College is not for them

Leo Silverman stands beside a car at the auto shop at Portland Community College’s Sylvania campus. He turns the torque wrench in his hand, tightening a lug nut on the wheel in front of him. This tattooed young man in a red and black auto mechanic’s shirt was once a student at La Salle Prep in Milwaukie.
Nose in a book

Second-grader Noah Saalfeld peruses pages during the annual Sacred Heart book fair in Gervais. The benefit event, coordinated by volunteer librarian Marion Zellner, is “a really outstanding event that the kids look forward to every year,” said Judy Adams, the school’s technology instructor.
Making way for the new

It’s how life is. For something new and beautiful to arise, something old often gives way.
Central Catholic community helps resettle refugee family

A group of 10 students and five adults from Central Catholic High School stream in and out of an apartment in Southeast Portland. The group is unloading a truck full of donated household items and moving them into an apartment for a family of six who is arriving that night from Eritrea, a country in East Africa.
Expansion comes for Queen of Peace

SALEM — A little more than 20 years after the completion of Queen of Peace Church here, the parish community came together to raise funds for phase two of the construction project. Parishioners gathered after Mass March 3 to break ground.
De La Salle North Catholic High School to relocate to St. Charles Parish

De La Salle North Catholic High School in Portland announced March 12 that it has signed an agreement with St. Charles Borromeo to relocated to the parish’s property, situated on the corner of Northeast 42nd Avenue and Killingsworth Street. The parish and school are negotiating the details of the lease and have signed a letter of intent for a 50-year lease with two 25-year extensions.
Mass celebrated for city government

SCAPPOOSE — Just an hour before city government officials gathered March 2 to hear from citizens and plan the city’s future at the Scappoose Annual Town Meeting, parishioners at St. Wenceslaus Parish here gathered to celebrate a Mass for the city.
Heart of St. John Vianney venerated

Men, women and children crowded into the Grotto church in hopes of spending a few short moments before the incorrupt heart of St. John Vianney. The relic was visiting the Grotto as part of a tour sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.
Priest presents ‘Introduction to the Faith’

As the sun shines through the church windows, Father Joshua Clifton stands at the ambo at St. Birgitta Parish in Northwest Portland. Using a strong cadence, his voice carries through the room. Today marks the end of his four part series on the Catholic faith.
Parish bids farewell to friar

The angelic sounds of Cantores in Ecclesia and a solemn high Dominican-rite Mass marked the end of Dominican Father Vincent Kelber’s time at Holy Rosary Parish.
Baskets of fun

The Catholic Youth Organization high school basketball program finished with the City Championships Feb. 17.
Southern Oregon town celebrates former chief

MEDFORD — Jan. 29 was a special day here, as friends, family and law enforcement officials gathered to honor the life of Glen Johnston, who served as Medford’s chief of police 1984 – 1988.
Judaism and Israel talks

SANDY — As parishioners from St. Michael Parish, St. Aloysius Mission and St. John Mission prepare to embark on an Israel pilgrimage with their pastor, Father Gregg Bronsema, St. Michael will host two speakers on Judaism and Israel in the coming weeks.
Speaker to address challenges of nonviolence

BEAVERTON — Anne Santiago will explore the challenges of living a personal life of nonviolence Thursday, March 14 at Holy Trinity Parish here when she presents an interactive session “What Catholicism Teaches and How the World Challenges Us: Non-violence for the Individual and Society.”
Activist to students: ‘Do something beautiful’

A Christian social justice activist urged the student body at Central Catholic High School to become “extremists for love.”
WATCH: Implementation of schools plan taking shape

A wide-ranging set of evaluations from Catholic school leaders marked the latest phase of a strategic plan being implemented by the Archdiocese of Portland.
Centering prayer in Albany

ALBANY — St. Mary Parish here will host a centering prayer workshop Feb. 16.

Centering Prayer is a method of prayer revived from ancient teachings in the Catholic Christian contemplative heritage that emphasizes prayer as listening to God in silence.
Valley liturgical trainings

Two liturgical trainings will be offered in the Willamette Valley this spring. Attendees should register in advance for both.
Jesuit grad sues UO over damaging workouts

A former Jesuit High School football star who went on to play at the University of Oregon is suing the college, the NCAA and two coaches. The $11.5 million suit claims that workouts were so punishing that they left irreversible damage, including a shortened life expectancy.
Saintly Skippers promote strong, happy hearts

TIGARD — Think jumping rope skipped the current generation? Not at St. Anthony School here where countless kids are kept in the loop.

For nearly three decades, members of the Saintly Skippers have laced up sneakers, grabbed ropes and spent time airborne, enjoying the schoolyard activity while raising awareness about heart health.
Instant athlete — just add water

GRESHAM — The 2018-19 CYO swim championships were held during January in the 25-yard pool at Mount Hood Community College. The venue was cozy but offered spectators superb viewing.
Reunited

Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Southeast Portland held an all-school reunion for its alumni last fall. The Sept. 15 event drew 130 people to the parish.
Religious education grows

After a visit from the bishop of Micronesia to Portland’s St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Southeast Portland this summer, the parish made an effort to reach out to its Micronesian families. Most of the religious education classes at the parish are now filled with Micronesian youth.
Sun powering St. Charles

It’s a cloudy January day in Oregon, but rain is nowhere to be seen. Rays of sunshine are creeping through the clouds onto St. Charles School roof in Northeast Portland. Newly installed arrays are expected to offset the parish’s power bill by two-thirds, potentially saving the parish between $800 and $1,000 a month.
Court fight in Keizer

KEIZER — After St. Edward Parish here refused an offer of $1.75 million for a 6.18-acre lot of land wanted by Salem-Keizer Public Schools, the school district has proceeded with a lawsuit to acquire it through use of eminent domain.
Cute kids in picture now full of interests

EUGENE — It was seven years ago that the Catholic Sentinel began promoting its upcoming Catholic Schools Week special issue with a photo of five wiggly preschoolers from O’Hara Catholic School in Eugene.
Funny Photo

Valley Catholic High School teacher Patrick Chapman walks the runway in an outfit chosen by students during the first day of school assembly in September.
Fifth-graders + old uniforms = wreaths

Homelessness is a pressing issue across the country. And when it’s a veteran who is homeless, the issue is that much more heartbreaking. So, when Kris Thompson, a mom of two students at The Madeleine School in Northeast Portland learned about the Veterans Community Project (VCP), she sprang into action and invited the school’s fifth-graders to support veterans by cutting up their old uniforms.
Cathedral students help

When Chloe Heller, a student at Cathedral School in Northwest Portland, first heard about the magnitude 7.5 earthquake and tsunami in Palu, Indonesia on Sept. 29, she was terrified. Both her parents were in that far-away island nation.
Critical gifts in play at St. Ignatius

“Recess!” said second-grader Owen Charlot when asked about his favorite subject. Many kids are likely to agree, and research is showing that is with good reason.
Miracle Madi

EUGENE — It’s not every day that a miracle happens in your school. This year, St. Paul School here is celebrating the life of 7-year-old second-grader, Madi McCluskey. Her story is miraculous.
Shaping tomorrow’s leaders

Middle school is a pivotal time when students grow out of childhood and into young adulthood. As middle school teachers at St. Rose School in Northeast Portland have accompanied students through these transitions year after year, they have thought of an additional component to help eighth graders complete their middle-school journeys.
St. Matthew students prepare for Catholic Schools Week

HILLLSBORO — The students, staff, and families of St. Matthew School here are preparing to celebrate Catholic Schools Week Jan. 27 – Feb. 2. Included are fun events created to honor St. Matthew, as well as Catholic schools across the country.
One step at a time

WOODBURN — “We get to walk a mile to show we care!” exclaimed a student during the solidarity walk. In celebration of the feast of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the whole school walked a mile as part of the Share the Journey campaign.
And the survey says: The love Catholic education

SALEM — Students at St. Joseph School here recently were asked to complete an anonymous survey with one of the questions pertaining to what they like most about their school.
Kindergartners learn even smallest things make a big difference

St. Francis said: “It is in giving that we receive.”

St. Clare kindergartners recently experienced that good feeling that comes from doing something good for others when they completed their service project, Chores for Change.
Students assemble kits for needy

MCMINNVILLE — St. James School here collaborated with the St. James Parish peace and justice committee during Advent to create cold weather kits that were donated to a shelter in McMinnville.
On the air

At St. John Fisher School in Southwest Portland, SJF News was created as an elective for middle school students under the guidance of the principal, Merrit Holub, and is taught by the technology and innovation specialist, Jan Tullis.
Giving back

OREGON CITY — Seventh grade girls from St. John the Apostle School here volunteered to organize and decorate Christmas giving tree bags for the residents of Pioneer Community Center.
Houses focus on learning and goodness

MILWAUKIE — “I love Fridays because we get to be in our houses and build things,” said kindergartener Charlie Ploussard.
New design class helps students think outside the box

La Salle Prep senior Max Andrews knows what his grandparents like to do: Play cards.

For Christmas, he wanted to make them wooden cases for their decks of cards.

Problem was, he had no idea how.

So, in La Salle’s new Design Thinking and Tools course, he challenged himself to figure it out.
Making a difference through faith, family, inner values

When it comes to what many people would consider making an extraordinary difference in their community, St. Mary’s Academy junior Olivia DiGiulio credits her faith, family and inner values.
Sacred Heart celebrates strong Catholic identity

MEDFORD — Sacred Heart is the only preschool-eighth-grade Catholic school here. And this year the school is celebrating its 154th anniversary.
STEM students shine at Regis St. Mary

STAYTON — Regis St. Mary strives to provide quality science education for students in pre-K-12. It builds curriculum aligned with national standards, organizes enriching field trips and outdoor school, and provides current technology (including computerized data sensors and a laboratory remodel at the Regis Campus).
St. Anthony School

Townsend Powell, 13, poses with his buddy Logan Bajuscak, age 5, in the St. Anthony School library during this year’s book fair.
St. Agatha brings Christmas cheer to disadvantaged youths

St. Agatha School students donated more than 450 toys to Morrison Child and Family Services Center families as part of the Southeast Portland school’s annual Advent service project. That’s an average of two gifts from every St. Agatha student. Each year the school selects a different charity to focus on during Advent.
Genius Hour at O’Hara

EUGENE — On most Wednesday mornings, O’Hara eighth-graders can be found working in unstructured but collaborative groups as part of a new addition to their schedule: Genius Hour. It’s a concept that comes from Google, where employees are permitted to pursue projects of their own — without specific direction from management — as long as there is a potential benefit to users of Google products.
Getting hands dirty with science

SALEM — “It must have been a great day: You’re good and dirty,” said Carl Mucken, Queen of Peace principal, as the fourth-graders returned from a scientific inquiry adventure at Howard Creek.
A teacher and Jesus’ little disciples

VERBOORT — On the heels of its 10th anniversary, the preschool at Visitation School here will be expanding its “Little Knights” offerings.
Independent Learning Projects build lifelong skills

For Holy Family School eighth-graders, Jan. 2 was the beginning of the home stretch to completion of their Independent Learning Projects (ILPs). Initiated more than 20 years ago, the ILP program represents the Southeast Portland school’s commitment to lifelong learning. Beginning in September, eighth-grade students develop their projects for a presentation in the spring.
St. Andrew Nativity alumnus returns as board member

St. Andrew Nativity School in Northeast Portland recently welcomed Anthony Blake as the first graduate to serve on its board of trustees.
Waste not at Jesuit High

At Jesuit High School in Southwest Portland, students are encouraged to bring their waste back to school. For it to be properly recycled, of course.
Heroes in the making at Holy Redeemer

This year, Holy Redeemer School in North Portland is mindful that they are not only educating students, they are training heroes — heroes of faith, love and academics. The “hero” theme is being woven into the daily life of the teachers and students this year.
‘It’s all about the children’

For more than 50 years, Holy Names Sister Mary Ryan has been bringing children to Jesus in a variety of ways while serving at Catholic schools: as a teacher, principal, bus driver, morning care provider, development director and now as the new legacy giving director for Holy Cross School in North Portland.
Franciscan Montessori Earth School receives new accreditation

The Franciscan Montessori Earth School in Southeast Portland was accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association following an accreditation visit in November.
Robotics team ranked first in league

In its second year, the De La Salle North Catholic Knights robotics team ranked first in their league after a meet Dec. 14. The team is hoping to make it to the regional finals and perhaps even to the state competition.
Central Catholic Constitution Team prepares for regional competition

The Central Catholic Constitution Team diligently listens to social studies teacher Geoff Stuckart as he covers topics that likely will come up at their competition this month: political parties and voting rights.
A recipe for learning