Queen of Apostles School is ready to “Soar to the Heights of Joy” this coming school year, welcoming back a unique student body both in person at the Alexandria campus and online through its virtual academy.
One of several diocesan K-eight schools in Alexandria, Queen of Apostles is distinguished as a particularly diverse school. Located in a multicultural area, the school serves students of different ethnic backgrounds, including Hispanic, Filipino, African American and other local communities.
“We celebrate our cultures,” said Principal Kristie Meyers, emphasizing it as a strength within a learning environment. The school intends to bring back an international festival, postponed due to COVID-19, to celebrate the traditions of its families.
The unifying factor is “one God, one Faith,” said Father Alexander Diaz, pastor, adding that the common vision is inheriting heaven through sainthood and holiness. Besides offering Mass on Fridays and frequent confessions, Father Diaz and Father Joseph M. Rampino, parochial vicar, visit the school weekly.
Meyers is in her second year as principal. Last year, she led the school in the theme, “One Community Together.” Coming out of the pandemic, Meyers encouraged volunteering and community building with opportunities for in-person, virtual and hybrid participation.
Queen of Apostles is also the only diocesan school with a fully online offering, a “concurrent virtual learning environment” called St. Isidore Virtual Academy. It was originally an outgrowth of the pandemic response to bring Catholic education to children creatively. It became a part of Queen of Apostles in July 2021 and will return this academic year.
“There’s a lot of families and students who thrive in the virtual environment,” said Meyers, noting that some children find they can focus better at home. Around 34 students in grades K-eight will attend St. Isidore online this fall. Some reside in different states and even countries, as the academy supports children whose parents are assigned abroad for the military or in another U.S. government capacity.
“We are beginning our second year with St. Isidore Virtual Academy and enjoy that we have more time together as a family, as well as time for after-school sports and activities, without feeling rushed,” said parent Shelby Morrow. “Although St. Isidore is a non-traditional, virtual classroom, it is similar to a homeschooling approach.”
Morrow likes that she can be “directly engaged with the curriculum” as a parent and work as a partner with both student and teacher. St. Isidore permits classmate interaction and incorporates the faith through Mass and religious education, said Morrow.
For the in-person students at Queen of Apostles last year, Meyers emphasized the importance of integrating technology as a learning tool in the classroom. “As Catholic educators, I think it’s our job to help infuse technology with a purpose for our students.” She focused on partnering with parents to carry out that initiative during her first year.
The goal for the 2022-23 school year is “putting the faith in action and being joyous about it,” said Meyers. Queen of Apostles began cultivating a sense of joy despite the pandemic by doing fun activities such as playing music at morning carpool.
Father Diaz said the school teaches students to be joyful in everything they do. “We try to explain that their duties, their jobs, study, homework, need to bring them joy, because through the joy we rediscover Jesus in the Gospel. Joy is not just to be smiling all the time. Joy is discovering God’s presence in everything from the small things to the bigger ones,” said Father Diaz.
Queen of Apostles will implement a new house system where students meet monthly for different activities to build community. Each of the five houses, comprised of students from multiple grades, will lead the school in a service project.
Meyers described the house system as “meant to be joyous” and centered on faith, action and kids. Crediting Assistant Principal Maggie Walker for developing the idea, Meyers said the plan offers leadership opportunities to older students and provides role models for the younger children.
The school will continue with social and emotional learning following the pandemic, ensuring that students are comfortable being around other children again. “They’ve missed some serious developmental milestones,” said Meyers, commenting on a national trend from an educator’s perspective.
Queen of Apostles ultimately seeks to offer families a faith-based learning environment to interact with and support one another.
“If you want just that little sense of community, this is it,” said Meyers. “This is your place.”
Peppiatt is a freelancer in Winchester.
