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Faith and knowledgeDiocese of Oakland Catholic SchoolsBackForwardPauseCaption
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from the superintendentIt is an honor to serve and support so many principals, teachers, and staff who offered effective educational options in a time of crisis. During the pandemic, when so many workers were either forced or opted to work remotely from home, our principals, teachers, and staff were right where we needed them to be -- with our students, providing excellent education centered in Our Lord Jesus Christ. In a 2022 article by Kathleen Porter-Magee entitled, "In a time of crisis, Catholic schools offered a choice, not an echo," the author describes how the variance in pandemic response in our nation's schools created a new opportunity for families to consider the Catholic option. This holds true in the Diocese of Oakland as our schools experienced a 7% increase in enrollment for the 2021/2022 academic year and that increase remains steady for our current 2022/2023 academic year. This increase is due in large part to our Catholic school leaders and teachers dedicating themselves to what matters most and that which is most valuable - the in-person educational experience that we know to be critical for student academic, social, and spiritual development. I wholeheartedly thank our teachers, staff, and school leaders for providing Catholic education in a time of global crisis. Our students and families have undoubtedly benefited from these tremendous efforts and sacrifices.
Behold, I make all things new (Rev. 21:5)
As we look forward to the current school year, we welcome our students and families back to our campuses with open arms and hearts in a spirit of renewal. Our theme this year is adopted from the national Eucharistic Renewal effort of the Roman Catholic Church to reinvigorate our focus, understanding, and appreciation of the Sacrament of the Eucharist: "Behold, I make all things new" (Rev. 21:5). In this spirit, I invite our school families to make participation in the sacraments the highest priority. We draw strength, courage, and hope from the source and summit of Christian life - the Eucharist. We thank our families for choosing Catholic education and encourage all students, parents, faculty, and staff to fully participate in the sacramental life of our Church.
At your service,
Andrew Currier, PhD
Superintendent of Schools
Diocese of Oakland