ABSTRACT
The Catholic school is unique because it provides a religious community within a learning community. As learning communities, Catholic schools work to maintain high academic standards and practices. Appropriate programs and methods support the academic learning of students. At the same time, the life of Jesus Christ becomes the model for all who participate in the Catholic school community. Students, teachers, and parents are called to follow Jesus. As followers, they are asked to love others as Jesus did. This call to follow forms the basis for the Catholic school goal to respect the dignity of every human being. Catholic schools integrate faith, life, and culture into an effective educational endeavor (Crave 1974; McCormick 1985; McDermott 1986).
