Alliance for Catholic Education
To much of the world, the last week of January is just that—the end of the first, long month of the new year. For Catholic school communities, however, it’s a week of celebration, reflection, and appreciation. At St. James in North Miami, it’s a time for what my principal fondly calls “organized chaos.” From Spirit Days and kickball games to Archdiocesan Mass, Open House, and Career Day, Catholic Schools Week here is an unforgettable spectacle.
I must add this disclaimer: the theme of this blog post, per my editor, is supposed to be “teaching.” However, what there was not a lot of this Catholic Schools Week, was “teaching.” Perhaps my ACE peers can echo these sentiments: We got out of the classroom in order to encounter our community and celebrate the value of our Catholic education, live and in person.
Sunday: Family Mass & Open House
On Sunday, we had our annual Family Mass and Open House where we got to show off all the incredible work happening at St. James, celebrate our current families and welcome prospective families. All of a sudden, my quiet students who come into my classroom each day without so much as looking up, are pulling their parents through my door in order to give their excited hellos.
Monday: Jaguar Spirit Day & Brain Bowl
On Monday morning, you could find me shuffling into my car, breakfast in hand (car breakfasters unite!), mind groggy, trying to ready myself for what the week had in store for me. This Monday was Jaguar Spirit Day and students paid $2 to dress in school colors. This was also the day of the St. James inaugural BRAIN BOWL where students competed in a Catholic trivia bowl. It was as cutthroat as can be considering our mission statement’s “Christ-like Character” and a great way to celebrate the faith, academic strength, and community at St. James.
Tuesday: Field Day
While we got most of our lessons in on Monday, Tuesday was our annual Field Day! Not a textbook in sight, we spent the morning competing with our homerooms in over 20 games around campus, graciously run by our 8th-grade referees. 6B, my homeroom, spent a whole morning trying to best me 20+ times in various bouts of athleticism, to which I came out on top. Mostly. The afternoon was reserved for our annual 7th vs 8th-grade kickball game – after a tight game, 8th-grade won out in a sound, establishmentarian move. It was a day for the students and a reminder for me and the rest of the teachers about the joy we get to witness and grow daily in our students
Wednesday: A Mass Beyond Our Walls
On Wednesday, the Cathedral hosted a Mass for every school in the Archdiocese of Miami and live-streamed it for those of us who remained in our classrooms. While I went to school that morning dreading our annual Zoom Mass, which I would watch with 7th-grade instead of teaching Civics, it was actually a wonderful reminder for all of us that we are not alone in the midst of this journey of Catholic education. A parade of school banners showed my students their peers across the county and beyond, all in pursuit of their own holy, holistic education.
Thursday: Career Day
Thursday was our annual Career Day! In full disclosure, I have a love-hate relationship with Career Day. It is a wonderful way to celebrate our broader community and expose our students to the myriad future opportunities available to them. However, as students go around to the many campus stations and hear from a dozen different community members with a dozen different jobs, they always get tired. Their focus starts to drift, and all of a sudden, the three stray chickens frolicking loudly through the parking lot are of much greater interest to them than the kind and accomplished FedEx drivers who are sharing the ins and outs of their career (true story). However, it is a joy to look towards the future with them as my students dress as their potential careers. They got so excited to tell me about their plans to be a nurse, a detective, an engineer, or even a bankruptcy lawyer. Catholic education invites us to be both and: to be both citizens of the world and heaven. Career Day is a joyful exploration of that duality, chickens and all.
Friday: Teacher, Staff, and Volunteer Appreciation Day
Friday gave us a kindly end to a hectic week. We ended with a day dedicated to appreciating the people who make our school possible. Amid extra hugs and kind words, I asked my students what they loved about our Catholic school community. Their responses—about safety, love, celebrations, and shared growth—reminded me why our work is so meaningful:
“What my catholic school community means to me is that it’s a safe and loving environment. My catholic school is like my second home. I feel wanted and acknowledged within my school community. It brings me great joy to be here.”
“St. James is amazing in so many different ways. We all come together to share our beliefs in Christ. My favorite memories come from the last day of school when we acknowledge all growth and lessons learned throughout the year.”
Catholic Schools Week was chaotic at times. Many times. From Zoom Mass technical difficulties, Career Day chickens and Field Day’s spirited taunts, there was constantly a reason for me to be on edge, ready to flee back to the safety of my classroom normalcy. Instead I tried to lean into the unruly joy of it all— the organized chaos. And as it should be because at its root, Catholic education is the epitome of organized, holy chaos. It can be chaotic to seek excellence in academics, spirituality, community and athletics* all at once. *(Shoutout to the St. James boys’ basketball team and their first-ever playoff run!). It takes uncommon effort to educate the minds, bodies, hearts and souls of a classroom of students. What remains is a beautiful paradox: educating both mind and spirit, fostering both academic rigor and a vibrant, caring community.
In Catholic schools, we embrace both faith and learning. During this week, we step out of the classroom to celebrate the incredible gift of a Catholic education—a rigorous journey enriched by community, spirituality, and yes, a little bit of chaos.