Doug Gush remembers the day his then-kindergartener, Douglas, was greeted at Sunday Mass with a hug by an eighth-grade student – Douglas’ prayer partner for Masses at Saint Rose of Lima School in Haddon Heights.
“Where else would you see an eighth-grade student, who was not a neighbor or family member, introduce themselves to a new Saint Rose family and make a kindergartener feel special by remembering his name and welcoming him to Mass?” Doug Gush said. “I knew from that moment that this was the right community for us.”
Eight years later, the Gushes remain committed to Catholic school education for their three children, who are entering eighth, fifth and fourth grades. Soon, they will return to what their mother, Alyson, describes as “a place where your son can leave brand-new basketball sneakers in the gym for three weeks, and when they are discovered by someone at the school, the principal drops them off at the house.”
The Gushes are among the thousands of families who have students returning to Catholic schools across the Diocese this fall. Beginning Sept. 7, students will arrive for a new year of education grounded in the Catholic tradition.
The Gushes said what draws them to the Catholic school experience is that they wanted their children’s education to be an extension of what they were learning at home and at church.
“We wanted our moral and religious beliefs, along with our commitment to social justice and service, to be important components of their education,” Alyson Gush said. Equally important, she said, was a supportive community that shares similar values.
In Vineland, Marcella Giambalvo feels the same way about Bishop Schad Regional School.
“Bishop Schad School is more than an education for our child. They have become extended family,” she said.
Although her daughter is entering first grade, Giambalvo has a long-term view of a Catholic school education. She said she sees it as “the foundation for a child to grow into a faith-filled, community-oriented and scholarly adult. … They will give back to their community and spread their knowledge to build a better future for everyone.”
Emma Giambalvo is entering the first grade in Bishop Schad Regional School, Vineland, this September. Her mother, Marcella, sees Catholic education as a “foundation for a child to grow into a faith-filled, community-oriented and scholarly adult.” (Dave Hernandez)
As director of Catholic Identity at Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, Father Joshua Nevitt sees older students embody Giambalvo’s vision. At the same time, he understands that their challenges are no different from those of other teenagers.
“They are asking themselves, ‘Who am I? Where do I fit in? Do I belong?’” Father Nevitt said. “We’re able to give them the answers our faith gives us: ‘You are a child of God. You are loved by God and others. There is a place for you here.’ That message permeates every Catholic school, in the classroom, through activities, in retreats.”
Father Nevitt said parents love the school’s family atmosphere and values.
“I especially hear a lot from parents after Kairos retreats,” he said. “One parent wrote and said, ‘I have not seen my son this happy since eighth grade.’”
Father Dexter Nebrida, director of Catholic Identity at Paul VI High School, Haddonfield, also values the opportunity to work with high school students and agrees that their biggest challenge is the feeling of being alone and unheard. He sees a positive impact with retreats, programs that build community and a focus on service that is a hallmark of Catholic education.
“My primary goal is to impart the Catholic faith and form a community as Jesus did in the early Church,” said Father Nebrida, adding that students don’t need to be Catholic to grow their spirituality through the school’s faith-based activities and programs.
“Parents choose Catholic school to help their children grow intellectually, form their faith and emerge as a person with values. Being part of a Catholic community in high school is key,” he said.
He said his hope is that graduates, whether they are Catholic or not, don’t become “nones,” a term used to describe people who have no religious affiliation. He is encouraged by students’ active engagement in their faith during high school.
“We believe God being part of their life is best for them,” he said. “We are Easter People. It’s always Easter Sunday in Catholic school.”
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