St. Wenceslaus Catholic Elementary School is a Nebraska State Accredited Catholic school located in West Omaha. In 2019, St. Wenceslaus was honored by the United States Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School, a recognition awarded on a five year cycle that reflects sustained academic excellence.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools across the nation for their exceptional academic achievement or for their success in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Schools are selected through a rigorous evaluation process that includes student performance data, instructional practices, and overall school effectiveness. Recognition as a Blue Ribbon School reflects a sustained commitment to high academic standards, data driven instruction, and continuous improvement.

St. Wenceslaus continues to uphold the principles of excellence that earned this national recognition by providing a strong academic foundation rooted in faith, service, and community.

Since opening our doors in 1985, our school has proudly upheld a rich tradition of excellence in both academic achievement and faith formation. Our comprehensive curriculum thoughtfully integrates religious values with rigorous core academic subjects, including Religion, Literature, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.

This strong academic foundation is enriched by specialty programs such as STREAM education Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics as well as Spanish, Technology, Library Media, Music, Physical Education, and Art. These programs support critical thinking, creativity, and the development of the whole child mind, body, and spirit.

In addition, we offer many before and after school clubs throughout the year to engage students in their passions and promote well rounded excellence.

Writing Across the Curriculum Policy

St. Wenceslaus Catholic School

Policy Statement
St. Wenceslaus Catholic School ensures that writing experiences are incorporated in all curricular areas in grades K–8. Writing is recognized as an essential skill and is intentionally integrated across the curriculum to support learning, reflection, communication, and assessment.

Implementation
Writing is embedded in both core academic subjects and specialty areas. Instructional practices include, but are not limited to:

• Language Arts: narrative, informational, and opinion writing; grammar and composition; research and response writing

• Mathematics: written explanations and justifications of problem-solving strategies

• Science: lab reports, observations, data analysis, and reflective conclusions

• Social Studies: research projects, summaries, timelines, and analytical writing

• Religion: response writing, journaling, formal compositions, and faith-based reflections

• Specialty Areas (art, music, technology, physical education): written critiques, reflections, project explanations, and goal-setting activities

Instructional Expectations
Teachers intentionally incorporate both formal and informal writing tasks across grade levels. Writing expectations increase in complexity and independence as students progress from kindergarten through eighth grade, ensuring developmentally appropriate growth in written communication skills.

Assessment and Review
Writing is used consistently as a tool for assessing student understanding across subject areas. This school-wide approach ensures that writing instruction is not limited to Language Arts but is a sustained and integral component of instruction throughout all curricular areas.

Required Instructional Hours

St. Wenceslaus Catholic School complies with all Nebraska statutory and regulatory requirements for instructional time and student attendance.

Instructional Hours

• Kindergarten students receive a minimum of 400 instructional hours each school year.

• Students in Grades 1–8 receive a minimum of 1,032 instructional hours each school year.

At St. Wenceslaus School, students are at the heart of everything we do. Our success is a reflection of our dedicated faculty and staff, our more than 900 students, and the committed families who support them. These families travel from across the Omaha metro area, including Valley, Bennington, Millard, Bellevue, Papillion, Gretna, and La Vista, drawn by our strong academics and deeply rooted Catholic faith.

We are proud to be a school community that welcomes new families while also celebrating generations of Knight families. Many of our students are children of alumni, and our community includes alumni parents, some alumni staff members, and faculty who are proud graduates themselves. This lasting connection speaks to the powerful sense of faith, tradition, and belonging that defines St. Wenceslaus.

The community found at St. Wenceslaus is truly special. Rooted in faith and strengthened by relationships, it is a place where students and families feel connected for a lifetime. Once a Knight, always a Knight.

At St. Wenceslaus Catholic School, our greatest strength is our people. Our students are taught, guided, and supported by a highly qualified and deeply experienced professional staff committed to academic excellence and the development of the whole child.

Our faculty includes certified classroom teachers from preschool through eighth grade, supported by instructional paraprofessionals, two full-time intervention teachers, and a team of specialist teachers in art, music, physical education, Spanish, STREAM, library, and technology. Our middle school students also benefit from a HAL teacher, who provides enrichment and advanced learning opportunities.

We proudly invest in student well-being through two full-time counselors, ensuring strong support for students’ social and emotional growth, and a Technology Facilitator who partners with teachers to thoughtfully integrate technology into daily instruction.

Our school leadership team includes a full-time principal, two assistant principals, and an administrative assistant, working collaboratively to support students, families, and staff.

The experience and expertise of our faculty set St. Wenceslaus apart. More than 70% of teachers hold master’s degrees or higher, with an average of 19 years of teaching experience. Combined with a 17:1 student-to-teacher ratio, this allows for meaningful relationships, personalized instruction, and academic outcomes that consistently exceed local public and private school averages.

St. Wenceslaus is one of the largest parishes and schools in the Archdiocese. Four years ago, we built a new church connected to Cain Hall, which previously served as our parish church. To continue to maximize our space and enhance our facilities, construction in Cain Hall is scheduled to begin in May 2026.

Guided by community input, we are expanding our early childhood program to better serve our families and support the growth of our youngest learners. Beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, St. Wenceslaus will expand its preschool and Pre-Kindergarten programs to offer Monday–Friday half-day and full-day options, reflecting our commitment to strategic, future-focused planning.