Catholic Schools around the world have designated the last week of January to celebrate Catholic Schools Week since 1974. This year’s theme is Catholic Schools-Dividends For Life: Faith, Knowledge, Discipline and Morals.

At Holy Family Early Learning Center, our mission is to provide an educational program dedicated to fostering the spiritual, intellectual and physical growth of children. Based on the gospel message, the center helps children develop academic skills and encourages intellectual curiosity as well as promotes social, psychological and physical development.

Working with parents, Holy Family Early Learning Center helps children develop skills, talents and values that will enable them to lead faith-filled, productive and rewarding lives.

Our schedule for the week will be:

4 Sunday — Opening of Catholic Schools week

We will begin our annual celebration of Catholic Schools Week with an 8 a.m. Mass in the church. We are inviting all faculty, staff, students and parents to come out and celebrate the beginning of Catholic Schools Week at Holy Family Church.

4 Monday — Student appreciation day

We will have a parade on the school grounds. Students are appreciated because they are the reason why we are here.

4 Tuesday — Parent appreciation day

Parents are invited to eat breakfast with their child.

4 Wednesday — Teacher appreciation day

We will have a teacher appreciation luncheon and role reversal. All faculty and staff will exchange professional roles for one hour. Faculty and staff will be provided a special lunch courtesy of school sponsor, B&K Bank.

4 Thursday —Alumni, friends and pastor day

4 Friday — Community service day

The community will come and read to our students. Scheduled readers include, Darryl Grennell, R. Jackson, Joyce Coulston and more.

Ira S. Young is the educational director of Holy Family Early Learning Center.