James L. Collins Catholic School - Faith Involvement Integrity Respect

A big THANK YOU to our amazing Parent–Teacher Committee (PTC) for treating all of our students to delicious popsicles! Your kindness brought lots of smiles and helped make the day extra sweet. We are so grateful for all you do to support our school and our students!

A heartfelt thank you to KJZT Society No. 16 The Assumption of Ennis for the delicious breakfast pastries yesterday morning! Your generosity truly brightened the day for our faculty and staff. We are so grateful for your constant support of Catholic education and for always showing up for our students, staff, and school community. Your kindness and dedication do not go unnoticed—thank you for all that you do!

Yesterday we celebrated the 100th Day of School—a fun milestone filled with learning, laughter, and lots of smiles! As we count 100 days of growth this school year, we’re also grateful to reflect on what makes our school so special. For over 70 years, our school community has been dedicated to educating hearts and minds, forming students in faith, knowledge, and service. What an amazing blessing it is to be part of a community where tradition, excellence, and love for our students continue to shine—yesterday, today, and for generations to come!

Happy Sunday! Today is a beautiful reminder to pause, give thanks, and gather in faith. All are welcome to join us for Mass as we come together as one community to worship, pray, and be renewed in Christ. No matter where you are on your journey, there is a place for you here. "This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” — Psalm 118:24 We hope to see you!

Congratulations to Mrs. Alvarado for being nominated as the Teacher of the Year for JLCCS in the Diocese of Dallas!

The Knights of Columbus Council #5211 proudly hosted their annual Free-Throw Contest and we could. It be more proud of our students: Upper Division Champions: Ben and Ava Lower Division Champions: Woody and Emilia These talented students will now advance to compete at the regional level! We’re so proud of your hard work, focus, and sportsmanship. Best of luck as you continue on to the next round! Special thanks to all of our students that came and participated.

This past week, our students had the blessing of receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Through prayer, reflection, and God’s endless mercy, they were reminded of the beauty of forgiveness and the grace that comes from a reconciled heart. We are so proud of our students as they continue to grow in faith and deepen their relationship with Christ. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” — 1 John 1:9

We are so proud to celebrate four of our students who were recognized as local winners in their age divisions in the Knights of Columbus Keep Christ in Christmas Art Contest. Their creativity beautifully captured the true meaning of Christmas through art. These students will now advance to compete at the district level. Please join us in congratulating Angelia, Phoenix, Emilia, and Elena and wishing them the best as they continue on. We also want to thank the Knights of Columbus Council #5211 for hosting this contest.

JLCCS will be closed Monday, January 26 due to threatening ice accumulations and life threatening cold. We will continue to monitor conditions to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

JLCCS permanecerá cerrada el lunes 26 de enero debido a la posible acumulación de hielo y a las temperaturas extremadamente frías. Continuaremos monitoreando las condiciones para garantizar la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes y del personal.

This December, our Little Flowers Girls’ Club and Blue Knights Boys’ Club gathered for a special ceremony to receive their Fall patches, celebrating the virtues and lessons they worked so hard to learn throughout the season. Each patch represents growth in faith, character, and a commitment to living out Christ’s example in their daily lives.

We are so proud of our students at James L. Collins Catholic School for embracing these virtues and supporting one another on their faith journey.

You have helped us raise $2,925.00 through our Read-A-Thon! Thank you for your support. There is still time to make a donation and support our students. https://www.read-a-thon.com/school/_67699

Our students were excited to head to the movies for a special viewing of David, a powerful story that brings faith, courage, and God’s calling to life on the big screen. Experiences like this allow learning to extend beyond the classroom and deepen our students’ understanding of faith in a meaningful way. We loved the conversations that took place after watching this movie.

We are sincerely thankful to the Catholic Foundation for their generous support of our field trips. Because of you, opportunities like this are possible—enriching our students’ education, strengthening their faith, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

🏀 Basketball season is officially underway! Our girls and boys basketball teams tipped off their first games this weekend. While the girls fought hard in a tough matchup, the boys team opened the season with a win! We’re proud of both teams for their effort, teamwork, and school spirit. We can’t wait to watch them grow and compete all season long—go Bears!

Our sweet Pre-K students loved spending time outside, soaking up the sunshine and joyfully playing on the playground. 🌞🛝 Their laughter and curiosity remind us of the beauty of childhood and the blessing of learning through play in God’s creation. 💙 “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 19:14

Our preschool students had an absolute blast turning school into a winter wonderland! ❄️⛸️ From “ice skating” fun to throwing snowballs indoors, their laughter and excitement filled the halls. We love creating joyful, hands-on experiences that spark imagination and make learning fun—especially when it feels like a snowy day inside!

Parents interested in learning about the new Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFAs) program are invited to attend an informational meeting hosted by James L. Collins Catholic School on January 15th at 6:00 PM in the school gym.

The presentation will be bilingual, with time for questions and answers following the session.

📞 Please call the school to RSVP: (903) 872-1751

🗓️ TEFA applications open February 4 – March 17

🔗 Learn more about the program here:
https://dallascatholic.org/schools/esa/

We would love for you to learn more about JLCCS and the many opportunities we offer our students and community!

Today is Sunday — the Lord’s Day. Let’s gather in His house, lift our hearts, and give thanks for His endless love. “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.” — Psalm 100:4

The Lord invites you to His table today. Come and be nourished by His Word and the Eucharist. “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the stalwart one who takes refuge in him.” — Psalm 34:9

After successfully replacing all of the windows in our middle school hallway this past summer, we are grateful to have received this grant over the Christmas holiday, and are thrilled to continue this work as we move forward with the second phase of the project.