Even after 39 years of teaching third graders at St. Edward Confessor in Metairie – 20 of them as director of the school’s Nativity play – Aimee Gardner admits she is still brought to tears whenever she sees her little ones reverently re-enacting Christ’s birth on the altar, at the close of the final school Mass of the calendar year.

Students at St. Christopher School in Metairie dedicated their Nov. 22 Thanksgiving Mass to the first responders who keep them safe 24/7 – many of them school parents and grandparents. At the conclusion of this “Blue Mass,” celebrated by St. Christopher’s pastor, Father Raymond Igbogiti, all students sang “The Blessing Song” asking for God’s protection of their guests, their colleagues and their families. “I know (your family members) must spend many hours in fear and anxiety as you carry out your job, but they’re always there as a unit to support and encourage you,” said Ruth Meche, principal.

Last month, students at St. Charles Borromeo School in Destrehan mounted a campus-wide “Louisiana Heritage Week” that culminated with student performances and a Museum Walk showcasing their state-themed classroom studies.

The CSAL Girls’ Flag Football champions of 2019 pose with their trophy Dec. 7 after prevailing in a hard-fought, single-division tournament at St. Mary Magdalen’s playing field. This year’s winner was St. Matthew the Apostle. The runner-up was St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Miniature paper models of buildings lining a hallway inside Christian Brothers’ Canal Street campus were familiar, but with a zany twist: St. Louis Cathedral was within spitting distance of the Entergy building; Jesuit High School was next to the Prytania Theater; and an Uptown establishment – GNO Cyclery – was dwarfed by a Downtown landmark: Harrah’s Hotel.

As we prepare for “Turkey Day” – that is, of course, Thanksgiving – I know that you are looking forward to a few days off from school and time with your family and friends. I hope that it is a peaceful time.

The Catholic Schools Athletic League (CSAL) championships in Girls’ Volleyball were decided Oct. 24 in the gym at Mike Miley Playground. In the senior varsity final, St. Catherine of Siena defeated St. Rita, Harahan.

The CSAL Boys’ Flag Football finals were held at St. Edward the Confessor on Nov. 6. Our Lady of the Lake was crowned senior varsity champion. The runner-up was St. Charles Borromeo.

While reading up on Haiti a few years ago, Lucy Quintana was saddened to learn that most homes had one room, no electricity and were made of flimsy materials; schools were poorly equipped; and many families struggled to feed themselves.

“Besides our kindergartners (dressed as saints), who wants to be a saint?” asked Father Matthew Johnston, garnering a sea of hands at St. Benilde’s All Saints’ Day school Mass on Nov. 1. After getting students’ feedback on their “dream” vacation destinations, Father Johnston, St. Benilde’s pastor, reminded his young congregants that saints “are those who want to go to heaven more than anywhere else, even Disney World (because it) is where we get to see God!”

“Teacher, can we have class outside?” It’s a question generations of students have asked their teachers in a mostly futile bid to get out of the classroom on a beautiful day.

The 19 students who made up last year’s kindergarten class at Holy Cross Primary School can lay claim to a rare distinction: each is a published author and illustrator.

Students, faculty and staff at St. Louis King of France School in Metairie made “Child of God” headbands earlier this month to show their support for Demario Davis, the New Orleans Saints linebacker fined by the NFL for wearing a headband professing his values and beliefs as a disciple of God. On Oct. 8, the school community was invited to wear their headband and favorite Saints shirt to campus for a group photo. Davis later learned that his fine had been canceled. Videos on the students’ show of solidarity for the free expression of religious belief went viral both locally and nationwide, even airing in England.

Very soon we will be celebrating All Saints’ Day. We will remember the saints who are so popular among us, for example, Mary and Joseph, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Peter Claver, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Rita – the list goes on and on.

Even when St. Thérèse of Lisieux was grappling with despair and illness, she always managed to lift herself up by telling herself that she was God’s beloved child.

In honor of the Oct. 1 feast day of school patroness St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Thérèse Academy art teacher Doris Caravella handcrafted a collage-style shirt complete with battery-powered lights. She also donned shoes and socks emblazoned with the saint’s image.

Second graders at Ursuline Academy are learning about timelines this school year through an inter-disciplinary project in their technology and art classes. The students’ ultimate challenge  will be to create a timeline of Ursuline history, with milestones including St. Ursula’s birth in the Third Century and the founding of the Ursuline Sisters’ all-girls’ New Orleans school in 1727.

It’s one of those foods that people either love or hate, but cafeteria staff across the Archdiocese of New Orleans hoped their young diners would at least give it a try: kale – finely chopped Tuscan kale to be precise – tossed with Cajun seasoning, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. The superfood was then baked long enough to draw out its nutty flavor,  yet lightly enough to preserve its famous crunch.