Catholic Schools Week 2019 Celebrating Catholic Schools
School of Faith - page 4 Vocare - page 6 St. Joseph School - page 8 Investing in your child’s education - page 16 Theology of the Body curriculum - page 19 TheCatholicTelegraph.com
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Catholic Schools Week
February 2019
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Students at St. Gertrude School in Madeira sing during the annual Christmas pageant, written by Dominican Sister Mary David in 1961.
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Families at St. Patrick School in Troy come together for a Thanksgiving feast.
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Preschoolers at Immaculate Conception School in Celina enjoy a recent opportunity to do some painting.
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January 2019
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February 2019
School of Faith teaches teachers faith formation By Walt Schaefer Educators in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati are learning to teach what they believe. Since its inception four years ago, 17 Catholic elementary schools, including three high schools, have embraced School of Faith, a program aimed at providing personal faith development to teachers and staff. “You can’t give what you don’t have. We are helping faculty and staff be in a deeper relationship with Christ and the church — to have that so they can act on the things they encounter in their classes,” said John Leyendecker, Cincinnati mission director of the Kansas City-based program. Leyendecker stresses the Catholic faith should be an inherent element in Catholic schools. “These teachers and staff become more involved, more knowledgeable, more into Catholic teaching and the Catholic faith. They can share that with the kids in the classroom, with other teachers and the people in their everyday lives. This is about having an encounter with Christ and nurturing that through discipleship and going deeper into the faith. “Generally,” Leyendecker said, “the attitude coming in is that it’s another thing they have to deal with.” To overcome that roadblock, Leyendecker said the information is not “fed to people” but focuses on developing relationships with one another and students. Force feeding “has been a failure in the church, overall. That’s why we’re in the position we’re in. Catholics are not engaged in their faith, and not evangelizing. One of the things we do to overcome that is we take teachers and staff on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. “The schools wanting to get involved with School of Faith (it is not mandated) provide themselves the opportunity to go to the Holy Land. The principal or someone else can go (first). It develops a tremendous amount of goodwill. and at the beginning. fans the flame, so to speak,” Leyendecker explained. “It lets them know we are investing in them.” “We focus on the fact we are imparting knowledge of the faith, but it is so much more than that,” Leyendecker said. The program connects teachers with other teachers, then teachers with their classes and their families and people they encounter in their everyday lives. The first schools to participate and continue the program are: St. Ignatius Loyola, Monfort Heights; St. James, White Oak; St. Andrew/St. Elizabeth Ann Seton,
Milford. Others have since joined: St. Jude, Bridgetown; Our Lady of the Visitation, Green Township; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Anderson Township; St. Margaret of York, Deerfield Township; and La Salle High School, Green Township. The newest group includes: St. Bernadette, Amelia; St. Peter in Chains, Hamilton; St. Bernard, Taylor’s Creek; St. Clement, St. Bernard; St. Peter, Dayton; and St. Susanna, Mason; along with Chaminade-Julienne High School, Dayton, and Alter High School, Kettering. Principals rave about the opportunity to elevate teachers and staff to more fully embrace and understand the tenets of the faith. Jeff Fulmer, principal at St. James, White Oak, said: “We have teachers on our staff that probably weren’t going to Mass on Sundays; probably not living the faith, didn’t understand all of the elements of our faith and I think that’s true at other places, too,” said Jeff Fulmer, principal at St. James, White Oak. “For me personally, it’s ‘Why has this never been explained to me this way? Why has it taken me 35 years to hear it like this?’” “The underlying goal,” Fulmer said, “is teachers reaching the kids; the kids can reach their families, and we can change the families. What I’ve witnessed is our teachers are much more comfortable talking about their faith tradition and living out their faith. When I visit classrooms now, I hear and see things we’ve done in School of Faith — leading a prayer or having a conversation. When they teach about the Holy Land they can say, ‘This is what it’s like; I’ve seen it; it’s there.’” Funding the program varies from school to school. In every case, the archdiocese pays a third and the School of Faith program pays a third. At St. James, the school raises a third over and above the school budget and raises money for trips to the Holy Land. With teachers and staff numbering about 44, it costs $100 per person. That and the Holy Land trip are funded through parishioner donations and other funding opportunities. School of Faith has been funded by the CMA for the archdiocesan share through 2018, according to Sean Ater of the Office for New Evangelization. “This past year we received additional funding from the One Faith, One Hope, One Love capital campaign. Going forward the funding will come from both CMA and 1F1H1L (though the bulk will come from 1F1H1L),” he said. Fulmer oversees a state-recognized
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John Leyendecker poses with St. James staff members in 2017 with Jerusalem in the background. Pictured from left are Leyendecker, Melissa Spainhower, Jen Meiners, Karen Wiesman, Sherry Kembre, Carol Feldman, Clare Fox and Emily Ramsey.
School of Excellence with an enrollment of 556. “I personally think School of Faith has drastically changed my life and has the potential to really change the culture of our school and what we’re doing with our kids,” he said. The program involves visits from Leyendecker — generally during teacher/ staff in service days. He introduces Bible passages or other topics for discussion in small groups prompting deep conversations. Sometimes, Fulmer said, “people are crying over something, or telling about something that happened in their lives, just sharing what their belief has been, or how they’ve become closer to God. The Bible study really focuses on questions that reflect on whatever the passage is. A lot of times, it connects to your life experiences.” At La Salle High School, Principal Aaron Marshall said: “We have 80 different staff members so you could get 80 different opinions about this. But, they, by and large, have accepted it. I do not know of anyone who has said, ‘I don’t like this.’ Even if we step aside from the School of Faith and we just talk about growing professionally, whatever your profession is, you have professional time. Here it is set aside once a month to grow professionally. I’m a big believer that the only way you get better
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(in any profession) is to sharpen your saw; sharpen your skills to learn the more. We need to all grow in our faith. School of Faith helps us professionally, personally and spiritually. If we grow spiritually, and deepen our faith, that makes us better people and better employees. At Our Lady of the Visitation with 765 students, Principal Holly Aug said, “All of this is intertwined with some of the basic teachings and doctrines of the Catholic Church. We have people on our staff who did not necessarily attend a Catholic university. They haven’t heard this information in a while. School of Faith brings everybody up on the basic teachings of the church that maybe they learned at one time and have forgotten. It’s keeping the Catholic faith alive and its basic teachings and doctrines alive so that we are all on board about our church. “One day, John had us pray for each other and we broke off into pairs and we talked about our concerns or examples of gratitude in our lives. The challenge is bringing this back to our classes. You have to make it come alive for whatever age group you’re teaching — to learn how to pray for each other. The upper grade teachers then got the kids to try break out into pairs and pray for each other,” Aug said.
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January 2019
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Catholic Schools Week
February 2019
Ater begins tenure as president of Lehman Catholic High School Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr approved the appointment of Joshua J. Ater as the new president of Lehman Catholic High School effective Jan. 1. This appointment launches the new administrative model. The former Principal/CEO Denise Stauffer has moved into a redefined role of principal focusing on academic excellence, student formation and teacher development. Ater is overseeing administration, strategy, business and financial aspects of the school. Ater brings significant business leadership experience to Lehman Catholic. His professional background includes more than 17 years directing both local and global teams responsible for marketing, sales, and development. Ater established a consistent track record of success in building the brands of both large and small businesses, entrepreneurial leadership, growing revenue, and leading high-performance teams. He has served as a volunteer youth minister for more than 18 years, coached youth soccer teams, and been involved in several scouting programs. He and his family are members of St. Paul Parish in Englewood. Ater came to Lehman Catholic from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Catholic Schools Office, where he served as director of strategic planning. In this role,
he was responsible for guiding the 111 schools within the archdiocese in the areas of strategy, marketing, development, and business best practice. Ater is a graduate of the University of Dayton with bachelor of arts in political science and master of public administration degrees. “We are very excited that Mr. Ater has accepted the position of president of Lehman Catholic High School,” said Doug Fortkamp, chair of Lehman’s board of limited jurisdiction. “Josh’s experience in the private sector, combined with his time working with the archdiocese, gives him a unique perspective that will benefit our strategic planning and partnerships. Most importantly, Josh will enhance the enduring Lehman culture of forming young people both intellectually and spiritually.” “I am excited to join the talented team of teachers and staff at Lehman Catholic,” Ater said. “The school has a remarkable history of strong Catholic faith and outstanding academics. Together we will build upon the excellent legacy at Lehman Catholic by developing a high-performance culture rooted in the hope and joy found in Jesus Christ. I look forward to serving our parents and youth in this role as we work together to prepare Lehman Catholic graduates for this life and the next.”
Joshua Ater and family.
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New lessons in the works for Vocare By Erin Schurenberg New lessons are in the works in 2019 for Vocare, the catechetical certification process for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Launched in 2017, Vocare uses a blend of digital and in-person formation to provide teachers, principals, catechists and catechetical leaders resources to grow in the faith they are teaching and to equip them with tools that might assist them in their educational ministry. Vocare follows a calendar from July 1 to June 30. Previously, the levels of certification ranged from basic to general to advanced. Now, certification is based on continual formation. Ten annual credits are achieved through a combination of activities and classes centered on faith. The combinations have been organized into badges that are taken in progressive order; “call, witness, proclaim and inspire.” After obtaining all four badges, educators have access to enrichment classes. Currently, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati has 3,500 catechists and teachers active in Vocare. The online delivery of content minimizes the extraneous costs while allowing the Office for Evangelization and Discipleship to deliver more content. Andrea Patch, the Cincinnati coordinator of curriculum and discipleship for Vocare, reports that at the launch, Vocare offered 60
lessons. They hope to add 20 new lessons each year. Lesson topics are developed from efforts to meet the six tasks of catechesis and from surveying catechists. The tasks are: Knowledge of the Faith, Liturgical Education, Moral Formation, Learning to Pray, Education for Community Life, and Missionary Discipleship and Service. “The courses come from a combination of sources,” said Patch. “Some were created by ‘My Catholic Faith Delivered,’ which is the platform provider we use. Some come from other archdioceses or dioceses, such as the Brooklyn diocese who created the new ‘Spirituality and the Interior Life’ lesson. Finally, there are those created by ourselves at the Office for Evangelization and Discipleship.” In addition to “Spirituality and the Interior Life,” the other new Vocare lessons will include: “Practical Spirituality for the Teacher,” “St. Francis de Sales’s Way of Prayer and Spirituality,” and “Catholic Prayers and Devotions.” The latter will teach or reacquaint students with traditional prayers or devotions, such as the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Angelus, novenas or the rosary, as well as praying with Scripture using Lectio Divina. Four staff members work on the new modules and the in-house effort takes approximately one year to build a course. As the team began creating lessons in-house, they reached out to several
universities in the area, including Mount St. Joseph and Xavier. These institutions were helpful in educating the team about how adults learn and “instructional media design, which involves discovering the learning objectives and requirements for a certain educational course and designing, creating and testing multimedia resources that satisfy these objectives. This version of the field has an educational focus that relies on a variety of media formats to
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accomplish teaching purposes, including visual storyboards, slide presentations, video, text, Web pages, graphics, audio files and specialized software. Still in development, but expected to be available later in 2019, are: “Encountering God’s Love in the Sacraments,” “Catholic Social Teaching and the Gospel of Life,” “Theology of the Body-Male and Female, He Created Them,” and “Faith and Science.”
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January 2019
Mother Teresa School appoints new principal Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School (MTCES) has announced the appointment of Aideen Briggs as the next principal, president and CEO of the school effective July 1. Briggs succeeds Precious Blood Sister Anne Schulz, who will retire after serving as principal and CEO since MTCES’ inception in 1998. The extensive search process began about one year ago with the formation of a search committee. After conducting multiple community sensing sessions and narrowing the applicant pool to 50 candidates, the committee selected Briggs. She earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Concordia University in Chicago; a master’s in curriculum and instruction from Harvard University Graduate School of Education in Cambridge; and a bachelor of arts in English from Lafayette College in Easton. She taught at Mount Notre Dame High School for 17 years and began her path to administration as the school’s English department chair from 2008-2016. For the past two-and-a-half years, she has served
Students practice kindness at St. Louis School
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Aideen Briggs
as principal at St. Nicholas Academy in Reading. Briggs, who taught a few MTCES alumnae at Mount Notre Dame, is looking forward to joining the school community because she is “impressed with the school’s history and spirit of volunteerism.” “I look forward to getting to know everyone and continuing the tradition of student body morning prayer,” she said.
St. Louis School, along with academics, strives to incorporate the Christian principles taught by Jesus of serving others and teaching students to lead others along the path Christ taught. A Kindness Project was begun last year by the principal and her Kindness Crew. Students acknowledge acts of kindness shown by other students on a wall of confetti. Each individual piece of confetti has emblazoned on its front the acknowledgement of a kind act. Reinforcement of the principles of leading by love and example are scattered through the school on bulletin boards, door decorations and the guidance and encouragement of teachers and staff. Projects such as collecting Lego’s for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital (pictured here) and being a part of St. Vincent de Paul’s Christmas Dinner collection, selling bracelets to help fight world hunger, and writing thank you cards to the local police also teach how to serve in a community.
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St. Joseph School a steadfast presence in Cincinnati’s West End By Eileen Connelly, OSU Years ago, a little girl named Rosa, only in the first grade at the time, was hit by a car in a local neighborhood and left seriously injured. Her family, joined by their parish priest, gathered at her bedside. The sisters who taught at her school joined in prayer for her. “When it happened, we didn’t think she would recover,” her mother, Gwen Dukes, recalls. “I know it’s through God and all the prayers that she did.” For Dukes, this is just one example of how the community at St. Joseph in Cincinnati’s West End, has maintained a steadfast presence of faith, education and service for decades. The parish was established in 1846, at the corner of Linn and Laurel streets. The school, the oldest in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, began a year a later. “So many generations of my family have been part of the parish and school,” said Joan Smith Beason, who graduated from St. Joseph in 1962. “My mother sent her three girls there to get a good Catholic education, and we definitely did.” She has particularly fond memories of the Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg, whose instruction and example had a lasting impact on her and her classmates. “The sisters use to remind us all the time to be good to one another. They were hard on us, but also helped us realize that we could do anything and be anything. They were there for us and we knew they loved us.” The legacy of a St. Joseph education continues with Smith Beason’s niece, Reganne Edwards, a 2012 graduate. “I remember the lessons from each grade, how all of the teachers wanted us to succeed and wouldn’t let us give up. In the eighth grade, they really piled on the homework and said this is how it will be in high school and college,” she said. Her experience at St. Joseph left her well prepared as she continued her education at Purcell Marian High School and currently at Chatfield College. Edwards plans on becoming a social worker. In the meantime, she is back at her alma mater working as teacher’s aide. “I just love the kids,” she said. “It’s humbling to me to be part of bettering the next generation. That’s what St. Joseph’s is doing. My time there gave me a good foundation in my faith and I want to share that with the kids, too.” Of the 235 children currently enrolled at
St. Joseph, approximately 40 are Catholic, noted Barry Williams, principal. The school is part of the Catholic Inner-City Schools (CISE) Fund, which assists in sustaining support for St. Joseph. Parents choose to their children to St. Joseph, regardless of their religious affiliation, seeking the discipline and values that will be instilled in a Catholic school environment, Williams said. “They know that the kids will learn to work hard, that there are consequences and rewards,” he explained. “I feel like a lot folks also know that the only way to live is to have faith in their lives, to be able to put trust in Jesus. We all want the kids to know how important that is.” To further set the children up for success, the school community refers to them as scholars, rather than students. “We want them to be lifelong learners, to be scholarly, inquisitive and responsible for themselves, and we tell them that,” Williams said. “We help them form critical thinking skills before they leave here, so they can navigate through life better.” Concern for the scholars goes beyond classroom. Many of the children come from “less economically prosperous areas,” noted Williams, “so we offer more services, after school programs and tutoring, so no one will fall through the cracks. We have clothes
all over the place — socks, hats, underwear. It’s possible a kid may show up for school suddenly homeless. We have to be ready for that.” Committed, involved parents, an active alumni association and dedicated volunteers keep St. Joseph going strong. “I do a little bit of everything,” said Dukes, who now has grandchildren that attend the school. “I’ve been a tutor, work in the lunchroom, and helped with the music program. If they need me, I’m there.” “I’m always down there doing something,” Smith Beason added. “The alumni are always having fundraisers. My class calls me ‘the glue,’ since I’ve made sure we stick together. We just love each other. We treasure our experience at St. Joseph.” Dukes said she has seen the school improve every year under the leadership of longtime former Principal Dionne Partee, and now with Williams at the helm. At the start of the 2014-15 school year, St. Joseph began working with Seton Education Partners to implement blended learning — the concept of data-driven instruction based on the integration of online learning and traditional teacher-lead instruction — in kindergarten through the eighth grade. As one of the first Catholic schools in the country to commit to
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integrating online learning into its core curriculum, blended learning at St. Joseph consists of students spending approximately a third of their class time working online and the rest offline. The benefits of blended learning are obvious, said Ashley Eggers, dean of instruction. “It’s something that’s interactive for the scholars,” she said. “It can be difficult for teachers to identify every child’s needs, but this fills in the gaps and is geared toward their specific instruction level.” Father Reynaldo “Rey” Taylor, pastor, describes St. Joseph as “the school that makes a difference,” especially in the midst of a neighborhood in transition, where hundreds units of affordable housing have been lost to gentrification in recent years. “We educate our scholars and remind them what they blessings they are from God. We remind them that it’s their responsibility to give back,” said Father Taylor, who is a St. Joseph graduate. “The school and our community are interconnected, and the fact that we’re still here is a testament that we’ve responded to the call to use our gifts and talents for the glory of God and the impact the school has had at the urban core.”
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January 2019
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Vocational Essay contest winners to be announced during Catholic Schools Week By John Griffin The student submissions for the Greater Dayton Catholic Schools Vocational Essay contest are being graded and the winners will be awarded certificates at ceremonies during Catholic Schools week Jan. 27 to Feb. 2. The Knights of Columbus Council 14995 at St Charles Borromeo Parish in Kettering announced the start of the 2018 contest at the Sept. 6 meeting of the Greater Dayton Principals Association (GDPA). The annual contest concluded on Nov. 29, with the submission of 1,398 essays from 12 schools representing 42 grades. The contest features each student’s personal essay containing their reflections on religious vocations. The essays were screened by a committee of Knights, and the final set was ranked by a committee of
deacons from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Anderson Township; St Francis of Assisi in Centerville; and Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Dayton. The Knights choose a different topic for each contest. This year’s topic was “Diary/ Journal: What would a day in the life of a priest, religious brother or sister look like? What is appealing to you about this life style?” The participating Dayton area schools were: Ascension, Bishop Leibold, Incarnation, Mother Brunner, Our Lady of the Rosary, St. Albert the Great, St. Anthony, St. Brigid, St. Charles Borromeo, St. Christopher, St. Luke and St. Peter. The purpose of the essay contest is to complement the school’s presentation of the religious vocations that are currently part of their curriculum. The contest tasks the students to reflect on the life of a person who has responded
to God’s call to a religious vocation. Its strength is to enable the students to actively discuss religious vocations with their teacher, other students and their parents. The idea of having these discussions and talking to others gives them an important opportunity to explore the topic in a concentrated and open manner. The Monsignor Breslin Council 14995 of the Knights of Columbus started the contest in 2011, under the inspiration of Sir Knight James Robert (Bob) Schiller. His creativity and inspiration to implement this contest and motivate the young people to consider vocations is a tribute to Schiller. The Lord called him home Jan. 1, 2018. The Knights dedicate the contest in his memory. The contest has two new features this year to help the teachers and the students. The Knights prepared teacher guidelines to get the contest started. The guidelines
provide topics and sample religious vocations to include in their lesson plans. They also encourage the students to engage in conservations at home and to identify positive experiences their parents may have had with a religious person in their lives. A second new feature is to seek a religious person to be available to the school to help the students understand what he or she might do during the week or throughout the year. The Vocational Essay contest is chaired by Knights Robert Whelan and John Griffin and Grand Knight Ken Batche. “We are looking forward to a year of growth of the contest, but mostly, the growth in spirituality of all who participate,” Griffin said. “With the help and guidance and the steadying hand of God, our hope is to increase the commitment of our young people to consider a vocation in the religious life.”
Teacher considers experience at CISE school a blessing By Eileen Connelly, OSU They provided opportunities that changed the course of his life. That’s how Curtis Smith describes his experience at Resurrection School in Price Hill and the scholarship from the CISE (Catholic Inner-City Schools Education) Fund that enabled him to continue his education at Elder. Smith recalls that his mother, Barbara, who passed away five years ago, struggled with the public school education he was receiving. “It would have been a huge burden for me to attend private school,” Smith said, “but, thanks to support from CISE donors, it was economically feasible at Resurrection. The CISE program helped keep the one major stable institution in my neighborhood from having to close its doors. That school and the teachers were able to give me guidance that would have otherwise been left to far less caring and dedicated faculty and staff,” he said.
As a freshman at Elder, he was encouraged to join the cross-country team by biology teacher Bill Driehaus. “I was reluctant at first and mostly did it to get in shape to play basketball,” Smith admitted. “But there were so many blessings that the school ended up providing me.” One of those blessings was meeting Steve Spencer, longtime Elder cross-country coach, who eventually became his fatherin-law. Smith and his wife Ashley have been married nearly 14 years and have three children. “I believe the CISE program paid about $500 to $1,000 to me each year while at Elder. That was huge for my mom who was a single parent and working as a social worker,” Smith said. “Because of CISE, Elder was possible, and it gave me an entirely different path to my future. My mom was able to provide me an opportunity that was otherwise not going to be possible and something that altered my life completely.” After graduating from Elder in 2001, Smith continued his studies at Mount St.
Joseph University, majoring in sociology and criminal justice. He initially worked as a police officer, but soon found himself drawn to educational ministry and back to Elder, where did student teaching and served as a long-term substitute teacher. Smith earned his master’s degree in theology from the Mount in 2006, and currently teaches religion at Summit Country Day School. It was an Elder connection that led to his position there, Smith said. “My high school basketball coach, Joe Schoenfeld, recommended me to Father Phil Seher (then chaplain at Summit), who called me in for an interview,” he explained. His time at Summit has been yet another blessing, Smith said, as he shares his journey with students. “I tell them, ‘you may think you have a plan that’s yours, but that if you want to have God laugh, make a plan.’” “There are so many uncertainties in high school. That’s normal,” he added. “I remind the students to trust in God and in the
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relationships they have to lead them in the direction in which they are being called.” “CISE is helping kids each day realize potential that they would have never been given the opportunity to realize without these financial resources at their disposal. I feel blessed there were people like this out there looking out for young kids like me,” Smith said.
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January 2019
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Royalmont Academy Named Duke Energy School of the Week Royalmont Academy was named a Duke Energy School of the Week by Duke Energy and Local 12 WKRC-TV for efforts to collect winter essentials for the homeless in downtown Cincinnati. The Reach Out Club, a student-led organization founded by Kaitrin Weber, collected coats, mittens, hats, boots and other winter items and delivered them in person to the homeless over Thanksgiving weekend. The group has scheduled other initiatives throughout the year to help those less fortunate and creates its projects as needs arise throughout community. In December, they wrapped gifts and toys at the Schuh Center in Mason. The school’s virtue program helps to instill the desire for service in students, with new projects initiated each month.
Other efforts have included a stewardship drive sponsored by Royalmont’s Student Council. Students have collected gently used kitchen items to donate to families who are just moving in to their first apartment. In addition, the high school cross country team is partnering with Mission in Motion International Ministries to collect shoes, which will be redistributed to impoverished people in developing nations. On their first visit to Mission in Motion, the students bagged 720 shoes, Along with being named Duke Energy School of the Week and being featured on Local 12 News, the school was awarded a check for $1,000 from Duke Energy. The funds will be used for other school outreach programs.
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Royalmont Academy students collected winter essentials for area homeless. Pictured from left are Abby Sharpshair, Grace Sullivan, a Regnum Christi missionary, Kaitrin Weber, Caeli O’Rourke and Lucy Beaulieu.
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Christine Gladden, a social studies teacher at Royalmont Academy, has been selected as an Excellence in Education awardee in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region. The Excellence in Education Awards program is sponsored by Northern Kentucky University, Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati and Mount St. Joseph University. Gladden is a graduate of UC and holds a bachelor’s degree in education with a focus on math and social studies. The award winners will be recognized at a dinner and program on Feb. 12 at NKU.
Archbishop Moeller High School has partnered with Global Seal of Biliteracy. Fourteen students were awarded this month with inaugural Global Seals with the rating of “Functional Fluency” in a second language (Spanish and German). Linda Zins-Adams, the world language department chair, created a pathway for students to earn the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy, which requires a rating of Intermediate High on an proficiency assessment STAMP) and/or a score of at least a “4” on the an AP world language exam. Last year, four students achieved the prestigious Ohio Seal of Biliteracy. By adding a path to a second seal through the Global Seal of Biliteracy, students who perform slightly below the required proficiency for the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy, can receive recognition for their commitment to language learning after four years. Both seals will stay permanently with a student and will provide the recognition of biliteracy in English and in a second language, which will make him a stronger candidate when applying for scholarships, internships and jobs.
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PASTORAL SKILLS THAT COUNT A DISCIPLESHIP OF EQUALS The University of Dayton, a Catholic and Marianist university, is a national leader in graduate theological education. With two masters’ programs, in theology and pastoral ministry, and a Ph.D program in theology, we are a community of scholars dedicated to the service of the Church, the academy and the common good. We have a diverse and internationally recognized faculty, a distinctive curriculum, and numerous assistantships to support your studies. UD graduates make their mark in religious education, pastoral ministry, and theological scholarship, both locally and around the world. Come join us!
CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES AT (937) 229-4321 OR VISIT US AT WWW.UDAYTON.EDU. TheCatholicTelegraph.com
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Catholic Schools Week
February 2019
Water projects inspire cross-cultural student involvement By Erin Schurenberg For the last 16 years, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur have run the Clean Water for Life project, which includes the African Photovoltaic Project (APP). The congregation’s Ohio province regularly interacts with schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati to involve both grade school and high school students in bringing clean water and electricity to select African communities. The APP and other clean water initiatives were born out of discussions begun by Sister Lorraine Connell after she became the sisters’ general treasurer in 2000. Sister Lorraine sought to develop reliable communication options among the SNDdN congregations in their residing countries. The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur operate schools and missions in 17 countries on five continents, including in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, the most western area of Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as Nigeria. This vast network allows them to build cross-cultural understanding between school children in different parts of the world. Contaminated drinking water is a major world problem. Almost one billion people in the world do not have access to safe water. Diarrhea caused by drinking contaminated water remains a leading cause of illness and death among infants and children in the developing world claiming the lives of 1.8 million children annually. Conclusive evidence exists that simple, low cost interventions at the community level can dramatically improve the quality of household stored water and greatly reduce the risk of disease and death. One simple, low-cost intervention is water purification packets such as those produced by Procter & Gamble, a Clean Water for Life partner. During Lent, the sisters offer elementary schools their educational programs with an emphasis on the impact of the purification packets. The goals are to provide opportunity for participation in the Clean Water for Life Project as a way of living the Gospel and exposing the mission of the sisters to a wider audience. The project objectives are to educate both students and their parents about the need for clean water in Africa and Latin America and to raise funds for the project. Angela Weisgerber of the congregation’s Office of Communications said that the main audience members of the clean
water awareness program are Catholic elementary schools. Through emails, posters and projects, students learn about the challenges faced in communities where clean water initiatives can be pursued. “Our Lady of the Rosary school in Dayton used the Clean Water for Life project to develop leadership skills in their seventh grade classes,” said Weisgerber, noting that other heritage schools of the sisters watch presentations where the efficiency of the water packets is demonstrated. The sisters strive to offer resources to schools, while allowing them to amend the materials to their needs. In 2010, student Michael Van Dorsalaer, with support from his mother, Traci, started a fundraiser called Hands Across the Water at Summit Country Day School. This annual walkathon grew to involve students from pre-school to high school. Since its inception, Hands Across the Water has raised more than $131,000. As part of the learning project, students study and participate in hands-on projects regarding water crisis through a curriculum that includes multiple classroom subjects from math to religion. In-class learning culminates with a walkathon across the Summit campus. Upper and Middle School students ask friends and family to sponsor financially their six-kilometer walk. During the walk, each student carries a container of water. The Lower School and Montessori students also participate by walking a shorter distance. In developing countries, children as young as four years old are responsible for finding and bringing back water for their families that is often unclean. These children walk an average of six kilometers one way. Hands Across the Water inspired similar projects at other schools and was recognized by Procter & Gamble as the model for their own global Walk for Water, during which 3,000 employees at more than 11 worldwide locations walked 6K in support of safe drinking water for children. Providing purification packets is just one aspect of the project. In 2003, the sisters initiated a photovoltaic program
in Africa to use the power of the sun to produce power. Water pumping, purification, refrigeration, communications and lighting are made possible from the electricity generated from the APP. The costs for such a program is far higher than purification packets. The cost of an entire photovoltaic system that would bring electricity and clean water to a school and health clinic in Africa for 25 years is $300,000. The sisters have involved Ohio students in the APP by converting a garage next to Mount Notre Dame High School into a photovoltaic learning lab. Students in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program at the high school participate in studies that enable them to help troubleshoot issues in the photovoltaic battery system. “The STEM students conduct experiments and test various situations such as battery life, battery capacity and electrical loads,” Weisgerber said. “They also learn about renewable energy.”
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In addition to the program at Mount Notre Dame, students from Chaminade Julienne High School also participate in the APP, making occasional trips to the Cincinnati lab. If satellite system upgrade efforts by APP engineer Louis Casey are successful, project organizers hope to offer a video conference call like Skype or Zoom between students at Summit Country Day and students in Ngidinga, (Dem. Republic of The) Congo. Bilingual parent volunteers will also participate as French is the primary language in that village. Helping impoverished people achieve economic self-sufficiency is a direct offshoot of providing electricity, clean water, and communications for their day-to-day needs. This enables greater quality of life for all. The participants in the Water is Life projects, learn to feel solidarity with those moving towards self-sufficiency and therein have “hearts as wide as the world,” as St. Julie Billiart, the congregation’s foundress said.
The Catholic Telegraph
January 2019
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Catholic Schools Week
February 2019
Nativity starts its second century with $1.2 million in upgrades Nativity of Our Lord is marking the start of its second century with the completion of long-planned improvements to its church and school buildings. The 101-year-old parish, located in Pleasant Ridge, launched $1.2 million worth of projects in May, and completed them in September. “The projects that we have completed have significantly improved our campus, and will furthermore serve the spiritual and educational needs of our parish community,“ said Father Paul DeLuca, pastor since 2003. On Nov. 18, Nativity formally dedicated the new Mary, Seat of Wisdom Learning Commons located in the school. Approximately, $850,000 was dedicated to make significant changes to the school, which opened in 1921. They include: • The new Learning Commons: The former church, then gym, now houses space for the new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) program, the school library, and “study huts” for small-group and individual instruction. The Commons also has room for up to 125 seats for parish events. • World Language Room: The former administrative offices and main entrance to the school are now a dedicated classroom for Spanish and Latin teachers. Students can also complete online French and German classes in the new space, enhancing the school’s 38-year international exchange program. • New administrative offices: The former school library now includes administrative offices, meeting and reception space, teachers’ space and a nurse’s room. With new offices, the official entrance of the school is now located in a safer and secure interior courtyard. “The STEAM focus, in particular, signals our commitment to guiding students to be 21st century learners and leaders,” said Principal Chris Shisler. The STEAM program at Nativity is aimed at cultivating student interest in STEAM related fields, given the research that has shown that students are more likely to be interested if they have had early exposure to the fields.
Nativity teacher Olivia Wolber oversees students working in the STEAM lab.
Nativity’s new STEAM Instructional Specialist Kathy Zubelik, who is an engineer with work experience at both NASA and within local school STEM programs, has been hired to engage students in activities that spark their interest in STEAM. She plans to more closely align Nativity’s curriculum and instructional techniques to match the needs of STEAM related fields where abundant job growth is predicted. Another $350,000 in parish funds allowed Nativity to upgrade its church building. The church enhancements were completed in conjunction with preparations for the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the church to be celebrated on May 18. Funds for the current improvements come from several
sources. Parishioner donations total $800,000, which include 20 percent of total parishioner donations to the archdiocese’s One Faith, One Hope, One Love campaign; funds from a 2009 Nativity Capital Campaign; donations made to the Nativity Annual Fund; and other donations. Two foundations donated a total of $200,000. Nativity alumni donated $100,000. “We are humbled by the generosity of Nativity parishioners, alumni, foundations and friends who assisted us in completing this $1.2 million dollar project debt free,” Father DeLuca said. “With the newest improvements, Nativity is creating sacred, secure and modern spaces to celebrate God’s love and grow in God’s wisdom.”
Investing in your child’s future: More options for financing a Catholic education Editor’s note: In this second of two articles, we look at additional options to finance your child’s Catholic education. Regardless of your family’s financial situation, more options than ever are available for tuition assistance. One example is a 529 tax-advantage tuition plan, a special investment account designed to encourage savings for K-12 tuition and college. The primary benefit of the plan is that any earnings from growth over time are not federally taxed if they are used to pay for qualified educational expenses. Investors retain ownership of the
funds until distribution. Up to $10,000 a year may be withdrawn for tuition. In the state of Ohio, participants may quality for up to a $4,000 taxable income deduction. The account can be transferred to a different beneficiary at any time if that person is an eligible family member of the original beneficiary. Most plans allow contributions for a beneficiary of any age. The state of Ohio EdChoice program provides students from underperforming public schools a voucher to attend participating Catholic or private schools. The voucher covers up to $4,650 for elementary students and $6,000 for high
school students. There are deadlines for assistance, with the first application period beginning Feb. 1 and ending April 30. The second application period, for the traditional (non-income based) EdChoice scholarship only, begins July 1 and ends July 31. Families must contact the participating private school and complete the school’s enrollment process. All parents who applied for EdChoice will be notified of their child’s scholarship status by mail during July and August by the Ohio Department of Education. EdChoice expansion vouchers are open to incoming K-fourth grade students
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whose family income is 200 percent below the poverty level. Vouchers are the same amount as traditional EdChoice. Schools that accept the vouchers will provide the needed application forms. For a full listing of Catholic schools in the archdiocese that accept EdChoice vouchers, visit www. catholicbestchoice.org/aid. Many archdiocesan Catholic schools also offer scholarships, grants or tuition discounts. Each school determines eligibility for tuition assistance according to its own policies, resources and timelines.
The Catholic Telegraph
January 2019
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Catholic Schools Week
February 2019
CJ students continue to grow from immersion experience By Kary Ellen Berger After spending a week serving in Cincinnati over the summer, Chaminade Julienne students Sophie Haws ‘20 and Elizabeth Murray ‘20 wanted to continue growing from their experience. The pair was part of a group of four students who attended the Rooted in the Vine summer trip held by St. Vincent de Paul’s Ozanam Center in June 2018. After their week of serving and learning about homelessness in Cincinnati, students were presented with the opportunity to take part in the St. Julie Billiart Conference - a group where high school students can continue helping neighbors in need and social justice issues in the community throughout the school year. “I decided to join the St. Julie Conference because of the trip we took to Cincinnati over the summer,” Haws said. “It had a tremendous impact on who I am and what I believe. I wanted to continue serving at the Ozanam Center so I decided that the St. Julie conference would be a good for me.” Murray added, “I am so proud to be a part of the St. Julie Conference and all of the amazing work that we do. I am also thankful that they have accepted Sophie and me with open arms.” Conference members meet once a month for activities and service-based projects. “My favorite part of the conference is the people — both the people who I serve and those I serve alongside,” said Murray. “The conference has taught and allowed me
to get to know those I am serving. I often leave service feeling so fulfilled when I take time to have a conversation and get to know those that I serve. I have also gotten the opportunity to get to know other high school students from the Cincinnati area who have the same passion for service that I do. It excites me and fills me with hope for the future to encounter others who are so full of Christ’s love and willing to share with everyone.” Most recently, conference members helped with a toy drive as part of a Christmas celebration St. Vincent de Paul was sponsoring. “So far, my favorite part of the conference has been the toy drive,” Haws reflected. “Walking into a big room filled with brand new toys for those who can’t afford them creates a unique and fun atmosphere for workers and shoppers alike. Seeing the faces of excitement in the children and parents is a feeling that doesn’t come across often. Christmas is truly the most wonderful time of the year, so it’s nice to know that you are making a difference in someone’s holiday season.” Both girls said being members of the St. Julie Conference has made a positive impact in their lives. “So far, I have gained an enlightened mindset on the way others live,” said Haws. “I have learned more about poverty, homelessness, gentrification, and community than I ever thought possible. I try to use this knowledge in my everyday life to remind myself that not everyone has the luxuries that I do.”
COURTESY PHOTO
Elizabeth Murray, left, and Sophie Haws are still learning and growing from their immersion experience.
Murray agreed, “I have gained a so much insight to the social justice issues going on around us. I am learning simple ways to make a big difference in the community I live in. Educating ourselves on the injustices is the first step to fighting them. I have learned to look past the stigmas and implicit bias and get to know each
person. This conference has taught me so much and really instilled in me a desire to go out and help others in any way that I can. I hope to continue to follow Christ’s call to service through this conference. I also hope to continue to gain an understanding of the problems that I see and the things that can fix them.”
CATHOLIC SCHOOL SNAPS A quick take on issues and statistics
Source: U.S. Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools 2017-2018: The Annual Statistical Report on School, Enrollment and Staffing (NCEA).
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January 2019
Theology of the Body curriculum expands beyond archdiocese By Patricia McGeever School children around the world are learning an important lesson about the culture of life and the dignity of every human person, and the curriculum for those lessons was developed right here in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The lessons are based on the teaching of St. John Paull II on what it means to be a human being, and are taken from his weekly Wednesday audiences. From September of 1979 to November of 1984, then-Pope John Paul II gave 129 lectures that were popularly known as Theology of the Body. The Cincinnati ministry Ruah Woods has taken them and developed “Rooted: K-12 Theology of the Body Curriculum” The teaching material is being used in 35 states and in other countries. “It teaches respect for your body and respect for everyone else,” said Pam Fontenot, the director of religious education at Our Lady Queen of Heaven School in Lake Charles, Louisiana. “God created us all unique and to be wonderful and to help each other,” she said. That means, “there’s no room for bullying or putdowns or judgmental behavior.” Fontenot said the lessons help students live the life God wants them to lead. That includes taking care of themselves to stay healthy; staying away from those who might want to harm them; and seeing God in every step of their lives in how they treat others. “We know the impact these teachings can have to renew the dignity of the human person,” said Laura Strietmann, curriculum consultant for Ruah Woods. Teachers with post-graduate degrees in theology and master’s degrees from the John Paull II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family developed the material. “As of right now K-5 is finished,” said Strietmann. “Grades 6-8 are being taught in a pilot program with the final product being ready for 2019. And, for5.25 grades 9-12, eight semesters of online curriculum are finished.” For the younger grades, the lesson is introduced using award-winning children’s books such as “The Quiltmaker’s Gift,” “St. George and the Dragon,” and “Peppe and the Lamplighter.” Jesus taught using parables and those designing the curriculum feel the stories make the lessons easier to remember. The books are accompanied by a guide that helps teachers create activities and discussion to drive home the message. For middle schoolers the lessons include writing in journals. Fontenot said the Ruah Woods’ lesson plans give names to actions and help teachers blend in teachings of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. “If you help someone, that’s compassion.
Listening means you care for someone,” she explained, noting that good character can be shown both in winning and losing at sporting events. Ruah Woods has shipped grade school material to China and Canada and high school material to teachers in Japan. Strietmann said Ireland and England are considering purchasing the curriculum. “There are 1,900 students in high schools around the world that are being taught ‘the call to be more,’” she said. The number of schools in the United States showing interest in the Theology of the Body curriculum is growing. Ruah Woods plans to train more teachers in the course work this year. It has already trained teachers in 20 dioceses across the country. “Our goal as evangelizers in our own classrooms is to bring our students into relationship with Jesus,” said Franciscan Sister Stephanie Baliga, who teaches religion at St. Sylvester School in Chicago, via email. “Other materials provide information, but do generally fail at providing an opportunity for genuine encounter with Christ.” The curriculum is being incorporated 2.38 into religion classes of all students attending schools in the archdiocese at the request of Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr.
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Catholic Schools Week
February 2019
Parents of Elementary School Children,
students for the 2019-2020 school year. Families can apply for tuition assistance of up to $1,000 per student. For elementary school (K-8) tuition assistance, the application period deadline is January 31, 2019. If you have questions, please call Pam Jaspers at 513-421-3131, ext. 2713 or email cef@catholicbestchoice.org.
Learn more and apply at:
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