Principal Brendan Donohue addresses freshman and their senior class mentors at opening of the eighth annual Falcon Blast on Aug. 23. (Photo submitted)

MIDDLETOWN – Xavier High School welcomed its freshman class on Aug. 23 with its annual Falcon Blast orientation event.

Dale R. Hoyt, superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of Hartford, poses with some of the 103 international students enrolled in archdiocesan schools during a reception in their honor in May at the Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield. Many of the international students, host families, school administrators and student agents attended the inaugural event. Over the past five years, the number of international students attending Catholic schools has increased dramatically; nearly 50 students have been accepted for enrollment for the 2012-13 school year. (Photo submitted)

Students of St. Mary Magdalen School in Oakville romp in their new playground. (Photo submitted)

OAKVILLE – When St. Mary Magdalen School students return to classrooms next month, it will be the start of the first full year of a new playground their parents helped build.

Teachers Karla Neville, left, and Michael Dube and principal Eileen Sampiere, right, stand with eighth graders from Corpus Christi School in Wethersfield who hold new iPads their class received for use within the curriculum.

WETHERSFIELD – Corpus Christi School has announced its 2012-13 initiative to incorporate iPads in the classroom for each eighth-grade student.