Why Catholic school?

January 25, 2018
Pamela Lyons

It has been 10 months since I began my tenure as Superintendent of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. In that ten months, my love for the Catholic schools of our Archdiocese has only grown as I continue to be amazed by the families, students, educators and administrators that comprise the 22 preschools, 55 elementary schools, and 8 high schools in Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties. During the past four months, my staff and I have had the opportunity to visit almost all of these 85 schools and are continuously blown away by the strong Catholic communities, innovative educational programs, and dedicated people we find at each of these schools. As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week across the United States, you may be wondering what is it that separates the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of San Francisco from the many other schools in Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo. You may be asking yourself, why Catholic school?

When a child enters a Catholic school, they are treated as one of God’s beloved children, created in His image and likeness, and as such are inherently good. In other words, all of our students are beloved because they are created by God. Catholic schools create educational opportunities that not only address the intellect, but of equal importance, the spiritual, moral, and social aspects of every child. We recognize the importance of academic excellence, and are diligent about ensuring that our students are receiving an education on par with, and in most cases, an education that greatly surpasses other local public and private institutions. The difference lies in our pursuit of academic excellence as a pathway to a greater good. Our curriculum is rooted in the Gospels that inspire a love of learning and the intellectual pursuit of the truth. I always tell our teachers that we are educating our students to change the world, by contributing to the Kingdom on earth, with their ultimate goal being entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.

This school year, more than 24,200 students attend Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. We welcome those members of our community who are not currently attending a school in the Archdiocese to visit a Catholic school and experience for yourself all they have to offer. Join us in our mission to grow our students’ understanding that they are God’s beloved so they may fully realize God’s plan for them.

Pamela Lyons is Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of San Francisco.