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The excitement is building as the faculty and staff at the 15 Diocese of Venice Catholic schools prepare lesson plans and decorate classrooms for the more than 6,700 students who will be arriving for the start of the 2025-2026 Academic Year on Aug. 11, 2025.

Ahead of opening day, more than 650 educators and faculty of the Diocese of Venice gathered for a Back to School Mass and meeting on Aug. 6, 2025, at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated the Mass at neighboring St. Cecilia Parish, where he identified the teachers and faculty as the first representatives of the Diocese of Venice as men and women of God who impart their knowledge to the child of God placed before them.

“Whatever the situation, you are advocates of a Catholic school culture, which sets us apart; we avoid negativity, we strive to be positive, and you are called upon to be positive in your approach,” Bishop Dewane said. “Let that positivity of who you are as teachers in a Catholic school, as messengers of the Lord in so many ways, be a critical component of your classroom. Let the students be a part of the positivity of what you do.”

Bishop Dewane thanked the educators for being there and answering the Lord’s call, and prayed that the Lord guides the Diocese, the Department of Education, each school, and each educator through the year and that the burdens that do appear be lifted from each of them.

Bishop Dewane also spoke about a renewed emphasis on Diocesan Catholic Curriculum Standards, which were first implemented in 2018 and are being updated for the new school year.

“Religion and faith should permeate everything we do,” the Bishop said. “We must integrate faith across the disciplines so our students know it and live it. As a teacher, you are here to form your students to be men and women of God, living out your own vocation as a teacher.”

Educators at all 15 Diocesan Catholic schools work conscientiously to provide Christ-centered learning experiences that are translatable to the real world, providing children with the tools they need to be successful beyond the classroom.

Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education, spoke to the educators about the mission of the Universal Church, that is in every generation to introduce the world to its Savior.

“That world is your classroom, your school, and this Diocese,” Father Belmonte said. “You do that in Southwest Florida, because the mission happens in a particular place and time.”

Father Belmonte said the Diocese of Venice is blessed to have seen a 40 percent growth in the past five years, the fastest rate of any Catholic school system in the country. Enrollment is expected to exceed 6,700 this year, the most in Diocesan history.

“We are in the business of educating and forming souls for Christ – so more souls is better,” Father Belmonte said. “What we do helps makes us, our students, and our world to be better. We should believe that down to our bones.”

Jennifer Falestiny, Director of Curriculum, introduced the educators to online portals and programs that will aid them in in embracing the new curriculum standards.

Falestiny also introduced the group to the Hallow app, an online program that offers a variety of useful educational resources on a variety of relevant topics. One of those topics is related to a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which will be the theme for the 2025-2026 Academic Year School Devotional Project which will kick off in November.

New Teachers Come On Board

On July 31, Father Belmonte led a New Teacher Orientation at St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers. Father Belmonte stressed the need for the new employees to be “Catholic School Culture” advocates in whatever role they may have in their school. A “Catholic School Culture” is the vision, values, systems, language, expectations, behaviors, and beliefs that increase a school’s and Diocese’s chances of accomplishing the strategy of fulfilling its mission: to introduce the world to its Savior.

“To achieve this, each teacher must make their classroom a place of theological reflection, because this is where you will pray for them and challenge them to grow in their faith,” Father Belmonte said. “In your classroom, in your school, in your heart; everything is sacred. Everything is given to us by God. It all has value. That is what we believe. Together with your students, you will strive to help them to achieve the ultimate goal, that is to ascend to heaven.”

All 15 Diocesan Catholic schools will open the week of Aug. 11. For more information, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/offices/offices-departments/education/.

As the 2020-2021 academic year fast approaches, planning is taking place at all levels of the Diocese of Venice to ensure that Catholic schools open in August. Everything is being done to ensure the health of all students, as well as of the faculty and staff.

The complexities of this task are monumental, and all options are being considered, explained Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocese Superintendent of Catholic Education. Parents will be notified as soon as all plans are formalized.

With Christ being the reason Catholic education exists, Father Belmonte cited St. Paul’s letter to the Romans (8:38) which states that nothing, not anguish, distress or peril, should separate us from the love of Christ. “As we prepare to reopen our schools, let us remain focused on Christ who is the reason for our schools, the reason we teach, the reason why we will gather, prudently and safely, in August.”

The process to reopen has involved the close work of the Diocese Office of Education with the principals, School Boards, and advisors involved in a variety of fields, including medical professionals.

School principals sent out a survey to parents about whether the families want the schools to be in-person, distance learning or a combination of both. As much of the feedback as possible is being integrated into the reopening plans.

Father Belmonte explained that parents and students should expect to see significant changes at the schools, including how the students interact during the day, specifically in the classrooms, in the hallways and outdoors. There will also be options for enhanced distance learning. Father added that while an increased number of COVID-19 cases is a factor in the planning process, it should be remembered that it was always understood that the virus would still exist when schools reopened.

What is different now, Father Belmonte explained, is that the world, including the Diocese Catholic schools, have learned many valuable lessons from the Pandemic and that taking specific preventative measures will mitigate the risks for the students, faculty and staff. At a minimum, this includes wearing face coverings, extensive hand washing, social distancing and more.

For example, St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers has installed touchless water fountains, similar to those found at many airports, where someone can place a water bottle under a dispenser and it automatically fills without the student ever touching a surface. Incarnation Catholic School in Sarasota is installing new carpeting in classrooms and repainting many areas, all to include materials which make it easier to disinfect each day.

While all schools were forced to enable distance learning in March, much has been learned from that experience. Therefore, as the next semester approaches, educators have a newly developed distance learning program available until parents are ready to send their child back. The plan will surpass standard programs that are just assignment based. The program will include teaching and direct access to the teachers, and no more waiting or wondering when the teacher would be in contact.

Tag: back to school

2025-2026 Catholic school year begins Aug. 11

Catholic Schools planning for reopening