See the Sunday Journal on WBRZ about Special Education in the Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Schools!

Link:  Special Education in Catholic Schools – Sunday Journal on WBRZ

Thanks to John Pastorek at WBRZ for interviewing school Leaders from Sacred Heart of Jesus School and St. Michael the Archangel High School on Sunday Journal.

Link:  2021 WBRZ Sunday Journal - CSW Interviews



 

Please, join us for the Catholic Schools Week Mass Celebration and Awards Program with Bishop Michael Duca.  


Mass Program

The Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Schools Office provides a structure of inter-scholastic athletic programs for students through the Catholic Schools Athletic Association (CSAA). The CSAA emphasizes fair competition, character development, good sportsmanship, and community building. Catholic schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge strive to Evangelize Hearts, Educate Minds, Encourage Talent and Embrace the Future for all students within their schools.

Schools in the diocese reopened this year on-time and on-campus, largely due to the leadership of outstanding administrators working with dedicated faculty, staff and parents. CSAA sports were not held during the first semester of the school year because of safety concerns. Consistent with the policies and procedures for resuming classes on campus, principals postponed extra-curricular programs such as athletics and clubs in elementary/middle schools so that they could carefully implement best practices for returning to school safely.

The rate of infection in Catholic schools in our diocese is extremely low. For the period of August 3 – October 18, the student infection rate was less than one percent (0.65%), with the least infection in elementary/middle schools. This evidence indicates that safety procedures implemented with fidelity by Catholic schools such as static seating, wearing face masks, monitoring symptoms, and frequent hand washing are working, and individual schools will continue to implement campus safety procedures they determine are best for their stakeholders.

Resuming athletic activities carries the risk that the low rates of infection may increase because of child-to-child contact. At the same time, principals understand the benefits of sports for student development and have asked that CSAA resume athletic programs for the second semester. As the CSAA program resumes in January for middle school teams in grades 6 - 8, policies and procedures for conducting practices, hosting games, and attending events will be determined and communicated to ensure safety. Likewise, infection rates will be monitored closely, and consideration will be given to pausing CSAA sports if rates rise from their current levels. Just as Catholic schools choose to participate in CSAA sports, parents are urged to consider their personal situations (child’s health conditions, health status of others in the home, multigenerational households, etc.) when deciding whether to participate.

Catholic schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge are committed to the overall development and growth of students. We look forward to resuming the CSAA athletic program and extend gratitude to school personnel and parents for their support of a safe reopening of middle school athletics in our diocese.

The schools of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at its schools. They do not discriminate based on race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

Congratulations to St. Jude the Apostle School and Catholic High School (BR) for receiving the 2020 National Blue Ribbon Award from the United States Department of Education.  This is the first time St. Jude the Apostle School has been named a Blue Ribbon School and the sixth time that Catholic High School (BR) has received the award.

Seven schools in the diocese have been awarded the Blue Ribbon for excellence since 1982: 

• Catholic High School (BR)
• Most Blessed Sacrament School
• St. Aloysius School
• St. George School  
• St. Joseph's Academy
• St. Jude the Apostle School
• St. Thomas More School 

All students attending schools that participate in the Diocesan Child Nutrition Program will be provided breakfast, lunch, and after-school supper meals FREE of charge for the remainder of 2020.


 

Evangelize Hearts,    
         Educate Minds, 
                 Encourage Talent, 
                       Embrace the Future!