Story Ideas Relating to the New School Year

As our local community prepares to begin another school year, here are a few story ideas about local Catholic schools that will welcome students back on August 11^th in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus counties.  

A Transformation to Benefit Students

An urban school in downtown Tampa is redefining itself to meet the needs of individual students. The historic St. Peter Claver Catholic School will be the first Catholic microschool in our area. This new model is generating excitement about the upcoming school year. A microschool offers Individualized attention, mixed grades, and amazing teacher-to-student ratios.

A Home Away From Home

Classrooms at Bishop Larkin Catholic School, in Port Richey, also resemble living rooms. The school has taken an innovative approach to enhance the student experience. Students feel more at home in areas that include couches, comfortable spaces, and creative decor. Many parents are pleasantly surprised when they arrive at the school for the first time to see how the classrooms are set up. Also, the middle school classrooms are grouped into “houses” with their own flags, symbols, and cheers. Students spin a wheel to determine which house they will join. Additionally, the school’s new Morning Star program for children with special needs is a welcoming place that meets an important need in Pasco County.

Two Hearts, One Calling

Married principals Keith Galley (St. Petersburg Catholic High School) and Erin (Halloran) Galley (St. Patrick Catholic School, Largo) have served the Tampa Bay community for nearly 40 years (collectively) in Catholic education, and they both attended Catholic elementary and high schools in the Diocese of Saint Petersburg. They are devoted to educating and inspiring students to use their talents and gifts to meet the challenges of today and the future. They can be interviewed about their many years of experience in Catholic education and how their calling as a married couple and as principals shapes their daily lives. 

Blessing of Teachers, Students, and Backpacks,

A church in Clearwater is giving students and teachers a little extra confidence and encouragement as they head back to school this year. St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church is inviting students to bring their backpacks to church on August 9^th and 10^th. At the end of worship services that weekend, students and teachers will receive a special blessing, and their backpacks will also be blessed. Students will receive a keepsake to attach to their backpacks, while supplies last. Blessings are a means of expressing goodwill, asking for divine favor, and acknowledging God’s presence in everyday life. This practice is rooted in the belief that blessings can bring spiritual benefits, comfort, and strength to individuals.

Blessings will occur during the Following Masses:

• Saturday, August 9^th, 4:00 PM
• Sunday, August 10^th, 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM Spanish, 6:00 PM

Catholic schools and centers in the Diocese of St. Petersburg offer a nurturing community where students can develop spiritually, academically, and socially.

Photo caption: First week of the 2022-2023 school year at Espiritu Santo Catholic School, in Safety Harbor. Courtesy photo.