Dear Catholic Secondary School Educator

Welcome to the mid-September edition of E-News! By now, all our member schools have commenced the fall semester and are in full swing.

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 Updates

• Developing an Effective Brand Strategy to Drive Enrollment, Chicago, IL, October 21 to 24, 2008
• Closing the Knowing/Doing Gap for Effective Teaching, Chicago, IL, November 20 to 22, 2008
• Leadership Conference for Deans and Administrators Responsible for Student Affairs and School Culture, San Francisco, CA, February 11 to 13, 2009
• Annual NCEA Convention, Anaheim, CA April 14 to 16, 2009

No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Announced
American Stars of Teaching Awards Announced
Curriculum Opportunities

• Free ACT/SAT Test Prep Material
• State facts, maps, and more from the U.S. Census Bureau

Professional Development Opportunities

• Catholic Jeopardy! ACRE Edition Brings Show Biz Tools to Religious Assessment
• Fullbright Teacher Exchange Program Accepting Applications
• 4th Annual Religion Teacher Enrichment Day: EDUCATING MINDS, HEARTS, AND HANDS, Saturday, October 11th, University of Notre Dame
• National Endowment of the Arts Grants Opportunities
• I Love My Librarian Award—Nominate YOUR Librarian!

In Other News:

• While enrollment remains steady, Catholic schools feel the pinch as record number of students apply for financial aid.
• Back to school for many elementary students in Washington, DC means back to the same Catholic school campus, but with changed leadership.
• The Florida Supreme Court strikes down proposed constitutional amendments to charter schools and state vouchers for low-income students and those with disabilities.
• The One Laptop Per Child Foundation will sell low-cost laptops on Amazon.com
  

Department Updates

Take full advantage of NCEA’s leadership development opportunities and register today for a conference. Click here for a full listing of events and conferences.

Developing an Effective Brand Strategy to Increase Enrollment, October 21 to 23, Chicago, IL: This Conference is for high school advancement departments and administrators seeking to strengthen student enrollment. Rex Whisman and Partners from BrandED, Inc., Mary Foley from the Archdiocese of Chicago and other experienced advancement practitioners and educational leaders will present. Contact Sister Mary E. Tracy at 202.337.6232 or Mtracy@ncea.org.  

4th Annual Instructional Leadership Conference - CLOSING THE KNOWING-DOING GAP FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHING on Chicago, November 20-22, 2008: Can each Catholic school educator say with confidence that EVERY student in the school experiences effective teaching to maximize their learning? This conference invites instructional leaders from K-12 Catholic schools throughout the United States to consider together what they can do in their schools to move every teacher toward greater effectiveness. Participants will bring back to their school communities diverse and specific applications to assist in school-wide improvement. Click here for conference brochure and registration information.

Agents of Positive Change: A Leadership Conference for Deans & Administrators Responsible form Student Affairs & School Culture, San Francisco, February 11 to 13, 2009: Exchange ideas and develop innovative ways to address school culture, discipline, policies, technology, faculty coaching and much more at this interactive and resource-rich conference. Meet the facilitators! Check out the draft agenda! Register and learn more about this conference.

Annual NCEA Convention, Anaheim on April 14-16, 2009: New leadership and curriculum models for 21st century learners, in addition to justice education and instructional technology, will be just some of the areas of focus for secondary school educators! Learn more about what’s in store at NCEA Convention 2009!

Department Publications: Looking for fresh ideas to start the school year? Review and purchase the Department’s most recent publications at: /departments/secondary/secondarypublications.asp

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No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Announced!

Saint Viator High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois and Aquinas High School in LaCrosse, Wisconsin were selected as Blue Ribbon Schools. The selection process considered dramatic improvements in student performance on standardized tests as well as national rankings of the schools based on students test scores. Congratulations to the administrators, faculty, staff, students and parents of these schools who made these recognitions possible:

American Stars of Teaching Awards

The Office of Non-Public Education (ONPE) announced its American Stars of Teaching awardees. These individuals—one public school teacher from each state and five private school teachers from across the country—have been selected because of the positive difference in the lives of their students. Two of the five private school recipients are from NCEA member schools!

• Sr. Alice Hess, IHM, a mathematics teacher at Archbishop Ryan High School in Philadelphia, PA
• Linda Messina, a biology teacher at St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge, LA

Congratulations Sr. Alice, Linda and the outstanding Catholic secondary school teachers who are “teaching stars” at their school.

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Curriculum Opportunities

Free ACT/SAT Test Prep Material: eKnowledge LLC announced that it will continue the donation of its $200 SAT and ACT Test Preparation programs to all Catholic high school students for a second year. Last year, eKnowledge and a group of NFL Players donated more than $10 Million worth of their $200 SAT and ACT Test Preparation programs to every Catholic high school student nationwide. Click here for more information about these interactive video CD/DVD programs and information on how to request one of the donated programs.
Because of the rise of eBay and other re-selling venues, eKnowledge & VSG have agreed to not allow bulk shipments of these programs to schools or areas. They ask that any parent or individual student that desires the program, to simply request it online or by phone. The student only need pay shipping and handling ($9.95). This link takes users directly to the Web page with the donation code already encoded. Please distribute this information to your students and parents as you see fit.

Maps for Social Studies, History and Geography Classroom Use: Teachers, did you know that the U.S. Census Bureau has downloadable maps that are available on-line for classroom use? Check out www.census.gov and click on “Maps” under “Geography.” Then click on Map Products and view Reference Maps: http://www.census.gov/geo/www/maps/CP_MapProducts.htm

State Facts for Students: Take a look at State Facts for Students! It has been updated with the latest population and business data. Help your students learn about the United States through this site featuring state information on population, geography, business, history and more. Visit the Census Bureau home www.census.gov, click "For Teachers and Students," then "State Facts for Students,” or go directly there by clicking http://www.census.gov/schools/facts/.

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Professional Development Opportunities

Catholic Jeopardy! ACRE Edition Brings Show Biz Tools to Religious Assessment:
Answer: This electronic game patterned after a popular television show helps Catholic youth know their faith.
Question: What is Catholic Jeopardy! ACRE Edition?
For almost 30 years, NCEA has provided paper-and-pen assessment tools to help improve and strengthen religion programs in parishes and schools. Now, in an arrangement with Pflaum Publishing Group, a specialized Assessment of Catechesis/Religious Education (ACRE) edition of the dynamic Classroom Jeopardy! Catholic Edition learning game is available to promote internalizing faith facts. The NCEA ACRE edition offers a positive, enjoyable, interactive, exciting learning environment. The ACRE editions of Classroom Jeopardy! are just like the popular game show on television. The content supports Level 1 (for fifth grade) and Level 2 (for eighth and ninth grade) of ACRE. Contact Christina Gergits, manager of NCEA assessments, at (202) 337-6232 or cgergits@ncea.org.

Fullbright Teacher Exchange Program: The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program arranges direct one-to-one exchanges. In most cases, both teachers secure a leave of absence with pay from their home institutions and then trade classrooms for the school year. The program is open to educators from K-12, as well as from two-year and four-year colleges. To received an application, email Fulbright@grad.usda.gov , or telephone 1.800.726.0479. Deadline to apply is October 15, 2008.

4th Annual Religion Teacher Enrichment Day, EDUCATING MINDS, HEARTS, AND HANDS, Saturday, October 11th at the University of Notre Dame: This FREE event sponsored by Ave Maria Press invites religion educators to attend targeted breakout sessions that will help religion teachers feel renewed and prepared for the school year. Room discounts at the Waterford Estates Lodge have been arranged as well as a round table dinner on Friday, October 10th for anyone who will be in town. Click here for more conference information.

National Endowment of the Arts, Grants Opportunities: The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to providing leadership in arts education. The arts are an essential component of education, and all children, not only those with specific artistic talent, benefit from an education in the arts including opportunities to create, perform, and communicate through various artistic media. Perhaps there’s a grant opportunity your school’s art and music program can benefit from? Check it out at http://www.nea.gov/Grants/apply/Artsed.html

Nominate a Librarian for a National Award: Does your school have a librarian in your community who has made a positive difference in your school community? If so, nominate him or her for The Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award! Up to ten winners will be selected and will receive a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and $500 travel stipend to attend an awards reception in New York hosted by The New York Times at TheTimesCenter on December 9, 2008. In addition, a plaque will be given to each award winner’s library. Each nominee must be a librarian with a master’s degree from a program accredited by the ALA in library and information studies or a master’s degree with a specialty in school library media from an educational unit accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Nominees must be currently working in the United States in a public library, a library at an accredited two- or four-year college or university or at an accredited K-12 school. Deadline is October 15, 2008. http://www.ilovelibraries.org/lovemylibrarian/home.cfm

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In Other News

Former D.C. Catholic Schools Start New Life as Charters: “When Principal Monica D. Evans led a morning gathering on the first day of school recently, she left out what was once a central ingredient: an opening prayer. So began the former Holy Name School’s new incarnation as the Trinidad Campus of Center City Public Charter Schools. The reinvented elementary school here in the nation’s capital has given up its Roman Catholic identity this academic year to become a charter school...” Read more of Erick W. Robelen’s article courtesy of Eduation Week.

Choice Supporters Dismayed by Fla. Supreme Court Action To Pull Voucher Amendments: “School choice supporters warn that Florida charter schools and state vouchers for low-income students and those with disabilities are at risk now that the Florida Supreme Court has struck down proposed constitutional amendments on choice from the November ballot….” Read more of the article courtesy of Education Week.

Catholic schools feel the pinch in a tough economy: While enrollment remains steady, Catholic schools feel the pinch as record numbers of students apply for financial aid…Read more of the article courtesy of The Boston Globe.

Amazon to Sell Low-Cost Laptops This Holiday Season: “Low-cost laptops from the One Laptop Per Child Foundation of Cambridge, Mass., will go on sale at Amazon.com this holiday season, making the $200 computers available for the first time through a retail outlet….” Read more of this article courtesy of The Boston Globe.

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