Celebrating Catholic Schools
By Mary Stange
Client Advisor
St. Joseph Financial Services
Catholic Schools Week
Each year, in January, there is a national Catholic Schools Week. This year it is January 29-February 2, 2024. Catholic Schools use this week to celebrate all that makes them the right choice for their enrolled students. We’d love to hear from you about why Catholic School is the right choice for your family.
Honored to work with Our Schools
As St. Joseph Financial Services seeks to uphold the mission of the Church, Catholic Education is something we are passionate about supporting. Enabling these important institutions through tending to the administrative burden so that they can spend more of their time ministering. The mission of our work, while strictly financial, is something that provides qualified support for schools across the country.
We know that the educational choices of families are as unique and unrepeatable as the families themselves. When we celebrate Catholic Schools we are really celebrating all of the factors that drew families to them in the first place. Qualified teachers, curriculums, the culture of the school and its values, investment in extra curricular activities and the safety and security of our children.
St. Joseph Financial Service Clients
We are happy to celebrate the Academy of St. Benedict the African in Chicago. Inspired teachers seek to invest in their students. “The younger generation is our future, so we want to be a part of their growth. Here, we have love for our students and love for our families.” Mrs. Crews, Kindergarten Teacher. Ms. Garza, a preschool teacher, adds to this, “We make Catholic Education extremely affordable and we are willing to work with families in need. We are one big happy family here.
Mritza Saucedo, a preschool teacher at Queen of the Universe in Chicago, states, “Queen of the Universe is a really supportive school. We like to have a lot of communication with parents and to have the parents involved.” Mary Erin Riley, a second grade teacher for the school, applauds the school’s education as, “That rigorous learning is what we’re here for and we’re here to guide the kids. We’re confident that the skills that we are teaching the children will stick with them through the rest of the grades and that they will have the skills they need to be successful.”
St. Ethelreda School in Chicago took the news agencies by storm in 2019, with three students placing in the top ten at the State Championship for Chess, but continues to excel with the leadership of Dr. Denise Spells. Dr. Spells was awarded the National Catholic Education Association award for leadership. Only one of ten principles across the country to receive this award. Supporting the school’s mission to educate the whole person, preparing students for a lifetime of learning, leadership and service.
Board Member Perspective
Fr. Brendan McGuire, SJFS co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors, is the pastor of St. Simon Church and School in San Jose, California. From Fr. Brendan’s weekly blog, “I am excited that this weekend marks the beginning of Catholic Schools Week, a celebration of Catholic education and faith formation. In a world full of so many distractions and interruptions, it is hard to remain focused on God’s word speaking to us. That is why the community plays such a powerful and important role as we can encourage each other. We need each other to help us strengthen our faith, listen, empathize, support, encourage one another and to try and do that consistently in our lives. That is why the formation of our young children is so critical. It is more than academics, it is our role to guide them, instill Catholic values and encourage them to discover and develop their talents so they are inspired to serve at a young age and hopefully continue it for a lifetime.”
The Principal of St. Simon School, Ann Kozlovsky, speaks just as glowingly of their community. “Our school is thriving as we are truly in full swing this year post-pandemic and are able to offer all of our programs, including robotics, sports, spelling bees, pep rallies, dances, and more. Our school family is enriched by the opportunities to join in with the parish for our wonderful community gatherings. Community events are part of what makes our school so special.”