Forty years after its founding, The Highlands School is marking its history with community events, campus improvements, and expanded programs while looking ahead to forming the next generation of students.
Schools
For Abby Orr, Catholic education has been an important part of her life since childhood — first as a student, then as a teacher, and now as a school principal.
At the beginning of each academic year, the University of Dallas’ dean and director of libraries and research Ron Scrogham sees a familiar sight: Incoming students — often accompanied by their parents — make their way into the Cowan-Blakley Memorial Library entrance, through the William A. Blakley Building, and up to the university’s Core Text Collection: a selection of 2,456 books, representing 76 unique titles across a slew of disciplines, which are ready to be checked out of the library for use in the semester ahead. Within about two weeks of the beginning of each term, most of the books in the collection have already been plucked from the library, stuffed into backpacks, and carried to classrooms.
The summer heatwave signals that it is time to return to school again. With school supplies on display everywhere and families shopping for all of the supplies on the list, even in the grocery store, to prepare for the first day of school, there is an exciting energy for this new school year. The Catholic Schools Office has been in-servicing new administrators and new teachers, while schools have been preparing classrooms for the return of their students. At Mass this weekend, the petitions included prayers for teachers, students, and parents: that this school year would be blessed with growth.
James L. Collins Catholic School recently welcomed members of the Knights of Columbus to campus to teach fifth-grade students about patriotism, respect, and service.
For 10 days in Costa Rica, a group of students from the Diocese of Dallas traded the relaxing routines of summer break for work gloves, prayer, and a mission to serve.
The mother of a prospective Ursuline Academy of Dallas student was short of time on campus that work morning, surely not enough to take the full tour that she wanted.
What began as a class assignment at John Paul II High School in Plano has grown into a nonprofit supporting North Texas firefighters. Inspired by his grandparents’ loss in the Los Angeles wildfires and motivated by a desire to turn Catholic social teaching into action, Sebastian Lee, a recent graduate of John Paul II High School, developed an idea that extended far beyond the classroom. With the help of a classmate, his brother, local fire officials, and supportive teachers, the project evolved into a registered nonprofit that is now raising funds, producing behind-the-scenes content, and building relationships with fire departments across the region.
Santiago Bryce has long been moved by the economic inequality he saw while living in Latin America. He knew God was calling him to create change, and the Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas graduate has already created a life of doing just that.
Michelle Boone does not describe herself as a loud leader. The recent Bishop Lynch High School graduate is more likely to organize from behind the scenes than to command attention from the front of a room.