Upcoming Events
Tradition & Transitions: A National Conference for Religion Teachers and Campus Ministers
June 16-19, 2005, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Sponsored by the NCEA’s Department of Secondary Schools and the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Church Life.

This conference, the only one of its kind, is for campus ministers and religion teachers in Catholic secondary schools. It is designed to be not only informative but also practical. Participants will explore the tradition of the Catholic Church in the midst of contemporary transitions and their effects on high school religious education. Participants will refine their own curricula in light of the presentations and discussions with their colleagues.

To register online and to view/download the brochure, visit http://www.ncea.org/departments/secondary/services/ and click the link.

Beyond X’s and O’s: Fostering the Mission of the Catholic Secondary School Through Athletics
July 10-12, 2005, Neumann College, Aston, PA
Sponsored by the NCEA’s Department of Secondary Schools and the Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development at Neumann College

Amazing potential to further a school’s mission as a Catholic institution is inherent in athletic programs. Administrators, athletic directors, coaches, teachers, chaplains, campus ministers and anyone interested in learning more is invited to Neumann College for this conference. Neumann is located just outside of Philadelphia, less than fifteen miles from the airport. Nationally known speakers will address the topic from a variety of angles. To view/download the brochure, click http://www.ncea.org/departments/secondary/services/XandObrochure.pdf or contact Dr. Len DiPaul at Neumann College for more information (610-361-5225; dipaull@neumann.edu).

Convention 2006 Speaker Proposal Forms
The Secondary Schools Department is planning for the 2006 NCEA National Convention in New Orleans (April 18-21, 2006). If you would like to speak or want to nominate someone, now is the time! Nomination forms and information are available online at http://www.ncea.org/annual/convention/ and are due MAY 11, 2005.

Catholic Schools Week 2006
Information and downloads about Catholic Schools Week 2006 (January 29-February 4) can be found here: http://www.ncea.org/programsevents/catholicschoolsweek/. The theme will be: Catholic Education: Character. Compassion. Values.

Membership Benefits – News You Can Use
As a benefit of membership, the Secondary Schools Department will prepare an attractive recognition certificate and letter for faculty, administrators and staff on the occasion of an anniversary, retirement or for significant service. Contact Mike Conroy in the department for more information (202-337-6232/mconroy@ncea.org). This service is free for Premier members and provided at a nominal fee for other members.

Accountability
Please take a moment to take a brief survey on Catholic school accountability: http://www.ncea.org/about/assessment-open.asp. NCEA published a statement on accountability. We are interested in learning how schools are using it. If you haven’t seen the statement, a copy is available at the link above as well.

New Publications from NCEA
The Secondary Schools Department published five new books during this academic year:

For descriptions of the books and ordering information, visit http://www.ncea.org/store/

One more publication will be available soon:

• Living Mission: A CHS2000 Report on Catholic School Community, by William Hudson

Cardinal Bernadin New Leadership Award – June 30 Deadline
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development, an agency of the U.S. Bishops, is accepting nominations for the Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award. This award is designed to recognize young Catholic leaders (ages 18-30) in the U.S. who are actively engaged in changing unjust structures that keep people trapped in the cycle of poverty. The award recipient will be given the $1000 cash award at a reception held in conjunction with the November annual meeting of the U.S. Catholic bishops in Washington DC. Nomination forms can be downloaded from:

www.usccb.org/cchd/bernardin.shtml. Contact Mike Poulin at CCHD for more information (mpoulin@usccb.org/202-541-3297).

Presidential Freedom Scholarship-July 1 Deadline
The Presidential Freedom Scholarships program recognizes high school juniors and seniors for their outstanding leadership and commitment to their communities by offering a $1,000 scholarship for college. The program, administered by Learn and Serve America at the Corporation for National and Community Service, provides $500, which must be matched with $500 from a community organization or business and secured by the high school. Students who complete at least 100 hours of community service, either through a school-based service-learning program or independently, are eligible to receive the scholarship. Each high school in the nation may select up to two students who have met and exceeded these requirements. More information is here: www.cns.gov/scholarships.

Association of Catholic Leadership Programs (ACLP)
ACLP has launched a new Web Site. Visit www.aclp.info to find out more about the Catholic school leadership programs that are sponsored by Catholic colleges and universities in the United States. The Web Site includes a speakers’ bureau.

Death Penalty Information for Educators
The Michigan State Communications Technology Laboratory in conjunction with the Death Penalty Information Center invites teachers to use a free on-line Educational Curriculum on the Death Penalty. The curriculum is designed to teach critical thinking and the issues of ethics and justice that surround this issue. There are separate teacher and student sites, flexible lesson plans and teacher overviews. Click here: http://teacher.deathpenaltyinfo.msu.edu

For a Catholic perspective on the death penalty, visit: http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/deathpenalty/index.shtml.