Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington

From the

Official News Magazine of the Diocese of Spokane

(From the Jan. 13, 2005 edition of the Inland Register)

National Catholic Schools Week is an annual salute to Catholic elementary and secondary education. From Jan. 30 to Feb. 5 this year, the 8,000 Catholic schools across the nation will unite to celebrate this year’s theme – “Faith in Every Student.”

Catholic schools in the Spokane Diocese have been planning for months to celebrate the great gift of Catholic education available in Eastern Washington and have activities planned that range from the fun to the spiritual.

Most schools will kick off Catholic Schools Week by celebrating Sunday Mass on Jan. 30 with their parish. Students plan to attend Mass in uniform and hand out bookmarks to thank parishioners for their consistent support of the school.

During the week, each school will take time to thank all those people who make Catholic education possible. Students will write thank you notes and poems to their parents for sending them to Catholic school. Administers, benefactors, priests and teachers will also be the recipients of students’ gratitude.

After that, the different schools let their creativity loose and the activities planned are as varied as the schools planning them.

All Saints School celebrates Catholic education by having a “Spirit Week Competition;” complete with a door decorating contest in the theme of “Faith in Every Student.” There will be relays and even a crazy tie day.

“Catholic schools are such a unique part of the tradition within our Church,” said Laurene Nauditt, principal of St. Mary School in the Spokane Valley. “We rely so much on our community. (Catholic Schools Week) is a way of celebrating all those people who make it possible for Catholic schools to exist.”

And, of course, no Catholic Schools Week would be complete without expressing appreciation to the students who make it all worth while. St. Mary School is dedicating all of Monday, Jan. 31, to its students. The Knights of Columbus are preparing breakfast for the students. The students will have a free dress day and no homework that afternoon.

Other schools are celebrating Catholic students with field days, prizes and arts and crafts projects.

Each school has scheduled a school Mass during the week, an opportunity for students, staff and the communities that support Catholic education to join together in worship and thanksgiving for the gift of Catholic education.

Unique to Catholic Schools Week in the Spokane Diocese is a breakfast sponsored by the School of Education at Gonzaga University and hosted by Bishop Skylstad. The breakfast honors Catholic educators, students and families who make sacrifices of their time and finances to enable their children be formed and educated in the Catholic tradition. On Friday, Feb. 4, each school will send their teacher of the year and one family to the breakfast. At the breakfast the outstanding Teacher of the Year will be recognized, along with all the nominees from each school.

“I am constantly amazed at the dedication and commitment of parents who provide their children with the educational experience of Catholic education that has been such an important part of our Church here in the United States,” said Bishop Skylstad. “In addition, the wonderful dedication of teachers, school staffs, pastors and parishioners who help make possible our Catholic educational system deserves strong commendation and gratitude.”

Dr. Duane Schafer, Superintendent of Schools, said that both Catholic education and the Catholic Schools Week that honors it, are a very valuable part of Catholic tradition.

“During Catholic Schools Week each year we celebrate the gift that our Catholic schools are and have been to our nation and our Church. They have successfully educated and formed in our faith many of the religious, political, educational, and business leaders throughout the history of this country,” said Schafer.

“It is estimated that more than 30 million students have attended Catholic schools in the United States over the last 400 years,” he said. “Today there are approximately 8,000 Catholic schools serving more than 2.4 million students nationally, and here in the Diocese of Spokane we are very fortunate to have 18 Catholic schools educating approximately 4,700 students. Our Catholic schools are truly a gift to our diocese and a gift to the people of Eastern Washington.”

A joint project of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Catholic Schools Week became an annual event in 1974. The first national Catholic Schools Week slogan was “Different Where It Counts – Message, Community, Service.” Emphasis on the Gospel, a sense of community and public service has been integral to Catholic Schools Week celebrations ever since.

Kathy Hicks, principal at All Saints, sums up the importance of Catholic Schools Week.

“Catholic Schools Week is a time to celebrate who we are,” said Hicks. “This week we celebrate and recognize students’ accomplishments, reflect on what it means to attend a Catholic School, find ways to help and serve others, build community with each other and use this opportunity to thank our parents and parishioners who support this important ministry.”