James L. Collins Catholic School - Faith Involvement Integrity Respect

We are incredibly proud to recognize Mark Chieng as the recipient of the Catholic Foundation's Work of Heart Award! For over 30 years, Mark has faithfully served our school community with unwavering dedication, humility, and heart. From safely driving our school bus each day to handling countless custodial and maintenance needs, he has quietly ensured that our students and staff have a safe, welcoming place to learn and grow. Mark’s servant leadership shines in everything he does. Whether he’s fixing a last-minute repair, arriving early to prepare for the day, or sharing his wonderful sense of humor that brightens our hallways, he truly embodies what it means to serve with love. We are beyond grateful for his commitment, reliability, and joyful spirit. Congratulations, Mark, on this well-deserved honor — thank you for being such a blessing to our school family!

Our students had an electrifying time in STEM class building their very own solar cars! From designing and assembling to testing them out, they put their creativity, problem-solving skills, and teamwork into action. The excitement was contagious as they watched their cars race forward powered by the sun! Hands-on learning like this helps our students see science and engineering come to life in a fun and meaningful way. We love our STEM Smart Lab and the incredible opportunities it provides for innovation, discovery, and growth!

Serving others is such an important lesson for our students to learn at a young age. When children participate in community service, they begin to understand compassion, kindness, and the joy that comes from putting their faith into action. This week, our second grade class had the blessing of visiting a local nursing home to spread cheer to the residents. With bright smiles, handmade cards, and joyful conversations, our students reminded everyone that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference. We are so proud of our second graders for being shining examples of love and service in our community. 💛 “Let all that you do be done in love.” — 1 Corinthians 16:14

Today our school family gathered at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church to celebrate Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the holy season of Lent. Receiving ashes on our foreheads, we were reminded of our call to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as we begin this 40-day journey toward Easter. Lent is a time for reflection, repentance, and drawing closer to Christ, and we are grateful to walk this season together as a faith-filled community. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” — Psalm 51:10 May this Lenten season be one of renewal and grace for all of our students, families, and staff.

We’re excited to offer our 4th–8th grade students the opportunity to grow their game during off-season volleyball skills practices! These sessions are a great way for our student-athletes to sharpen their fundamentals, build confidence on the court, and strengthen teamwork—all while having fun and preparing for the upcoming season. A special thank you to Coach DePugh and Coach Martinez for hosting these practices and investing their time and energy into our students. We are so grateful for coaches who pour into our athletes both on and off the court!

We love seeing our students learn new skills and discover hidden talents! Some of our fourth and fifth grade girls have been staying after school to learn how to crochet with Mrs. Meadors. From mastering their first stitches to creating their very own projects, these young ladies are building patience, creativity, and confidence one loop at a time. Thank you, Mrs. Meadors, for sharing your time and talents with our students and for helping them learn a skill they can enjoy for years to come!

Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at James L. Collins Catholic School! ❤️ Today we celebrate the love that fills our classrooms — the kindness between friends, the dedication of our teachers, and the strong partnership with our families. Most importantly, we celebrate the love of Christ that guides all we do each day. As we are reminded in Scripture: “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” — 1 Corinthians 13:13 (RSV) May our students continue to grow in faith, shine with hope, and share Christ’s love with everyone they meet. 💕 Wishing our entire school community a blessed and joyful Valentine’s Day!

Please join us at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church as we begin the holy season of Lent together.

“Yet even now, saith the Lord, turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.” — Joel 2:12

We invite our parish family and community to come, receive ashes, and begin this Lenten journey of prayer, fasting, and renewal together.

It was a special evening filled with smiles, laughter, and lots of dancing! Our girls and their dads (and special guests!) enjoyed a magical night making memories that will last a lifetime. From twirls on the dance floor to big hugs and sweet moments, this event truly celebrated the special bond between fathers and daughters.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the night so memorable—we loved seeing our school family shine!

We are so proud of our religion team's hard work, dedication, and deep knowledge of our Catholic faith. These students spent weeks preparing, studying Scripture, Church teachings, and traditions—to compete this past week in the Diocesan Religion Bowl! They did an amazing job representing our school with faith, confidence, and teamwork. This competition consisted of 40 questions, a short snack break, and another 40 questions. Special thanks to Mrs. Gilburt for coaching our team.

Sunday is here—a perfect day to gather, reflect, and worship together. All are welcome to come and celebrate the Holy Mass as we grow in faith and community. Whether you are a regular parishioner or visiting for the first time, we invite you to join us at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” — Matthew 18:20

At their last meeting, our Blue Knights Boys’ Club members received a special commissioning as they continue their journey of faith and leadership. This meaningful moment affirmed their commitment to live out Christian values through service, integrity, and love for others. We are so proud of these young leaders for answering the call to be role models in our school and community. May God continue to guide them as they put their faith into action each day.

We are incredibly thankful to KJZT Family Life for their generous donation to our school. Your continued support means so much to our students, staff, and families. We are truly grateful for your commitment to Catholic education and for helping strengthen our school community. Your generosity makes a lasting impact—thank you for standing with us!

This week, we were blessed to welcome Father Steve to campus for the Blessing of the Throats in honor of the Feast of St. Blaise. On this special day in the Catholic Church, our students and staff were reminded of God’s healing presence and the importance of caring for one another in faith. We are grateful for Father Steve’s visit and for the opportunity to celebrate this beautiful tradition together as a school community.

We are so incredibly blessed to have Mrs. Powers as our school counselor. Her kindness, compassion, and constant support make a difference in the lives of our students every single day.

As one first-grade student shared, “She gives the best hugs,” and another said, “Mrs. Powers is really nice and she always helps everyone.”

Those sweet words say it all. Thank you, Mrs. Powers, for loving our students so well and for being such a blessing to our campus!

Our Read-A-Thon was a huge success, and we couldn’t be prouder of our students! Way to go to all of our readers who logged pages, stretched their minds, and showed such a love for reading. A special congratulations to our top readers (Madeleine C., Benjamin C., Olivia G., Matthew C., Caroline C., Angelia T., and Leslie S.) and our top fundraisers (Rarrie M., Izabella Z., Elisha E., John M., Olivia G., Emi S. and Layla C.)—your hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm truly stood out! Our students read for a total of 9,611 minutes. The second grade raised the most money and the 6th grade read the most minutes.

Because of your efforts and the generosity of our families and supporters, you’ve helped make a meaningful impact on our school which will result in new books for our library. Thank you to everyone who read, donated, and cheered our students on. We are so proud of our readers! Here is a photo of our students who earned a free dress day through their minutes and donations raised.

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!