West Scranton Roots

The Diocese of Scranton, established in 1868, operated dozens of parish schools by the mid-20th century. All Saints Academy joined this network during the 1940s, serving families in West Scranton’s heavily Catholic neighborhoods. The school drew from the surrounding parishes that had sprouted across the hillside as Irish, Polish, Italian, and other immigrant communities built churches within walking distance of their homes.

The building on Jackson Street reflected mid-century school construction—functional classrooms, a gymnasium that doubled as a gathering hall, and space for parish activities. Unlike Scranton’s Victorian-era schools with their ornate facades, All Saints favored practical brick construction suited to its working-class neighborhood.

The Individualized Instruction Program

In 1988, the Diocese of Scranton established its Individualized Instruction program to serve students with exceptionalities. All Saints Academy became one of four schools in the diocesan system to offer the program, alongside Good Shepherd Academy in Kingston at the elementary level and Holy Cross and Holy Redeemer high schools for older students.

The program provides individualized curriculum covering academics, spiritual development, social interactions, physical development, pre-vocational education, and functional life skills. Its goal is to foster a community where students can develop self-worth while being exposed to life beyond a traditional special education classroom.

The Maeve McAliney Scholarship supports students enrolled in the Individualized Instruction Program, while the Lenny Zupon Memorial Scholarship provides tuition assistance for junior high students.

Lenny Zupon Court

On August 30, 2014, twelve-year-old Leonard “Lenny” Zupon was killed in a drunk driving crash on South Keyser Avenue in Old Forge. Lenny had started seventh grade at All Saints Academy just days earlier, where his mother Mary Jane worked as a secretary. His father Leonard Sr. had been taking him to get ice cream when David Turano, driving with a blood alcohol content of .118, collided with their Mustang while turning left into the Diamond Club. Turano fled the scene but was apprehended blocks away by Taylor police.

Turano was convicted under Pennsylvania’s “Kevin’s Law” and sentenced to five to 12 years in state prison. The case marked the first use of that statute in Lackawanna County.

The All Saints Academy community channeled its grief into memorializing the boy known for his energy and athleticism. An annual 5K race and fun run was renamed the Lenny Zupon ASA 5K. After years of fundraising by Mary Jane Zupon, the school installed a new gymnasium floor and dedicated it as Lenny Zupon Court. His #54 basketball jersey now hangs on the gymnasium wall.

Modern Facilities and Curriculum

All Saints Academy holds Middle States accreditation and follows curriculum aligned with Diocesan and Pennsylvania State Education Guidelines. Each classroom has an interactive SMART Board, and the building houses a computer lab, science lab, music room, and art room. Grades 5 through 8 are departmentalized, with students receiving instruction from teachers specializing in science, English, math, and social studies.

In September 2019, the Diocese of Scranton announced a $1 million investment to incorporate STREAM—Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics—into all 20 diocesan schools by May 2022. The initiative provided technology including BeeBots and Spheros for coding practice and PadCaster equipment for video production.

Extracurricular activities include boys and girls basketball, cheerleading, cross country, bowling, forensics club, student council, ski club, drama club and choir, robotics, K-Nex building, and the Peacemakers service club. The gymnasium and theatrical stage host games, concerts, and performances throughout the year.

Enrollment and Staff

The school currently enrolls approximately 200 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, with a student-teacher ratio around 10 to 1. During the 2021-22 school year, 210 students attended, taught by 19 full-time equivalent classroom teachers. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller percentages of Hispanic, African American, and multiracial students.

Mrs. Brittany Haynos-Krupski serves as principal. In February 2022, students duct-taped her to the cafeteria wall as part of a Parent Teacher Organization fundraiser.

Two longtime educators received the Saint John Paul II Award during the Catholic Schools Opening Mass in September 2020, recognizing 25 or more years of service: Shari Hilfiger, a third-grade teacher, and Patricia Hopkins.

Surviving the Pandemic

When COVID-19 closed schools in March 2020, the Diocese of Scranton established a Diocesan Virtual Academy for the 2020-21 school year. Families could choose between in-person instruction at their local school or fully online learning through the DVA. The virtual option provided live and recorded instruction from diocesan teachers, with Catholic identity woven throughout the curriculum. All Saints Academy families who selected in-person instruction returned under protocols developed by a diocesan Health and Safety Committee that included pediatricians and health administrators.

Roof Repairs and the Strategic Growth Plan

In January 2025, the Diocese of Scranton released its Strategic Growth Plan after nearly two years of study involving surveys of 1,500 parents, teachers, priests, and parish families. The plan identified $7.36 million in critical building projects needed through 2027 across the school system.

All Saints Academy’s gymnasium had developed severe water infiltration. By November 2024, staff placed trash cans throughout the gym to catch water leaking through the roof. The Diocese secured financing for $8 million in accelerated capital improvements, and All Saints received a complete roof replacement during summer 2025 as part of what administrators called “the summer of roofs.”

Busing and Accessibility

Students can ride school district buses from Abington, Dunmore, North Pocono, Mid Valley, Old Forge, Riverside, and Scranton. The school office operates from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 1425 Jackson Street, and can be reached at (570) 343-8114.