Archdiocese of Chicago’s Schools Celebrate National Catholic Schools Week 2018
Chicago, IL (January 26, 2018) – Catholic Schools Week, an annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States, takes place Sunday, January 28 through Saturday, February 3. The theme for this year’s celebration is Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed. Throughout Catholic Schools Week, the 214 archdiocesan Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of Chicago will celebrate with special activities including, Masses, open houses, talent shows, service projects, community appreciation efforts and guest speakers.
“Catholic schools have shaped generations of successful and civic-minded graduates who keep our communities strong,” said Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago. “Faith formation is at the heart of Catholic education and our schools provide students with moral and spiritual development that will influence the decisions they make throughout their lives.”
This celebratory week is an opportunity to honor the communities, the families and the achievements of all archdiocesan elementary and high schools in Cook and Lake Counties. The Archdiocese of Chicago is one of largest private school systems in the United States with more than 78,000 students. The Archdiocese school system leads the nation in receiving the most Blue Ribbon Awards, more than any other school system – public and private – in the country.
Also during Catholic Schools Week, the Archdiocese will host several in-person tax credit scholarship application events in locations across Cook and Lake Counties where current and prospective families can receive help completing the application in English or Spanish. The “Invest in Kids” Act, which includes a provision for tax credit scholarships, was signed into law in August 2017. Tax credit scholarships will provide thousands of students from low-income families with scholarships to attend non-public schools of their choice because of the generous support from donors.
“We have many reasons to celebrate Catholic education in greater Chicago,” said Dr. Jim Rigg, Superintendent of Catholic Schools. “With the success of our recent capital campaign, the release of our new strategic plan and the introduction of tax credit scholarships, I have great confidence and hope for the future of our schools. Momentum is building.”
Cardinal Cupich and Dr. Rigg will attend Catholic Schools Week activities across the Archdiocese next week. These activities include:
Monday, January 29
Noon – 1 p.m.
Officer McNamara from Chicago Police Department will speak to pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes at St. Stanislaus Kostka, 1225 North Noble Street, Chicago. Dr. Rigg will attend.
2 p.m.
Dr. Rigg will speak to students at St. Richard School’s Career Day, 5025 South Kenneth Avenue, Chicago.
Tuesday, January 30
8:30 a.m.
Dr. Rigg will attend the spelling bee at St. Nicholas of Tolentine School, 3741 West 62nd Street, Chicago.
1 p.m.
Cardinal Cupich will preside over the Catholic Schools Week Mass for Immaculate Conception-St. Joseph School, 1107 North Orleans Street, Chicago. Dr. Rigg will also attend Mass.
Wednesday, January 31
2 p.m.
Dr. Rigg will attend the tax credit scholarship application workshop for parents at DePaul College Prep, 3633 North California Avenue, Chicago.
Thursday, February 1
9 a.m.
Dr. Rigg will attend an assembly with Congressman Dan Lipinski from at St. Christina School, 3333 West 110th Street, Chicago
11 a.m.
Dr. Rigg will participate in an Ethnic Day celebration at St. Mary Star of the Sea School, 6424 South Kenneth Avenue, Chicago
1:45 p.m.
Dr. Rigg will attend a prayer service at St. Germaine School, 9735 South Kolin Avenue, Oak Lawn
Friday, February 2
10:30 a.m.
Dr. Rigg will judge a door decorating contest at Academy of St. Benedict the African, 6020 South Laflin Street, Chicago.
2 p.m.
Dr. Rigg will attend an awards ceremony at St. John de la Salle Catholic Academy, 10212 South Vernon Avenue, Chicago.
The annual Catholic Schools Week celebration is a joint project of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Catholic Schools Week was established in 1974 to recognize the value Catholic education to young people and its contributions to the Church, communities and nation.
To learn more about the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Catholic schools, visit schools.archchicago.org.
