Additional Resources
The Religious Freedom Center of the Freedom Forum Institute will host Summer Religious Studies Institute at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The program, to be held July 23 – 25, 2019, will convene K-12 independent school educators in the nation’s capital to explore issues of religious freedom and diversity in the classroom. Educators will learn about religious studies as an academic discipline, and have the opportunity to develop working relationships with leading religious studies subject matter experts and curricular resource providers.
Now more than ever, Catholic school thought leaders recognize the need to address the challenges facing Catholic schools. One of the biggest challenges is declining enrollment. In the United States Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools 2017-2018: The Annual Statistical Report on Schools, Enrollment and Staffing, McDonald and Schultz reported that “Overall, the national enrollment decline since 2008 has been greater than 435,000, a 19.2% loss of the student population” and the decrease in number of schools is 1,026 or 14%.”
TEAMS culminates in a one-day national competition in which middle and high school students work collaboratively to deepen their engagement with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines, in order to solve real-world challenges. The 2019 TEAMS competition theme, “The Engineering Brain,” features three components: design/build challenges; rigorous math problems; and an essay. Competitions are held between February 13th and March 17th across the country at middle or high school sites, or host universities. Then, top ranked teams are invited to compete for “Best in Nation” honors at the National Technology Student Association Conference scheduled in June 2019 near Washington, D.C. NCEA member schools can use the discount code NCEA to receive a 30 % discount off the national TEAMS registration fee of $150. For more information or to register now, visit the TEAMS website or watch the TEAMS video. Questions? Contact TEAMS Manager Jenn Glover.
Essential flyer for parents to help them understand the importance of an inclusive environment for ALL students at Catholic schools.
The flyers reproduced in this publication were originally prepared as electronic newsletters posted monthly on the NCEA website. They are intended to provide information about each program and to be used as a resource for private school officials who engage in consultation with local public officials to obtain the benefits available for private school students, teachers and other educational personnel. A U.S. Department of Education guidance document provides a comprehensive overview of the changes that ESSA incorporated.
On October 27, 2018, a gunman armed with an assault rifle and several handguns, entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA and opened fire. Described as the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the U.S., at least 11 congregants were killed and four police officers and two others were wounded. It is believed to be the deadliest attack on the U.S. Jewish Community in history. After this type of tragedy, young people have questions about what happened and what they can do. Below are curriculum and other education resources to support the discussion of this incident in your classroom and home.
The Catholic Church has been blessed with the courageous witness of many clerics, religious women and men and laypersons, who responded by prophetically calling out evil of racism and the violent disregard for fellow human beings. Their lives remind everyone that we all are united in God’s love and the life of Christ. Learn the stories of a few of these prophetic witnesses confronting the evil of racism in the past and reflect how the Church continues to address it today by participating in the Creating on the Margins Youth Art Contest.
Each year, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops offers a Creating on the Margins contest to help schools and parishes engage youth in learning about the root causes of poverty and the Church's response. The theme of this year’s contest, “A Time to Heal Racism,” invites Catholic youth in grades 7-12 to engage with the theme of racism in an age-appropriate way. Youth will then work to educate others through creative work of any medium (e.g. video, song, painting, drama, poetry, etc.).
The grand prize winner receives $500 plus a matching grant for a CCHD funded anti-poverty organization and a trip to a national conference. To participate, contact your diocesan representative to submit entries by the local deadline (typically in early March).