What is National Catholic Schools Week?
National Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. It starts the last Sunday in January and runs all week, which in 2023 is January 29 – February 4. The theme for the National Catholic Schools Week is “Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed.” Schools typically observe the annual celebration week with Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members. Through these events, schools focus on the value Catholic education through the teachings of Jesus Christ provide to young people and its contributions to our church, our communities and our nation.
What do our schools have planned for Catholic Schools Week?
Catholic Schools in our diocese will celebrate the following daily themes and celebrations
- SUNDAY: Celebrating Our Parish; Celebrating the leadership and guidance that our religious provide our schools;
- MONDAY: Celebrating Our Community; learning to serve others in their local community.
- TUESDAY: Celebrating Our Students; celebrating the significant contributions Catholic schools make to the nation.
- WEDNESDAY: Celebrating Our Nation; our students, families, educators and other Catholic school supporters communicate the value of Catholic education to government leaders.
- THURSDAY: Celebrating Vocations; preparing children to use their God-given talents to their fullest in their eventual life paths.
- FRIDAY: Celebrating Faculty, Staff and Volunteers; honoring the teachers and staff that provide service to our schools.
- SATURDAY: Celebrating Families; Showing appreciation for the partnership our parents provide at the school by instilling in their children values and expectations to be successful.
To find a detailed event listing for a Catholic School near you, go here
Good News for the Nation: Catholic Schools Are Thriving.
Catholic schools offer academic excellence and faith-filled education for students nationwide. National test scores, high school graduation rates, college attendance and other data show that Catholic schools continually outperform public schools. In many areas of the country, Catholic School enrollment is increasing showing a strong demand and enthusiasm for Catholic schools. Thirty-two percent of Catholic schools have waiting lists for admission and new schools are opening across the country.
Listed below are some national facts and figures about the ongoing excellence and promise of growth represented in our country's Catholic schools.
- There are over 5,938 Catholic Schools in our country today (16 in our diocese).
- 98.9% Catholic School students graduate from high school compared to about 86% of public school children nationwide.
- In our diocese, over 87% of our high school graduates go on to attend either a public college/university or Catholic college/university.
- The average classroom has about 11 students in it for every one teacher.
- 100% of students at our schools participate in some kind of service learning opportunity while in school.
- Catholic School graduates are more likely to attend Mass, be married in the church, and have their children baptized then those parishioners who do not graduate from Catholic Schools.
