Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington

From the

Official News Magazine of the Diocese of Spokane

(From the Feb. 24, 2005 edition of the Inland Register)

Cataldo School recently chose John Moloney as the 2005 Distinguished Graduate. John, pictured here with his family and Cataldo Principal Dick Pelkie, was chosen for his unending commitment to the Spokane Catholic community. (IR photo from Cataldo School, Spokane)

Gonzaga Preparatory School, Spokane, has been regionally accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools. The school received its accreditation status at the Association’s recent meeting in Las Vegas.

Gonzaga Preparatory School was first accredited with the Association in 1992. Its State Accreditation Committee also approved the school for the academic year 2004/2005.

Gonzaga Preparatory School is one of 1,715 in the region and one of over 36,000 schools nation wide to maintain regional accreditation.

Being accredited implies that the school subscribes to a process of voluntary self-regulation that is a constructive experience designated to improve the quality of the member school.

Accreditation covers the entire school, not just one program.

By being accredited, Gonzaga Preparatory School is guaranteed that other schools will recognize their students’ credits transcripts and diplomas.

Donna M. Hanson, Bishop’s Secretary for Social Ministries and Spokane Diocesan Director of Catholic Charities, was honored with this year’s Harry A. Fagan Roundtable Award by the Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors.

The award was bestowed Feb. 19 at the Roundtable meeting in Washington D.C.

The honor recognizes her commitment to social justice, her contribution to social ministries on the local, national, and international levels, and her efforts of behalf of women, children, and the disenfranchised around the world.

Donna Hanson began working with Catholic Charities over 40 years ago.

Carol Dever, the Math, Science and Technology teacher for grades 6-8 at St. Charles School, Spokane, was honored as the Spokane Diocese’s Teacher of the Year Feb. 4.

Dever was one of 13 educators nominated for the award.

She has been in education for 20 years. Eleven of those years have been spent ministering at St. Charles.

She is a strong proponent of technology in the classroom, and holds a master’s degree from Gonzaga University in Teaching and Technology.

Holy Family School students celebrate Mardi Gras – also known as Fat Tuesday – by having a special prayer service while burning the palms for Ash Wednesday ashes. Shown with the burning ashes are the Mardi Gras Queen and King, fourth grader Katie Hossner and fifth grader Collin Shafer. As part of the fun, Students are given cupcakes at lunchtime. The King and Queen are selected by who finds a bean in the cupcake. Following the burning of palms, the students buried their Alleluias. (IR photo from Holy Family School, Clarkston)