Principal Reflections
Catholic Schools Week 2010
This week we are celebrating national Catholic Schools Week. The 23,000 Catholic school students in the Archdiocese of Seattle join the almost 2,000,000 Catholic School students throughout the whole nation in celebrating. What are we celebrating? Archbishop Brunett and Bishop Tyson give a good answer. “Investment in Catholic education pays ‘dividends for life’. These are not monetary dividends, but having a God-centered life, a moral compass, a relationship with Jesus Christ. The dividend for life is God. Catholic schools are known as the seedbed of the faith in the United States”.
St. Mary Magdalen School also celebrates an upcoming Jubilee. Founded in 1960 our school will celebrate its 50th anniversary this coming September. We will have a great party Saturday, September 18, and an Open House and formal Mass with the Archbishop celebrating Sunday, September 19.
Some facts about our school:
Enrollment is steady with 408 students making us one of the largest in the archdiocese. Most Catholic schools enroll about 250 students. Academically, our students continue to score in the 90th percentile nationally. Most of our students continue their education in Catholic High Schools.
What makes St. Mary Magdalen School so special?
Community, strong Catholic beliefs and traditions, and strong academics. All students are brought up to be strong Catholic leaders. This year especially, school parents have worked hard to become more involved in the larger parish community. This can be seen by their presence and involvement in the parish life and activities. The parish in turn is also more involved in the school. The parish priests and Deacon Wichert teach classes to the students each week as well as during the weekly children’s Mass. The senior citizens work with the kindergarten students on projects. A parishioner generously paid for a bus so the 8th graders could participate in the March for Life rally in Olympia.
Students hold food drives for our St. Vincent DePaul Society and they serve Catholic Community Services in Everett by bringing Christmas gifts for the needy. Last week the school community organized our “Gifts from the Heart” project which raised over $5,000 for those in need in Haiti and the Philippines.
Thursday we have open house all day and we will honor our distinguished graduate who is still a member of our parish. Her name is Pam Forrest Wood. Ms. Wood graduated the second year our school was in existence. Her picture is posted on the bulletin board in the hall.
We all have much to be proud of during this Catholic Schools Week.
