A Growth Mindset: Feel the energy at St. John Vianney

"Our word for the year is growth, and that is our mindset," said St. John Vianney Catholic School’s new principal, Deacon Nick Senger. St. John Vianney has been a fixture of Catholic education in Spokane for 65 years, since its inception in 1953. In the last few years, St. John Vianney has faced the same stresses as other Catholic schools, but if you visit the school today, you will feel the energy.

The school has two wings, the main classroom hall, and a library wing with additional classroom space for its preschool through eighth grade students. For almost 40 years of the schools existence the second wing served as the par- ish church. Although Deacon Sen- ger has been at the school for only a few months, he has quickly em- braced the role as principal. Before coming to St. John Vianney, Senger spent the last 28 years as a vice principal and teacher at All Saints Catholic School on Spokane’s south hill.

“My first two years I taught seventh grade language arts and religion all day,” said Deacon Senger. “Then I moved to eighth grade for a year as a full-time language arts and math teacher. Then I served as vice-principal and an eighth grade religion teacher for 23 years.” Embracing the advances in technology is a priority to the All Saints Catholic School community. In the last few years, All Saints “decided in order to improve our technology program we needed someone dedicated to that,” said Deacon Senger, “so I was approached to take on that role. So for the last four years I was able to split my time between vice principal and technology teacher.”

Beyond his history in education, Deacon Senger, is a deacon. He was ordained in 2012 to serve the All Saints community and St. Peter Parish, where he has led the Good Samaritan Guild which assists neighbors in need. As one of only two principals in the diocesan school system who is also a deacon, Senger offers a unique perspective on how the roles of deacon and principal intersect: “One of the roles — maybe the main role — of the deacon is to animate service in the community” said Senger “So, to me being a principal is being a servant leader, and animating the community to service, encouraging the teachers to service, encouraging the children to service.”

“We are here to serve our students, our families, and each other in the faith,” said Senger. “That’s how I approach my role in Catholic education as a deacon. Always looking for what can I do to serve?”

Today, education is no longer an either/or proposition for Catholic parents as many choices abound. There are many options — charter schools, public schools, special focus public schools and Catholic schools to name a few. Senger believes, “Catholic schools have all the benefits of charter schools and private schools in terms of class size and a rigorous curriculum. But really it is our role as a ministry of the parish to help in the evangelization of our children and of our parents too.” According to Deacon Senger, parents “continue to be evangelized by their participation in the school too. That is what sets our school apart, spreading the Gospel from the time kids are tiny until they are adults and bringing their own kids to Catholic school.”

Catholic education is also deeply rooted in the same kind of service that is central to Deacon Senger’s role as deacon and principal. Senger said that the school strives to create programs “that lead people to service, and not only service in the sense of reaching out to those in need, but also serving each other and having an attitude of I am here to do for the other.”

Midway through the 2018-2019 school year, St. John Vianney has 124 students, ten more than were enrolled on the first day of classes last fall. Deacon Senger and the whole school and parish community is actively embracing the idea of a growth mindset at the school. The future looks bright for St. John Vianney Catholic School.

Outside of the parish and school, Deacon Senger is known as a voracious reader, often mentioning works of literature in his homilies. He led a chapter- a-day read along of Les Miserables on Twitter in 2018 that was so popular he has had many requests to repeat the program again in 2019. Currently, he is leading a chapter- a-day read along of four different books. When his group is finished working their way through Don Quixote, they will begin the Count of Monte Cristo on May 9th. If you are interested in learning more about Deacon Senger or how to join one of his read-along programs, find @nsenger on Twitter or visit: nicksenger.com/ onecatholiclife/announcing- the-2019-chapter-a-day- read-along

To learn more about St. John Vianney Catholic School and parish and to support their mission of Catholic education visit: https:// johnvianney.com.