may09 - National Catholic Educational Association

Welcome to the end of school edition of E-News! This newsletter is brought to you by the Secondary Schools Department with generous support from FACTS.

Wisdom and Witness for Religious Educators, Campus Ministers and Service Learning Coordinators, University of Notre Dame, June 29 to July 1, 2009: Don’t miss the only national conference for religion teachers, campus ministers and service directors in the Catholic high school. This annual conference will explore the new religious framework and what it means for religious education departments’ planning; introduce instruction models that assist students to understand Catholicism as a way of life verses a body of knowledge; consider the call to meet young peoples’ educational, developmental and faith formation needs; and engage colleagues from across the country and appreciate the collective knowledge represented in each other through discussion and celebration of our work. Click here to register. For more information, check out the Conference Program and Conference Brochure.

The Catholic School Leadership Institute Summer 2009, June 29 to July 1: 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. Teachers 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 (between San Francisco and San Jose) beginning at 4:00 p.m. June 29 and ending at noon on July 1, 2009. Institute site, brochure, and application are available here.

The Seventh Annual Education Law Symposium, July 9-12 2009: Mark your calendars for the Annual Education Law Symposium in Louisville, Kentucky. The symposium is co-sponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the Education Law Institute (ELI) at St. Catharine College in St. Catharine, Kentucky. The program features presentations and seminars on the law as it applies to Catholic education and ministry. The registration form and a tentative schedule are included in the Law Symposium brochure. Click here to view the brochure and sign up today!

Improving Outcomes and Containing Costs, the 5th annual instructional leadership conference - November 12 to 14, 2009: The continued challenge for Catholic Schools is “to do more with less” while continuing to maintain excellent educational programs in the context of mission. Join K-12 Catholic Educators from around the country to explore ideas and strategies on how to “think outside the box” to achieve more learning with the same or fewer resources. Teams of at least two people from a school are encouraged to register: presidents, principals, assistant principals, department chairs, lead teachers, superintendents and assistant superintendents.This year’s conference will be held in Chicago. This conference qualifies for federal funds. Information is available here.

To learn more about these titles and/or to purchase a copy for your school today, please call NCEA’s Member Services Department at 202.337.6232, or email at services@ncea.org

The Department welcomes its summer Project Assistant! We would like to welcome Kelly Donovan, our summer intern, to the Secondary Schools Department. Kelly is a student at Villanova University, where she majors in Sociology. Her minors include French, Political Science, and Peace and Justice Studies. Through her course work, Kelly has developed an interest in how equality plays out in public and private institutions, particularly in education. Her volunteer activities include an inner-city tutoring program and Habitat for Humanity. She is looking forward to working with the NCEA for the next several weeks!

Missed the 2009 Conference in Anaheim? Take a look at this brief video overview to see what you missed!

Revised Employment Verification form: Any employee hired on or after April 3 who originally submitted the original I-9 form will be required to submit a revised version of the form. The form must remain in the school file for 3 years after the date of employment, or for 1 year after the date of termination of employment. The revised form can be found here.

The monthly newsletter from the Council for American Private Education is available for download as a free PDF document by clicking here or by entering the following URL in your browser: http://www.capenet.org/pdf/Outlook344.pdf

For more information about NCEA and public policy matters, please contact Sr. Dale McDonald, Director of Public Policy and Research, at dmcdonald@ncea.org, or at 202.337.6232.

SAT Retreat: This unique and successful “test-prep retreat” educates the whole person by immersing students in techniques from Catholic Spiritual Tradition to help them effectively deal with non-academic factors—such as stress, distractions, and burnout—that interfere with personal best performance. The only program to use a retreat approach to learning and to introduce spiritual direction to test-taking, the SAT Retreat securely connects the SAT to God, talent, and purpose. This Catholic test-prep program has been shown to produce significant point increases on actual PSAT/SAT tests while, at the same time, teaching students time-honored spiritual methods that will help them through all of life’s challenges. This fall, Dr. Pace will present the SAT Retreat at the Region 3 NCEA meeting of secondary schools, as well as the Philadelphia Archdiocesan meeting of Secondary School Principals. The next SAT Retreat training event is scheduled for July 13-14 at Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster, PA. For more information about these events and the SAT Retreat—including testimonies from school administrators, parents, and students—please visit: www.drpaceseminars.com. For a schedule of summer retreat dates, click here. Contact information: 215-725-6568, admin@drpaceseminars.com.

Money Smart! The FDIC has launched the latest version of their Money Smart curriculum: a portable audio (podcast) format that can be downloaded as an MP3 file to an iPod, another music player, or a computer. Money Smart is a curriculum that is designed to educate individuals outside of the financial mainstream about financial responsibility. This newest version is timely not only because of its use of a current popular technology, but also because it has been introduced at a time when financial education and money management skills are crucial to families and individuals going through economic hardships. The Money Smart program particularly benefits younger individuals who are transitioning to college because it provides them with knowledge about saving and credit that will help them reduce the debt they are likely to face after leaving school. The learning modules available for users include general financial information, checking and savings accounts, budgeting and saving, and credit. Instructors can also use these modules in the classroom to educate groups of students about financial responsibility. For more information and to download the files for FREE, click here.

Kids Can Make A Difference (KIDS): KIDS is a program for middle and high school youth that helps create a deeper understanding of the root causes of poverty and hunger and teach students how as individuals, they can take action in alleviating hunger issues. A teachers’ guide is available to give educators information about how to help students understand the pain of hunger, the importance of food, the unequal distribution of food resources, and how hunger is connected to poverty. The guide gives teachers further information about how students can use their knowledge to make changes in their community. Check out the KIDS website to find out how to participate in the program.

Food Fast: Food Fast is a CRS project that provides students with an opportunity to participate in a 24-hour fast in an effort to experience solidarity with those who are suffering from hunger around the world. It teaches students about the issue of global poverty and encourages them to think about ways to promote justice. Information about the program and free supplemental materials can be found at: http://foodfast.org/

Student Youth Travel Association (SYTA) Youth Foundation Scholarships: The SYTA Youth Foundation is accepting applications for its Silver Lining Program and its Ripley Hunter World Is a Classroom Essay Contest. The Silver Lining Program is an opportunity for a class of juniors of seniors who demonstrate a desire to expand their awareness to win an all expense paid trip to Central Florida in 2010. The Ripley Hunter World Is A Classroom Essay Contest awards a $750 scholarship to a student who can relate what they have gained from a travel experience. Apply now! For more information about the scholarships and how to apply, visit: www.sytayouthfoundation.org

2010 CCHD Multi-Media Youth Arts Contest: The Multi-Media Youth Arts Contest is an annual contest organized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). It is designed as a tool for schools and parishes to engage Catholics in grades 7 through 12 in learning about the causes of poverty, Catholic social teaching, and CCHD. The 2010 contest theme is: “Empowering Communities, Uprooting Poverty.” Lesson plans and activities, contest information, and rules can be found here. Please note that all art forms are welcome! Entries are due by March 31, 2010. Please contact Jill Rauh, the CCHD Youth and Young Adult Coordinator, at jrauh@usccb.org for any questions about the contest.

Catechetical Sunday: This year, Catechetical Sunday, September 20, 2009, will focus on the theme, “Catechesis and the Proclamation of the Word.” Catechetical Sunday provides an opportunity for Catholics to reflect on the importance of being a witness to the Gospel, and it encourages church communities to join together to make a renewed commitment to share its faith. For more information and for promotional and teaching materials, click here.

The Nation’s Essay Contest! The Nation has extended the deadline for their essay contest to June 14! Students are asked to submit an essay that addresses the following question: Has the recession affected you, your family or someone you know? Write 800 words or less for a chance to receive $1,000 and to have the student’s work published in The Nation. Send entries to studentprize@thenation.com. For more information and for eligibility requirements, click here.

How to Help Catholics Share Their Faith, June 18, 2009: The Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association will hold an online series to provide Catholics with information about how to share their faith without “being obnoxious.” It is known that many Catholics do not readily talk about their faith; in order for the Catholic Church to become more evangelizing, it is important to break this habit and learn to talk about faith more openly. The series is meant to provide all Catholics, including leaders of Catholic institutions, with a deeper understanding of how to spread God’s word. For more information and to register, click here.

Social Action Summer Institute, July 19-24, 2009: A program for social justice leaders, the Social Action Summer Institute will take place at Seton Hall University in Newark, New Jersey from July 19-July 24, 2009. The focus for this year’s discussions is the economy, and various presentations and workshops will give participants the opportunity to network with other social justice leaders, build skills for social justice work, and meet the staff of Catholic agencies from across the country. For more information and instructions on how to register, visit the National Pastoral Life Center’s website.

Education Week’s weekly online chat: Every week, Education Week hosts online chats on a range of issues with leading experts in education research, instruction, reform, and more! Check out past discussions and sign up today at: http://www.edweek-chat.org

New York City Tries New Tactic to Convert Catholic Schools to Charter Schools: The New York Times reports on the attempt to save two Catholic schools scheduled to be closed at the end of the 2009 school year by the Brooklyn Diocese. The plan to transform these schools into charter schools will impact the not only the curriculum but will have an effect on the student body. Read the article here.

Catholic School graduate Sonia Sotomayor nominated to the Supreme Court: President Obama has nominated Sonia Sotomayor, a 1972 graduate of Cardinal Spellman High School, to be the newest justice on the Supreme Court. Read about the school here.

School Reform Agenda: Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced plans to reform the education system, specifically setting goals to reward teachers, expand learning time, collect data, and transform underperforming high schools. Duncan said that the $100 billion in stimulus money that is allotted to education won’t solve all of the problems, but will allow for unprecedented reform. To learn more about Duncan’s goals for improving education, check out the article from eSchool News.

Are private school teachers more satisfied? A new report by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice finds that teachers in private schools are happier than those in public schools with their careers, classroom experience, and overall school conditions. Check out the story and the report here.

Swine Flu Update: Schools are now being advised to remain open if there is a suspected case of swine flu, and schools that had closed are told to reopen. Only schools with a significant number of absences – to the point that it cannot properly function – are advised to close. Check out the recommendations here.

Sr. Mary Frances Taymans, SND, Executive Director
Christiane Connors, Director of Special Projects
Michael Conroy, Administrative Assistant
Kelley Endreola, Administrative Assistant