St. Isidore to celebrate Catholic Schools Week

With National Catholic Schools Week being observed nationwide Jan. 29 to Feb. 4, St. Isidore Catholic School in Bloomingdale and its 270 students, staff and parents will be involved in several special activities as part of its celebration.

The theme for the National Catholic Schools Week 2017 is "Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service." Schools typically observe the annual celebration week with Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members. Through these events, schools focus on the value Catholic education provides to young people and its contributions to the church, communities and nation.

According to St. Isidore Principal Cyndi Collins, the Bloomingdale school will launch its Catholic Schools Week activities with a Mass at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, and art fair and science fair displays. The St. Isidore Knights of Columbus will host a pancake breakfast in the Ministry Center following all Masses.

The rest of the week features a variety of fun and Catholic faith-based activities:

• Monday, Jan. 30: Service Day. Students will wear a T-shirt with a cancer awareness color. The eighth-grade class will visit all classrooms to help make greeting cards for the pediatric cancer patients at Lurie Children's Hospital.

• Tuesday, Jan. 31: Movie Day. Students will wear their pajamas to school and watch a movie complete with a treat in their respective classrooms.

• Wednesday, Feb. 1: Pastries with Parents will be held in the Ministry Center before school, followed by Mass and an open house for parents.

• Thursday, Feb. 2: Wheel of Wisdom will be held in the Ministry Center and Mismatch Day (each class decides on its own theme) followed by a family Mass and potluck dinner.

• Friday, Feb. 4: Spirit Day. Students wear jeans and St. Isidore spirit wear, pep rally and faculty vs. eighth grade volleyball game.