A Faith-Filled Start: Welcome Back to School from Dr. Erika Wikstrom
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” – St. Paul, Romans 12:12
Welcome back—it is my joy to say those words! Today, our school doors swing open to begin a new year of academic and spiritual growth.
From our littlest learners clutching their first backpacks to seniors stepping into their final year of high school, the joy in the air is contagious. After the quiet summer months, we are blessed to see our classrooms once again filled with laughter, hugs, and hopeful hearts.
A Word of Gratitude
Parents, thank you for sharing this moment with us, for preparing your children for a fantastic start to the year, and for saying “yes” to Catholic education. By entrusting your children to our schools, you have placed your most precious gift in our care, a responsibility we hold sacred.
I also want to thank our dedicated faculty and staff. Your commitment and love for our students make our schools places of excellence. Together with our families, you form a partnership that allows every child to grow in knowledge, faith, and values.
Walking Together as Pilgrims of Hope
This year, our Catholic schools embrace the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” A pilgrim is someone on a journey, trusting that God is guiding the way at every step. In our schools, this pilgrimage goes beyond academics. It’s about helping students grow in wisdom, kindness, and courage. Above all, we are guiding students on their journey to discovering God’s infinite love.
Being a “pilgrim of hope” means that even when life brings challenges, we choose to look forward with trust in God’s plan. It means lifting each other up when we stumble, celebrating each other’s successes, and remembering that each step is part of a much greater story.
Together, as pilgrims, we walk this path side by side—students, parents, teachers, and parish communities—with the shared mission of building a Christ-centered future.
Our Five Guiding Pillars
To guide this mission, our Catholic schools are grounding their work in five values that families will see in action throughout the year:
Wisdom – Making thoughtful decisions guided by prayer, reflection, and what is best for our students.
Leadership – Forming young people who lead with courage, compassion, and integrity.
Accountability – Striving for greatness in all we do, preparing students for both success in life and holiness in faith.
Service – Walking beside one another in a spirit of humility and support.
Unity – Building connections across all our schools so we grow stronger together.
These pillars will be the daily touchstones of our Catholic school community.
A New Day is Dawning
The start of a new school year is a fresh chapter, full of promise and possibility. Yes, there will be challenges along the road, but there will also be countless moments of grace: a child mastering a new skill, a school community rallying to help a family in need, a student deepening their relationship with Christ.
My prayer for this year is simple: that every student will grow in wisdom, faith, and love. That our schools will be places where faith is lived joyfully and excellence is pursued wholeheartedly.
As St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us, “The things that we love tell us what we are.”
Let us walk this pilgrimage of hope together, trusting that God is present in every lesson, every person, every moment.
May God bless you and your family as we begin this new school year!
With prayers and blessings,
Dr. Erika Wikstrom
Superintendent of Schools
Diocese of Orlando
