Frequently Asked Questions

We are pleased to answer all of your questions and welcome you to contact us anytime. For a quick reference, we’ve addressed some of the questions we most frequently receive from the parents of our students and potential students. For more detailed information, please see our parent/student handbook at the side of this page.

I want my student to attend East Catholic. What is the application process?

Wonderful! We’d love to have you! Before admission to ECHS, students must take a placement test in order to determine their academic ability and potential to achieve success in our rigorous college preparatory academic programs. Please see the Admissions Process page for detailed information about the application process.

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Does ECHS provide bus transportation for its students?

The town of Manchester offers busing for Manchester residents only. Cheney Tech offers busing from some surrounding towns, but you need to contact your local Board of Education Department to see if this service is available. East Catholic High School helps organize a carpool list that is located under the important information tab. If you would like more information, please contact Beverly Antosik at (860) 649-5336, ext. 6233.

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What is the make-up work policy?

Students will have the number of days to make up the work equal to the number of days out of school. Students are responsible for working it out with their teachers to obtain and complete the work they missed. Please see our handbook for more information about our make-up work policy.

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How will the school let us know about weather-related school cancellations or delays?

Immediate Response Information System (IRIS -Tech Radium) provides rapid communication of weather related or emergency alerts via multiple devices, e.g. land lines, cellphones, and emails. In addition, weather-related cancellations and/or delays will also be posted on the following radio/TV stations:

  • WTIC AM/FM - 1080/96.5
  • WRCH LITE - 100.5
  • WZMX - 93.7
  • WDRC AM/FM - 1360/102.9
  • WFSB CHANNEL 3
  • WVIT CHANNEL 30
  • WTNH CHANNEL 8
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Can my child take a cell phone to school?

We prohibit cell phone use between 7:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. (until 3:00 p.m. if in detention). We will immediately confiscate any cell phones that are visible or audible to a faculty or staff member anywhere in the school building. If you must get a message to your child due to an urgent or emergency situation, please contact the main office.

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What textbooks do students use at East Catholic?

Students use online textbooks purchased from ECHS bookstore. A link to ECHS bookstore is available on the Academics page. Please also see our iPads and e-books information.

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What should I do if my child has an appointment during school hours and needs to leave school early?

If your child requires an early dismissal, please send a dated and signed note to the office before homeroom, stating the reason. If your child must leave school early, we would like to encourage you to schedule such appointments when the student has a last period free. No student may leave the building before the end of scheduled classes for any reason without the express permission of the parent and the approval of the administration.

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What should I do if my child is sick and must miss a day of school?

If a student must miss a day of school, the parent must call the school attendance line at (860) 645.1818 no later than 8:30 a.m. on the morning of the absence to leave a voicemail.

On the day the student returns to school, he/she must bring a note to the Office of Student Life before the start of the homeroom period. The note must state the reason for the absence and be dated and signed by the parent.

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Who must take the entrance exam to be accepted to East Catholic?

All eighth graders applying for entry to ECHS for the next academic year must take the High School Placement Test (HSPT) entrance exam, including home-schooled students. A student currently enrolled as a freshman in another high school, who is applying as a transfer student, must also take the test. Please find out more about applying to ECHS on the Admissions Process page.

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Do you offer a sports program?

Since we desire to impress upon our students the need for healthy and meaningful exercise, school teams are a vital part of our physical education and fitness program. We believe that sports play a significant role in the development of the whole person, and to this end, students at East Catholic High School participate in interscholastic sports such as football, basketball, baseball, track, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, swimming, softball, tennis, and more.

Please see the Athletics Legacy section of this website for more information about what East has to offer.

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What opportunities does East Catholic High School offer for spiritual growth?

All that we endeavor to do at East Catholic High School is grounded in the Gospels and the person of Jesus. We are focused on the core spiritual values of teaching, serving, and building community. A few of the ways we offer opportunities for spiritual growth are through prayer, service outreach, spiritual counseling, retreat ministry, and peer ministry. We begin each class with prayer, pause each morning for third period prayer, and observe sacred space in our school chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved for quiet prayer and adoration on a regular basis. We encourage all students to engage in their own spiritual quest and the communal spiritual life of the school.

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What are your school hours and the daily class schedule at East?

The school hours for ECHS are as follows:
Office hours: 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
School hours: 7:32 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

There are seven classes in a student’s schedule. The class day consists of a homeroom period and seven class periods. The schedule rotates daily by one period and is set up on an eight-day cycle. The seventh class is dropped at the end of each day, being picked up at the beginning of the following day.

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What is the grading scale at East Catholic?

We utilize a numerical scale to express academic grades. Any grade below 60% is failing.

East Catholic uses a weighted grade point average (GPA) based on a 4.0 scale. The weighted GPA takes into account the fact that more advanced courses earn more quality points for a grade than the same grade in a less difficult course. Thus each numeric grade is assigned quality points adjusted according to the level of the course and the credit earned. Please refer to the student handbook for more detailed information about our grading scale.

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How often will my child receive a report card?

Report cards are issued quarterly and are posted on the PlusPortals under the E-Locker tab (located on the blue banner) within the E-Portfolio.

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Do ECHS students participate in standardized testing?

Students at East Catholic High School take the PLAN in freshman year, the PSAT in sophomore and junior years, and the SAT and/or ACT (American College Test) in their junior and/or senior years.

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Do East students wear uniforms to school?

Yes. East Catholic believes that our uniform helps to promote school spirit. It affirms a commitment to unity and promotes a sense of family to staff and students. In addition, personal appearance and grooming is an important aspect of community life at East.

The uniform consists of khaki or navy pants/slacks; white or blue uniform Oxford shirts and blouses (long or short sleeve); the crest polo shirts; khaki or blue skorts; and dress ties for boys.

All sweaters/quarter zips/senior vests will continue to be purchased through the Eagles Nest on Rainbow Graphics. These are the only items that Tommy Hilfiger cannot accommodate for us. Those sweaters can be purchased on our East Catholic online store.

All incoming freshmen and transfer students are required to purchase the new uniform. If you have a current student here and an incoming student, unfortunately uniforms cannot be passed down.

Additionally, there will be no used uniform sale this year.

Explore the full suite of uniform items from Tommy Hilfiger on the School Uniforms by Tommy Hilfiger website. You will need to type in East Catholic High School to search our products.

Please see our uniform and grooming policy in more detail in our school handbook.

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