The Joyful Journey of Education
By Guest Blogger Melissa Kinsley, St. Leo Director, Communications & Admissions
As you look for a school for your child and sift through the various options available to you, does your list of “must haves” include “happiness?” Sonja Lyubomirsky in the How of Happiness defines happiness as “the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile.” St. Leo Catholic School believes that joy is not only key to success in a child’s education but is also the key to lifelong success.
Happiness is not simply a by-product of the more expected “must haves” in a school, such as rigorous academics and a strong curriculum. At St. Leo, pursuing happiness stems from reaching one’s full potential, and by seeing each student as more than a grade on a paper or a test. St. Leo helps students grow academically, emotionally, and spiritually so that they may grow into happy, productive adults who continue to care about others as much as their own personal successes. This happiness is deep in the heart. It is the joy that extends beyond feelings and the mind and circumstances.
Each morning students are reminded of St. Leo Catholic School’s overarching goal for this year as Mrs. Brown, principal, starts the daily announcements with “together on the way every day to learn, serve, lead and succeed.” Central to their faith-based curriculum is the idea that kindness matters, and serving others leads to lifelong happiness. Students at St. Leo have many opportunities to serve others, whether it is adopting a family in need for Christmas, or raising money for a school hit by Hurricane Harvey. Students are encouraged to develop service ideas and present them to the principal and/or teachers to implement school-wide. In fact, the low-income school St. Leo adopted was the suggestion of the Student Council President, Jack Semke. Together with the teachers and principal, the fundraising ideas were successfully brought to life.
Rigorous academics go hand in hand with developing a sense of service to others at St. Leo Catholic School. Teachers encourage students to push themselves and to do their best. At St. Leo, performing every task perfectly is not the primary focus. Learning from one’s mistakes and developing the resilience to try new and different things outside of the student’s comfort zone is critical to a student’s lifelong success.
Teachers encourage students to advocate for themselves. It is essential that students develop the lifelong skill of speaking up for themselves and seeking guidance from their teachers. This skill will enable them not only to succeed in high school and college, but also in their careers as they navigate expectations in the workplace.
No school can promise to make your child happy every day. The goal is to find a school that encourages your child to find joy in the journey and to discover what truly makes him or her happy. St. Leo Catholic School focuses on helping your child to reach his or her full potential educationally, physically and spiritually. They prepare students for success in the classroom and for life. They believe that lifelong success is defined by the ability to find true joy in life, so they encourage students to embrace life’s journey and seek “a good and meaningful life.”
Schedule a tour today to see if St. Leo Catholic School is a place where your child can thrive and discover what makes his or her life joyful.
St. Leo Catholic School
333 Springdale Ave
Winston-Salem, NC 27104
www.stleocatholic.com
336-748-8252
Upcoming Open House: January 31st from 11 am to 2 pm
- Sponsored by St. Leo Catholic School
