The Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Little Rock
Catholic school students are shuffling back into the hallways, wearing masks and social distancing. In this section, read how superintendent Theresa Hall says prayer has assisted the teachers in restarting the year, how a North Little Rock school garden is a great way to learn and distance and about how some longtime educators are taking the reins as principal. As society shifts toward a more inclusive world, teachers discuss how they incorporate other cultures in their classrooms and clinical psychologist Dr. Melissa Jackson discusses the need for cultural competency.
At the beginning of her social studies class for sophomores, Mount St. Mary Academy teacher Rachel McLemore poses a question that will be explored throughout the semester: “What does it mean to be an American at this time, who is defining that and who belongs in that category?”
“That allows us to look culturally, what did it mean to be an American at the time of the American Revolution?” she said, and stopping to examine in More... 
Diversity and cultural awareness will be key topics discussed in many Catholic schools as the United States addresses racial injustice. Arkansas Catholic interviewed Dr. Melissa F. Jackson, a licensed clinical psychologist for 16 years, to shed some light on how schools can bring awareness of cultures, prejudice, discrimination and equality.
Jackson specializes in working with children and adolescents with her practice, Lighthouse Professional Clinics in Little Rock. She has worked in multiple roles in the field More...
As rising fourth grade students Clara Hum and Blair Bramlett were digging in their school garden bed Aug. 6, AmeriCorps volunteer Carey McKay spotted a squash bug. She showed the girls, reiterating what teacher Dr. Liana Tyson had shared earlier that these types of bugs kill the crops. So, she squished it.
“They should be called squish bugs,” Blair declared.
As the 9-year-olds dug roots out of a raised bed to go in the compost pile, they More...
Teri Breeding
St. Joseph High School, Conway
• Hometown: Conway
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in education, secondary English; master’s degree in school counseling; post-master’s certificate in building level administration
• Educational Experience: St. Joseph School teacher and assistant high school principal, 1996-present (high school English teacher 1996-2007; dean of academics, 2001-2019; high school counselor, 2003-2019; assistant high school principal, 2019-2020)
• Educational philosophy: I truly believe that each student has gifts or unique skills, and it is our job as More...
The 2020-2021 calendar for central Arkansas Catholic schools was released by the Office of Catholic Schools.
Aug. 17: First day of school
Sept. 7: Labor Day, school closed*
Nov. 23-27: Thanksgiving break, school closed
Dec. 21-Jan. 1: Christmas break, school closed
Jan. 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, school closed*
Feb. 15: Presidents Day, school closed*
March 22-26: Spring break, school closed*
April 2: Good Friday, school closed*
April 23: Professional Day for teachers, school closed*
May 26: Last day of school
The calendar includes no More...
Recently the Office of Catholic Schools held our first ever virtual principals’ retreat.
In the past this has been held in Coury House on the beautiful and serene grounds of Subiaco Academy. The principals would arrive greeting each other with hugs and sharing stories of how their previous school year was and what they are doing to prepare for the upcoming school year. They would converse about their families and their vacations, and chatter about the More...
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