Catholic Schools Week combines faith and fun for St. Mary’s kids
DURING ONE OF THE COLDEST WEEKS OF THE YEAR, St. Mary’s School joined hundreds of other schools across the country in celebrating Catholic Schools Week.
“The week is a time to celebrate the foundation of what we educate our kids on, which is the Lord’s teachings,” said SMS Principal Ashley Honetschlager. “These events highlight the unique way we do that.”
While regular classroom learning still happens, each day hosts special events within the school or community at large. The students also interact with other grades more than usual, building relationships across different ages.
“It’s a good opportunity for older students to be good role models,” Honetschlager added.
Last Monday, teachers led short activity sessions with what the school calls Saint Groups, which are mixed age groups of students from Pre-K to sixth grade. Music teacher Katie Lanoue said the interaction across grade levels is a benefit to the whole student body.
“The groups are so great because the younger learners admire the older kids so much,” she said. “And the older kids like the opportunity to take someone under their wing. It’s even a way for them to look back to see how far they’ve come.”
Planning the celebratory week is a joint effort, with teachers organizing most of the exclusively-student events, and Honetschlager and Dean of Students Justin Condelli assisting with the community outreach.
While most events take place at the school, the week is bookended by masses at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy and Immaculate Heart of Mary in Currie. Lanoue selected the music and the whole student body performed a worship song. Individual students also sang in a small group and gave the readings, giving them an opportunity to gain confidence in front of an audience.
“They are a nice way for students to play a more active role in their parishes.” Honetschlager said of the masses.
The week also included other events designed for the school to be visible and play a larger role within the community, like “Pennies for Pets,” where the students raise money for the Tracy Area Animal Rescue.
“We like to include a mix of events that bring together the parish, families, and the students,” said Honetschlager. “Building community comes first this week.”
Lanoue also emphasized how important the tradition is for the school.
“It is such a heartwarming time for our students and our school,” she said. “The older kids can remember experiencing the week when they were young and how special it was for them. This gives everyone an opportunity to really celebrate who we are as a school.”
