father William Lago, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help-St. Agnes Parish, Atlantic Highlands, and Father Carlo Calisin, parochial vicar. The Mass was put together with the help of the eighth grade students in St. Agnes Church, and afterward, grandparents moved to the parish center for the tea and cookies.

Students and their special guests were then able to do a bit of shopping at the school’s Scholastic Book Fair. 

This annual event, sponsored by the school’s PTA, has been a tradition at MTRS since the school opened in 2006. It stresses the importance of family and community in support of education, and brings together more than 350 students and family members. 

“It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to bring together the students and their families and to share our MTRS community with them,” said Abigail Swanton, mother of three students and co-chair of the event.

A similar sense of welcome was extended to grandparents of children attending Holy Cross School, Rumson, which held its own festivities Oct. 10.

Student ambassadors there welcomed close to 300 grandparents for a day that likewise began with Mass, followed by remarks from the school’s principal, William Belluzzi. Several groups of students also shared the gift of song with their “grand” guests, and those in attendance took part in classroom visits and enjoyed refreshments afterwards.

One of the grandparents in attendance, Gerry Dooley, is an alumnus of the school himself. His grandchildren, Isabella and Brandon, are the third generation of family members to attend Holy Cross.

“It’s awesome,” he shared when asked about his impressions of the institution. “Mr. Belluzzi and Father (Michael) Manning (pastor of Holy Cross Parish) are doing a phenomenal job with the school.” 

Pat Herbert, who came to visit her grandchildren, Jack, Chase and Gabe Giunta, had a similar reaction. 

”Holy Cross is absolutely a good school, more than just academically,” she said, adding her appreciation of the value of faith-based education.

Dee Dee Ryan, whose grandsons John and Steven Pedersen recently moved to Little Silver from Chicago, was delighted to attend Grandparents’ Day for the first time.

“I love it,” she said. “It’s a real treat.”