Catholic Spirit Week 2026
Students and Faculty during “Dress like a Teacher or Literary Character” day. How many can you identify? Scroll down to see the ways we celebrated this week!
At the close of January each year, JPII is thrilled to celebrate Catholic Spirit Week. It is a great gift to celebrate Catholic education and the rich Classical traditions that shape our vibrant school culture.
Monday – Celebrating Students
JPII students bring life and wonder to the classroom, and they are truly a joy to teach. They apply themselves diligently to study and prayer and build deep friendships with one another. They possess an insatiable curiosity and a desire for adventure, bringing this engagement to every class—whether poetry, natural sciences, Latin, or Euclid.
In honor of our Griffins, K–12, students and teachers donned their silliest socks and comfy, sturdy shoes for the day.
Tuesday – Celebrating Parents
We affirm what the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: that parents are the primary educators of their children. Throughout the year, JPII works to support families by offering programs and events specifically geared toward the formation of parents, such as the Fatherhood Series, Mom’s Tuesday Morning Rosary, and more.
Many of our students come from families with multiple children enrolled at the school, which adds to our rich culture of growth, joy, and true friendship. We are deeply grateful to the parents and families who have entrusted us with the education and formation of their children.
In the drop-off line, parents were served hot coffee as a pick-me-up on a chilly January morning. Parents also joined us for an inspiring presentation from Mr. Thane Baker, who spoke to the Upper School about his athletic career and his journey to becoming an Olympic gold medalist.
“Do your best. Sometimes you’ll have to make sacrifices and not do something you want to do, but make the time to always do your best.”
—Thane Baker
Wednesday – Celebrating Academics
From music and choir lessons to philosophy and geometry classes, and from reverent participation in Mass to energetic field games and house competitions, the goal of our integrated curriculum is to form clear-minded, joyful men and women of action and good character.
In celebration of our academics, students and faculty took part in the Annual Bard Competition—one of the biggest opportunities for students to showcase their rhetorical skill. In the weeks leading up to the event, students worked diligently to memorize and prepare various poems. They competed for hall points by reciting their verses before the student body, faculty, and families.
Watch some of the recordings here and head over to our YouTube for more!
Thursday – Celebrating Teachers
Our beloved faculty demonstrate dedication not only to the craft of teaching but also to disciplined study and leisure activities that cultivate a host of virtues for success in the world. Simply put, our teachers are fully alive and love to learn, modeling these qualities for their students.
In gratitude for their mentorship, high school parents provided faculty with a hot breakfast at the school. We also celebrated with “Dress Like a Teacher” or “Dress Like a Literary Character” Day—these were some of our favorites!
Friday – Celebrating JPII
In celebration of our school, students enjoyed a Hall Shirt Day and engaged in friendly physical competitions to earn hall points. Events included Dodgeball, Gaga Ball, the student favorite “Braveheart,” and exhilarating Brisketball matches—all in answer to the call to soar to the heights.
Throughout the Week & Beyond
The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education states that, “as the Eucharist is the summit of our lives, the Mass is the heart of Catholic schools.” As with every week at JPII, each day of Catholic Spirit Week (except Tuesday) began with Holy Mass.
Throughout the week, the school hosted a sock drive for hall points. Students from each hall brought new adult socks to be donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The number of socks was tallied and added to each hall’s point standings.
Additionally, we revived a beautiful JPII tradition: Saint Trading Cards created by the students. Throughout the week, students illustrated holy cards featuring their favorite saints or Scripture verses and traded them among themselves. The creation of these cards inspires creativity for the glory of God and encourages prayer throughout the year.
Education rooted in the Classical and Catholic traditions is a gift to many. It leads souls to Christ and serves as leaven in society, bringing truth, beauty, and goodness into the public square. It is needed now more than ever. This is truly something to celebrate every day—even beyond Catholic Spirit Week—that these rich educational traditions free teachers and students alike for the joyful pursuit of faith, wisdom, and virtue.