7 minute read
Mr. Yatcko Celebrates 25 Years of Teaching
By: Ashley Timmons
HE’S THE FIRST person you see as you step foot on SJB’s school campus and the last person you see as you leave for the day. Not only does he meet and greet every student with a high five or an elbow bump these days--he’s also the middle school religion teacher-- and Santa Claus! This year, Jim Yatcko celebrates 25 years of teaching at St. John Berchmans Catholic School. He’s the cool religion teacher with the ZZ Top beard and the dark sunglasses who teaches our faith with a game of baseball or music from The Allman Brothers Band. He’s the one who leads the faculty in prayer for every meeting and he’s our go-to guy for all things rock and roll.
Advertisement
In his early 30s, Jim Yatcko felt the calling to become a religion teacher. It was through caring for his mother during her illness and death, that he found this calling. He was a volunteer CCD teacher at his local church parish, St. Paul’s Church in Minden, Louisiana where he taught his daughter’s 7th-grade religion class. “When I walked into that room, I felt at home. I felt I belonged there. It was then I found my calling... so good things can come out of hard times,” he says. After becoming certified as a Level 3 Catechist through the Greco Institute with the Diocese of Shreveport, Yatcko began driving a transport van shuttling students from Minden to St. John Berchmans Catholic School where he landed his first teaching job in middle school religion, a position he’s remained in for the past 25 years.
Students in a Catholic school have the unique opportunity to fulfill the sacraments, attend confession, and go to weekly Mass. Religion class at SJB includes the study of Catholic doctrine and traditions, scripture, social justice, and service to others. Yatcko says that although he has been through many textbooks over the years, textbooks are only a place to start. He says students should bring their life experiences to the classroom and much of what he teaches deals with sharing and discussing. Yatcko says, “If you were to ask me what my job description is, I’m not a religion teacher. It’s my job to share faith with young people. That’s what I do.”
An item on the school supply list for middle school is a Bible. Yatcko says students should learn how to use their bibles otherwise, bibles will stay on the shelf. Middle schoolers learn the Old Testament in 6th, New Testament in 7th, and a mixture of both including Confirmation preparation for 8th. Yatcko has always loved scripture and wanted to share it with others. “What’s important for them to learn hasn’t changed,” he states.
Yatcko collaborates with faculty in other departments like English, History, Computer, Art, and most recently PE. He believes our Faith should be crosscurricular which is simple to do in a Catholic school setting. In art class students have learned to use calligraphy to write The Ten Commandments, and to create the Stations of the Cross figurines with aluminum foil. In his own classroom, Yatcko uses a game of baseball where students can review for the upcoming test. Most recently, Yatcko has collaborated with the PE department to create a kickball game for the next test review. He says that anytime you can do something novel, that will stick with the student.
With 25 years of teaching middle school students, Yatcko understands the middle school brain a little better than most. He believes by incorporating art, music, and games, this helps to reinforce the lessons taught and appeal to all the senses anddifferent learning styles. “When they’re learning about the Patriarchs, I have them get comfortable at their desks and I use storytime to teach about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Who doesn’t like a good story? They remember this kind of thing,” he says. He says he’s been known to stand on the furniture with a stick in his hand when teaching about the prophets. During the vocations discussion, he uses classical art when teaching about the Calling of Matthew by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, depicting the moment at which Jesus Christ inspires Matthew to follow him. Playing Rambling Man by The Allman Brothers has helped 6th graders learn about the Epistles from St. Paul and not only puts an old school jingle in their head but also reinforces the scripture lesson. Yatcko says, “What we need to do is give them the tools to grow in faith and that’s what I try to do.”
Another important aspect of religious education is spiritual retreats and Yatcko leads every one. Each year, students in middle school look forward to their class retreat with a different theme for each grade. “Class retreats encourage spiritual development and bond the students.
Retreats encourage students to live a life of discipleship,” Yatcko states. A pillar of SJB’s mission is to nurture children in a life of service to others and one of the reasons Yatcko sponsors the Guardian Angels, a middle school service organization. These students are the ones you see every morning and afternoon opening car doors at carpool, walking little ones to class or carrying in a heavy school project. “My Guardian Angels help keep other students safe at carpool. Just as important is a cheerful greeting and pleasant goodbye to ensure that students and parents know we are happy they are with us,” remarks Yatcko.
Yatcko has observed numerous SJB traditions over the past twenty-five years, many in which he has participated in but his favorite is the 8th-grade presentation of The Living Stations. With his guidance, the 8th-grade class begins preparation shortly after Christmas and throughout the semester writing and editing The Stations of the Cross. “There’s so much work and creativity on the part of the students, from writing and editing, until it sounds like one voice,” says Yatcko. Students, dressed in costumes, perform for the school and parents on Holy Thursday every year. Catherine Mackey, 3rd-grade teacher recounts, “His dedication and work with the 8th grade shows through the emotions displayed by the students. I feel as if I am physically there in the actual presence of our Savior.” “To watch them put it together and grow in faith is amazing,” Yatcko says. He continues, “It’s something special and unique to our school. I’ve researched and no other school does this the way we do it. Every year it’s proven to be fantastic.”
Another SJB tradition is a special visit from St. Nicholas aka Mr. Yatcko. With his crozier in hand, Yatcko walks around the Multi-room and gives each student a blessing while choirs of children sing the St. Nicholas Song. Of course, they all know “it’s Mr. Yatcko!” but adults and children alike relish in the Christmas time spirit on the Feast Day of St. Nicholas. And with a beard like that, it was no wonder he was recruited to be SJB’s Santa Claus for the annual Rudolph Run 5K and Pancakes with Santa. He has grown to love this tradition and looks forward to it every year.
When asked what the future holds for Mr. Yatcko, he says, “I figure I’ll be here indefinitely. I’m a fixture. I’m like the furniture. I love being a part of this place and this family that we have. And I think that’s one thing that truly makes us different. Our faculty truly and honestly care about each other and most of all the well-being of the children that God has chosen to share with us. I firmly believe that in my heart and I love being here.” Yatcko has many memories from the past 25 years, he says, “I think what really brings it home is when I see my former students and realize that the seeds that were planted in middle school have come to fruition because of the people they’ve become.”
With our Faith being the cornerstone of our school, it is of utmost importance that we have a strong religious program that appeals to students in many ways. There’s no doubt Mr. Jim Yatcko fits the bill. He has impressed upon so many lives with his creative ways of teaching, his music, love of scripture, and our Faith. He’s sure to leave a mark on the soul, so to speak. Yatcko concludes, “It is amazing to feel that you are living your vocation every day when you come to work...and I still feel that after 25 years.”
