In December, principals, board members, pastors and administrators of Catholic schools in the diocese met at the Buffalo Club for a presentation by Frank Donaldson, an expert on advancement and marketing of Catholic schools. Donaldson, a New Orleans resident and president of the Institute for School and Parish Development, spoke on "Philosophy, Fundamentals and Processes of Catholic School Development and Advancement."

The 17th-annual Catholic Education dinner - GALA 22:6 - will be held on Thursday, Jan. 19, at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. Proceeds from the dinner will be used to fund needs-based tuition assistance for students attending Catholic elementary schools throughout the eight counties of Western New York. The 2016 event raised more than $267,000.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY - E. John and Jeanne C. Finn have made an $875,000 gift to support the Jerome Patrick and Alice Conley Corcoran Scholarship at Niagara University.

TONAWANDA ­­— Caitlin Persico, a senior at Cardinal O'Hara High School, has been selected to present her research project that she completed over the summer at Roswell Park Cancer Institute to the American Indian Science and Engineering Society national convention on Nov. 10, in Minneapolis.

For the eighth time in nine years, the Canisius College chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization took home two Best Chapter Awards at the CEO National Conference and Competition. The Canisius team competed against CEO chapters from over 400 colleges and universities at the competition, which took place in Tampa, Fla., from Oct. 27-29.

More than 50 years after graduating from DeSales Catholic School, a man who found success in the die casting industry is giving back to his alma mater in very big way. David Ryan, who graduated from DeSales in 1960, has donated $500,000 to the small school in Lockport.

The D'Youville College Board of Trustees has named Lorrie A. Clemo, as the 15th president of the private college.

Bishop Richard J. Malone interacted with students from Catholic schools during the Diocese of Buffalo 3rd Annual X-Stream Games and Expo. Area Catholic elementary and middle school students competed in the county-wide science fair Sunday afternoon at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute. Look at our exclusive photo gallery here.

The third annual X-STREAM Expo rolled, bounced and rose through the halls of St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Kenmore on Dec. 4. Nearly 1,000 students from more than 25 area Catholic schools demonstrated their knowledge of science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and math while competing in robotic, cooking and bridge-building activities.

On this week's podcast we talk about Gala 22:6, the annual event supporting Catholic Education scholarships.

ORCHARD PARK — The start of the new school year can be overwhelming, especially at a STREAM school. At a welcome-back meeting at St. John Vianney School, faculty informed parents of the fun opportunities it will be offering its students this year. These opportunities have allowed the school to take STREAM to the next level.

EAST AURORA — For six, third-year seminarians finishing their pastoral year at Christ the King Seminary, the inaugural "Spiritual Summer" program was a transformative step on their paths to the transitional diaconate and ultimately priesthood.

Mount St. Mary Academy in Kenmore will host a Holiday Bazaar and Craft Show on Sunday, Dec. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

At St. Andrew's Country Day School in Kenmore, Legos, the perennial favorites of children and adults alike, have become a tool for STREAM education instructing children in the fields of science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and math. Throughout the months of October and November, the school held an eight-week after school course, the Lego U STREAM Academy, to teach children in lower grades to collaborate with one another, use critical thinking skills and have fun in the process of learning.

KENMORE — Ants inspired first-graders at St. John the Baptist School to learn about hundreds of kinds of the creatures in the world. In addition to exploring the anatomy of ants, the youngsters discovered the interesting jobs performed by the different species, including weaving homes out of leaves, carrying cargo many times their weight back to their nest, or the pesky ones that bite people.

LANCASTER — Gabrielle Burkard, a junior at St. Mary's High School, had the opportunity to participate in the Junior Robotic Surgery Challenge over the summer at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. The challenge introduced participants to various career opportunities within health care using hands-on, practical exercises and classroom instruction as well as guest lectures from accomplished professionals.

ST. BONAVENTURE - Dr. Dennis DePerro, dean of the Purcell School of Professional Studies at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, has been named the 21st president of St. Bonaventure University. He will take office June 1, 2017.

HAMBURG - Hilbert College freshman Logan Yotter of Lockport is organizing a 5K race on Nov. 19 to benefit Kaely's Kindness Foundation, which is focused on providing resources for teens living with cancer.

Just in time for the cold winter months, children in Niagara Falls have a brand new indoor modern athletic facility for playing softball, volleyball, tennis or soccer. The Niagara Community Center has opened on property formerly owned by the Diocese of Buffalo, behind Niagara Catholic Junior and Senior High School, on 66th Street in Niagara Falls.

As part of the official humanitarian agency of the Church, aid workers of Catholic Relief Services travel the globe to provide food, shelter, education and other needs to fellow human beings. One man whom CRS touched is Thomas Awiapo, formerly an orphaned child in Ghana, who credits the agency with changing his life and providing him with an education at a CRS-sponsored school after losing most of his family to starvation.

HAMBURG — A group of 13 physical education teachers from Diocese of Buffalo schools learned how to pump up their P.E. programs in a special physical education conference, held last month at SS. Peter and Paul School, Hamburg, and sponsored by Catholic Schools Athletic Department. This fast-paced session allowed many physical education favorites from upper- and lower-grade levels to be shared with the diocesan faculty.

The St. Mary's High School Performing Arts Department will present Billy St. John's Is There a Comic in the House? as this year's fall play. The play will be presented Friday, Nov. 4, and Saturday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. both nights in the St. Mary's Auditorium, 142 Laverack Ave., in Lancaster.

ST. BONAVENTURE — The Russell J. Jandoli School of Journalism and Mass Communication will now be known as the Jandoli School of Communication. The name change has been endorsed by the communication school's faculty and was officially approved by the university's Faculty Senate. The Alumni Advisory Council declared its support for the change at its April meeting.

LANCASTER — The board of trustees of St. Mary's High School recently announced Kevin Kelleher, a 1989 graduate, has been named the first head of school at St. Mary's, completing its transition to a new governance and leadership model. It also announced it will be holding its placement exam and review classes in November.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY — Thirteen Niagara University chemistry and biochemistry majors showcased research findings at the 252nd American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition. Three NU faculty members also presented at the international conference, which took place Aug. 21-25 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Several of the studies have potentially meaningful implications on the treatment of diseases.

Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic high school for girls in Amherst, proudly announces five award recipients for the 2016 Christus Super Omnia Scholarship & Awards Dinner. The dinner event will take place at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 3, at The Atrium @ Rich's.

In order to prepare catechetical leaders to make the best use of this material to teach and instruct Catholics for life, the diocesan Office of Lifelong Faith Formation announced last month that it will be offering some opportunities to learn more about the updated curriculum and ask any questions they may have.

Teenagers throughout Kenmore showed that they were indeed ready to rock when they attended Mountstock. Six bands competed at Mount St. Mary Academy's ninth annual battle of the bands competition on Oct. 1. The winning band, Identical Difference, took home a $200 gift certificate to Guitar Center.

Kristen Hada has been named principal at Mary Queen of Angels Regional Catholic School in Cheektowaga.

Their students may have had the day off, but for the 900 Catholic school teachers in the Diocese of Buffalo, Friday was a day of convocation at Cardinal O'Hara High school. It was a day focused on professional development and served as an opportunity to refocus on the mission of Catholic Schools.

Nardin Academy, founded in 1857 by the Daughters of the Heart of Mary, is committed to creating an exceptional learning community that allows Montessori, elementary, and high school students to both experience and make a difference in the world.

TONAWANDA ­- The term "transition year" has a fresh meaning at Cardinal O'Hara High School as the new school year approaches.

In solidarity with students returning to school, Bishop Richard Malone suggests some homework for adults in "Consider This: Back to School."

KENMORE — In the fall of 2015, St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute launched Faith Service Community, a formalized service learning society. This summer, members of the group traveled out of state to the Romero Center in Camden, N.J., one of St. Joe's annual cultural immersion experiences. The students participated in the Urban Challenge Program, a service-learning experience rooted in the Catholic faith tradition.

About 900 Catholic school educators in the Diocese of Buffalo will gather on Friday, Sept. 30, for an educators' convocation at Cardinal O'Hara High School, 39 O'Hara Road, Tonawanda. The biennial meeting will include teachers and administrators from all diocesan elementary and middle schools, which will be closed that day. Some Catholic high school educators also will be in attendance.

Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School invites fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade boys and their parents to its annual Open House Wednesday, Sept. 28, and Thursday, Sept. 29, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

As students at St. Peter School in Lewiston return to class, they will be able to enjoy the results of large-scale renovations completed on the school and church throughout the month of August.

A new marble based, bronze statue of founder St. John Baptist de La Salle now stands in front of St Joseph's Collegiate Institute on Kenmore Avenue.

The fourth annual meat raffle sponsored by the Mary Queen of Angels School Sports Boosters will take place on Friday, Sept. 23, at St. Andrew Church, 34 Francis Ave., Sloan. Doors will open at 6 p.m., with the raffle beginning at 7 p.m.

The Newman Centers at the University at Buffalo honored Sister Margaret Carney, OSF, and Sister Denise Roche, GNSH, at their annual Mass of the Holy Spirit at St. Joseph University Church on Sunday.