Catholic schools: Teaching minds. Reaching hearts.
By Sr. Mary Gehringer, OSM
Published August 25, 2006
In their document, "Renewing Our Commitment to Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools in the Third Millennium," the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops state Catholic schools "afford the fullest and best opportunity to realize the fourfold purpose of Christian education, namely to provide an atmosphere in which the Gospel message is proclaimed, community in Christ is experienced, service to our sisters and brothers is the norm, and thanksgiving and worship of our God is cultivated." In the Archdiocese of Detroit, our Catholic school administrators and staff work with parents, the primary educators of children, to integrate our faith and Gospel values into every part of the educational experience, whether a student is in the classroom, in the chapel or on the athletic field. Our students are taught to think and act according to the mind and heart of Jesus. Catholic schools provide a "second home" in a collaborative community of parents and educators, where morals and values are supported and complemented by those who serve as role models in the faith. Many Catholic school alumni share lifelong memories and relationships with those who taught, coached or in any way encouraged them with a kind word of support or a smile.
Our Catholic school students are encouraged and challenged to achieve their fullest potential as individuals. Through a solid academic core, a variety of extracurricular offerings and opportunities to worship and practice faith, students are given the tools to build a strong foundation for life and become contributing members of their community and Church.
In the past eight months, our new marketing program has given a much-needed boost to the promotion of Catholic education throughout the archdiocese. The message of that program, "Catholic Schools: Teaching Minds. Reaching Hearts." aptly summarizes the purpose and mission of our schools. It is through the work of the entire school community, parents, administrators, faculty and staff, parish and community members, that the role of teaching the message of the Gospel and helping students translate that message in to lives of service and love, can be achieved.
Along with the religious mission of our schools, we strive for academic excellence. We are especially proud of the academic achievements of our students.
- In 2005, our elementary students ranked 20 or more percentile points higher than national norms and 10 or more percentile points higher than private school norms on Iowa Achievement Tests.
- 98 percent of 2005 Catholic high school graduates in the archdiocese went on to attend a college or university.
- High school students who took the ACT college entrance exam in 2005-2006 scored almost two points higher than the state average on their composite scores.
- Among our 2006 high school graduates, 35 were chosen as National Merit finalists based on academic test scores, and participation and leadership in school and community activities.
Providing a Catholic education for children often comes at a great personal and financial sacrifice to parents. This is a recognized fact across the nation. The bishops' document states that, "The future of Catholic school education depends on the entire Catholic community embracing wholeheartedly the concept of stewardship of time, talent and treasure, and translating stewardship into concrete action." In our archdiocese, four scholarship opportunities are provided for qualified families and children. In addition to this, many of our schools offer tuition assistance from their own endowment programs. We must, however, continue to strive toward the goal stated by the bishops' document to make our schools "affordable to all Catholic parents and their children, including those who are poor and middle class." Various committees within the archdiocese are working hard to address these issues.
The bishops' statement concludes with: "Our vision is clear: our Catholic schools are a vital part of the teaching mission of the Church. The challenges ahead are many, but our spirit and our will to succeed are strong. We must respond to challenging times with faith, vision, and the will to succeed because the Catholic school's mission is vital to the future of our young people, our nation, and most especially our Church." Thank you to all of you who recognize this and sacrifice to make it a reality.
Sr. Mary Gehringer, OSM, is the archdiocesan superintendent of Catholic schools.
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