SAFETY AND SUPPORT

At Northwest Catholic School, your child’s safety and support are of the utmost importance to us. While we as a school community pray for peace among all, we recognize that the world can, unfortunately, be a violent place at times. Northwest Catholic does and will continue to do everything possible to ensure the safety of all our students.

All doors are locked, and we use a camera system for security and admission into the building. During recess, our students are supervised and enjoy a large private playground away from the street.

Inside the school, all staff and volunteers are dedicated to creating a safe and secure environment for our students. Staff and volunteers must pass state and national background checks and complete a 3-hour, nationally recognized Safeguarding All of God’s Family training seminar.

Northwest Catholic firmly believes that in order to receive a quality education, students must feel safe at school. Our school is a violence-free and crime-free zone. Period.

We follow the protocols set in place by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee through Safeguarding All of God’s Family.

Safeguarding All of God’s Family is founded on the Catholic teaching that all people are made in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, must be respected as individuals. This Archdiocesan program was created to protect all in the church family, especially children, from sexual abuse and related dangers. Most importantly, participation in the program has raised awareness about the gravity of child sexual abuse and the steps that can be taken to prevent such abuse.

We take our commitment to the safety of Northwest Catholic children very seriously. All school and parish employees are held to the Code of Ethical Standards set forth by the Archdiocese and are required to participate in initial training and continuing education to foster a Safe Environment “Protecting God’s Children.”

Any volunteers that have regular contact with children or who chaperone field trips must join our mission to Safeguard All of God’s Family. All volunteers are trained and held to a similar Code of Ethical Standards as our school and parish employees.

At Northwest Catholic our goal is to provide a safe, secure learning environment for our students in which they feel comfortable to express themselves and grow.

Northwest Catholic School, in partnership with Mount Mary University, incorporates Mindfulness techniques as part of a curriculum called Mind Up®. Twice a day students and staff stop what they are doing and focus on one thing and one thing only: Mindfulness.

We fondly call it “Mindfulness Moments.”

What exactly is Mindfulness? It’s become a very popular word for a very simple activity. Mindfulness involves taking time out of our daily routines to simply be aware — of our surroundings and of ourselves.

During our school-wide Mindfulness Moments, individual classes pause for mindful moments of breathing and relaxation exercises. Students are also engaged through activities that promote and explain mindfulness. Whether it’s making a Mindfulness bottle to help visualize emotions or participating in group yoga, our students become more aware of themselves and their feelings.

We want our students to understand the ways their thoughts and feelings affect them. Time spent on Mindfulness Moments gives our students methods to take charge of their emotions — to relax and refocus. Our Mindfulness Moments contribute to supporting the, social, emotional, and academic needs of our students and provide them with the tools they need to be successful in life.

The crowning achievement of Mindfulness Moments is that students learn tools to calm themselves and take ownership of their feelings. 

Special thanks to Mount Mary University and the Charles E. Kubly Foundation for their support.

The Kubly Foundation was so impressed with the results of our Mindfulness Moments that Mount Mary University spearheaded, they created a video. Watch it to see first hand about our “Mindfulness.”

At Northwest Catholic School, our mission is to serve a diverse urban community through strong academics and service rooted in the Catholic tradition. However, we know that it can be difficult for many of our students to learn at times — especially those who have experienced traumatic events in their young lives.

In order to provide the highest quality education for all our students, all teachers and staff work together tirelessly at providing a school environment that is physically, socially, emotionally, and academically safe for our students.

Every Northwest Catholic School staff member is committed to the safety and success of each student — especially those affected by trauma — and helping our students shine in every way possible.

Our teachers know how to recognize the signs of a child with a traumatic past and work to provide consistent routines for their students. Clear communication and predictable routines have been proven to help our affected students learn better. Both our school counselors and Mindfulness Moments, contribute to support the emotional and mental health needs of our students.

We rely on parent and family support to make this initiative successful. Our doors are always open for families with questions and concerns. We want to ensure effective communication with parents regarding their children.