Philosophy and Mission

Mission

We are a Catholic school. Our mission is to lead students to the Kingdom of God by educating the whole person in the light of the Catholic Faith. We promote Christian values, academic excellence, and personal responsibility in a safe, structured, nurturing environment.

Philosophy

Our philosophy comprises the fundamental beliefs underpinning our mission as a Catholic school:

Our mission is to lead students

What greater work is there than training the mind and forming the habits of the young?

St. John Chrysostom

As Catholic educators we are living examples of Catholic values, lifestyle and behavior for students. We show and foster understanding and reverence for the Sacraments, and we demonstrate kindness and Christian charity toward all students, both in and out of the classroom. We are committed to professional excellence and personal spiritual development, knowing that our development is crucial to how we lead and educate. Students and parents respect St. Francis Xavier teachers as role models and knowledgeable instructors who are committed to the Catholic Faith and who have a genuine concern for children. Intelligence, creativity, responsibility, and loyalty are characteristics of the faculty.

to the Kingdom of God

In his Encyclical on Christian Education of Youth, Pope Pius XI said: the work of Christian education [is] manifest and clear; for after all it aims at securing the Supreme Good, that is, God, for the souls of those who are being educated, and the maximum of well-being possible here below for human society.

We believe that the teaching of sound Catholic doctrine leads to the development of a true conscience, and that each student, understanding the Faith, comes to live knowingly as a child of God.

by educating the whole person

Our curriculum aims at educating the whole person, that is, the spirit, mind and body. Through Christian education, students grow in awareness of their individuality and develop their gifts and uniqueness in right relation to God, self and others.

in the light of the Catholic Faith.

The Catholic Faith is integral to everything we do within the classroom, the school, and the community. We offer students a complete Catholic formation. All subjects are taught in the light of the Faith. We strongly believe that Christ is the foundation of the whole educational enterprise in a Catholic School. He is the model which the Catholic school offers to its pupils. (from The Catholic School, a document issued by the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education). We are committed to assisting parents in fulfilling their obligation for the Catholic formation and education of their children.

We promote Christian values

including love of God and others, humility, gratitude, honesty, courage, peaceablility, self-discipline and moderation, fidelity, chastity, loyalty, dependability, respect, unselfishness, sensitivity, kindness, friendliness, justice and mercy. We challenge students to respond to the needs of the time and help them see the relevance of a Christian value system in their daily lives. Our students are taught absolutes, helping them to understand the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, virtue and vice, and how to make good choices.

academic excellence

We offer a core academic curricula to develop critical skills, abilities, and knowledge essential for success. We incorporate teaching and learning styles that effect positive and personalized learning, and stimulate a spirit of inquiry that fosters life-long learning. We provide a variety of educational experiences including art, music, technology, foreign language, drama, physical education, and woodworking. Students are encouraged to discover their own potential and reach that potential through hard work and academic commitment.

personal responsibility

Personal responsibility helps give students a feeling of accomplishment and self-reliance. Students are guided to take responsibility for their own actions and for their learning. They are taught the importance of reliability and consistency in doing what they say they will do, and of keeping the commitments that they make. Students are helped to overcome the tendency to blame others.

in a safe, structured, nurturing environment.

We strive to create a Christian environment based on the foundation pillars of reason, religion and loving kindness, as promoted by St. John Bosco, the great Catholic educator. These three pillars produce a persuasive atmosphere wherein self-expression, expansiveness and confidence are fostered in students. Every child is capable of achieving his potential to the fullest extent when afforded respect, fairness, kindness, discipline, and appropriate instruction.

Our school represents a partnership among students, families, faculty, administration, pastor and staff. The school must be able to count on the unity of purpose and conviction of all its members. (from The Catholic School). We work to make our school accessible and affordable to as many children as possible. We see the school community as an integral part of the parish and Church and a vital force in preparing future Church and civic leaders.

If further information is needed, please feel free to contact the school at (802) 655-2600 or fax at (802) 655-3096.