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Mrs. Angela Odinetaodinetjpgacademy.orgHead of School
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from the Head of schoolAt John Paul the Great Academy we live and work amongst the cloud of witnesses, everyday seeking to emulate the lives of the saints. Foremost, we desire to live as they did a life of faith with such sincere love for and devotion to Christ. In our pursuit of this holiness, we are reminded by our saintly examples to start at home, to start with our families.
Our work over the last fifteen years has taught us that we cannot stop there. We are called to live and love as a family in our church and in the world outside of our home. Here at JPG we take that calling of living as a family very seriously. Our faculty and staff are a beautiful example of a group of adults who have discerned this professional life and have developed it into something much more meaningful, forming a family as co-workers. We do not work because we have to but rather because we are called to be here. We are committed to our family of colleagues and to our family that is this larger community.
Our faculty and staff work as a family in the model of the Holy Family. We strive to be dedicated workers as St. Joseph, lifelong learners as Our Blessed Mother, and the teacher as Christ is our teacher. To help us in this journey our focus begins on building and maintaining relationships with each other (faculty and staff) and our students (teacher to student), our faith and classical education, and our heritage. These relationships become stronger through solidarity, subsidiarity, and courtesy, particularly leading as an example to our students. We rely on trust and hope, always expressing gratitude for the gifts of our heritage (faith, family, culture), because of the hard work of those who have come before us and the protection of so many. What an amazing opportunity! What a unique and wonderful place to be.
The devotion of our faculty and staff family coupled with the rich tradition of our faith and classical education lay a solid foundation for every student. Our students are shown the true, the good, the beautiful and then expected to strive for it. Our students are expected to study and model virtue. They seek wisdom not for knowledge’s sake but to better know and serve Christ. This education we offer fills the mind, body, and soul. We encourage students to think of education itself as a high and noble enterprise, to develop a love of learning and to seek to be lifelong learners. Our students are encouraged to become patient, to take time, and if necessary, to start over in order to achieve excellence, rather than subordinate excellence to speed, ease, and comfort. This work of excellence and virtue is not relegated to the classroom, but is expected in extracurricular endeavors as well from the athletic field of practice and competition to the dramatic stage. The noblest pursuit of a JPG Guardian is in seeking all things for the greater glory of God. What a gift it is to see children grow in this pursuit.
Finally, at JPG we remember that parents are the primary educator of their child. In order to maintain a healthy connection in the education of their child and in passing along the curriculum, there must be mutual respect and honest communication between the parents and the school. We welcome parent devotion, parent participation, and parent questions or concerns. And we know that the journey and work this entails is hard but it is one guided by Christ’s grace. We are grateful to partner with all of our parents in cultivating a community centered on classical ideals and a classical education. Our ultimate goal is to form children so that they live in this world ready to defend their faith in the public square, but ultimately they are bound for heaven as our next generation of saints.
It is a privilege to lead this family of co-workers and to serve with them. I am humbled to be a part of this community family seeking to educate and to form the souls of every child who travels down Carmel Drive. Every day I am here, I am more hopeful for the future of our church and of our nation. We are guardians of the future.
Angela B. Odinet, Head of School -
