Alliance for Catholic Education
Notre Dame, Indiana — The American Indian Catholic Schools Network (AICSN), a program within the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) at the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Educational Initiatives (IEI), announced today that it has welcomed three new partner schools into its growing national network dedicated to supporting and strengthening Catholic education in Native American communities.
The new partner schools are: St. Labre Indian School (Ashland, Montana), St. Peter Indian Mission School (Bapchule, Arizona), and San Xavier Mission School (Tucson, Arizona). Together, they serve the Northern Cheyenne and Crow communities (St. Labre), the Gila River Indian Community (St. Peter Indian Mission), and the Tohono O'odham Nation (San Xavier). With their addition, AICSN now serves more than half of the Native American Catholic schools in the United States.
“We are blessed to welcome St. Labre, St. Peter Indian Mission, and San Xavier Mission into the AICSN family,” said Will Newkirk, Director of the American Indian Catholic Schools Network. “These three extraordinary school communities enrich our shared mission, and their students will benefit from formation, spirituality, and academic support grounded in the cultural strengths of their Nations.”
AICSN, an initiative of the Alliance for Catholic Education, partners with Catholic schools serving Native communities to strengthen leadership development, cultivate high-quality instruction, enhance organizational health, and walk with each community in ways that honor local traditions, languages, and cultural identity.
“Joining AICSN strengthens our mission to serve the Northern Cheyenne and Crow families with excellence, dignity, and deep respect,” said Curtis Yarlott, Executive Director of the St. Labre Indian School. “We look forward to learning alongside the other schools in the network.”
“Our students will benefit immensely from the academic and leadership formation ACE provides,” said Sister Martha Carpenter, Principal of the St. Peter Indian Mission Catholic School. “This partnership supports our commitment to serving the Gila River Indian Community with faith and love.”
“AICSN gives us tools rooted in cultural understanding and shared values,” said said Minh Solorzano, Principal of the San Xavier Mission School. “We are grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with the network to strengthen our community.”
This expansion was made possible through the generous support of the Better Way Foundation and Deacon Gary and Barbara Pasquinelli, whose commitment to strengthening Catholic education in Native communities continues to sustain and strengthen AICSN’s growth.
About the American Indian Catholic Schools Network (AICSN)
The American Indian Catholic Schools Network (AICSN) exists to elevate and strengthen the experience of Native American Catholic schools through culturally sustaining educator formation, college access initiatives, community-informed research, and school support. A program of the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) in the Institute for Educational Initiatives (IEI) at the University of Notre Dame, AICSN currently serves eleven Native Catholic schools in Arizona, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, and South Dakota.
For more information, visit: https://ace.nd.edu/programs/aicsn
About the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE)
Founded in 1993, the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE), part of the Institute for Educational Initiatives (IEI) at the University of Notre Dame, works to sustain, strengthen, and transform Catholic schools. ACE forms teachers and leaders; develops and disseminates innovative tools and research to integrate academic excellence and spiritual growth; and enhances financial accessibility and operational vitality to ensure that all children—especially those in historically marginalized communities—have the opportunity to experience the gift of an excellent Catholic education. ACE annually serves more than 300 schools and 250,000 students in over 40 states.
To learn more, visit ace.nd.edu.