Week 1 - #CathEdSocial - Why Catholic Schools?

This is my 18th year in Catholic education in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.  I almost left last year, but God called me to reconsider.  So I stayed.  I make enough money to live and to be happy.  I drive really far every morning to school, but that gives me time to pray for my students, for my students' families, for my co-workers, for my principal, for my pastor, and that I may allow God to work through me on that day.  I am blessed.  I am joyful.  I am on fire for my faith.  I love working in Catholic education.  And God put me exactly where I am supposed to be.  And here is why I chose and continue to choose Catholic schools:

1.  JESUS - No question.  Jesus is present in everything that we do in our Catholic schools.  From the way we speak to our students, to their families, and to each other as educators, Jesus is guiding us to evangelize and educate.  There is prayer every day, opportunities to receive the sacraments - especially Reconciliation (2x/year) and the Eucharist (weekly), and monthly prayer opportunities - including the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Holy Rosary, and the Stations of the Cross.  Jesus is kept at the center of our lives and at the center of our Catholic schools, and excellent evangelization and education happens.  And those are the goals: to get our students to heaven and to high school.  In Catholic schools, we emphasize moral development and self-discipline.  As Catholic school educators, we #TeachThemToHeaven.

2.  COMMUNITY - We partner with parents for the faith formation of their children.  We support each other.  We pray for each other.  God created us for community, and in our Catholic schools, we strive to learn from and support one another.  I know that when a tragedy happens, we come together as a community to support and hold up each other in prayer and love.  This is one of the main reasons I chose and continue to choose Catholic schools, for the community.

3. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE - In Catholic schools, we set high standards for students to achieve, and then we help them succeed.  We prepare our students to use their gifts in the world for the glory of God.  We help them reach their potential, and 85% of our Catholic school graduates go to college.  Technology is used in Catholic schools, and the learning needs are meet of students.  Students have come back after graduating to thank our teachers for preparing them for the world beyond our Catholic school.  We set the bar high and then we lovingly help them reach those expectations.

Source Cited (where you can download your own "A Dozen Reasons to Choose Catholic Schools" poster from NCEA):

https://www.ncea.org/csw/CSW/Planning_Tools/A_Dozen_Reasons_to_Choose_Catholic_Schools.aspx