A little drizzle didn’t stop St. Jerome Regional School families from celebrating the school’s 100th year anniversary in carnival style.

On Saturday, current students and their families, alumni, faculty and supporters gathered at the school in Hometown to ring in the end of the 100th school year.

“Due to COVID, we decided to hold off on our big celebration until the end of the year,” said Amy Hannis-Miskar, principal of the school.

The event included free food and games; tours of the school, which relocated from the original site in downtown Tamaqua four years ago; and the unveiling of the new donor wall, which honors the school’s supporters.

Msgr. John Chizmar said he is proud of the accomplishments from all the boards that support St. Jerome.

He commended Hannis-Miskar for her leadership and dedication to the children; as well as the faculty who have made the school their work home.

“They’re all wonderful people,” he said. “You can tell that be the fact that many children come here ... It’s amazing and we’re very proud of this anniversary with all the people past and present. Our goal is to stay here and do what we can for these children. It’s fulfilling, it’s part of our mission.”

Karen Weicker, a school alumni and a grandparent of a student who gives her time to volunteering through the home and school association, said she has a love for this school that has span generations.

“I think we’re bringing up children in the faith,” she said. “In today’s work, I’m thankful that we are bringing up young Christians. ... “I love this school.”

Dave Bielen, a member of the St. Jerome advisory board, said that this is such a milestone for the school.

“When you think of the past, all of the blood, sweat and tears of staff and families making sacrifices that went into this, it’s just unbelievable to see where we’re at today.”

Annie Polinger and her mother Alice Miller have nearly 50 years dedicated to the school.

Miller has been a teacher at St. Jerome Regional School for 48 years and is looking forward to her 49th year; while her daughter is a 1995 graduate of the school.

“It’s really great to see how things have grown and expanded and upgraded technology wise,” Polinger said. “The spirit of the school is still here.”

Miller echoed here daughter’s thoughts, adding that St. Jerome is a second home for her.

“With the faculty, staff, everybody that’s been here, that’s one of the reasons for our success. We have had stability in our staff, our faculty and our wonderful children.”

St. Jerome School was established in 1921 in Tamaqua, as a way to renew the parish’s spirit.

Centered next to the St. Jerome Church on Broad Street, the building boasted class space for all grade levels.

It was renamed a regional school in the 1990s when it began to serve the parishes of the Tamaqua region.

The school moved to its current location along Meadow Avenue in Hometown in 2018.

Since then, the school has continued to grow to over 300 students from Carbon, Luzerne and Schuylkill counties.