Local students are celebrating Catholic Schools Week

Thursday, January 29, 2015
The pancakes were coming off the griddle and on to the plates as Saint Francis Xavier Catholic School celebrates Catholic School Week. Serving student Makayla Rogers is Jennifer Barnes. The pancake breakfast for students and their families is just one of several activities planned for the week. (Jill Bock, Staff)

SIKESTON -- Local Catholic schools and those across the nation are using this week to celebrate their education and communities.

Catholic Schools Week -- the annual national celebration of Catholic education in the United States -- starts the last Sunday in January and runs all week, which began Sunday and ends Saturday. The theme for the National Catholic Schools Week 2015 is "Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service."

According to National Catholic Educational Association, the theme encompasses several concepts that are at the heart of a Catholic education. First, schools are communities--small families in their own right, but also members of the larger community of home, church, city and nation. Faith, knowledge and service are three measures by which any Catholic school can and should be judged, the NCEA said.

"The children do things to try to help the community and reach out to others during Catholic Schools Week, and they also do fun things themselves," said Debbie Pollock, principal of St. Francis Xavier School in Sikeston.

One of the best aspects of the school is how very family-oriented it is, Pollock said.

"The children know each other from preschool and up, and it's very involved," Pollock said. "The parents all know each other and work together to support the school. It's a very close place, but it's also great because of the spiritual aspect of it.

She continued: "Students aren't just able to learn together; they're able to go to church together and grow spiritually together."

Also, the sports program offers co-ed volleyball and boys and girls basketball, and all the children who want to play are able to participate, Pollock added.

Karen Powers, principal at St. Denis School in Benton, said the school starts the week with Mass on Sunday.

"Almost 100 percent of our students were attendance," Powers said. "That kicks off our week and really is one of the most special things we do -- celebrating faith and community and everything we teach."

Schools typically observe the annual celebration week with Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members. Through these events, schools focus on the value Catholic education provides to young people and its contributions to our church, our communities and our nation.

For example, on Monday, students made and sent cards to different places and people in the community who sponsor them throughout the year. On Tuesday, a student pancake breakfast was offered and in the afternoon, students had a snack and watched a movie.

Wednesday marked Nation Day, and students wore red, white and blue and wrote letters to soldiers. Today is Vocations Day, and children are dressing as saints and will have contest and tell about them.

"A teacher who has been on mission to Haiti will talk to children about mission work," Pollock said.

On Friday, students, staff and community members attend Mass and reception, and the school has an open house so everyone can see the work the children have done, Pollock said.

St. Henry School in Charleston also kicked off its week with Mass on Sunday. Breakfasts for grandparents and the community were offered earlier in the week. A trivia contest was held Wednesday and will take place again on Friday. Today is Parent Appreciation Day which includes a talent show in the afternoon.

Student dress up -- and down -- days bingo, cupcake walk and pancake breakfast are part of this week's celebration at Immaculate Conception School in New Madrid. The school has a long-standing tradition of a penny war between the classes. The classroom with the highest net value of pennies is declared the winner and receives a pizza party for lunch. All money is donated toward purchasing playground items.

There is no shortage of fun this week at St. Denis either, the principal said.

"We have fun with our students and celebrate our family community here," Powers said.

Monday was "Crazy for Christ Day" with students wearing crazy hair, socks and clothes, she said. "Jammies for Jesus" was Tuesday, and students were allowed to wear their pajamas to school. A parent-breakfast was also offered.

"It's about thanking our parents for the sacrifices they make for sending their children to (Catholic) school," Powers said.

"Too Cool for School" was Wednesday's theme, and students were allowed to dress down. They showed appreciation for teachers with a special breakfast, Powers said.

Today is "Color our World with Kindness." The school is divided into different families, and each family represents a different color, Powers said.

"We're going to create coloring books to send to St. Jude's (Children's Research Hospital)," Powers said. "We want to remind the students the week isn't just about us but to help and support others as well."

Then on Friday, "Souper Bowl" is the theme and means students can wear their favorite team jersey if they bring a can of soup for the food pantry in Benton.

"We try to show our appreciation for the kids and show them we do want to provide for others," Powers said.

Students at St. Denis also have "Lunchtime Olympics" each day where the school families compete with each other in different timed-events.

"We build that sense of family -- cheering each other on and helping each other to achieve," Powers said. "It's one of those weeks the kids look forward to -- and it's one they will remember."

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