James L. Collins Catholic School - Faith Involvement Integrity Respect

We are so proud of our students who represented our school at the Navarro County Youth Expo! Not only did they work hard to prepare their projects and animals, but they also showed leadership by taking our PreK, Kindergarten, and 1st grade students on special field trip tours of the expo facilities. It was a wonderful opportunity for our younger students to learn more about agriculture, creativity, and all the hard work that goes into the event.

Our students had a fantastic showing across the creative arts, food, and livestock show categories:

✨ Georgia Kate
• 1st Place Goat
• 11th Place Rabbits
• Honor Student
• 6th Place Creative Arts (Needle Punch Cow)
• Food (Chocolate Cake)

✨ Loretta Grace
• 5th Place Rabbits
• 5th Place Goat
• Food (Pineapple Upside Down Cake)

✨ Jolie
• Creative Arts (Photography)

✨ James
• 2nd Place Goat
• 4th Place Steer
• 1st Place Ag Mechanics Project (Planter)

✨ Emi
• 4th Place Goat

✨ Benjamin
• 4th Place Creative Arts (Blacksmithing - Knife)

✨ Caroline
• 3rd Place Creative Arts (Fine Arts - Stained Glass Window)
• Honor Student

✨ Madeleine
• 5th Place Creative Arts (Crafts - Wooden Mosaic Picture)

✨ Alonzo
• 4th Place Food (Blueberry Muffins)
• Creative Arts (Photography)

We are incredibly proud of their dedication, creativity, and hard work, as well as their willingness to share their experiences with our younger students. Way to go!

Our Book Fair is happening this coming week! We are so excited to share a love of reading with our students. We want to thank our fourth grade students for helping our Pre-K students explore and look at possible books, making it a fun and special experience for our youngest readers. We love seeing our students learn, lead, and grow together!

Our Pre-K students had a special visit from the Hope Center! They enjoyed a beautiful story reminding us that Jesus loves us. To help support their mission, our students also collected baby items to donate. We are so grateful for this meaningful experience that helped our youngest learners grow in both knowledge and compassion!

Our students came together in a beautiful display of faith and reverence as they prayed the Stations of the Cross. This meaningful time allowed them to reflect on Jesus’ journey and grow deeper in their understanding of His love and sacrifice. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16

Special thanks to the James Blair Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for the thoughtful Easter treats for our faculty and staff! Your kindness and generosity made our day extra special—we are so grateful for your support.

Our 7th grade students stepped back in time today with an exciting field trip to Medieval Times! As part of their studies in medieval literature and poetry, students have been exploring the rich history, culture, and storytelling of the Middle Ages. This immersive experience brought their lessons to life as they witnessed knights in action, learned about chivalry, and experienced the sights and sounds of the medieval era. It was a memorable day full of learning, laughter, and a deeper appreciation for the time period they’ve been studying in class!

We are proud to celebrate our talented students who participated in the Future Saints and Scholars Annual Poetry Contest, sponsored by the TriCore Foundation! Congratulations to: • Leslie Solis – 4th Place • Olivia Garcia – 6th Place • Laila Campbell – Honorable Mention This contest highlights the incredible creativity and dedication of our students, as all entries are 100% original and completed independently without outside assistance. We are so proud of these young writers for sharing their voices and representing our school so well!

We could not be more proud of our students, Emilia and Angelia, both winning this contest in their age division! Special thanks to everyone in our JLCCS community who voted for these artists!

Congratulations to Georgia Kate and Caroline for being named Navarro County Youth Expo Honor Students this year! We are so proud of your hard work, dedication, and the way you represent our school with excellence. Keep shining and inspiring those around you! We also want to wish all of our club members the best of luck as they compete this week in food, creative arts, ag mechanics, showing animals, and food challenge.

Our computer lab is now equipped with all new computers, providing our students with even more opportunities to learn, explore, and grow using the latest technology. A huge thank you to David Baker (our technology specialist) who helped make this possible—we are truly blessed by the support of our community. We can’t wait to see all the amazing work our students will accomplish in this refreshed space!

Our 3rd grade students have been learning all about animal migrations, and then they brought that learning to life through art! As they explored the incredible journey of monarch butterflies, students created beautiful painted masterpieces inspired by these amazing travelers. From vibrant colors to carefully detailed wings, their creativity truly took flight! We love seeing our students connect science and art in such a meaningful (and fun!) way. Great job, 3rd grade!

Our students recently combined creativity and faith by drawing beautiful stained glass–inspired artwork of the Stations of the Cross. As they worked, students reflected on each station and used bright colors and bold designs to create pieces that resemble the beauty of stained glass windows often found in churches. This activity allowed students to deepen their understanding of the Stations of the Cross while expressing their faith through art. Each piece turned out unique and meaningful, reminding us that art can be a powerful way to reflect, pray, and learn. We are so proud of the thoughtfulness and creativity our students put into their work!

Our Garden Club is getting ready for a season of growth! Students have been hard at work preparing our raised garden beds for planting. They started by clearing and refreshing the soil, then collected soil samples to test and learn more about what nutrients our garden needs to thrive. This hands-on experience is helping them understand the science behind healthy plants and successful gardens. With the beds prepared and soil results underway, the next exciting step is planning which seeds to plant! Our students are looking forward to choosing vegetables, herbs, and flowers that will soon bring our garden to life. We love seeing our students learn through nature, teamwork, and a little bit of dirt on their hands!

Our Little Flowers Girls’ Club had a wonderful time learning about the virtue of gentleness this week! The girls talked about how gentleness means treating others with kindness, patience, and care—just like we should treat the special gifts God has given us. To help bring the lesson to life, they played a fun egg relay game, carefully passing their eggs along the course. It was a perfect reminder that being gentle takes focus, teamwork, and a thoughtful heart! We are so proud of these young ladies as they continue to grow in faith, friendship, and virtue.

Our Blue Knights Boys’ Club had a wonderful opportunity this week to step away from the routine of daily life and spend time together on retreat at the Benedictine Monastery of Thien Tam in Kerens. It was a meaningful experience filled with faith, reflection, and brotherhood. During their visit, the boys explored the Relics Chapel and the Eucharistic Miracles Chapel, where they learned more about the rich history and traditions of the Catholic faith. They also walked the Stations of the Cross, taking time to pray and reflect on Christ’s journey. In addition to these spiritual moments, the retreat included team-building activities that allowed the boys to strengthen friendships, build leadership skills, and grow together as a community. It was a beautiful time of faith, learning, and fellowship that will surely leave a lasting impression on each of them. We are grateful for the opportunity our students had to deepen their faith and spend this special time together. Special thanks to Father Juan Carlos for hosting the retreat, and our advisors and chaperones for assisting.

When their original field trip to the zoo was canceled due to forecasted bad weather, our Kindergarten and 1st grade students made the most of the day with a fun change of plans! Our young learners headed to Schulman’s Movie Bowl & Grill for an exciting outing filled with laughter and adventure. Students enjoyed watching a movie with popcorn, spent time playing games in the arcade, and even had the chance to go bowling together. While the destination changed, the smiles and memories certainly did not! It was a wonderful day of fun and fellowship for our students.

Last week we had so much fun celebrating the birthday of Dr. Seuss with a week full of reading and creative dress-up days! Students joined in the celebration by dressing as their favorite characters, wearing silly socks and hats, and enjoying special reading activities in their classrooms. It was wonderful to see our students’ excitement for books and storytelling as they honored the author who inspired generations to love reading. From imaginative costumes to time spent enjoying great stories together, the week was a joyful reminder of how reading can spark creativity, laughter, and learning. Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

This week we had a wonderful visit from staff members from Navarro Regional Hospital as they joined us at James L. Collins Catholic School to celebrate Read Across America! Our guests spent time reading stories to our elementary students, sharing their love of books and encouraging our young readers to keep exploring new stories. They also recognized our school’s top readers in the Accelerated Reader program, celebrating their hard work and dedication to reading. To make the day even more special, they surprised every student with a fun goodie bag and took time to talk with our students about the importance of reading and how it helps us learn, grow, and imagine new possibilities. Our prechool and kindergarten students especially loved their teddybears. We are so grateful to the wonderful team from Navarro Regional Hospital for investing in our students and helping inspire a love of reading in our school community!

Our Art Club students have been busy creating, exploring, and letting their creativity shine! From painting and sketching to mixed media projects, these young artists are learning new techniques while expressing their unique God-given talents. Art Club is a special time for students to collaborate, encourage one another, and bring their ideas to life in a fun and supportive environment. We love seeing their confidence grow with every brushstroke! Thank you Mrs. Huerta - you make this creative space possible. We can’t wait to see what masterpieces come next!

A big thank you to our Student Council and National Junior Honor Society members for spending time today serving our school community! These students volunteered their time to help spread mulch around our campus flower beds and our beautiful rosary garden, helping keep our grounds looking welcoming. Their willingness to serve is a wonderful example of leadership, stewardship, and pride in our school. We are so grateful for students who give their time and energy to make our campus an even more special place!