Did You Know Articles
As you can well imagine, Catholic Schools' Week is going to look a little different this year, but what doesn't?
Catholic Schools' Week is a nationwide event sponsored by the NCEA (National Catholic Education Association) in order to promote Catholic schools across the nation.
While Catholic Schools' Week in Minneota has grown into an action packed week full of fun events for the students, at the core, it is much more. This year's theme is: Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.
Each day has a unique theme, aimed not entirely at the students, but more outwardly toward the community that makes Catholic schools possible.
On Sunday, we celebrate our parish by leading Sunday Mass and sharing our many gifts and talents with our church community. We have students fill the roles of lector, musician, and greeter. This day is meant to be host to larger celebrations like a communal meal or a school open house.
Monday is meant to celebrate the larger community. On this day we focus on reaching out to the larger community by completing service projects or collecting for the needy. This year we will be creating things within the school to deliver to the Minneota Manor.
Tuesday is a day to celebrate the students. On this day we often have a fun afternoon in the gym where the students are stars. While we cannot all spend the afternoon in the gym this year, we do have a plan and it promises to be a lot of fun.
Wednesday is meant to celebrate the nation. On this day we might have a special learning topic that focuses on national events. We often take up a collection for a non-local charity on this day.
On Thursday we celebrate vocations. The Sisters of Mary Morning Star are coming to lead Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with us in the church and we are taking up a collection for the sisters.
Friday is meant to celebrate Faculty, Staff and Volunteers and Saturday is the day we celebrate families.
Yes, this year will look different than Catholic Schools Week did last year, but there are no two Catholic Schools Weeks that have looked the same. Each year we strive to make the activities meaningful, educational and fun for the students. This year is no exception, even while following COVID regulations and restrictions. The parts of Catholic Schools Week that will be missing are the parts that invite the larger community to celebrate with us. Our Flurry of Fun fundraiser has been been scheduled for the week of March 15-20th and will be an on-line event this year.
Catholic Schools
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Did you know that St. Edward School (in fact all private schools in the United States) receives very little money from the government for its operation? We are funded almost entirely by the support of our families and the local community. This is a tremendous feat for which we are eternally grateful. When I think of the sacrifice of this parish and community to support our school, both financially and spiritually, I am awed.
St. Edward School was built in 1937, during the Great Depression, and dedicated on September 4, 1938. It is clear that our forefathers felt very strongly about the importance of Catholic education here in Minneota. Since 1938 we have educated over 1400 students. Many of whom have made great impacts on the local community and many other communities around the nation.
A Catholic education remains to be one of the greatest gifts we can give to our children. In 1938, The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet made up the teaching staff. Today our students are surrounded by a highly qualified staff of lay teachers who love Christ and understand the important relationship between Christ and his people.
What exactly is special about Catholic education? Researchers around the world have grappled with this question. Within our nation, the answers revolve around the special characteristics our our teachers, the family created within the school by students and their families, a unique school culture based on Christ and his church and an overwhelming evidence toward high academic achievement. I can concur with the research in that I see exactly these things here, at St. Edward School.
Thank you to all who back the mission of St. Edward School in any of the many ways we require that support.