Catholic Schools Week is Jan. 31-Feb. 6

Published: February 1, 2016

Each winter, Catholic schools nationwide celebrate Catholic Schools Week. This year, it is being held Jan. 31-Feb. 6, marking the 42nd anniversary of the observance. The theme: "Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service," notes the values at the heart of a Catholic education. First, schools are small communities of faith within the larger community of home, church, city and nation. Second, faith, knowledge and service are the measures by which any Catholic school should be judged.

"Catholic schools are a vital aspect of the Church's mission to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and so an important aspect of our own teaching mission," said Archbishop George Lucas of Omaha, Neb., chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Catholic Education.

During this Year of Mercy, the attribute of service has an even deeper meaning. Archbishop Lucas said Pope Francis reminded Catholic educators at the World Congress held in Rome last November to know the spiritual and corporal works of mercy and to offer them to students in Catholic schools as practical examples of how to live the Gospel. "By teaching the Good News of the Gospel, Catholic educators guide our students to Jesus Christ and his healing mercy."

Schools nationwide observe Catholic Schools Week with special Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and the community. Find details about how Catholic schools in the Diocese of Little Rock are celebrating the week by reading Arkansas Catholic. Or read articles about our Catholic schools, including a column by Vernell Bowen, superintendent of schools, about what makes our schools strong. To learn more about Catholic Schools Week or find out about Catholic schools nationwide, visit the National Catholic Educational Association or the USCCB Catholic Education Tool Kit.

Catholic schools in Arkansas

The following statistics are from Catholic schools in Arkansas. To find a Catholic school near you, visit our school directory. For more information about our schools, visit the diocesan Catholic Schools Office.

• Number of Catholic schools: 27
• Total elementary and high school enrollment: 6,776
• Enrollment in preschools: 716
• Professional staff: 651
• Stanford 10 achievement tests cover all academic subjects for students in first through eighth grades. The average score for the Stanford 10 is 50 percent. Any score above 50 percent is above average. The scores for students in Arkansas Catholic schools range from 62 to 71 percent.