Catholic Schools Week was a very special experience for our school. It was a fun and engaging moment to celebrate the many gifts we have received over the years.

Catholic Schools Week is a time to celebrate the blessings of Catholic education. Along with the academic excellence that Philly Catholic schools provide, the affordability of the private education provided in the archdiocese of Philadelphia is another reason for prospective parents to take a look at how our school could be a good fit.

With 2023 fast approaching, it would be worthwhile to look at a few things Catholic high schools and elementary schools in Philadelphia have to be grateful for and why there’s every reason to be hopeful in pursuing a Catholic education for your child.

While public schools have been struggling to bounce back from over a year of virtual learning, Catholic schools have been gaining territory. An article in America magazine connects a 3.8% increase in enrollment in 2021-22 with the commitment to in-person learning. This uptick breaks a 20-year skid in enrollment and is a possible indicator of widespread resurgence in private education.

Americans aren’t used to thinking of Halloween as a religious holiday. With all the horror movies, the skulls and gory figurines on peoples’ lawns and the – well, spookiness – the Catholic roots of Halloween now generally lie six feet under people’s minds. This is precisely why it’s time to dig up these roots.

Schools across the nation reported that students fell behind due to distance learning during the COVID pandemic. Not so with Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Since October is the month of the rosary, it may be helpful to reflect on what this powerful prayer means for us and our families. How can the rosary help us grow in our relationship with our Blessed Mother? How can devotion to Mary help form students in and out of the classroom? Three themes come to mind: meditation, service and love.

One big advantage of Catholic education, in addition to academic excellence and being committed to opening children's mind to truth, is that Catholic schools but the lives and examples of the Saints front and center in the classroom.