Dear St. Andrew Leaders and Teachers,

We are so incredibly grateful for your faithful support of St. Andrew School and for everything you do for our students. Forming young minds and hearts might be the most critical task our society faces, and although it is not without its challenges, we were recently reminded by St. John Paul II that Catholic education “is worthy of the greatest sacrifices.” Though as parents we are the primary educators of our children, we also know that Catholic education is also a “collective endeavor,” in the words of Pope Leo, and we cannot thank you enough for your role in our children’s lives. We want you to know that we appreciate the blood, sweat and tears that have gone into making this year possible, and we are so grateful for everything it takes to provide this school for our students.

The renewed commitment to our mission that the board expressed at the last board meeting is so appreciated, and as parents, we want to affirm our own commitment to that mission and our support for all of you. We want a classical, Catholic culture that considers each child as a whole person– mind, body and soul. We defy modern society’s incomplete vision of humanity, which reduces students to future workers and civic participants. We want to teach students how to think rather than what to think, equipping them to "hang their lives on the truth" and pass on a living Catholic culture to the next generation. As a school, we want to passionately and joyfully proclaim the fact that the Incarnation happened, truth exists, and strive to lead our children towards what is true, good and beautiful– in a word, to communicate Christ (JPII, Message to the National Catholic Educational Association). We chose St. Andrew School because our children were made for more than productivity and politics; they were made for sainthood.

We also want to express our firm belief that embracing our classical, Catholic identity is our greatest asset in terms of long-term financial sustainability and fundraising success. A classical, Catholic education is not just icing on the cake—it’s the leaven. Sprinkling a few old books and some Latin on top of a typical modern education system does not make us classical. We study the ancient Roman and Greek cultures because they are the foundation of our entire Western civilization, the cornerstone of American democracy-- from them we inherit our philosophy, our understanding of the common good, our yearning to strive for excellence rather than settle for the mediocre, and so much more. Similarly, adding a religion class onto a typical public school curriculum does not make us a truly Catholic school. A classical, Catholic pedagogy is not just another education model or program—it’s a way of infusing the Catholic vision of reality into every minute of the day, raising joyful students who will have eyes to see and ears to hear the goodness, truth and beauty of the created world and recognize what it points us to: the Creator. St. Andrew School is the only one of its kind in our community, and in celebrating this and embracing our unique identity, we will also ensure our long-term success.

As parents, we are committed to this vision. We want to see our school flourish in its Catholic, classical identity, and we are here to support our teachers and leaders in making this happen. However, the most worthwhile endeavors in life are not easy. This will be difficult, and will require a continual commitment from the hearts and hands of everyone in our community. We hope and pray that together we can continue working to make this vision a reality.

Please know of our prayers, gratitude, and support,