Southern Nebraska Register
Villa Marie School will hold its first “Parish Weekend” Feb. 11-12, visiting St. Michael Parish in Lincoln.
Villa Marie is a boarding and day school in Waverly, for children 6-18 who have special education needs. While other diocesan schools are supported by their local parishes, Villa Marie has no assigned parish to tend to the needs of the school.
During the first parish weekend, Father Kenneth Borowiak, pastor of St. Michael Parish in Lincoln, will briefly introduce the school after Mass. A 90-second video will be shown, and then Nick Cusick, chair of the Villa Marie Advisory Board, will ask parishioners for their support.
“The goal is, in less than five minutes, to spread the word about Villa Marie as a resource for families and teachers and to seek assistance with our mission,” said Jenny Chase, executive director of development and advancement for Villa Marie. “Depending on how it goes, we’d like to expand to other parishes in the future.”
Chase said she recently came across a video of the late Msgr. James Dawson, who founded Villa Marie School in 1964. Msgr. Dawson died in 2020 at the age of 90.
“It has been so long since I heard his voice,” Chase said, “and I just sat there intently listening to every word.”
In the video, Msgr. Dawson said his goals for starting Villa Marie School were to educate, to give students a positive outlook on life, and to save their souls.
“We continue to do as he intended,” Chase said. “At Villa Marie, we educate our students in a unique way, meeting each child where they are, encouraging and developing their strengths. Students develop and receive guidance in seven areas: spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social, physical, developing talents and practicing life skills.”
They are taught with positive reinforcements and celebrated for their accomplishments and successes. Teachers are accompanied by para educators and volunteer assistants.
Villa Marie teaches academic subjects in addition to cooking, sewing and sports. The school has a financial literacy program in which students earn money for going to class, pay make-believe household bills, and get to go shop in the school store with their earnings.Students participate in 4-H, Special Olympics basketball, bowling and track, and perform an annual Christmas play.
Chase recounted Msgr. Dawson telling her years ago, “the Villa Marie children are happy children who love going to school.”
“Many of our students have struggled in their previous educational institutions with bullies, impatient teachers, and a poor sense of self,” she said. “The atmosphere of acceptance, friendship, understanding and unconditional love allows students at Villa Marie to blossom into the individuals God intends them to be.”
She added that Msgr. Dawson would always give the praise for the work done at the school to the Marian Sisters who have shepherded the school since its founding.
“The Sisters set the tone and atmosphere for the school,” she said. “They teach the children about God, the sacraments of the Catholic Faith, and how to act appropriately at Mass. Students learn about saints and the Bible. The Sisters model the fruits of the Spirit and teach the students that God loves them and that they are His children forever.”
No students are turned away from Villa Marie because of their family’s inability to pay. To assist in the school’s endeavors, donations can be made online at www.villamarieschool.com or checks may be mailed to Villa Marie School, 7205 N 112th, Waverly, NE 68462.
For information on enrolling a child at Villa Marie, contact Sister Jeanette Rerucha at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
