Notre Dame de Sion Grade School's Holy Ground

Notre Dame de Sion is an independent Catholic school. Catholicism permeates our school curriculum especially through such values as the regard for human dignity, respect for both the life of the mind and the life of the body, the centrality of charity and justice. Prayer and liturgy are critical in the faith formation of students, and, at Sion, faith formation assumes that prayer and liturgy are rooted in a loving, intelligent and informed use of Scripture. As a school mindful of minorities and the marginalized, every effort is made to ensure inclusiveness in prayers, readings, reflections, and songs.

The process of religious formation at the Grade School, called Holy Ground, is designed to invite all the members of the Sion School Community into lively expression of our religious life. We celebrate each student’s firm grounding in his or her own religious tradition, while cultivating a broad understanding of and respect for the tradition and practice of others. Students participate in homeroom Holy Ground lessons, weekly Chapel as a level, and quarterly projects related to Catholic social teaching and service learning. Together in Sion, we strive to build community, share faith, practice prayer and act on behalf of peace and justice. We celebrate All School Mass regularly observing special liturgical seasons and Holy Days, as well as quartlery grade level Masses at the High School.

Our school is committed to engaging students in direct service to others in the community, as well as to helping students reflect on the needs in our world and work on solutions. Each grade participates in projects to help others in need, and eighth grade students must complete 15 hours of service beyond the school as a requirement for graduation. Middle School “Maisons” lead the school in service projects and participate monthly in field trips to assist agencies such as Harvesters, Operation Breakthrough, Catholic Charities, and more.

An atmosphere of affirmation, love, and trust challenge and enable Sion students to graduate with the inner qualities of self-esteem, self-respect, self-confidence and a sense of integrity. This helps prepare them to value and assume social responsibility intelligently and effectively.