Celebrate Catholic Schools Week is January 27 - February 2, 2013
The Diocese of St. Augustine will celebrate National Catholic Schools
Week, Jan. 27 to Feb. 2, 2013. During the week, schools and parishes focus on
the value of Catholic education provides to young people and Catholic
education’s contributions to our community and our nation. This year’s theme is
“Catholic Schools Raise the Standards.”
Schools in the diocese will
celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Masses, open houses and activities for
students, families, parishioners and the community at large. And a diocesan
tradition of Catholic Schools Week is a food drive for Catholic Charities. It
is the largest food drive of the year stocking the food pantries at each
regional office of Catholic Charities: Gainesville, Jacksonville, Lake City and
St. Augustine.
Quick
Facts about Catholic Education in the Diocese of St. Augustine:
St. Joseph
Catholic School in Jacksonville is the oldest elementary school, opened in
1867.
St. Joseph
Academy in St. Augustine, established in 1866, is the oldest Catholic high
school in Florida.
Our newest
school, St. Francis Catholic High School, opened in 2004.
Catholic school
student enrollment for the current academic year is 10,454.
The Diocese of
St. Augustine has 29 Catholic schools: 4 secondary schools and 25 elementary
schools, including one special education school.
24 elementary
schools offer a pre-kindergarten program. The diocese has 3 early childhood
centers.
Nationwide, the
per-pupil cost of educating a child in Catholic schools is $5,928, as compared
to theaverage public school per-pupil cost of $11,282. Catholic elementary and
secondary schools save the government and tax payers of our nation $21.3
billion dollars a year. Catholic schools in the diocese saved the state
government and taxpayers $2.3 billion in 2011-2012.
Highlights of
Academic Achievement:
Diocesan
elementary students rank in the top 25 percent in the nation in reading in
grades 3-8; more than 50 percent of those students perform in the top 10
percent on the nationally standardized test, Iowa Test of Basic Skills.
99.4 percent of
high school graduates placed in 2 and 4-year colleges & universities.
SAT scores are
48 points higher than the national average and 85 points higher than Florida’s
average in 2011.
Cathedral Parish
School, Palmer Catholic Academy, Christ the King Catholic School, St. Paul
Catholic School (Jacksonville Beach), Holy Family and Queen of Peace Academy
achieved the honor of being named “Blue
Ribbon Schools.”
Below
are just a few activities planned for some of our schools for Catholic Schools
Week:
Annunciation
Interparish Catholic School
1610
Blanding Blvd., Middleburg
(904)
282-0504
Principal:
Susan Altieri
Each
class selects a “Mother Teresa Service Project” annually. The first and second
grade classes have chosen to support Catholic Charities Book Corner. Three
large boxes of new and gently used books have been collected so far with
hundreds more during Catholic Schools Week.
Thursday,
Jan. 31 – Grandparents Day celebration at 8:15 a.m.
Sacred Heart
Catholic School
5752
Blanding Blvd., Jacksonville
(904)
771-5800
Principal:
Marybeth O’Neill
Tuesday,
Jan. 29 – Open House, classroom visits and Living History Museum presented by
eighth graders from 9 to 10 a.m.
Friday,
Feb. 1 – Grandparents Day Mass and breakfast and teacher/student volleyball
game.
Resurrection
Catholic School
5710
Jack Road, Jacksonville
(904)
744-1266
Principal:
Pat Donahue
Monday,
Jan. 28 – Souper Bowl of Caring and food drive for Catholic Charities
Tuesday,
Jan. 29 – Parent Appreciation Night
Friday,
Feb. 1 – Pastor Appreciation Day
St. Joseph Catholic
School
11600
Old St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville
(904)
268-6688
Principal:
Rhonda Rose
Monday,
Jan. 28 – Students make Valentines for homeless ministry and residents of
assisted living facilities.
Friday,
Feb. 1 – 1:15 p.m. Assembly in the gym. Guest speaker will be St. Joseph
graduate, U.S. Army 1st LT Ryan Timoney, wounded in Afghanistan last
year and a Purple Heart honoree. He will speak about his faith, the attack that
left him severely wounded, serving our great country as well as thanking
students for their cards, letters and prayers.
St. Paul
Catholic School
2609
Park Street, Jacksonville
(904)
387-2841
Principal:
Kim Repper
Monday,
Jan. 28 – Bishop Kenny High School Band performs at 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday,
Jan. 30 – Parent Appreciation Day.
St. Paul
Catholic School
428
Second Avenue N., Jacksonville Beach
(904)
249-5934
Principal:
Katherine Boice
Tuesday,
Jan. 29 – Catholic Schools Week Bingo in individual classrooms, Going Yo-Yo
Crazy on the Blacktop
Wednesday,
Jan. 30 – Middle School Volleyball vs. Staff and Priests in the gym.
