Your Opinion: Catholic educators thank supporters

Dear Editor:

Jan. 30 marked the start of the national recognition of Catholic Schools Week. The theme this year is "A+ for America." Throughout the country, Catholic schools are planning activities to celebrate.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of St. Joseph Cathedral School. On behalf of the staff and the families of our 500 students, we are writing to express thank you to the local community for embracing our Catholic schools.

Your prayers and the support of various businesses and organizations help us to truly be instruments of God's grace in the education of these young men and women. Their families are the first heralds of Christ and the first and best educators, and as a school we have the privilege of being their partners in this awesome task. Our hope is that our graduates, guided by a spirit of discipleship, continue to build up the community that has given so much to their formation.

We thank, in particular, the other fine parochial schools in town, especially the other Catholic elementary schools and Helias Catholic High School. We wish to express a similar gratitude to our friends in the Jefferson City Public School system, with whom we are fortunate to have a strong partnership.

While private schools throughout the nation are facing tough economic times, the schools in the Jefferson City Diocese are strong, and many are undergoing expansion projects.

Part of this is due to the fact that the structure of our local Catholic elementary schools allows active members of our parish family to attend with a nominal resource fee, rather than a few thousand dollars of tuition yearly. This means a great opportunity for families that desire a Christ-centered education, even if personal finances are tight. Our schools are also blessed to have many non-Catholic families, who bring an impressive dedication to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Continue to keep our schools in your prayers during Catholic Schools Week. We will continue to keep you in ours.