Solano schools celebrate Catholic education this week

For 56 years Holy Spirit has been providing Catholic education for children in Solano County.

FAIRFIELD — Children in many classrooms at Holy Spirit School were bustling with excitement late last week, eager to show off their brightly colored socks.

While those who attend the school, which serves kindergartners through eighth-graders, normally adhere to a strict dress code, they got to add a little flair to their ensemble Friday, for a good cause.

Sister Elizabeth Curtis, the principal of Holy Spirit School, said the Student Council was trying to raise money and awareness for the new school Holy Spirit Church is building in South Sudan.

Though Sudan is halfway across the world, the cause has a lot of meaning to those such as eighth-graders Reina Del Castillo, Raven Rainey and Jason Miralles.

“The kids have lost all the stuff they have,” Rainey said. “In Sudan, they’re very poor.”

“We have a great school here,” Miralles said. “We want them to have a great education.”

Holy Spirit School is celebrating Catholic education worldwide and kicked off that celebration with a day-long fundraiser for their school in Sudan.

All week, Holy Spirit School in Fairfield and Notre Dame Catholic School in Vacaville are celebrating their students, staff and education while also getting the word out about their schools.

Principal Jess Rodriguez of Notre Dame Catholic School said the school will also celebrate its 25th anniversary during Catholic Schools Week.

“This is a double celebration,” Rodriguez said. “We use Catholic Schools Week to call attention to Catholic education.”

One of the stated advantages of Catholic school education is its small size. That was the case for Renee Podrebarac, a parent and teacher at Holy Spirit School.

“Everyone knows each other,” she said. “My kids still have friends from here in college.”

Sara Gailey said she sent her son Maxwell to Holy Spirit School so he would be challenged academically.

“I like some of the values he’s taught, (such as) respect and courtesy,” she said.

Like Podrebarac, Gailey said she likes that everyone knows her son, including the eighth-grade students and principal.

“There’s a strong sense of community that can’t be beat,” she said.

Both schools kicked off celebrations Sunday with a special student Mass.

Holy Spirit School is hosting a variety of private activities, including a basketball game against the church priests, community breakfast and student and teacher appreciation days. Holy Spirit will also host an open house at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the school, 1050 N. Texas St. For more information, visit www.holyspiritschoolfairfield.org.

Notre Dame Catholic School is also celebrating Catholic Schools Week with some private activities that include a family lunch, school Mass and a casino night fundraiser. The week will wrap up Feb. 3 with a special Mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. For more information, visit www.notredamevacaville.org.

Reach Heather Ah San at 427-6977 or hahsan@dailyrepublic.net. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HeatherMalia.

This version corrects a typographical error in the first paragraph.

Heather Ah San

Heather Ah San covers Rio Vista, features and general news for the Daily Republic. She received her bachelors of art degree from the University of Oregon.

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