Next week is Catholic Schools Week 2014

Next week, Mount Carmel School on Saipan and Eskuelan San Francisco de Borja on Rota will join the rest of the nation in celebrating Catholic Schools Week 2014.  

This year’s CSW theme speaks to the holistic framework of Catholic education by proclaiming, “Catholic Schools:  Communities of Faith, Knowledge, and Service”. As the National Catholic Educational Association announced, “The theme encompasses several concepts that are at the heart of a Catholic education. First, schools are communities—small families in their own right, but also members of the larger community of home, church, city and nation. Faith, knowledge and service are three measures by which any Catholic school can and should be judged.”

Catholic schools in the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa prepared for the celebration of CSW 2014 with a proclamation from the Office of the Governor on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The proclamation announced Jan. 26 through Feb. 1, 2014, as Catholic Schools Week, “recognizing the sacrifices of the parents who chose and continue to choose to send their children to Catholic schools, and acknowledging the outstanding commitment of the teachers, administrators, and other personnel who provide excellent education in the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa.”

Each school continues its celebration of CSW 2014 throughout the week with various activities.

For its part, Mount Carmel School has prepared a full week of events that are aligned with CSW themes for each day of the week. MCS CSW chair and business manager Keiko Yamagata is inviting the whole community to join the school in the festivities.

“We invite all our families, AlumKnights, board members, and supporters to join us throughout the week in celebrating CSW,” Yamagata said. “We’ve been working together with the entire CSW committee to ensure that this will be another successful celebration and we’re excited to join the rest of the nation in celebrating Catholic Schools Week.”

On Sunday at 9am, the focus will be on “Catholic Schools in our Parishes” as MCS students converge on Mount Carmel Cathedral to kick off CSW 2014 with a Eucharistic Celebration.

On Monday, the focus shifts to “Catholic Schools in our Community” as MCS junior high and high school students engage in different activities that support community services. Elementary school students will make banners expressing their appreciation for the school’s many donors and supporters.

Tuesday will be dedicated to “Catholic Schools in our Faculty and Staff”. On that day, MCS will hold an appreciation program for faculty and staff, in which the 2014 MCS Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the Year will be announced.

On Wednesday, MCS will celebrate “Catholic Schools in our Vocations” with a Eucharistic Celebration, which will be followed by a vocations talk and other activities honoring vocations.

MCS will shift its attention on Thursday to the rest of the country with “Catholic Schools in our Nation” as students prepare letters, cards, and donated goods for men and women in the armed forces.

Friday morning’s emphasis will be on “Catholic Schools in our Students” with MCS students participating in a roadside waving in the morning, followed by field activities and demonstrations.

Friday night will highlight “Catholic Schools in our Families” with the school’s signature CSW event, Family Night. Held on the school grounds beginning at 6pm, Family Night will feature dinner, entertainment, and the presentation of a new award, Parents of the Year.

The school’s celebration of Catholic Schools Week will conclude with the “Night with the Knights” AlumKnight fundraising banquet on Saturday. The “Night with the Knights” will feature a school uniform fashion show, a music video montage of the school’s history, raffle prizes, and entertainment with a live band. The night will also be used to launch a capital campaign to renovate the school’s historic stage, which was recently reopened after a 20-year hiatus. The event will also include the announcement of the 2014 AlumKnight of the Year. Formerly known as the Distinguished Graduate Award, nominations for the prestigious award have been expanded to include AlumKnights who spent at least four consecutive years at the school.

The celebration of Catholic Schools Week began as an annual event in 1974. Catholic Schools Week and the National Marketing Campaign are joint projects of the National Catholic Educational Association, the world’s largest private professional education association, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the national public policy organization of U.S. bishops. [I](MCS)[/I]