Today, I would like to highlight the greatness of St. Mark Catholic School. First I would like to look at the history of Catholic School Education. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton began the first Catholic school in Baltimore, Maryland in 1809. The schools were developed to provide Catholic school children an opportunity to learn in an environment that was supportive of their faith. Catholic schools spread throughout the nation and in the first part of the twentieth century, the majority of Catholic children were educated through Catholic Schools. life. In the 1970’s for various reasons, more and more Catholics chose to send their children to public schools. This created a need for faith formation departments within the parish and to provide catechesis. The parish school continued in a new scope. It would be the place of academic excellence in an environment that would continue to nurture the Catholic faith.
Here at St. Mark, under the leadership of Mrs. Pam Steinkirchner, our Catholic School excels in Academics. This past year, our school qualified for blue-ribbon status and our graduates continually demonstrate in their first years of high school that they are well-prepared to excel in their future educational endeavors. Moreover, I am proud to know that St. Mark school is a place where faith and knowledge meet. All you need to do is walk around the school and you will see the faith lived out. Moreover, the priests of St. Mark regularly visit the school to help them know their faith.
Most importantly, our Catholic school children and their families grow up in a community. Parents come to know other parents and their students develop strong faithful friendships with their classmates. This catholic community is robust and spans all the different aspects of the children’s lives.
I invite you to come to our school and see why I speak so highly of our Catholic School. Your will find greatness inside.