Xavier: Dividends for life

By Tom Keating

This week, Xavier High School and all metro Catholic elementary and middle schools join more than 8,000 Catholic schools nationwide to celebrate Catholic Schools Week, emphasizing this year's theme: “Catholic Schools: Dividends for Life.”

Those “dividends” are closely aligned with our mission to “develop the total person in a Catholic environment.” By nurturing spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional and social growth in each student, we strive to guide students to become the kind of young men and women who will make our community and our world a better place. In remaining true to the four pillars of Catholic education - faith, knowledge, discipline and morals - Xavier prepares young people for the challenges life holds for them.

Xavier's environment stresses the presence and love of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. students have the opportunity to develop, deepen and share their spirituality. Xavier's rigorous academic program, which includes more than 40 A.P., honors and college dual-credit courses, fully prepares students for postsecondary education, something that 96 percent of them pursue. Outstanding athletic and fine arts programs challenge students to develop the gifts with which they have been blessed. These programs, combined with our academic, service, faith and recreational clubs and organizations, provide an activity program that involves over 90 percent of our “Saints.”

also Xavier High School provides dividends to the metro area. Xavier educates nearly 800 students, saving significant taxpayer dollars. Xavier also employs more than 150 full and part-time professionals, which in turn has a positive economic impact. And many families considering our community as a place to relocate want to provide their children with a faith-based education. Xavier gives them that option.

An education at Xavier High School is possible only through the financial investment of the community. Tuition paid by our families is just part of that investment. The generous financial support of parishioners, alumni, the business community and other benefactors help make a secondary Catholic education a reality for the young people of our metro area.

In the next few weeks, Xavier Foundation volunteers will invite local businesses to invest in our community by donating to Xavier High School's business appeal. I encourage you to consider making such an investment, which we are confident will pay dividends for life.

Tom Keating, principal at Xavier High School, recently was named recipient of the National Catholic Education Association Outstanding Secondary Educator Award.