St. John Paul II Classical School will open in fall at Holy Family School

GREEN BAY — Enrollment is growing for the 10th and newest school in the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) system, which will now operate as a school within a school. A new facility for St. John Paul II (SJPII) Classical School was recently announced. The school, which will open in the fall, will operate in a wing of Holy Family School. The SJPII site was originally planned for 936 Ninth Street in Green Bay, the former St. Joseph Elementary School.

“We really see the amenities of Holy Family School as being able to position us better for year one as far as getting the school off the ground,” said Kim Desotell, GRACE president. “Cafeteria, playground, busing, safety, tornado drill, fire drill, all that is in place; the startup will be seamless the first year.”

Autonomy with a separate office and administration and possibly a separate entrance is a priority, added Desotell. SJPII, grades preK to fourth grade, will have four classrooms. Work throughout the summer months will focus on creating an identity for the classical school within Holy Family.

“We have a bright, cheery facility that is safe,” said Desotell. “We have a good, strong parish in St. Agnes with a pastor (Fr. Patrick Beno) who is on board. We are in a very good place.”

The long term goal is a standalone building for the classical school. The plan is to add a grade each year so the school will quickly outgrow the Holy Family space.

The facility change is not the only transition for SJPII. Brad Norton, who was hired as headmaster for the new school, has taken a position out of state. Carol Ricken was asked and accepted the position as interim administrator. The search for a new headmaster continues.

Since 2009, Ricken has worked for the Diocese of Green Bay as the personal assistant to Bishop David Ricken, her brother. She also volunteers with several ministries in the diocese. Ricken has an extensive background in both Catholic and public education. Her most recent position in education was principal at St. Mary’s School in Cheyenne, Wy. She has been involved with the classical school since its inception.

“It started out when (Norbertine) Fr. Dane (Radecki, former GRACE president) asked if I would consider serving on the foundation committee,” she explained. “He needed somebody with elementary experience, especially when they were looking at facilities. … As we were progressing, I helped in the headmaster search and creation of the mission and vision.

Ricken’s current focus as interim administrator is enrollment, curriculum development and school leadership — all the startup and logistical procedures. She is working closely on curriculum with Maggie Smith, lead teacher at SJPII. The virtue piece for the school is from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, Mich. For religious education, for example, they are looking at the catechesis of the Good Shepherd for the early childhood students.

“It’s very hands-on,” said Ricken. “You will see things like an altar, ambo and chalices. They learn the proper names for everything from the Mass. That experience of enhancing the imagination is so important.”

Building the culture of the classical school is already underway, added Ricken. She points to a vignette posted by a committee member on www.facebook.com/sjpclassical. The video features a young girl telling the story of Jonah.

“The education, the classical model, fosters that kind of learning,” said Ricken. “We’ve gotten away from learning poetry in traditional education. I think it’s being recovered in some ways, especially in this model. That is part of the culture, which I think you will see; their ability to stand in front of an audience and not be afraid; to be able to recite poetry and have such a command of that knowledge. That establishes some of that culture.”

Many of the SJPII families are currently homeschooling their children, so the formation of a parent group was a natural step.

“We asked parents if some of them would join us in having a prayer group, even before we open the school, to come together as prayer partners,” said Ricken. “We received some positive feedback. We have parents offering to do that. They have a great network. For me, it was so refreshing.”

Opportunities for the children and parents to socialize will be available over the summer. The faculty will attend classical school training in July in Escanaba, Mich.

In addition to Smith, Jenny Johns, liturgist at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Parish, will serve on the faculty. A third teacher will likely be hired in May and possibly a part-time early childhood teacher in June, said Desotell.

SJPII is not viewed as competition for the other GRACE schools, she explained.

“It’s allowing us to do things differently to meet the needs of families that desire a different kind of education, who desire a different kind of Catholic identity, a different tradition of teaching,” said Desotell.

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