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New School Year Brings Exciting Opportunities To Learn Together Once Again
When St. Peter School opens once again on Aug. 16, everyone’s smiles and excitement will be clearly visible as the masks will be gone.
Our principal, Sister Mary Michael, is looking forward to seeing the students and faculty without as much social distancing — and with many fewer Zoom sessions.
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As for the school itself, St. Peter School will be welcoming a new three-year Preschool level and some exciting changes to the Spanish program.
“Father has hired a youth minister who will be doing the Spanish program,” Sr. Mary Michael says. “He plans to take a mission trip with our children and parents to a Spanish-speaking country where there is great poverty.”
There also are plans to return to a regular schedule for physical education.
Everyone will be welcoming our new Assistant Principal James Widoe and saying farewell to Assistant Principal Jenn Tran, who has been named Principal at Blessed Sacrament School.
Through the restrictions and caution everyone coped with last year, one thing remained the same for St. Peter School students — the strong foundation in their Catholic faith.
As students and faculty dealt with the trials of COVID-19, our students were encouraged to live their faith. They were always treated with love and were allowed to receive the sacraments and attend daily Mass. They learned about the goodness of marriage and family life.
“This becomes more and more necessary in the culture in which we live,” Sr. Mary Michael says.
St. Peter Parish has been a consistent supporter of the school, and there are many ways help can be offered.
“Pray for us, first of all,” Sr. Mary Michael says. “And if they are parents, build a strong family life. That is important. We need their financial support and their children. They are the primary source of formation of their children, and we try to work as closely as we can with them.”
The school offers families strong encouragement when it is time for the children to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion, and then later for Confirmation.
Parishioners themselves can help personally at the school by volunteering to listen to the children’s prayers or to listen to them reading. Volunteers can help the children with math, as well as help supervise recess. Volunteers can also help at the junior high level with “Leisure Games.” All those volunteering are required to have received the Safe Environment Training and a background check.
Other activities to look forward to in the school year will include Grandparents Day that will be observed on the first day of Catholic Schools Week in January, as well as the Feast of St. Peter that will be observed on Feb. 23.
“We will have a Eucharistic procession with all the kids, as they will all have received First Communion,” Sr. Mary Michael says. “It will be a beautiful display of our faith and devotion.”
Throughout the school year, the students will be learning more about the teachings of the Catholic Church.
“This is becoming more and more important, to know the truth,” Sr. Mary Michael says. “It is important to love the truth and be able to act on it. Our families are blessed to live in Lincoln, where we have a strong Catholic education system that will form strong people — people with a sound foundation.”
