Celebrate Catholic Schools Week 2012: January 29 - February 5

The theme for Catholic Schools Week 2012 is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Academics. Service.” The annual observance starts the last Sunday in January and runs to February 5. Schools typically celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Masses, open houses and activities for students, families, parishioners and the community at large.

The theme focuses on three priorities that Catholic schools establish that make them stand out from other educational institutions. Children are taught faith – not just the basics of Christianity, but how to have a relationship with God. Academics, which in Catholic schools are held to very high standards, help each child reach his or her potential. Service, the giving of one’s time and effort to help others, is taught both as an expression of faith and good citizenship.

For more information about Catholic Schools Week, visit the National Catholic Education Association website.

The Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis form students to live out the Gospel message, achieve academic excellence, and lead by faith, virtue, and reason.

There are 95 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese, including elementary and high schools, located from Forest Lake in the north to Faribault in the south; from Maple Lake in the west to the Wisconsin border in the east. Please visit our interactive maps to see the location of schools in the Archdiocese.

• Enrollment - More than 30,000 students in pre-k through 12th grade attend Catholic schools here.
• Graduation Rates - 99.4% of local Catholic high school students graduate and 97.2% go on to continue their education or serve in the military.
• Standardized Testing - All Catholic school 8th graders in the Archdiocese take the SAT 10 standardized test. On this test in 2010-2011: 96% of 8th graders ranked average or above in math problem solving;  94% ranked average or above in science; and 93% ranked average or above in reading comprehension
• Financial Assistance - All Catholic schools work with families to help make Catholic education affordable. The Archdiocese provides nearly $3 million in financial assistance to families and schools annually. In the coming years, even more support will be dedicated to student-based financial aid. In addition, each individual school works with its own families to make Catholic education affordable. Alumnae, parishioners and other Catholic school benefactors help make Catholic school affordable through their generous support. 
• Accreditation - All Catholic schools in the Archdiocese are accredited or in the process of being accredited by a state-recognized accreditation agency.
• Special Education Services - Catholic schools have access to special education services from the public districts they are located within. Approximately 1,300 Catholic school students received special education services last year. 33% of students who received special education services received beyond what is funded by the state. Last year, 61 schools received Title I services from their public districts. Many schools have additional programs for students who need additional assistance but do not qualify for special education services through their public district.
• Transportation - Nearly 15,000 Catholic school students received subsidized transportation last year through cooperation with public school district transportation offices.
• Religion - The Catholic faith is integral to all aspects of school life, but students of all denominations are welcome. Approximately 13% of Catholic school students are not themselves Catholic.
• Additional programs - 53 schools have pre-school programs including full-day programs. 74 schools have extended day programs.

I want to find out more. Is there someone I can talk with about Catholic schools?

Of course! Please call 612-SCHOOLS (612.724.6657) or email us at schools@archspm.org. You can also explore interactive maps to see the location of our schools.

(Data from 2010-11 school year)

In 2011, as part of strategic planning in the Archdiocese, a Catholic Schools Commission developed initiatives aimed at reinvesting in schools throughout this local Church. These initiatives will strengthen schools for this generation and generations to come. Find out more at planning.archpm.org/schools.

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