Catholic schools celebrate religious education this week

CEDAR RAPIDS - Catholic schools are celebrating school choice and religious education this week with a service campaign and a visit from the archbishop of Dubuque, among other activites.

The events coincide with National School Choice Week and National Catholic Schools Week, which celebrate choice and religion in education.

Tom Keating, the principal of Xavier High School, said his school was conducting a board game drive for children in need and that Xavier students would write thank-you notes this week to pastors, veterans and active military members, among others.

Xavier also hosted a Mass Tuesday morning led by Dubuque Archbishop Michael Jackels, which was attended by students from Xavier, LaSalle Middle School, Regis Middle School and St. Joseph School.

'That's always a great way to celebrate who we are,” Keating said.

Brad Haverback, a parent of three students at St. Matthew Elementary School in Cedar Rapids, said Catholic schools had been 'an excellent choice” for his family.

'For us, it was really quality education, combined with integrating religion into their education,” Haverback said of what drew him to Catholic schools.

Catholic educators and parents also are hoping a proposal for education savings accounts - which would give public dollars to parents who send their children to private schools - gains traction in the state Legislature.

Keating said that type of account would make it easier for middle-income families to afford tuition at private schools. Some families can qualify for tuition assistance from a pool of donations called the school tuition organization, Keating said, but those who do not can have difficulty.

'Those folks in the middle class, sometimes they don't qualify for the STO, but they're at a point where they're really stretched in their budget,” Keating said. 'They should have the right to choose the best educational option for their students, without money being the factor that keeps them from that.”

Haverback agreed.

'With private education, oftentimes socioeconomic background can be a barrier,” Haverback said. 'The idea of being able to offer the best education possible for your kids, regardless of where you live … I just can't see how it's not a win-win for everybody.”

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