The Crusader 2018 - 2019 - 2

LETTER FROM SISTER
Dear Aquinas Community, Friends,
and Benefactors,
Our lives are so full of wonder and mystery!
Throughout it all, even when we don't know
where the road leads, we can live in confidence
that the Lord is with us and guiding us to lead
us to His most perfect will. Along the journey, He
puts people, places, and situations in our lives to
help us grow, and for many, one such place is
St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School and the
people are those within its community.

Sister Kateri Rose Masters, O.P.
Principal of St. Thomas Aquinas
Regional School
2015-2019

In this edition of the Crusader we celebrate the
successes and completion of the school year,
the graduation of another class of 8th graders,
and prepare for a leadership transition. Along
with myself and our 8th grade class, some of
our school families and teachers will be moving
on to new experiences and adventures. We are
grateful to the Lord for bringing all of us together
at Aquinas and for the ways in which He has
worked in our lives through the people here.
These pages illustrate the joy that we have had

in learning together this year and the impact that
this school has had in the lives of our alumni.
It has been my great joy and pleasure to serve
the St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School
community. I pray that the Lord will remain as the
center and heart of the school and its mission,
and I know that He will continue to lead the
school through the ministry of Sr. Mary Sheila.
Please know of my gratitude and prayers for
each of you-our school families, our friends,
and our generous benefactors who make
it possible for Aquinas to serve the Church
through the mission of Catholic education.
May the lives of those who are formed here be
lights in the world shining brightly with the light
and love of Christ.
In Christ,

Sr. Kateri Rose, O.P.
Principal

Dear Aquinas Community, Friends, and Benefactors,
Thank you for the warm welcome! I was
pleased to arrive to St. Thomas Aquinas
Regional School when it was still in action,
joining everyone for Field Day and Closing
School Mass. It was a joy to see that the
Aquinas community includes students who
are kind and courteous, teachers who are
loving and professional, and parents who are
involved and grateful. I am blessed to be here
and I look forward to serving this community
and getting to know you better.

Sister Mary Sheila Maksim, O.P.
Principal of St. Thomas Aquinas
Regional School
June 2019

In 2019-2020 we celebrate the Year of Hope
in our virtue program. Hope is "trust in God's
loving plan." This virtue is a great focus as
we discern God's plan for the school to
grow through the process of the Design for
Excellence (DFE). This is the process for
renewing our school accreditation through
the Virginia Catholic Education Association.
Aquinas is already a Blue Ribbon School of
Excellence. Having served as principal at
several schools, one of the unique blessings
I see at Aquinas is that the school offers not
only academic support for students with
special needs, but that we also offer an array
of programs to challenge those with academic
gifts: the Spanish Heritage program to develop
the language skills of native Spanish speakers,
an accelerated science program that allows
for coursework in robotics, accelerated math

that leads to a course in geometry, and
honors courses in English and Literature.
I look forward to learning about these and
other aspects of the school, so that we can
be good stewards of these blessings and help
the school to grow even further according to
God's plan. Our DFE process will be a study
of the school and discernment of long-term
goals in the fall with a visit from our accrediting
agency in the spring, April 28 through May 1.
As we celebrate our blessings and plan
for the future of Aquinas during the Year of
Hope and our DFE process, we rely on the
strong support of our families, friends, and
benefactors. Most especially, I am counting
on your prayers during this important time.
The school also relies on your input and your
financial contributions. I invite you to give
generously, knowing that the Lord will pour out
graces on you and your family in return. He is
never outdone in generosity!
Thank you for making St. Thomas Aquinas
Regional School a place where our students
can grow in their relationship with God and
develop all of their talents for His glory. I look
forward to meeting you in the coming year.
In Saint Thomas Aquinas,
Sister Mary Sheila, O.P.
The Crusader 2018 - 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Crusader 2018 - 2019
