St. Joseph Catholic School
kindergarten class. (Photo
provided by Mariann Reilly)
The Archdiocese of Chicago will be marking Catholic Schools Week Jan. 25 through 30, and St. Joseph School in Homewood and Infant Jesus of Prague School in Flossmoor are planning activities to celebrate the week.
Bishop Joseph Perry, auxiliary bishop for Vicariate VI, helped kick off Catholic Schools Week with a special visit to St. Joseph School on Friday.
“We were delighted to have the bishop come speak with our students,” said Principal Dan Fleming. “The bishop helped reiterate our message of thanks to parents who make a financial commitment to send their children to a Catholic school. St. Joseph provides not only a solid educational foundation, but a moral and spiritual foundation as well.”
“Catholic Schools Week gives us the opportunity to show our appreciation for our students, teachers, staff, priests, school families, and parishioners, who together make IJP the place to be,” said Infant Jesus of Prague Principal Natalie Formica.
Activities throughout the week will give students a chance to have fun while doing service projects and celebrating teachers and staff.
St. Joseph has an open house planned from 8:30 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28, with an ice cream social for students that afternoon. They will be making cards for parishioners and enjoying a student/staff volleyball match on Jan. 27. Teachers will be honored at a luncheon on Jan. 29. Fleming said he has a few surprises planned as well.
IJP’s Formica said that IJP’s certified teachers, many with master’s degrees, instruct students with a “wonderful combination of discipline, creativity and care.” IJP offers classes for pre-K through eighth grade and is committed to providing students with the best Catholic education at a competitive tuition rate, she added.
During Catholic School Week
- IJP will offer school board hospitality following Sunday’s masses. A PTO-sponsored book fair opens after the 9:30 a.m. mass.
- On Jan. 26, students will donate socks or mittens and earn a jersey at the book fair.
- Jan. 27 is Teacher Appreciation Day; the musical “Godspell” will be presented at a student assembly. An all-school mass is planned on Jan. 28, which is Priest Appreciation Day.
- Jan. 29 is School Pride Day with an IJP open house beginning at 7 p.m. Guests will view a science fair display, the fifth grade wax museum and make purchases at the book fair.
- Jan. 30 is Student Appreciation Day with no homework or uniforms required. The science fair judging is scheduled for 6 p.m.
For more information about IJP, interested persons can contact Peggy Dull, school registrar, at (708) 799-5200, ext. 244, or visit the school website at www.ijpschool.org.
For information about St. Joseph School’s pre-school through eighth grade programs, contact Principal Fleming at (708) 798-0467 or visit the school’s website at www.sjshomewood.org.