Dear Catholic Secondary School Educator:

Welcome to the January edition of E-News!  This newsletter is brought to you by the Secondary Schools Department with generous support from FACTS. The information supplied in this newsletter aims to inform Catholic high school administrators, faculty, staff, and students on professional development opportunities, curriculum resources, and relevant news stories.  Please contact Christiane Connors at cconnors@ncea.org with any newsworthy information about your school community's development that may benefit your colleagues across the country.

This edition of E-News features:

Department & NCEA Updates

• Membership renewal drive
• Executive Director Reappointed to the National Assessment Governing Board
• Online resource library
• Complimentary copies of Amazing Grace for secondary school members
• Preliminary programs for the NCEA 2009 Convention in Anaheim is online

Curriculum Opportunities

• Honor Black History Month with a free audio lecture on Martin Luther King, Jr.: Stride Toward Freedom
• 2009 CCHD Multi-Media Youth Arts Contest
• Instruction in nonviolence, processes of reconciliation and disarmament
• New board game, Abundant Harvest™, helps develop interpersonal skills
• Host an exchange teacher of a critical foreign language in the 2009-2010 school year
• Special discount for the educational film The Rape of Europa about Hitler’s and the Nazis destruction of Europe’s Masterpieces
• Exciting ways to meet curriculum standards and bring the world into your classroom

Professional Development Opportunities

• Wisdom and Witness for Religious Educators, Campus Ministers and Service Learning Coordinators, University of Notre Dame, June 29 to July 1, 2009
• The Catholic School Leadership Institute Summer 2009
• Interested in the instruction, study and comprehension of American history and culture? Apply for a National Endowment for the Humanities summer fellowship!
• Attention all Catholic High School Athletes, Coaches and Teams: Sports Faith International, an initiative chaired by Chicago Bears’ co-owner Patrick McCaskey, is seeking nominations for the All-Star Catholic High School Hall of Fame! 
• The Fulbright Center in the Netherlands is looking for American high school teachers for Educational Exchange

Public Policy Update

• Education and the new administration
• An economic stimulus package for Catholic school students and teachers

In Other News

• Catholic Schools provide $19.8 billion in savings each year for the nation
• Educational Leader Receives Top Honor from the White House
• Immigrants See Charter Schools as a Haven
• 1 in 7 U.S. Adults are Unable to Read E-News
• Survey Shows 1.5 Million Homeschooled Children in 2007, up from  850,000 in 1999
• Mrs. Bush's last visit to a school as First Lady in honor of Catholic Schools Week 2009

Department Updates

Looking for something from a previous issue of E-News?  Find it here in the E-News catalogue. 

Membership renewal drive: If you haven't done so already, renew your NCEA membership for 2009 today!  In addition to our national convention on April 14 – 16, 2009 in Anaheim, California, NCEA sponsors conferences, workshops, publications and more to support administrators and leaders in Catholic education. For more information, please visit our website at /membership/index.asp

NCEA Executive Director Reappointed to the National Assessment Governing Board: Sr. Mary Frances Taymans, executive director of the Secondary Schools Department, has been re-appointed to the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), an advisory body in the U.S. Department of Education, to serve a four-year term.  Sr. Mary Frances will continue to help set policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), commonly known as The Nation’s Report Card™. The assessment makes objective information on student performance available to policy-makers and the public at the national, state, and local levels, and has served an important role in evaluating the condition and progress of American education since 1969.

Online resource library: The Department is developing an online resource library to facilitate the sharing of knowledge, best practices and quality initiatives among Department members from across the country.  The Department’s members represent rich and diverse sources of ideas and information and the proposed online resource library will maximize the exchange of ideas among members.  The online resource library will expand the Department’s in-house efforts by creating easy access to externally produced resources.  Look for more information about this exciting new member service!

Complimentary copies of Amazing Grace for secondary school members:  Through the generous support of Walden Media, every secondary school member will receive a complimentary copy of the movie Amazing Grace, which documents the life of English parliamentarian William Wilberforce and his fight to abolish the transatlantic slave trade and bring dramatic social reform to the country.  The film’s release coincides with the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade and provides schools with a tool to teach about hope, perseverance, and individuals’ power to affect change.  Additionally, Amazing Grace beautifully portrays the important role faith and spirituality played during a historic social reform movement in England. 

This film advances themes of good governance, social justice, government accountability, citizen participation and more. High-quality faith and educational discussion questions developed by Walden Media are available for download at www.amazinggracemovie.com.

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NCEA News

2009 NCEA Convention Preliminary Program is Online: Everything you want to know about the 2009 NCEA Convention, Expo & NPCD Convocation is now online. The preliminary program, registration forms, housing forms, what to do in Anaheim as well as graduate credit requirements and information on what airport to fly into. Check out the educational sessions offered at www.ncea.org/events/NCEAConventionCentral.asp.  Register early—before January 30, 2009—and you will be entered into a drawing for 4 one-day Disneyland Park Hopper tickets or other great prizes.  See you in Anaheim!

2009 Secondary Schools Convention Planner is now available: On the fence about attending the national convention?  Check out the Secondary Schools Department’s planner to see the depth and breadth of topics covered!  New leadership approaches, curriculum models for 21st-century learners, effective advancement strategies, instructional technology, bioethics, and education justice are among the areas the Department will focus on at the 2009 NCEA Convention.   Download a copy of the 2009 Convention Planner.

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Curriculum Opportunities

Honor Black History Month by downloading a free audio lecture, Martin Luther King, Jr.: Stride Toward Freedom: Delivered by award-winning Professor Dennis Dalton of Barnard College, Columbia University, the lecture focuses on Martin Luther King, Jr.—through his stirring speeches, introspective writings, and effective leadership—as an essential part of our national consciousness. While King's 1968 assassination was a tragic chapter in American history, it did nothing to prevent the work he spent so much of his life carrying out. As Professor Dalton, a scholar of classical and modern political theory, nonviolence and violence in society, and ideologies of modern political movements, notes, "Violence ended King's life, but his increased stature in America since his death shows that his voice was not silenced."

Have your students listen to Martin Luther King, Jr.: Stride Toward Freedom between now and Monday, February 2, 2009, to discover how the words and actions of this iconic civil rights leader embodied the core values of freedom. Download this free lecture at your computer, transfer it to your iPod or MP3 player, or burn it to a CD.

2009 Multi-Media Youth Arts Contest: The Multi-Media Youth Arts Contest engages young people in creative justice education and the domestic efforts of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) to address the root causes of poverty in the U.S. The contest is for grades 7-9 & 10-12 and either individuals or groups can enter. Categories include: Literature, Visual Arts, and Audio Visual (or a combination of multiple categories).  Contestants first submit artwork to their participating school or parish for local judging, with the diocesan office submitting the winning regional entry.  The grand prize is $500 and the deadline is March 31, 2009.  Information is available at http://www.usccb.org/cchd/youth.shtml#contest, or by contacting Jill Rauh at jrauh@usccb.org  or by downloading the brochure.

Instruction in nonviolence, processes of reconciliation and disarmament:  Nobel Voices for Disarmament, 1901-2001 is a stirring collection of recordings by prominent advocates for peace during the 20th century.  For a limited time, online listeners can stream the entire album or individual tracks free, plus download lesson plans to accompany Nobel Voices. 

New board game called Abundant Harvest™ helps develop interpersonal skills: Abundant Harvest™ provides families, friends and educators the opportunity to discuss complex issues in the context of preparing individuals to make informed decisions along the journey of life.  Abundant Harvest™ can open the door to more effective communication between individuals of all ages and serve as a supportive tool for educators and counselors.  There are two versions of the game: (1) Abundant Harvest™ for adolescents and adults ages 12 and older (2) Abundant Harvest™ for Kids for children and adults ages 5 and older.  The games are currently available on www.amazon.com or directly through www.harvesttimepartners.com.  Download the brochure here for more information.

Host an exchange teacher of a critical foreign language in the 2009-2010 school year:  The American Councils administers the Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP) through the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.  In the past, Catholic high schools have participated in this program with stunning results.  TCLP provides a range of benefits to enable schools to implement their visions for their foreign language programs.  It provides exchange teachers' monthly stipends (over $2500 net/month), health insurance, J-1 visa support, round-trip airfare, and a $300 professional development fund so they can purchase materials for their US classroom.  Additionally, participating schools receive access to $5000 grant opportunities to initiate foreign language projects, and American Councils provides substantive, integrated, and extended training to its exchange teachers before, during, and after their academic year of service.  This is an opportunity not to miss!  Download applications at www.tclprogram.org, or contact Benjamin Dunbar at Dunbar@americancouncils.org 

Special low price for the educational film The Rape of Europa about Hitler’s and the Nazis destruction of Europe’s Masterpieces: For $7.50, reduced from $29.95, purchase The Rape of Europa, a remarkable film that tells the epic story of the systematic theft, deliberate destruction and miraculous survival of Europe’s art treasures during the Third Reich and World War II.  Joan Allen narrates this breathtaking chronicle about the battle over the very survival of centuries of western culture.  Major funding for the film came from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. Contact Heidi Oshin from Menemsha Films at heidio@menemshafilms.com for the special NCEA/educators discount. 

Exciting Ways to Meet Curriculum Standards and Bring the World into Your Classroom:iEARN offers state accredited interactive online professional development courses for K-12 educators bringing together K-12 educators in the US and around the world.  Each course is a systematic guide to integrating collaborative project based learning into your teaching.  Our facilitators will guide you to create a plan for using iEARN projects that meet your local/state/national standards in your classroom environment. As part of a international class of twenty-five teachers you will also meet peers from around the US and around the world. Registration is open now until February 9th, 2009.  Learn more at http://www.iearn.org/professional/online.html

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Professional Development Opportunities

The Catholic School Leadership Institute 2009:  Open to secondary and elementary school personnel, the Institute provides ongoing formation and support for new principals and at the same time reinvigorates those experienced principals who have faced the daily challenges of administration. Those teachers who are considering the ministry of administration have found the program a valuable opportunity to share their ideas and learn from those who are already in administration. The Institute will be held at Vallombrosa Retreat and Conference Center in Menlo Park, CA from June 29 to July 1, 2009.  Institute site, brochure and application available at: /departments/elementary/CatholicSchoolLeadershipInstitute.asp.

Interested in the instruction, study and comprehension of American history and culture? Apply for a National Endowment for the Humanities summer fellowship!: The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded Illinois College in Jacksonville a grant of over $98,000 to host a five-week Summer Seminar for school teachers during the summer of 2009. The title is “The Frontier Experience in the American Midwest: Greater Illinois to 1860,” and it will run from June 28 to August 1.  These NEH Summer Seminars are designed for full-time K-12 teachers including school personnel, such as librarians and administrators.  Applications from teachers in public, private and religiously affiliated schools receive equal consideration. The seminar will include readings, discussions, videos, guest lectures, presentations by participants and several off-campus trips.  Participants will be housed on campus, receive a stipend of $3,800 for their participation in the Seminar, and may receive Continuing Professional Development Units credit from their local school districts for this participation.  For more information about the upcoming Summer Seminar, please contact the National Endowment for the Humanities at NEHSeminar@ic.edu   Applications must be postmarked by March 2.

Attention all Catholic High School Athletes, Coaches and Teams: Sports Faith International, an initiative chaired by Chicago Bears’ co-owner Patrick McCaskey, is seeking nominations for the All-Star Catholic High School Hall of Fame!:  A total of thirteen awards, six by popular vote and seven judges picks, will be presented  to the winners at Chicago Bears’ Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois  on February 21st.  Awards include Male and Female: “Athlete of the Year”, “Coach of the Year”, “Team of the Year”, and two special awards: The “Father John Smyth Award” for an athlete considering a religious vocation, and the “Prayers for Life: Pro-life Award”, for an athlete, coach, or team active in the pro-life cause.  The ceremony will accompany the Sports Faith Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for professional athletes. including Wellington Mara,  longtime owner of the New York Giants, induction (posthumously), NFL Hall of Famer,  Dave Casper of the Oakland Raiders, and Fr. John Smyth, a first round NBA draft pick who chose to forgo his career in professional sports to pursue a religious vocation. Fr. Smyth is president of Notre Dame High School in Niles, Illinois and was previously president of Maryville Academy. Visit www.sportsfaithinternational.org or contact Angela Tomlinson -847-331-6994. Click here to nominate, vote, or find out more about the contest.  Download contest schedule, posters and application forms

The Fulbright Center in the Netherlands is looking for American high school teachers for Educational Exchange:  This is a great opportunity for high school teachers in the USA who want to set up a high school educational exchange with a Dutch high school. The Fulbright Center mediates between Dutch and American partner schools through its online community. How does it work?

1. Go to http://highschoolpartnerprogram.ning.com/ and become a member (free of charge)

2. Read the information about setting up a partnership and how the Dutch educational system works. You will also find that information on: http://www.fulbright.nl/? menutree=5|114|200

3. Post a Message explaining where you teach, in what field and grade. Describe your school and what kind of exchange you are looking for. (Because of visa restrictions long term teacher exchange is not possible, most Dutch teachers are interested in group student exchange, online projects or short term visits for curriculum development)

4. Sit back and wait until a Dutch teacher responds to your message to initiate a potentially  wonderful partnership.

In 2006 and 2007 the Fulbright Center established more than ten partnerships between Dutch and US high schools and helped more than 100 students travel to the US and 60 American students visit Europe. Check out a list of current partners http://highschoolpartnerprogram.ning.com/

Please send an e-mail to Marlies Eijsink, Program Coordinator of the High School Partnership Program m.eijsink@fulbright.nl for more information or answers.

Public Policy Update

Education and the New Administration
In early December, members of the private school community met with transition team staffers handling education policy and legislative issues for the new president: Steve Robinson (Obama’s chief education aid in the senate) and David Kirp (professor of public policy at University of California at Berkley).  The purpose of the meeting was to acquaint the new administration with the uniqueness of private schools and their concerns and their contributions to American education as well as to reflect on how their interests intersect with the stated agenda of the new administration as outlined during the campaign.  The team was receptive and requested additional information about private schools. Arne Duncan, formerly Chicago public schools chief executive officer, has been appointed the new U.S. Secretary of Education.  In his announcement of the appointment, President Obama stated that the country needs “a new vision for a 21st century education system” and hailed Mr. Duncan as an innovator and reformer.  While in Chicago, he expanded the number of charter schools to offer families wider choices, but his approach to inclusion of private and religious schools in choice programs is expected to follow the administration’s stated opposition to private school inclusion in such initiatives. However, information from the Catholic school superintendents who worked with Mr. Duncan in Chicago is very positive about his appreciation of Catholic schools and willingness to work with them to improve opportunities for students.

An Ecomomic Stimulus Package for Catholic School Students and Teachers Economic Stimulus Package will include funds for education-related projects.  The private and religious schools communities are urging Congress to support equity for their schools in the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Congress has begun work a trillion dollar economic stimulus package that includes a section called “Education for the 21st Century" that impacts PK-12 education.  They expect to complete work on this bill by mid-February. Fundamental fairness dictates that efforts to stimulate the economy through programs to improve school infrastructure, energy efficiency, access to advanced technologies and computers and teacher quality should be extended to all children regardless of the type of school they attend. Precedents exist for the inclusion of private and religious schools in programs of federal assistance related to school safety, efficiency, technologies and teacher professional development: NCEA has joined with the Council for American Private Education (CAPE) in urging Congress to include religious and private schools in the package. There are many precedents for doing so which are addressed in the letter to Congress available at http://www.capenet.org/pdf/CAPEeconrecov.pdf Please encourage Congress to provide equitable benefits to our students and teachers in the sections of the bill where public school students and teachers benefit.

In Other News

Catholic Schools provide $19.8 billion in savings each year for the nation:  While auto manufacturers, secondary mortgage lenders and investment bankers are reaping billions of dollars in federal funds, there is one entity that is saving the nation billions: the network of almost 7,400 Catholic schools across the country. According to Karen Ristau, president of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), Catholic schools provide $19.8 billion in savings each year for the nation. The figure is based on the average public school per pupil cost of $8,701 and the total Catholic school enrollment of more than 2.2 million students. “Catholic schools are a gift to the church – and to the nation,” said Dr. Ristau. “The enormity of this gift is more striking during these challenging economic times.” Read the full article.

Educational Leader Receives Top Honor from the White House: President Bush conferred the Presidential Citizens Medal upon Rev. John P. Foley, S.J., founder of the Cristo Rey Network during a ceremony in December. Father Foley was honored for his groundbreaking work in bringing educational opportunity to thousands of young people throughout the United States. Founded in 2002, the Cristo Rey Network is an association of 22 schools across America that uses an innovative work-study model to make a quality, college-prep education possible for urban, young people from economically challenged families. “I am deeply honored to receive this award,” said Fr. Foley. “We believe that all students should have equal access to the educational opportunities they need to be successful in college. It is with great joy that in only a few short years Cristo Rey schools have opened in many underserved, urban communities across the nation.”

Immigrants See Charter Schools as a Haven: New waves of immigrants to the United States seek the best educational environments for their children and some find the answer in charter schools.  Critics, however, see charter schools that target a particular group of students, such as first generation immigrant youth, as contributing to the re-segregation of public education and jeopardizing school’s ability to forge a common American identity among new immigrant groups.   Read The New York Times’ full article

1 in 7 U.S. Adults are Unable to Read E-News:  The Department of Education released research that estimates 32 million adults in the United States have “such low literacy skills that it would be tough for them to read anything more challenging than a children's picture book or to understand a medication's side effects listed on a pill bottle” (Toppo, USA Today). Read USA Today’s full article

Survey Shows 1.5 Million Homeschooled Children in 2007, up from 1.1 million in 2003 and 850,000 in 1999:  The National Center of Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education recently released research from the National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES) that indicates the number of homeschooled students in the United States is increasing.  Parents choose homeschool for three primary reasons that have not fluctuated over the years.  These reasons include concern about school environment, dissatisfaction with academic instruction, and the quality of religious and/or moral instruction at other schools.  Read the NCES Issue Brief. 

Mrs. Bush's last visit to a school as First Lady in honor of Catholic Schools Week 2009:  The First Lady visited Little Flower School in Bethesda, MD to commemorate Catholic Schools Week and shared her experiences as a teacher and librarian prior to becoming the First Lady.  Mrs. Bush congratulated the accomplishments of Catholic schools across the country, particularly at those serving inner city youth, and encouraged administrators, teachers and students to continue to excel in the educational communities.

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