Catholic Schools Week (Jan. 30-Feb. 5, 2023) is a national celebration of Catholic schools in the U.S. The theme for 2023 is “Faith. Excellence. Service.”
The 72 Catholic schools in Western Washington embody these three words perfectly. Our local Catholic schools serve thousands of students each day, providing safe spaces of learning where students can grow to meet their full potential academically, socially, and spiritually.
“We love Catholic Schools Week!” said Catherine Shumate, principal of St. Brendan Catholic School in Bothell. “Catholic Schools Week is all about celebrating the wonderful gift of Catholic education. We celebrate our rich traditions, the many ways we get to live out our faith each day at school, the accomplishments of our students and our staff, and our amazing school community. It is also a time to show appreciation for the dedication of our Catholic school teachers, staff, administrators, church staff, parents, volunteers, and our students themselves.”
This year, many local Catholic schools celebrated Catholic Schools Week through Mass and community events. Some schools, like St. Brendan, hosted an open house to allow prospective parents and students to get a feel for a Catholic school community.
“Catholic Schools Week, and our open house in particular, is a chance to celebrate and showcase the amazing things that are happening each and every day at St. Brendan,” Catherine said. “The event is a wonderful celebration of Catholic education for the entire community.”
The events hosted during the week brought together diverse Catholic school communities and perfectly demonstrated what sets Catholic schools apart.
“By integrating our Catholic faith into our school culture and curriculum, we empower students to live their faith as active Catholics, to reach their full potential, and to become life-long independent learners,” said Catherine. “As a Catholic school, we provide an education for the whole child—meaning that we focus on teaching Catholic faith values, strong academic achievement, and social/emotional learning. Parents partner with us in the education of their children and we value this partnership and support. At St. Brendan, students and their families are part of a vibrant Catholic school community where every student finds meaning and purpose in their lives through experiencing continual growth in faith and learning.”
Learn how you can support local Catholic schools by visiting FulcrumFoundation.org.