August 24, 2021

Dear Students, Parents & Guardians:

Welcome back to the start of the new school year - we hope that you enjoyed a restful summer and were able to spend time with your families and friends at the shore and your favorite locations.  We also welcome the Class of 2025 and their families to the Father Judge community - we are thrilled to have one of the largest freshman classes in recent years with 208 of you starting your Judge journey!  If you haven’t been to Judge recently, check out our new virtual tour here: Father Judge High School - Virtual Tour

First, I want to take a moment to extend a warm welcome to our students and families from Bishop McDevitt High School and other high schools in Greater Philadelphia who are coming to Father Judge.  We are thrilled to have you join us in what will be a very positive school year.  We have much to learn from you and look forward to seeing you in school and the many extracurricular activities and sports we offer.

Second, let me tell you about some of the changes you will notice when school starts.  Unlike last year, we are no longer using the A/B hybrid schedule we used last year.  You will see the traditional 8-period day and schedule we have used in the past before the pandemic.  Students will be able to come into the cafeteria each morning upon arrival, have breakfast, and head upstairs to lockers and attend homeroom as we did before COVID impacted us.  

Third, we are about to demolish the Oblate House in September to make room for the new 20,000 square foot Career & Trades Academy at Father Judge.   You will soon see the Oblate House become a fenced-off construction site and it will impact access to the parking lot by vehicles and pedestrians.  Stay tuned for updates on our website as that project commences.   We are thrilled to see this begin and ultimately be able to offer our students more career and technical education opportunities to complement our traditional academic and college prep courses.

Fourth, we have opened the new Father Brisson Center for Academic Excellence on the second floor.  Thanks to generous support of our alumni and two important grants totaling over $1.5 million, we now have a state of the art learning center for our students.  You can check out the new Brisson Center here:  Father Brisson Center for Academic Excellence at Father Judge High School

Fifth, we have added two new Theology courses, have students participating in the Diocesan Scholar program at local universities, and will be expanding our planned dual enrollment course offerings with partner colleges and universities for interested students.  

Finally, thank you for your support, patience and prayers during this past school year.  It is no secret to any of us that the school routine changed greatly due to the pandemic.  However, with our students’ great Crusader pride and enthusiasm and the tireless efforts of our faculty and staff, we overcame the obstacles and learned many valuable lessons for operating the school safely and efficiently.  Your son’s safety and that of all of our employees at Father Judge is our top priority each day.  Please rest assured that we will, buoyed by your support, adapt and overcome any challenges and changes we may face in the coming school year.  Thank you for sending your son to Father Judge High School and for the faith you have in us in producing Salesian Gentleman.  

Live today well,

Peter Chapla, M.Ed.

Principal