Words from our Superintendent

Welcome to the 2018-19 Catholic School Year!

When I was in school, my favorite two days of the year were the first day and the last day. There was so much joy, excitement, satisfaction, and renewal for different reasons at both of those transitions. Even as a teacher and now as an administrator, the launch of a new school year has always been a mountaintop moment, no matter how chaotic or unpredictable it may be.

Sadly, this year’s revelations seen in the news has had a sobering effect on the normal joy and excitement of our new learning year. I know that our families, particularly those joining us for the first time, enter the schools with a wide range of safety questions – probably more than usual.

It seems timely to provide a general background on safety as it pertains to Catholic schools:

All schools in Nebraska, Catholic or non-Catholic, are held to the same standards of safety and security through local, state and federal requirements that cover everything from sprinkler systems to internet filters to lock down procedures. Things like drills, safety audits, facility upgrades, staff training, etc. are all a part of Catholic school operations.

Catholic schools also include safe environment policies and protocols that focus on the interactions between adults and children as a regular and required part of their safety, security and child accountability systems. You can learn more about this at https://archomaha.org/ministries/safe-environment/ We are especially fortunate to apply Omaha’s nationally recognized school curriculum “Circle of Grace,” now used nationwide by hundreds of schools across 21 other dioceses.

We welcome all families to continue dialogue on these important topics within their home and their school communities. Maintaining a healthy level of scrutiny, inquiry and exploration of all issues that impact the well-being of our children is a necessary element to our safe environment efforts.

May God bless and protect our children and thank God for our Catholic School adults who provide them security and reassurance every day,

In Christ,

Mike