Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

Welcome to the new school year. All 48 of our school communities have been preparing for the 2024-2025 academic term.

We aim to make this the best year ever for your child, ensuring a smooth transition back to school. The process may involve butterflies, nerves, and readjusting to different schedules. There will be tears for some students (and parents) as they navigate a new chapter in their growth and development.

Our theme for the 2024-2025 school year is “Listen. Teach. Send. Fostering a Faithful Community.”

With numerous distractions vying for attention, listening sometimes seems like a lost art. We often move from one task to another on our "to-do list." For Catholic school teachers and administrators, listening is essential before teaching or sending students forward. Understanding the needs of each student is crucial.

In the Gospel story of the road to Emmaus, Jesus accompanies two disciples as they walk to Emmaus, listens to their realities, teaches them, and speaks to their hearts. This model of accompaniment is vital for teachers and parents alike.

Listening requires investing more into relationships with others. A blog post from the Eblin Group distinguishes between hearing and listening:

For a teacher with a classroom full of students, finding that sweet spot where students feel truly listened to can be challenging but essential.

As a parent, it's important to find time every day to be present and listen to your child. The place and time may change as your child grows.

The partnership between teacher, student, parent, and school forms a critical foundation for any child's success in a school community. Teachers need support from parents just as parents need support from teachers and the school community. The teachings of Jesus Christ create a common vision with shared values that provide a solid foundation for growth and learning.

Listening starts with availability. As we begin this new school year together, let us make time for one another—our children and students—so they may feel what the two disciples felt in Jesus's presence: patience, compassion, hope, and respect.

These are the values we wish to teach and model so that when we send our young people forth, they do the same.

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