The annual Catholic Schools Week celebration kicks off on January 28, 2024, and goes through February 3, 2024. The theme is “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.” Brenda Mitzel, Director of Catholic Schools for the diocese shared, “The theme encompasses the core products and values that can be found in Catholic schools. Not only are we teaching students to become future servant leaders, life-long missionary disciples, and enriched citizens in our communities, educators are growing with them. In Catholic schools, we are all learners, disciples, and leaders. These shared qualities are what make Catholic schools work.”

Schools across the diocese will celebrate the week in a variety of ways. The highlight of the week is gathering as a community to celebrate Mass. Other activities include vocations panels, community service projects, family activities, and open house events to share the good news of Catholic Education with the community.

In 2023, the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota distributed $676,979 from over 250 donor-directed endowments to Catholic schools in the Diocese. The donors who established these funds have entrusted the Foundation to invest their gifts using Socially Responsible Investing Guidelines giving peace of mind that their gifts are stewarded with
Catholic moral and social teaching. These endowments are invested in a way that will preserve the original gift and continue making annual gifts to support the mission of Catholic schools in perpetuity.

If you have questions about establishing an endowment for a Catholic school, parish, cemetery, or other ministries important to you, reach out to Heather Fortin by phone (605-988-3777) or email (hfortin@ccfesd.org).