SOUTH ST. PAUL FAMILY DRAWN TO HOLY TRINITY’S ‘EDUCATION IN HOLINESS’
One of the more important decisions parents will make is where to send their children to school.
Elliot and Renee Amundson faced that decision two years ago when they moved to South St. Paul. They first learned about Faithful Beginnings at Holy Trinity Catholic School through a blurb in the weekly bulletin at Holy Trinity Church. Their oldest son, Levin, attended a community program for one year before the Amundsons decided to look into Holy Trinity’s Faithful Beginnings preschool program. They needed a flexible option that would work well for Levin and their second son, Graham, and Holy Trinity turned out to be a great fit for their family. Once Levin completed Faithful Beginnings, the Amundsons enrolled him in kindergarten at Holy Trinity. The rest of their children will likely follow in Levin’s footsteps.
“We have been so happy with the preschool program
[at Holy Trinity] and the teachers,” Renee said. “It’s a loving, nurturing environment where the boys get to learn more about their faith.”
Both Renee’s and Elliot’s faith played a significant role in their decision to send their children to Holy Trinity. They both attended Trinity School at River Ridge, a private Christian school in Eagan. Their experience with smaller class sizes, the ability to openly discuss their faith and Christian role models solidified their decision to send their children to a private school as well.
“My upbringing and various school settings imprinted the importance of being part of a Christian community, having a close-knit group of friends who have similar values and having teachers be role models both as people and as Christians,” Elliot said.
The Amundsons speak positively about Holy Trinity and believe the school has done a lot to shape their children’s faith. Elliot noted the “noticeable difference in their knowledge of the faith and interest in the faith” as part of what he likes best about Holy Trinity. Renee pointed out Holy Trinity’s motto, “Education Rooted in Holiness,” as one of their main reasons for choosing the school.
“Just stopping to think about what that entails — that’s our reason for choosing Holy Trinity over other school options,” she said.
Offering advice for parents who are just beginning to search for a school for their children, Elliot and Renee suggest visiting the school and interacting with the staff as the best way to help determine whether the school might be the best fit.
“At the point of deciding between schools, don’t just look at the website,” Renee said. “Visit, shadow, and/or attend an open house — whatever it takes to get a really good feel for the school, its teachers and the community.”