Annunciation, St. Francis schools share a retreat By Fabvienen Taylor
COLUMBUS — Columbus Annunciation Elementary and Vicksburg St. Francis Elementary have in common their Catholic identity, as do all of the Diocese of Jackson schools. But the two schools are forging a closer connection.
“The beauty of this is that maybe it will get other schools to start sharing ideas with each other,” said Karen Overstreet, curriculum coordinator and enrichment teacher at Annunciation. “We already share our Catholic identity, maybe we can start doing even more.”
What the two schools shared during 2006-2007 school year was a retreat for sixth graders entitled “Celebrating our Uniqueness and Power.”
The retreat was designed by Overstreet, who helps teachers to create more engaging and focussed lessons, or add new approaches and activities to topics or themes.
The sixth graders have a retreat every year which is held in May at Overstreet’s house.
“The retreat setting makes everyone feel closer, we leave the school setting and get away from other distractions,” said Overstreet.
“We begin with prayer and singing and thinking about how God has blessed them and taking time to listen to him and to thank him,” Overstreet said.
The retreat centered around activities and exercises designed to help the students assess their personality type, leadership style, and communication and problem-solving skills, to acknowledge the uniqueness of each person, and read and reflect on scripture verses about the gifts God has given them and how they will use them in the world.
The students were given messages about their uniqueness from their teachers and their parents. During the day the students exchanged messages from each other affirming the positive qualities they see in each other.
Near the end of the retreat the class made a banner with the retreat theme which was displayed at their sixth grade commencement.
In Vicksburg, Jennifer Henry, St. Francis Elementary principal and chief administator of Vicksburg Catholic Schools, was familiar with the retreat from her years as Annunciation principal.
Henry contacted Overstreet and asked her to share the retreat materials with Liz Fletcher, the sixth grade teacher at St. Francis who was coordinating their retreat.
“It was wonderful,” said Fletcher, who plans on using it again this year.
“The exercises brought out the individuality of each child and taught them how to accept each other and their differences. I think it helped them realize they are not so much different as they are unique in the way God made each of them,” Fletcher said. “It was an eye-opener to me about some of the students.”
The retreat was held in the parish hall at St. Michael Church.
According to Overstreet, the goals of the retreat and other related activities during the year are to teach students how to take ownership and responsibility for their actions, how to communicate and cooperate with each other, and to learn problem-solving with themselves and others.
“We begin and end with a focus on God and the talents and abilities he has given each child and what they will do with them in their lives,” said Overstreet. .
