National Catholic schools week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. This year it starts today and ends on Saturday, Feb. 6. Our theme at Holy Family for this week is “Giving our Hearts to Education.”

Schools typically observe the annual celebration week with events and activities with focus on the value Catholic education provides to young people and its contribution to our church, our communities and our nation.

We all know the role the schools have played over the years and our country, when they provided families with the best education possible.

Founded in 1890, Holy Family School is a beacon of light, offering a solid Catholic educational foundation. In its beginnings, three Franciscan sisters worked to create a welcome environment in which students could learn. It began as an elementary school. In 1921, three members of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate arrived and transformed the school into a K-12 elementary and high school. In time, the number of sisters grew to 15. Two sisters from that congregation remain in the school to this day.

The original purpose was to offer a Catholic education to African-American students, who are otherwise unable to be afforded such opportunities.

Through the years, due to financial struggles and hardships, Holy Family School has been downsized. It is now the Holy Family Early Learning Center, providing education and care for students ages 2 through 5, in pre-kindergarten through kindergarten.

Today, we provide our children with a strong educational foundation enabling them to be successful in the years ahead.

This week we are expressing our appreciation to all who make our school a success. Special activities have been planned showing appreciation for our students on Monday, parents on Tuesday, teachers and staff on Wednesday, grandparents on Thursday and to those who support us in the Natchez community on Friday.

We are planning now for the 2016–2017 school year and are accepting registration on a first come, first served basis at a reduced rate of $100. After February, this fee will increase.

Come to Holy Family Early Learning Center this week and share our successes.

 

Sister Dympna Clarke is a member of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate and serves Holy Family Early Learning Center.