This past weekend, I stumbled across an opinion piece written by William McGurn back in January of this year. McGurn, a writer for the New York Post, published an article highlighting what sets Catholic schools apart. He mentioned the obvious: impressive test scores, discipline, exceptional teacher-to-student ratios, and rigorous curricula. All true. However, he indicated an element sometimes overlooked in education: love. I have thought about this a lot over the course of the past couple of days and have some insights. Naturally.
Schools have an enormous job to do. Literacy, art, math, music, social studies, foreign language, science, technology, physical education, and in our case, religion. Interspersed within this tall order: breakfast, lunch, recess, remediation, athletics, and social teachings. How on earth does our school find time to squeeze in love? Well, we don’t find time to squeeze it in; it’s not something that stands by itself. Instead, we approach all that we do with love. Love is the foundational base. Every interaction, every approach, and every attempt. It’s all done with love.
As we approach Holy Week, it’s easy to focus our attention on violent acts endured by Christ and the intricate politics of nearly two thousand years ago. We can analyze the motives of Pontius Pilate or Caiaphas. All relevant. But we can also focus on the incredible love that Christ has for all of us and the fact that his mission on earth was to not only show us his love but to give us his love. This is a central theme of Christianity. If our Catholic schools exist to teach these fundamentals, why would we approach education from a standpoint other than love?
Remember Maslow and his hierarchy of needs? In his pyramid, in order to achieve self-actualization (acceptance of self and others; objectivity; sense of humor; strong morals/ethics; concern for humanity), several layers must be realized, starting with physiological needs, safety, LOVE, and self-esteem. We all need love and it’s necessary to saturate our children with the knowledge that they are loved and cared for. Think about this: your children know that you love them unconditionally. Now think about this: shouldn’t the place your child spends the majority of his or her time promise the same? It’s one thing to make the promise, but another to fulfill that promise. At All Saints Catholic Academy, we love your children every day.
Education is a journey with dips and peaks. So is life. However, the dips and peaks at our school are endured with love and support from parents, teachers, and staff who will guide and support along the way. There is no perfect school, no perfect classroom – after all, education is an art and not a science. But there are dedicated people here who love what they do and see their work as a vocation and not a job. There are no unions, no government mandates, and no public scrutiny of our expenditures. Instead, there is a board of trustees who love our school, a group of teachers who love what they do and the people with which they do it, and staff that love to help students be the best they can be.
Saint Augustine said, “Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.” I am so thankful for all of the beautiful souls at All Saints Catholic Academy.
Posted by Mrs. Wilson
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