The Gift of Catholic School Education

I remain grateful to my parents for the gift of a Catholic school education. Their decision, made with love and faith, required sacrifice but it instilled in my five siblings and me a strong foundation rooted in both academics and Catholic values. That gift of Catholic education shaped who I am today and inspires me to pass on the faith within my own vocation.
 
As principal of St. Joseph Catholic School, one of my greatest joys is witnessing the learning that happens in our classrooms each day. Teachers, staff, and students work together to achieve academic excellence while also living out the values that make our school community unique. Every day brings moments of growth, joy, and discovery—reminders of the mission we share to form both minds and hearts. From the eagerness of our youngest learners to the leadership shown by our middle school students, I see constant evidence that Catholic education is thriving at St. Joseph.

 
Faith formation is an important part of our school day. Over the years, our teachers have worked to weave the Catholic faith into everyday routines, helping students move beyond simply knowing about faith to truly living it out with their hands and feet. A beautiful example of this has been the tradition we began with Sister Janet Heiar, our parish pastoral associate: students writing letters and cards to our homebound parishioners.
 
Each fall, Sister Janet provides a list of homebound friends, and teachers sign up their classes for this project—many choosing to continue the relationship with the same parishioners year after year. This outreach has been a wonderful success. In addition to practicing important writing skills, students are given a deeper purpose in their “assignments,” knowing their words and artwork will brighten someone’s day. Sister Janet shares stories of how these letters bring true joy to those who receive them.

 
The impact runs deep. One homebound parishioner treasured his collection of letters from St. Joseph students, sharing them with his family when they came to visit. At his visitation, those notes were lovingly shared as part of his life story. Our homebound friends also hang the drawings on their refrigerators. At another parishioner’s funeral Mass, a special intercession was offered: “For the children from St. Joseph School who faithfully made cards and wrote notes to [name of individual]. May that intergenerational spirit continue to warm the hearts of our elders in the community.”
 
This project is just one of the ways our students live their faith and learn the power of small acts of kindness. My hope is that, as they grow, they will come to recognize the profound difference their outreach makes in the lives of others. At St. Joseph School, teachers and I remain dedicated to showing our students that academic learning and faith are not separate, but inseparable—shaping not only their minds, but also their hearts and their futures.

Sharon Roling