Submitted by ERIC SONNEK
�ike all schools, St. Felix Catholic School serves stu-
dents and families who are dealing with anxiety, fear, and depression. Across the state, 92% of Catholic school principals identified the need for more time from school counselors in order to respond. Thanks
We are so grateful for our community who continues to gather for our annual Christmas Play. Year after year, they are giving new students a chance to spread their wings. - Principal Eric Sonnek
to the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE), we’ll be able to better serve our school community with mental health and wellness resources through its Peace of Mind initiative. St. Felix Catholic School is one of 21 local Catholic schools in this three-year Peace of Mind Partner School Initiative that will help us meet the needs of our school community through specific instruction and individualized solutions with support from CSCOE’s partner, Dr. Jules Nolan, and her team at Phoenix School Counseling. The goal: children and adults will gain emotional confidence and grow in competence to handle life’s stressors, big and small, in healthy ways. As a Peace of Mind Partner School, we will benefit from: • • •
An additional day per week of school counseling services; Specialized training;
A grant to host a middle school experience that grows connections between students and parents;
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Family resources such as live presentations, webinars, hand-outs and recommended digital apps to build practical skills and learn new strategies.
7 Catholic Schools
St. Felix, Wabasha, Is a Peace of Mind School
We are grateful for CSCOE’s support in providing fresh perspectives and concrete tools to bolster health and balance for everyone in our Catholic school community, and we thank our staff members and families for their partnership. If you would like to chat about Peace of Mind or hear more about the initiative, please contact Mr. Eric Sonnek at St. Felix Catholic School to see how the benefits of the Peace of Mind program have helped St. Felix Catholic School and how they can possibly help your school. To learn more about Peace of Mind, visit https:// cscoe-mn.org/initiative/peace-of-mind/
Eric Sonnek is the principal of St. Felix School in Wabasha.
St. Casimir's School Donates to Wells Area Food Shelf Submitted by TERESA CHIRPICH
�
s the Advent project this year for the students of St. Casimir’s School in Wells, the students collected food items for the Wells Area Food Shelf and brought them to the center where they were also given a tour of the facility by Director Pat. The kids had MANY questions, and it was wonderful for them to see how the food they collected will be used and why it is so needed. In fact, Pat shared that in November alone, the center served 230 individuals from 73
households who were provided with a total of 3,599 pounds of food. That is a LOT of kindness shared, and it was great for our kids to experience the virtue of charity within our own communities! If you would like to visit the food shelf, it is located at 10 1st Ave. SW and is open Tuesdays from 4-6 p.m. However, if there is an emergent need, please call 507-553-5824. The students of SCS wish a holy Christmas to all! Teresa Chirpich is the office manager of St. Casimir's School in Wells.
RCS Spreads Joy Through Operation One More Submitted by KAT BESTOR
ROCHESTER - Hundreds of Rochester families in need are receiving an extra dose of holiday cheer thanks to Operation One More, a volunteer food program supported by Rochester Catholic Schools, where each of their five Early Preschool - Grade 12 schools plays an integral role. As Mother Teresa once said, "If you can't feed one hundred people, then feed just one." Operation One More embodies this spirit of making a meaningful impact, with a commitment to making a difference one family at a time. Six years ago, the idea to launch Operation One More was first brought to St. Francis of Assisi School by RCS Parent, Stephanie Collura, who has always had a deep passion to serve others. Where better to share that passion than Rochester Catholic Schools, where the spirit of service is an integral part of students’ educational journey? “Aside from bringing aid to families with young children during the holiday season, my overarching goal has always been to raise awareness among our youth and instill a desire to be helpful and socially aware citizens in our community,” Stephanie said.
Over the past six years, the organization’s overall reach has increased from supporting 35 food-insecure families to now assisting 164 families - more than 800 Rochester residents in all. Participation has also grown exponentially! Food is now collected at all five RCS schools and three of the area Catholic churches over the course of several months. The drive includes students in every step of the process from the organization to the coordination to the execution of the project: •
Elementary students gather food needed in the food drives;
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High school students help with transportation and sorting of non-perishable food items;
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8th grade students pack the grocery bags using care and precision, ensuring that every family receives the same essentials; High school students in Faith Formation for Confirmation participate in hand delivering the groceries.
Depending on the family size, each family receives anywhere from one to three bags of groceries. In addition, families also receive bread, milk, and a $25 gift card to a local grocery store to be used toward the protein of their choice. The incredible collaboration and support from all school principals and the RCS community has helped make Operation One More more successful each year. Thank you to all who have made this initiative possible, and for helping us spread cheer to Rochester residents in need. How can YOU (Rochester community members) help? The organization has a goal of raising $4,100 to be used for the purchase of $25 grocery gift cards for each family. Any money raised beyond that will go toward supplemental non-perishables and the purchase of milk. Checks made payable to "Operation One More" may be dropped off at Lourdes High School or Venmo @operation1more Kat Bestor is the marketing & communications manager for Rochester Catholic Schools.
January 2024 w The Courier w dowr.org
