Columbus-Powell St. Peter St. Joan of Arc is a month away from opening its doors to Ave Maria Academy, a new parish school and the first to open in the diocese in 30 years.
The parish held a capital campaign to raise money for the future of the parish and school with a goal of $15 million. The campaign, which ended June 30, anticipates raising more than $16 million.
Father David Schalk, pastor at St. Peter St. Joan of Arc, attributed the space’s renovation to the generosity of donors.
“People are excited about the work of this parish, and people are excited about a new Catholic school, and they see the growth of the Church in central Ohio, and they’re part of it, and they want to get behind it,” he said.
“Ave Maria Academy is an extension of St. Peter St. Joan of Arc parish, and the reason our parish exists is to evangelize, to bring people into an encounter with the person of Christ – and that is why Ave Maria Academy exists.”
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The school will open at St. Peter Church on Aug. 19, offering pre-school and kindergarten classes. It will add an additional grade level each year, with pre-school to second grade classes housed at St. Peter and grades three through eight offered at St. Joan of Arc.
The school is partnering with the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE), which equips Catholic educators to renew dioceses and schools by drawing on the Church’s rich tradition of education.
“That partnership is going to be critical,” Father Schalk said.
Bishop Earl K. Fernandes, who serves on ICLE’s board, was instrumental in bringing the institute’s annual conference to Columbus this year, which will be held July 14-18.
Ave Maria Academy is committed to holistic development, which entails nurturing each child’s mind, heart and soul. The school is partnering with parents.
“The parents are the primary educators of their children, and our mission is to support them,” Father Schalk emphasized. “We’re building a culture in which to raise future saints, and trying to get that right from day one is super important.”
The school’s programming is largely crafted by “The Front Royal Statement: Seven Cardinal Principles of Catholic Elementary and Secondary Education,” which outlines pillars for Catholic school renewal. It affirms Catholic education’s purpose to form children in mind, body and soul.
Higher education and apostolate leaders gathered in Front Royal, Virginia, for a two-day working summit in May dedicated to renewing Catholic primary and secondary education. Bishop Fernandes was one of four U.S. bishops to attend and helped draft the statement.
Education at Ave Maria is also crafted by Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic letter, “Drawing New Maps of Hope” (2025), which addresses Catholic education.
School staff includes two consecrated religious from the Little Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Conception order in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The order has a convent in Columbus.
Ave Maria is offering its staff several formation opportunities.
Training includes Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), a Montessori style of catechesis for toddlers to 12-year-olds appealing to developmental age and their relationship with God; Spirit and Craft of Teaching workshop, a hands-on event offered by ICLE; and a spiritual retreat for educators at Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics.
“The emphasis on the teacher’s own commitment to the spiritual life, their own commitment to spiritual growth — if they are not seeking Christ, they’re not going to be in a position to raise up the next generation of saints,” Father Schalk iterated.
Ave Maria is also ensuring the transcendentals – truth, beauty and goodness – are at the core of students’ education. Classrooms were designed to reflect the transcendentals.
“When you walk in there, it is very evident that people designed this space with beauty in mind, and beauty lifts the mind to God,” Father Schalk noted. “We’re going to fill the space with holy art and beautiful art. It’s a point of emphasis for the new school.”
In the library, as an example, children can engage in lectio and visio divina, forms of prayer with Sacred Scripture and art.
Dottie Flanagan, principal at Ave Maria, said the school was intentionally designed to deliver a classical Catholic education.
“We know children learn best in beautiful, clean, organic, uncluttered spaces, where the lesson really is directed at their developmental needs, but also in a space where they’re not distracted,” she said.
To limit distractions, technology usage will be minimized. “We want the kids to be able to develop their attention span, and we want to help these kids develop their capacity to memorize and their capacity to use their imagination,” Father Schalk explained.
Students will not be permitted to use technology independently in classrooms, such as tablets, laptops or other devices. “We really want our children to learn from a human,” Flanagan said.
“Because they’re learning how to be human,” Father Schalk added.
To support students’ varied learning needs, Ave Maria hired an intervention specialist. The school will work with its public school partners to properly implement and monitor specialized learning plans.
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A Special People in Catholic Education (SPICE) program will also be offered for families with special-needs children.
SPICE is a diocesan ministry that supports children with unique learning needs. The program raises awareness and funds to meet children’s needs in the classroom.
The program, started more than 25 years ago by Columbus St. Catharine of Siena parishioners Bob and Mary Ginn Ryan, has expanded to approximately 15 parishes in the diocese.
CGS will also be integrated into Ave Maria Academy.
The school will have two atria, or sacred spaces that emphasize reverence. Students will visit the atrium about twice a week for CGS.
St. Peter St. Joan of Arc plans to open the space to children at the parish, Father Schalk noted.
Catechesis in CGS takes place in an atrium. The Montessori-inspired catechetical method fosters a child’s relationship with God through play and exploration.
At Ave Maria Academy, CGS will be integrated with curricula, or courses of study offered by the school.
“We really want to get away from the idea of teaching courses in silos,” Flanagan said.
“Our faith is integrated in everything we do. We want to continually draw parallels to this natural world and our faith.”