By Tom Korta, CAO of Pius X

Summer is the teacher’s sabbath. It is God’s gift to educators (and students) to take some time to rest and refresh. Our society has lost its understanding of the importance of rest. We tend to wear “busyness” as a badge of honor, and if by some circumstance we are found resting, we feel the pressure to justify all that we have done to deserve such rest. Jesus tells us that God created the Sabbath for man. He knew that it is important to rest and replenish our energy supplies. In a culture that expects 24/7 access to all people and all things, it can be a challenge to unplug physically and emotionally in order to recharge our batteries. I pray that all of us can find some time this summer to recharge and enter into the rest that God commands(!) us to take.

Part of stepping away from the busyness of the school year is the opportunity to think ahead and engage in strategic planning. Our final strategic plan is posted on our website and I encourage you to read it. I think it is important for you to be aware of the strategic initiatives that our school is taking to improve. I want to use this space to highlight just a few of the more important ones:

Construction Project

We recently awarded the bid for our new south entrance project to Cheever Construction. With delivery delays, they initially indicated construction cannot begin until October. We asked if they would be willing to do some of the demolition work and utility work during the summer to minimize disruption when students are in school. I am grateful that they are willing to get as much done as possible this summer, knowing that eventually we will hit a spot where we are waiting for materials to arrive. We will communicate throughout the project any changes to parking, access to the front drive, and/or other issues that may impact you as parents and students.

Campus Ministry

Our Faith is at the center of all we do and why we exist as a school. While our Catholic identity is strong, we feel there is more we can do to engage our students in encountering the Lord. With that in mind, we are adding two additional people to our campus ministry staff.

Among their mandates is to meet with every student every year to do a “spiritual check-up” and to invite each student to a deeper relationship with Christ. Each student who receives a diploma will have had at least four intentional, personal invitations from an adult to grow as disciples of Christ. I cannot wait to see the fruits of this team!

Theology Instructional Coaches

Theology class is the most important class we offer at Pius X, and while I absolutely love that every theology class is taught by a priest or religious (this fact alone stuns administrators from other dioceses), our newly ordained priests have limited background in effective teaching and assessment practices. We are adding instructional coaches to our theology department—educators who will work alongside our priests and religious to assist with lesson plans, classroom management, assessment, and curriculum development. The first item on our strategic plan is to ensure the rigor and quality of instruction in theology classes is on par with the other subjects taught at Pius X; I believe this will give us a strong step forward.

Teacher Excellence Fund

Excellent instruction begins with excellent teachers. In order for us to attract and retain the best possible teachers for your students, we need to be able to offer competitive compensation. A brand new teacher at Pius X will make $7k less than a brand new teacher at LPS. We need to close this gap. The Teacher Excellence Fund is a direct means for parents, alumni and other benefactors to help us improve our compensation package for our certified employees. If God is calling you to support this fund, please reach out to our Advancement Office (402-488-1046) for more information. Every little bit will help!

I am constantly edified by the supportive parents we have at Pius X. When we interview candidates for teaching positions here, we brag about the support they will enjoy from the Pius X Family. Please know that I appreciate you and feel a tremendous honor to be able to serve you as CAO. Let us lift each other in prayer that we continue to grow in our ability to Restore All Things in Christ.