Our Charisms of Diversity and Inclusion, Faith, Academics, and Service serve as a roadmap for shaping and teaching our children. We create an individualized educational experience that recognizes each child as unique. A Charism is defined as any good gift that flows from God’s love to humans; we view our Charisms as the gifts that FXW gives to its families and to its students.
Chicago is a city of neighborhoods. By inviting all the neighborhoods into our School, we show value and respect toward all cultures, all faiths, all backgrounds and beliefs. We seek out diversity and rejoice in the gifts that an inclusive community has in a global society.
FXW is a community of faith. FXW has a dynamic religious education program which is reassessed regularly in accordance with the curriculum review cycle. Families choose to be in either the Catholic track or the interfaith program. The Catholic program includes formal instruction in the Catholic faith, frequent school liturgies, sacramental preparation, and special observance of the liturgical seasons. Using the agreed upon pillars of faith, the interfaith program helps students develop a spirituality and a rich life of faith with a moral compass to direct their faith life . Both programs include daily prayer, an appreciation of all faith traditions, and opportunities to engage in meaningful service projects.
The FXW strikes a balance between an experienced teaching staff and newer educators. They are eager, passionate, and enthusiastic to provide the School’s progressive curriculum. The School compensates the teacher’s tuition for their master’s degrees with 70% securing their masters or a second masters through this assistance.
Prior to the pandemic, FXW strongly encouraged teachers to attend workshops or conferences as much as possible to support their professional development plan. Additionally, teacher in-service days were outstanding opportunities for faculty, and staff, to continue their love of learning. The FXW teacher is flexible, creative, innovative and believes that a student is best served by a rigorous curriculum and a stimulating environment. FXW students are well prepared academically.
The portrait of our FXW graduate is a person who has an attitude and spirit of generosity and service. This attitude of service is recognized within the School through grade level service projects and outside of the School through community service opportunities.
Students are taught early on that they will be leaders in the world they will inherit, and service is not measured in the number of hours served, but the value of the service. Through the Living the Legacy Service Program, FXW provides a deeper engagement and understanding of our good fortune and the needs of others. The service projects, beginning in preschool are interactive and meaningful. These projects expose the students to some of the most under-served areas of the city. Students are motivated by their faith and the Catholic Social Teachings to help others and at FXW, we see service as a privilege and responsibility.
