Service, Faith, and eXcellence: St. Francis Xavier celebrates Catholic Schools Week

The motto at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Merrill corresponds to the acronym they use internally for shorthand when referring to the school: SFX.
S stands for Service, F stands for Faith, and the X stands for eXcellence.
“St. Francis Xavier Catholic School is dedicated to educating students of all faiths in a Christ-centered environment through Catholic values and traditions in an atmosphere of faith, hope, and love and lived through Service, Faith, and eXcellence,” their mission statement reads.
Staff and students are committed to exemplifying and modeling that Service, Faith, and eXcellence; the school identifies these three as their core values; and everything they do is built on this foundation.
Currently, the school serves 124 students from 80 families in Pre-K through the eighth grade, and the average class size is 10 students. Ten faculty and five additional staff members work together to provide a high-quality academic and Catholic education in an atmosphere of faith, respect, and love. Morals and values for being good students and human beings are modeled and reinforced.

St. Francis Xavier Catholic School recently joined the Wisconsin School Choice program, opening doors for more families to access Catholic education. Principal Kate Shimel said the decision reflects the school’s commitment to accessibility.
“It’s important to us that anyone who wants a Catholic education is given that opportunity,” Shimel said. The school also offers tuition assistance for families who don’t qualify for school choice, and all faiths are welcome at the school.
Shimel highlighted a number of things that make the small faith-based school unique in the community.
“We have smaller class sizes that allow more one-on-one opportunities,” Shimel said. “Students are able to learn at their own pace, allowing some to take high school classes in eighth grade. Our students learn leadership skills and public speaking through participating at weekly Masses, leading prayer, and older students guiding their younger church buddies through a variety of activities.”
Beyond academics, the school provides diverse opportunities for student growth and development. Middle schoolers participate in an art club and home economics class that covers practical life skills.
“For middle school we offer an art club and home economics class that includes cooking, sewing, and the basics of finances like savings accounts, how to pay bills, credit, etc.,” Shimel said. “We also take our middle school to the Athletic Club to use their pool, gyms, and golf simulator. We go to the MARC to ice skate and Les and Jim’s for bowling.”
The enrichment continues beyond the classroom with special trips throughout the year. Middle school students attend a two-night retreat at Crescent Lake Bible Camp each fall, while younger grades visit the Merrill School Forest throughout the year.
“Our middle school students have the opportunity to participate in all sporting activities throughout Merrill, either through Pine River Middle School or the other private school teams,” Shimel said.
The principal emphasized the close-knit community that defines the school.
“We are all family here at St. Francis Xavier School,” Shimel said. “We celebrate together, and we support each other through the hard times. Our staff are here because they want to share their love of God and their love of learning with our students.”
Kay Berg, Director of Faith Formation for St. Francis Xavier Parish and Catholic School, said the school offers something essential to the Merrill community.
“Having a Catholic school in Merrill is such a gift,” Berg said. “Catholic schools bring the focus of education and learning to be Christ centered. We build our personal relationship with Jesus as the foundation for all other relationships: our families, our friends, our teachers, and our community. With Jesus as our center, we are able to grow in virtue, grow as disciples, and grow to be the best version of ourselves with God’s help.”
Berg explained that students learn about a new virtue each month as part of their faith formation.
“Learning and growing are what schools are all about, and at St. Francis Xavier Catholic school our focus is ‘Faith, Service, and eXcellence,’” Berg said. “That is what we love to do the most.”
Students themselves speak enthusiastically about their experiences at St. Francis Xavier.
“What I love about St. Francis Xavier school is that we get to learn about God in Mass, in religion class, in Adoration, and in everyday activities,” said Jack H., a fifth grader. “I love it because everyone is kind, caring, and friendly. SFX stands for Service, Faith, and eXcellence, that is our motto here at this school and every action or movement abides by that.”
Fourth grader Alexis H. appreciates both the spiritual and social aspects of school life.
“I like this school because the teachers are helpful,” Alexis said. “I like it because we get to learn about God. We get to go to church. I made friends here that are really nice. In religion, we also get to learn about God. We get to go to Adoration. We do lots of fun stuff here.”
Eighth grader Fiona G. values the relationships and expectations that help students succeed.
“The teachers and students here are amazing,” Fiona said. “I feel like I could talk to anyone here if I needed help. I like that the teachers have high expectations of us, so we are more likely to pass and get our homework done on time. We sometimes get to help Mrs. Shimel with the kindergarteners, so we get to play and hang out with them.”
The school holds a variety of fundraisers throughout the year, including an annual Christmas Bazaar, bingo at the school on the first Thursday of each month, and fish fries on Fridays during Lent. This year’s fish fries will start Feb. 13, 2026, and run through March 27.
Families interested in learning more about St. Francis Xavier Catholic School can contact Principal Kate Shimel at principal@stfrancismerrill.org or call 715.536.2803 to schedule a tour.

Catholic Schools Week Schedule
St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Merrill is celebrating Catholic Schools Week with a lineup of activities for students and staff.
Monday: Stars and Stripes Day — celebrating America’s 250th birthday. Students will make valentines for veterans.

Tuesday: Career Day — featuring presentations from local professionals including a service manager from JX Truck Center, two veterans, a hospital chaplain, a nurse practitioner from Pine Crest, and a firefighter.
Wednesday: Beach Day — with an indoor beach party and guided meditation. In the evening, fourth and fifth graders will present their Saint Museum.
Thursday: Fourth through eighth graders will attend Mass with the Bishop in Medford while younger students enjoy a cozy day at school.
Friday: “Our God is an Awesome God” Day — featuring hallway dance parties, cupcakes baked and decorated by middle school students, and outdoor playtime, weather permitting.