“The joke used to be that IHM was the best kept secret in Monona, [but] I don’t want it to be a secret,” said Callie Meiller, principal of Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) School in Monona.
Tag: Catholic school
Bishop dedicates new regional Catholic school in Berlin
Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison recently dedicated the new All Saints Regional Catholic School and Religious Education Center in Berlin.
Chesterton Academy to open in Sun Prairie
A new high school is bringing classical Catholic education to the community of Sun Prairie.
What is Divine Mercy Academy?
Last year, a new “sanctuary for Christ-centered Catholic education” opened in Madison.
Online Catholic high school starting in diocese
In response to the needs of families who desire a Catholic high school for their students, The Office of Schools in the Diocese of Madison has announced the founding of Blessed Carlo Acutis Academy. It is a new Catholic high school in the diocese opening this coming 2022-2023 school year.
SS. Andrew-Thomas School in Potosi observes 175 years
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| On June 5, 2017, the Little Saints Daycare was opened at SS. Andrew-Thomas School in Potosi. It currently serves 62 children from six weeks to 12 years old, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Here Jessica Welch, assistant director and lead preschool teacher, works with some of the children. (Contributed photo) | ||
POTOSI — SS. Andrew-Thomas School in Potosi — the oldest Catholic school in the Diocese of Madison and in Wisconsin — is celebrating 175 years of continuous Catholic school education in Potosi and Tennyson.
A special anniversary celebration will be held on Sunday, May 6, starting with a 10 a.m. Mass followed by a performance of an original SS. Andrew-Thomas play written by one of the parishioners.
Following the performance will be a free dinner for the public.
“We are excited,” said Principal Deb Pfab of the plans for the 175th anniversary celebration.
“A Catholic school has existed in this area continuously since 1843,” noted Michael Lancaster, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Madison. “2018 marks 175 years of continuous Catholic school education in the Tennyson/Potosi area (even though the school names and locations have changed over that time). That means that Catholic schools have been in the area longer than they have been anywhere else in the state.”
History of school
In sharing the school’s history, Pfab noted that although Venerable Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP, founded the parish of St. Thomas in Potosi, it was his successor, Fr. James Causse, who established the first school in 1843.
Teacher celebrates 40 years in Catholic education
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| St. John the Baptist School in Jefferson teacher Margie Schels, middle, stands with eighth graders Josie Peterson, left, and Karsen Powell, right, during a recent celebration honoring Schels’ 40 years as a Catholic school teacher and more than 20 years teaching at St. John the Baptist. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash) |
JEFFERSON — As the annual observance of Catholic Schools Week came to a close at St. John the Baptist School in Jefferson, Principal Susan Loof made a bold, but appropriate statement to a teacher sitting in the front row of church.
“You are Catholic education . . . Today is your day to be appreciated in a very public way.”
The teacher was Margie Schels, who was being recognized in that public way for her 40 years as a Catholic school teacher.
Schels teaches religion and math to seventh and eighth graders and is the eighth grade homeroom teacher.
“She touched so many lives,” said eighth grader Josie Peterson. “She cares for other students and she’s very kind and she helps people grow a lot in their faith.”
“She has so many amazing features about herself and she’s just a really amazing person,” said eighth grader Karsen Powell. “I look up to her — she’s just a great teacher.”
Catholic schools are changing lives
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• I’m a student, not a number.
• They really care about me.
• I’m more outgoing, not shy anymore.
• The expectation is excellence. We set high standards in reading and writing.
• Academics are rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• We preach the Good News.
• When you come out of a Catholic school, you know what service is.
These are just some of the comments made by students and teachers at Catholic schools in a YouTube video called “Catholic Schools/Now More Than Ever” produced by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
It is obvious that the students and teachers on the video believe in what they’re saying. They speak with a lot of enthusiasm about their experiences at their school.
Up to the challenge: Catholic schools instill love of service in their students
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Back in 1993, my husband suffered from a herniated disc and had difficulty walking. Our son, then age 15, spent most of the summer taking care of his dad.
Looking back, I realize our son probably didn’t have as much time for fun activities with his friends that summer. He also had a part-time job, so much of his time was spent taking care of his dad or working. Yet I don’t remember hearing any complaints. Our son did it all cheerfully.
Service part of Catholic school education
I think part of the reason for our son’s acceptance of these responsibilities was due to his Catholic school education, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Elementary School and at Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart (EHS), both in Madison. Service was part and parcel of Catholic education.
For example, Edgewood requires 100 hours of service as a graduation requirement. According to the school, the majority of EHS students more than double this requirement, with some giving more than 1,000 hours of service during their high school years.
As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week January 26 to February 1, Catholic schools are being challenged to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this observance by pledging 40 hours of service to their local communities. The challenge has been issued by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Catholic school students encouraged to respect everyone
Catholic Schools Week begins on Sunday, Jan. 29, and ends on Sunday, Feb. 5. Catholic schools typically celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Masses, open houses, and activities for students, families, parishioners, and the wider community.
The Catholic school builds upon the relationship with God, knowledge, values, and community that the student experiences at home. In no. 2204 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it says, “the Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion and for this reason it can and should be called a domestic Church.” Good families teach us to respect God and each other.