“Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service” is the theme for the National Catholic Schools Week 2014, which runs Jan. 26 to Feb. 1.

National Catholic Schools Week 2014 marks the 40th anniversary of this annual observance, which starts the last Sunday in January. Schools typically celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Masses, open houses, and other activities for students, families, parishioners and the community at large.

The 2014 theme was developed in response to member requests for a theme and logo that would last more than a year; the new theme will be used for at least three years. This will provide opportunities for schools to brand the week and their ongoing marketing activities with repeated mentions and use of a consistent logo.

The theme encompasses several concepts that are at the heart of a Catholic education. First, schools are communities — small families in their own right, but also members of the larger community of home, church, city and nation. Faith, knowledge and service are three measures by which any Catholic school can and should be judged.

The new logo features a swirl of colors interacting around a cross, which is at the center of all Catholic education. The vibrancy of the colors and the movement and shadows in the logo portray the inner-connectivity and community life that are present in our Catholic schools.

In support of the National Catholic Schools Week, the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) jointly sponsor the National Marketing Campaign for Catholic Schools. To help Catholic schools participate in this campaign and to continue the Catholic Schools Week celebration throughout the year, every NCEA member institution receives a Catholic Schools Week Marketing Kit as a benefit of membership. The kit includes marketing strategies and artwork.

The Marketing Handbook gives a day-by-day guide to planning Catholic Schools Week, with examples and stories from Catholic schools across the nation. It includes a section on how to market your school year-round to increase enrollment and community support.

The Liturgy Guide includes the opening and closing Sunday readings with homilies that incorporate the theme. Also included are complete prayer services for each day of the week. Information: www.ncea.org/catholicschoolsweek.

The National Catholic Educational Association is a professional membership organization that provides leadership, direction, and service to fulfill the evangelizing, catechizing and teaching mission of the Church. The NCEA 2014 Convention and Expo is scheduled April 22-24 at the David L. Lawrence Convention center in Pittsburgh.

For information, visit www.ncea.org.