San Xavier Mission School is Open

By New Outlook 

 

For the first time in two years students are back on campus at San Xavier Mission School! The school campus is located immediately west of the historic San Xavier del Bac Mission on the Tohono O’odham Nation Reservation. San Xavier Mission School was the first Catholic school established in Arizona.

  

A recently renovated campus equipped with refurbished classrooms and a new playground greeted the students and their families on opening day, August 5th. Over the last two years volunteers and generous donors have supported the renovations, breathing new life into the 200-year-old mission grounds. The principal, Minh Solorzano, was named to the position last year. Before taking the helm of San Xavier Mission School, Solorzano was the principal at Saint John the Evangelist Catholic School in Tucson. The longtime educator said she is especially proud that the school has reopened and with a strong start, “Early on when we began enrollment the numbers were low but by the Grace of God we have grown, and I pray that we will continue to do so.” Fifteen students are currently enrolled in grades K-2. Solorzano says though the school currently offers kindergarten through second grade classes she hopes to expand in the future, “It’s quite possible that we’ll be a K-8 school in the next five years.”

  

San Xavier Mission School is unique in that students are encouraged to maintain the region’s culture; the school serves students representing the Tohono O’odham, Pascua Yaqui tribes and neighboring communities. Solorzano said, “This community offers a diverse program that develops a student’s respect for tradition and culture as well as provides the necessary academic skills to succeed in an ever-changing world.” Beyond that Solorzano says, “The teachers and staff will support the parents and guardians who are the primary educators of their children, facilitate religious formation, academic achievement, habits of lifelong learning, community service, care of Creation, moral, personal, social, physical, health habits, and cultural development.” 

  

Students from nearby San Miguel Catholic High School are also on the campus working with teachers in the classroom and helping students with learning. When visiting the classroom, Sheri Dahl, the superintendent of Catholic schools, was greeted by students with, “S-ke:g sialig!”, which means “good morning” in Tohono O’odham.  Dahl said she was thrilled to hear the sounds of students on campus, “The children are here, and the staff are working hard to ensure these children have a joyful, faith-filled, and successful new school year.  We are extremely grateful to everyone who contributed to a successful reopening”.