UIW and Brainpower Schools Celebrate Catholic Schools Week

Since 1974, the week beginning the last Sunday in January has been dedicated to the annual celebration of Catholic education that is offered across the nation. That National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) notes that schools typically observe the week with Masses, assemblies and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members to celebrate what makes Catholic schools great. 

The University of the Incarnate Word is committed to educational excellence in a context of faith in Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God. The institution’s three founding sisters’ love of God and their recognition of God's presence in each person has been a driving force that has propelled the University to where it is today as the largest Catholic university in Texas.  

The University is committed to furthering Catholic education for students of all ages. Its Brainpower Connection program is a circle of support, influence, and collegiality established in connection with six different institutions, their faculties and students, to share their brainpower and resources. Its member institutions include Incarnate Word High School, St. Anthony Catholic High School (SACHS), Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, St. Anthony Catholic School and St. Mary Magdalen Dual Language Catholic School, all schools that have also contributed to the legacy of Catholic education present within San Antonio.  

With educational opportunities that span across the grades of pre-kinder all the way up to the university level, the spirit of Christ and the values of the Catholic faith are always present within the Brainpower Connection’s schools. 

Patricia Ramirez, director of the Brainpower Connection and newly named SACHS principal, has devoted her career to Catholic education. She recognizes the joys and benefits that Catholic education can bring to students, families, and the community itself. 

“Catholic schools have long partnered with parents as the child’s first educators to meet the needs of the whole child—body, mind and spirit. Children are naturally loving, compassionate and inquisitive beings. Educating children within a faith-filled environment helps them to understand their purpose and place among the community,” Ramirez wrote in her 2021 article St. Anthony Catholic School: A Fresh Look at Catholic Education. 

In addition to conceptualizing a sense of self, the rigorous academic programs and enrichment opportunities within UIW’s Brainpower Connection schools have helped to grow confidence and develop leadership skills in students. 

“I encourage everyone to discover how we are meeting the needs of 21st century learners, maintaining the highest academic standards, providing enrichment and forming tomorrow’s leaders, all with the added benefits of a smaller, more involved school community rooted in faith,” Ramirez implored. “A high-quality, Catholic school education is an investment that will benefit our children for a lifetime.” 

Learn more about Brainpower Connection Schools and the opportunities they have to offer.