Welcome to Our Lady’s Academy

The search for the right academic environment can be an exciting and challenging process. I am delighted that your search has led you to us.

As principal, I am blessed to be part of this wonderful and amazing world that breathes within the Our Lady’s Academy walls. The chitter chatter of learning that spills out into the halls, the melodic sounds of instruments during the after school hours, the hoorays of a good chess move and the quiet presence of prayer are just a few of the sights and sounds that fill my mind at days end. The presence of happy students and the warmth of the Our Lady’s Academy community makes learning become natural in this a very special place.

At Our Lady’s Academy we truly believe that if children are given the necessary tools to succeed, they will soar far beyond their wildest dreams. We accomplish this by providing our youngest to our oldest students a liberal arts education anchored in Catholic traditions. Our students are offered an innovative and challenging curriculum that is taught in small classes and tailored to each child’s needs. We strive to provide an environment that supports the academic, artistic, athletic, social and faith needs of the students as they grow to young adults. All this is accomplished within a welcoming and nurturing community that is supported by a strong culture of Catholic traditions and values.

Our teachers are our greatest assets. All the faculty members are fully certified and most hold advanced degrees. Our committed educators believe in challenging their students within an environment of love and respect. Students are groomed to feel empowered, to take risks knowing that a faculty member will be there to provide support when needed.

Our student body represents a variety of races, creeds and cultures; the Our Lady’s community is a microcosm of the world in which we live. Respect, tolerance and appreciation for all people are nurtured and celebrated.

I invite you to visit us and to talk to some our faculty members and students to truly gain insight into the spirit of Our Lady’s Academy. I look forward to personally welcoming you to our campus.

A Message From Our Pastor: Father James M. DiPerri

Welcome to Our Lady’s Academy in Waltham Massachusetts.

We are a Catholic school, sponsored by Our Lady’s Parish, serving students from PreK to 8^th grade.  Our school helps to instill life-long and enduring values providing the students with the necessary coping skills to live in this world as they strive for earthly success, and the eventual goal of reaching Eternal Life with God.

While blessed with students of other faith traditions, we remain faithful to the mission of Christ and the Catholic Faith.

We welcome and admit all qualified students.

Under the expert direction of the School’s Principal, Mrs. Chandra Minor, and the guidance of our accomplished, dedicated and enthusiastic teachers, our students enjoy many new and exiting learning experiences and meet with success.

More extensive improvements have been made to the school property these past several years making it a positive, cutting edge place for the students to pursue their overall education.

These include new and renovated classrooms, state of the arts Computer and Science Labs, and a brand new completely updated and well-equipped playground-area.

Our Lady’s Academy ably prepares the students for High School by providing them an up to date, innovative and challenging curriculum within a nurturing atmosphere.

I join the faculty regularly in teaching the students in scheduled conferences.  Growing closer to God through prayer and worship the students join me, and the faculty in the celebration of monthly Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and other seasonal religious and charitable activities.

May Almighty God bless you and your families together with the prayers of Mary, Our Heavenly Mother, Patron of our School and Parish.

Father James M. DiPerri,
Pastor

Welcome to the 2019-2020 School Year!

A Welcoming Letter and Spiritual Reflection from Father DiPerri

Dear Families of Our Lady’s Academy:

It is amazing that summer has nearly passed and a new school year is about to begin.  Starting anything new offers us a wonderful opportunity to renew ourselves in a variety of ways.  The most fundamental component of that renewal is deepening our relationship with God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Daily prayer, as we invite God into every aspect of our individual, and family life, is very important. Occasions to pray include: early morning upon rising, at meal times, at the end of the day or at any free moment we have throughout the day. Reading the Scriptures /Bible is also an enlightening time of prayer. The Mass, especially Sunday Mass, is the greatest and most powerful prayer.  It is where Jesus Christ offers us the gift of Himself in the Eucharist.  Receiving the Eucharist strengthens us on our life-long journey toward the hope of Heaven with God.

I invite all parents, who do not have to rush off to work, to join in the celebration of weekday Masses, in our parish church, whenever possible.  Masses during the week are offered on Monday, Tuesday and Friday starting at 8:00 ending at 8:25 a.m. Presence at Mass helps us face the challenges of the day.

I look forward to many opportunities to share our Faith with the students, drawing all of us closer to God, as I teach, offer Eucharistic Adoration, and celebrate the Sacraments at school. Our Lady’s Academy is dedicated to God, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  May we also invite Her into our lives by praying the Rosary or saying our own words as we ask Her to pray for us before the Throne of God in Heaven.

May this new school year help us be greater ambassadors of Jesus Christ through our acts of charity and compassion to those in need.  Know of my continued prayers for you.  I ask God to bless all our new and returning students and their families. Together we are one at Our Lady’s Academy.  In closing I would like to express my appreciation for our many volunteers, especially parents, who devote their time in building-up our school community for the benefit of all.  May God bless our dedicated principal, Mrs. Chandra Minor, the faculty and the staff as we begin a new year of growth and learning in the knowledge that we are all children of God.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father James M. DiPerri,

Pastor

Leadership

Frances Stuart
Director of Instruction, Acting principal at the P.J. Kennedy School in East Boston, Lead Teacher, Teacher of the Year 1997 in the Boston Public School, Science and Math Facilitator for the BPS.

• UMASS Boston – BS
• Lesley University – M.ED
• Salem State University- CAGS

I am married and have two wonderful children and five active grandchildren who keep me on my toes!  I love it!  My life is full and I am blessed!

Hopes and Dreams for our students;  Strive for excellence in everything you do!  BELIEVE YOU CAN!

Mary Gotgart
I have been the Secretary for Our Lady’s Academy since 2008 and provide the administrative support for the school and I am often the first person the families and students encounter.  I actively support all of the programs and services here at Our Lady’s that celebrate our Catholic traditions.  It has been a blessing to watch the children grow in stature and their faith.  Prior to coming to Our Lady’s Academy, I worked as an Administrative Assistant at both private schools and Catholic Schools after raising my three children.

I have spent the last 25 years in Catholic education serving in a variety of support positions.  I have always enjoyed working in various Catholic ministries including Youth Ministry at my parish and most recently Prison Ministry in Framingham.  I have been blessed with two beautiful granddaughters and my husband of 50 years who is also an educator.

History of Our Parish and Our School

Father James Baxter, pastor of St. Mary’s Church saw the need for a new parish in Waltham. On January 4, 1928, he bought a lot on the corner of Trapelo Rd. and Bow St.

This new church was situated near three hospitals, Middlesex County Sanitorium, Metropolitan State Hospital and the Fernald School. As a result, Cardinal William O’Connell, Archbishop of Boston, decided that an appropriate name for the church would be Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted (OLCA). The parish was officially established on April 22, 1930.

In October, 1929, Fr. Baxter wrote, “The new pastor will start free of debt, as I propose to carry the burden myself and pay it off gradually. Our Lady has often been to me a Comforter in affliction, and I am happy to do this, both as an offering at her shrine and as a donation to the diocese.”

In 1956, Fr. Edward Harrington became pastor of OLCA and served until 1973. In 1957, Eliza Reed and Mr. and Ms. Matteo Grillo made a donation of land across Trapelo Road from the old church and rectory. Fr. Harrington had a vision of a new and larger church and a school to be built on the land.

On June 7, 1962, the parish obtained a permit to build a new church! The church was completed in 1963. Cardinal Cushing, Archbishop of Boston, consecrated the new altar to the Holy Family on September 13, 1963. He enclosed in the altar the relics of the holy martyrs, Agatha and Victoriana.

The construction of the new school building and the church hall began on October 1, 1963. The Sisters of Notre Dame staffed the school, and they made their convent above the school.

In 1986, at the 50th anniversary of the Parish, Pope John Paul II imparted his apostolic blessing on Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church and wrote that we were united with him because we shared his special love “for the poor, the sick and the suffering.”
The Tree of Knowledge logo was created by Betty Collins, the principal in the mid 1980’s. It has well represented the true spirit of “being rooted in Christ” here at Our Lady’s school for nearly 25 years!

In 1999, the parish broke ground on a new addition. In September, 2000, the new addition was opened, boasting new classrooms, a science lab, music room, chapel, and parish offices. The classrooms became our PreK and Kindergarten classrooms.

In 2006, Chandra Minor became the principal. Shortly after, the school received donations to open a new computer lab and provide SMARTboards in every classroom. All the text books were updated to the latest copyrights. New programs, such as our PreK, the offering of foreign languages in every grade, and increasing use of technology, have opened up our school to more families in the parish and from around the community.

In 2008, Fr. James DiPerri became pastor of the parish. Since then an emphasis on prayer, and working together through the intercession of Jesus Christ, has brought a new understanding of our Catholic responsibilities to the parish and to our community.

In 2009, Our Lady’s School changed its name to Our Lady’s Academy to reflect the academic excellence and continuing improvements to the curriculum. As the years have progressed, the school has gradually become a top school of distinction, offering a full range of programs–both core and enrichment–to enhance student learning and success. Today the school boasts an increase in enrollment of more than 50% over the last several years, and is about to complete another building addition that will further add to the quality of life by providing a comfortable Welcome area and much-needed meeting space for both the school and the parish as a whole.

Our Students

Our Lady’s Academy accepts students regardless of race, creed, national, or ethnic origin. We admit all qualified students and grant them all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students.

The school seeks students of academic ability, integrity, imagination, and spirit who desire a challenging program of studies and personal growth. On standardized tests, our students score above to well-above the norm for the Archdiocese of Boston and the nation. Students graduating from Our Lady’s Academy excel at the high schools of their choice including: