A New School Year with Heaven Beside Us

When a new school year comes along, have you ever wondered whether what’s ahead will be different or remain the same? Maybe you are returning to a familiar classroom. Maybe you are beginning a new role, wondering what it will look like and how God is guiding your next faithful “yes.”

That is where I find myself this year.

After several years in the classroom, I have taken a break from full-time teaching. I still love being an educator, and this year I will be teaching Sunday school. It still feels familiar, because sharing the Faith with children is so close to my heart, but there is something different about entering this new space in this season of my life.

I do not have the whole year figured out. I am trying to pay attention to what God is asking of me today and give him my next faithful “yes.”

Perhaps you are doing the same. And whether you are teaching a classroom full of children, a small parish group, or your own child at home, these little souls have been entrusted to your care. That is a beautiful responsibility—and, honestly, it can feel like we have some rather big shoes to fill. We are helping children learn about and fall in love with the Faith and the God who made them. As beautiful as that responsibility is, it is not always an easy task.

But let me remind you that you are not doing this alone.

God is with you. Our Blessed Mother, the saints, and your guardian angel are ready to help you along the way. We can ask for their help as naturally as we ask a friend to pray for us.

Here are five ways we can welcome that heavenly help into this school year.

1. Choose a saint to accompany your year.

Is there a saint whose story speaks to something you need right now? Perhaps St. Thérèse can help you approach small tasks with love, or St. John Bosco can inspire your work with children.

Choose a patron saint for your year and learn about that saint alongside your students. Keep a holy card near your lesson plans, share a story, and ask for that saint’s prayers before class. Let the children know that the saints are friends in heaven who want to help us get there, too.

2. Ask Mary to help you love the children in your care.

As a mama and teacher, I know there are moments when I need help seeing past a behavior to the child in front of me. Someone is interrupting again, someone is upset, and my patience is getting thin.

That is a good moment to turn to Our Lady: “Mary, help me respond with love.”

You might pray a Hail Mary on your way to class or keep an image of her in your teaching space. Ask her to pray for your students and their families, including the needs you may never know about.

3. Remember your guardian angel.

How often do we remind children about their guardian angels and forget about our own? Before class, pray the Guardian Angel Prayer. Ask your angel to help you listen well and respond wisely.

Teach the children that they, too, have a guardian angel given by God to watch over them. This can become a simple classroom routine and a reminder that God’s loving care continues wherever they go.

4. Invite God into the actual moments of your day.

Talk to the Father about the children he has entrusted to you. Ask Jesus to help you see them with his love. Before explaining something difficult or answering an unexpected question, quietly pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.”

We can pray while preparing supplies, welcoming families, or taking a breath before correcting a child. Let students hear you offer simple prayers, too, so they learn that they can turn to God in their own words throughout the day.

5. Stay close to Jesus in the sacraments.