The Catholic elementary schools of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington are diverse and varied. They range in size from just over 100 students to more than 700 students. We have schools in the heart of the District of Columbia with little to no green space for student play, to schools sitting on sprawling acres of land with a chicken named Nugget on the school grounds. We have schools with dual immersion programs, others specializing in STEM curriculum and those who embrace a classical curriculum. In all this diversity, however, they unite in their call to answer the Great Commission given by Jesus to make disciples of all nations. This common mission is at the heart of every Catholic school and is why Catholic Schools Week is celebrated nationally each year. This year, the theme for Catholic Schools Week is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.”
Faith is an important part of every Catholic school. Beyond daily religion classes and the pictures and statues in the building, our Catholic schools work to infuse each day with prayer and putting faith into action. School Mass is an important means for building community within the schools. Many schools come together weekly to worship together, and Catholic Schools Week is no exception. At St. Michael’s School in Ridge, Maryland, which is our southernmost school, Lila Hofmeister, the principal, said, “Every grade participates in the planning of the Mass for Catholic Schools Week.” Many schools will also be celebrating Catholic Schools Week within their parish communities at weekend Masses on Jan. 29 and inviting parishioners and the larger community to the school for open houses, though some will be virtual in accord with Covid safety protocols.
Excellence has always been a hallmark of Catholic education. Teachers and administrators work hard to ensure students are meeting and exceeding curriculum standards. More than half of our archdiocesan elementary schools have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon winners, with many earning the distinction multiple times.
The Covid pandemic has required schools to explore new strategies to maintain learning excellence and help students grow. St. Augustine Catholic School in Washington, D.C. took a multi-step approach to helping students achieve excellence. Raven Wilkins Sr., St. Augustine’s principal, said, “It was important to help transition or build a bridge for those learners who were primarily learning from home last year as they moved back into the classroom this year.” Under the direction of Helene Cropper, the vice principal, a free summer program was created in order to help students academically as well as provide for their social and emotional needs. Principal Wilkins and Dr. Olga Williams, the technology teacher, also analyzed the standardized test scores of every student, and Dr. Williams designed targeted strategies using a variety of tools to assist each learner gain skills needed for growth. “We are already beginning to see results from these strategies,” said Wilkins, who noted improvement in the students’ mid-year test results.
Service, where faith is put into action, is also an important part of our Catholic schools. LaSandra Hayes, the principal of St. Mary’s School in Landover Hills, noted how Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., asked, “What are you doing for others?” This principle is what guides the St. Mary’s School community, she said. “Our witness is what we do for one another,” said Hayes, who recently launched the Kindness Campaign at the school. The campaign encourages students to find ways to be present for others in big and small ways. The St. Mary’s School community has always been a community that strives to serve others and recently stepped up in a big way by offering the Deaf community of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington the use of the school gym for Mass and other functions when their facility was recently damaged by a fire. “In this time of physical distancing and dealing with Covid and other difficulties, it is important to show you care and are present for others,” said Hayes.
Service to the community is also important at St. Michael’s School, where the students will be creating remembrances during Catholic Schools Week for police, fire and health care workers. “We sent a flower arrangement to Dr. (Meenakshi) Brewster the head of St. Mary’s County Health Department to thank her for all of her hard work and dedication during this pandemic. We are grateful to all our community workers,” Hofmeister said.
Catholic Schools Week runs this year from Jan. 29 to Feb. 5.
(Christina Mendez-Hall, Ed.D., serves as Assistant Superintendent for Catholic Identity and Accreditation for Catholic Schools of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.)
