Volume 6, Issue 13
February 4, 2008

February 6, 2008 is Ash Wednesday . It seems that we just put away our Christmas decorations. Now we are asked to enter into a period of prayer, good works, and fasting to prepare for the solemn and joyful Easter celebration. Reading the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, Chapter Four, Bring About the Obedience of Faith, is a wonderful way to begin this Holy Season. It reminds us: “Our faith is a grace or a gift that brings us into a personal loving union with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” If you choose to spend time reflecting on your faith, consider these points from the Catechism:

1. Faith is a personal and communal relationship.
2. Faith seeks understanding and is a friend of reason.
3. Faith is necessary for salvation.
4. Faith is a gift of grace.
5. Faith is a free, human act.
6. Faith believes with conviction in a message.

United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pp. 37-39

Message from the Secretary for Education/Superintendent
Thank you for welcoming the OCE staff and myself into your schools this past week. It was a joy to meet the students and participate in the celebrations of Catholic Schools Week. You, your students and school communities are a source of pride and gratitude to all of us. You do “Light the Way” and tell the good news of Catholic education every day!

Thank you to all who participated in the Catholic Schools Week promotion on myFOXcleveland.com. Telling our story is important to all of our schools. The ads on Fox8 TV Cleveland were well done, and the web site gave us excellent coverage. As of Friday, February 1 st, there were a total of 1.23 million impressions on the myFOXcleveland site and 14,467 page visits within the Catholic school promotion area!

High School Catechetical Framework
The Approved Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework For the Development of Catechetical Materials For Young People of High School Age is now posted on the USCCB website as a pdf. It can be downloaded at: http://www.usccb.org/education/framework.pdf

Diocesan Social Action Office Offers Guidance for Elections
Materials on the USCCB statement, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States are available at the web site: www.catholic-action.org/.

1. Pledge.doc – In light of the emphasis on conscience formation and consideration of voting prudently based on the Gospel and Church teaching, this document reflects the Bishops’ call for civil discourse in our parishes and presents a pledge for parishioners and groups to sign. By using this pledge, we hope all are reminded of the need to respect each person and listen to one another.

2. FCSummary.doc – This file provides a concise summary of important points in the Bishops’ document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. It can be used as a reference or a resource to have at meetings and discussions.

There are other resources at the web site that may be helpful as the March 4 th Primary in Ohio approaches. Comprehensive helps will be available for the November elections.

Catholic Social Teaching on Migration
The USCCB has a number of documents that can be very helpful as schools experience an influx of young people of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity calls us to welcome new immigrants and to help them join our communities in ways that are respectful of their cultures and in ways that mutually enrich the immigrants and the receiving church. It contains lesson plans K-12. The curriculum manual, Who Are My Sisters and Brothers? A Catholic Educational Guide for Understanding and Welcoming Immigrants and Refugees, publication #5-006 is available from the USCCB at 800.235.8722.

Internet Safety
The E-Rate rules require the installation of blocking and filtering software and the adoption of acceptable use policies for students that address access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and safety and security when using electronic communications. Schools must provide “reasonable public notice and hold at least one public hearing or meeting to address the proposed Internet safety policy.” The latter requirement is coming under audit scrutiny, so schools should be mindful of it and address the safety issue at a public meeting with parents in addition to any handbook items on the topic.

Several bills are currently before Congress that, if passed, will require E-Rate recipients to certify that their Internet safety policies include educating minors about online behaviors that involve interaction in social networking sites and cyber-bullying awareness–even if the school blocks access to such sites. While schools are not required to do so now, it is a good time to consider how these issues are being handled and how future safety requirements may be met.

2008-2009 EdChoice Nonpublic Registration Form Available
The Ohio Educational Choice Scholarship program (EdChoice) provides scholarships to students of low-performing public schools to attend participating chartered nonpublic schools. The Ohio Department of Education is currently in the process of registering chartered nonpublic schools to participate for the 2008-2009 school year.

The registration form that a chartered nonpublic school administrator must complete to register his/her school to participate in the EdChoice Scholarship program can be downloaded using the following hyperlink: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/DocumentManagement/DocumentDownload.aspx?DocumentID=40112.

EDChoice Scholarships
The parent application period for 2008-2009 is February 1—April 18, 2008. Applications can be downloaded from the ODE website.

Principals, please note that the list of public schools on academic warning has been updated and includes some additional public schools. See the ODE website. The EdChoice budget for contacting parents entitled to the EdChoice Scholarship has been cut. You may want to identify ways to put the word out, while retaining your own admissions process.

EDChoice Payment News
At a recent EdChoice meeting Lisa Hutchins from the EdChoice Office announced that the “winter payment”-- which is a second 30% payment of what your school can expect-- is being processed. Checks will arrive by mail in early February. The third and final 40% payment will likely be sent in late April.


PRE-ID Labels for the OATs
We received information re: the Pre-ID Labels for the spring session of the Ohio Achievement Tests: NCS Schoolhouse is working on providing those for the schools with EdChoice students. They will be downloadable.  
In a recent e-mail from Erin Andrew, she quoted the following information from the December Test Coordinator’s Newsletter:
“ There is no support system for nonpublic schools in doing their pre-id labels. School districts contract with an ITC to handle this issue for their district. EdChoice is acting as the ITC for the EdChoice students. Our programmer is currently developing a button for the nonpublic schools to push, which will extract the EdChoice data in the correct format to be uploaded into the pre-id label website. Sue Cosmo is currently working on the directions for downloading the EdChoice data and uploading it into the pre-id-label website. The button is scheduled to be released on February 15th. I have called Pearson to make sure they do not tell any other nonpublic schools that they can expect help from the districts.” Erin Andrews, Office of EdChoice Phone: 614.466.5677.

More Ohio EDChoice—Looking Ahead!
Thank you to all of you for filling out the EDCHOICE STUDENT DATA FORM. As Margaret Lyons indicated on her cover letter, the Ohio Superintendents are cooperatively working with the Ohio Catholic Conference preparing data to respond to expected challenges of the EdChoice program by the Ohio legislators and by Governor Strickland.

Margaret Lyons , the Ohio Diocesan Superintendents and the Ohio Catholic Conferencehave developed a relatively simple form for tracking EdChoice student progress on the Ohio Achievement Tests and the Ohio Graduation Tests. We are looking for volunteer schools willing to complete these tracking forms for the OAT and/or the OGTs. If you are interested in helping, please call Judy Nakasian at 216-696-6525 x3250.

PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND

Governor Strickland is not in favor of school voucher/scholarship programs and would like to discontinue them. He made that clear as he proposed the first budget of his administration. (Ohio EdChoice is written into Ohio law, so the governor cannot change the law at will; however, we do expect that the program will be challenged again.) DATA that show student progress, stable enrollment and attendance and parent satisfaction is extremely important. We hope you’ll consider helping with the Test score tracking! Thank you.

Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program
A reminder that the application period is in process: January 1 through July 1, 2008.

Diocesan Tuition Assistance Program
Thanks to those of you who have already faxed or sent in your STAR form (Student Tuition Assistance Request form). This is just a reminder that the forms are due to (fax) 216-696-8646 (Judy Nakasian) on or before February 15, 2008. Thanks so much.

In case another copy is needed: you can find it in the Downloadable Documents on the OCE website, Administrator tab. The form should be sent back with pastor’s signature and a copy of the 2008-2009 tuition scale for your school. Again, thank you.

Please remind parents that the deadline for round 1 of the DTA process is March 1, 2008.

Deadline for Special Grants from CEET
Aside from the PSAS applications having a March 1 deadline, the following special applications also have a March 1 deadline:

  • Cathedral Latin Scholarship (high schools);
  • M. Thomas Moore Family Scholarship (elementary schools);
  • Bishop Anthony M. Pilla Scholarship for Excellence (current 6th and 7th grade elementary students and current 10th and 11th grade high school students);
  • Religious Education Program Grants; and
  • Fr. O'Connell Scholarship (St. Peter Chanel High School only).

While the Bishop Pilla Scholarship carries a March 1 deadline for families/students, principals are to review the applications and make their comments prior to sending them to the CEET Office by March 15.

The CEET Advisory Board will review the Religious Education Program Grant applications at their March 6 meeting. Therefore it is critical that the applications be in the CEET Office by March 1. If you have any questions, please call Jan Ravas at ext. 2830.

Attention Principals, Teachers and Music Teachers – Music Grants
The Saint Cecilia Foundation is a newly formed non-profit organization. Its purpose is to support and promote music and music education in the Catholic Community. As a Foundation, it will be distributing funds for the 2008-2009 school year. These funds will be used to help support school music programs and to promote music in the Catholic schools. We are currently accepting requests from anyone interested in receiving funds to help support their efforts in promoting music in the Catholic schools and the Catholic Community.

Some examples of ways to use these funds include help in:

  • purchasing instruments, including recorders, band instruments, pianos etc.
  • purchasing music and music stands Music books and aids for general teachers that may not have a music teacher available in their school
  • bringing in a guest musician to perform
  • going on musically centered field trips
  • anything that promotes music and music

education

Please note, that there are limited funds and the Foundation will be evaluating many requests. The Foundation will try to help as many groups as it possibly can.

For more information about the Foundation, please visit the website at www.STCECILIAFOUNDATION.ORG or e-mail the Foundation at kb@stceciliafoundation.org. Please e-mail your requests to Kate Brown, President, Saint Cecilia Foundation at kb@stceciliafoundation.org.

Please include the following information in your request:

  • Your name, phone number and e-mail
  • School name, address and phone number
  • Amount of funds needed ( if known)
  • what funds will be used for (this information is mandatory to receive any funds)
  • Why you feel your class, group or Church could benefit from this (Example – financial, liturgical, community enrichment)

Deadline for requests is May 1, 2008.

Thank you for your time and God bless you for all you do in keeping music in our schools and our community.

Dress Red for Catholic Charities
All schools are invited to participate in the Annual Dress Red for Catholic Charities Dress Down Day. Ask for a donation and help our schools kick-off the 2008 Annual Appeal on Friday, February 15th! The Catholic Charities Annual In-Pew Appeal will take place in all parishes on February 16th & 17th. For more information or ideas, contact Celeste Cappotto of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Foundation at 216-696-6525 ext. 1049.

Recycling Fundraiser
If you are looking for a great way to raise dollars for your school, the EcoPhones Recycling Fundraiser pays up to $300 per item. There is nothing to buy, and nothing to sell. Simply ask parents, neighbors, co-workers and local businesses to donate and recycle their used consumer electronics:

  • Cell Phones
  • Ink Jet Printer Cartridges
  • DVD Movies & Videogames
  • Portable DVD Players
  • Laptop Computers
  • MP3 Players
  • X-Boxes, Sony Playstations, Wii
  • Digital Cameras & Digital Video Cameras (DVRs)
  • Digital Picture Frames
  • Portable Navigation & GPS Devices (Garmin, Magellan, Tom-Tom)

Earn cash for every item guaranteed. EcoPhones also pays for damaged, non-working and non-listed models.

According to the Consumer Electronics Association the average U.S. household owns 25 consumer electronics devices. With more than 2 billion DVDs, 30 million digital cameras and 41 million MP3 players sold each year in the U.S. plus the more than 150 million used cell phones stockpiled in U.S. households the EcoPhones Recycling Fundraiser is much easier and more profitable than you may think. In addition, EcoPhones provides FREE customizable marketing materials and free shipping from anywhere in the U.S. including Alaska. Join the more than 22,000 schools, clubs, and churches just like yours that have raised much-needed funds for their organizations.

For more information, you may register online at http://www.cellphone-inkjet-dvd-recycling-fundraiser.org or call 1.888 Eco-phones/ 1.888.326.7466. You will receive a free Welcome Kit packet with color posters, a guide to running a successful recycling fundraiser, price lists, pre-paid shipping labels, and everything else you’ll need to get started.

Volunteers Needed at VA Medical Center
The Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center is looking for volunteers to participate in its voluntary youth program. The Center offers a wide variety of positions and services to choose from. It is interested in developing a beneficial partnership with schools that would help each of it meet mutual goals. Each volunteer will be required to work at least 4 hours per week for a minimum of a 3-month term, and must undergo a federal background check prior to volunteering.

The Center’s web site is: www.cleveland.va.gov/giving. If your school is interested, call (216) 791-3800, ext 5260 or email Linette.Dowdy@va.gov to discuss the possibilities. Thanks.

American Red Cross Sponsors Nurse Assistant Training Program
If students or their relatives are looking for a challenging, rewarding career, the American Red Cross offers Nurse Assistant Training with financial assistance. Participants receive 120 hours of State Tested Nurse Assistant training, Life Skills training, and assistance with job placement. For more information, interested individuals may call 216.431.3010 and ask for Pam Oliver.

Ohio 2008 Math Symposium
Pearson presents the Prentice Hall/Scott Foresman Ohio 2008 Math Symposium: Teaching Mathematics in the Digital Decade, Monday, February 25, 2008 at Fawcett Center, Ohio State University Campus, 2400 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH. Registration begins at 8:30 am with Continental Breakfast. There are concurrent sessions for elementary, middle school and secondary from 9:15 am to 11:30 am. Lunch is courtesy of Pearson Curriculum. The keynote speaker, Dr. Skip Fennell, President of NCTM will present “Issues and Challenges in Teaching and Learning Mathematics” from 12:30 -2:00 pm. Fax, phone or email name, school, address, city, county, level such as primary, intermediate, middle, HS, administration to Tina Stryker, 877.547.4509. Please RSVP by 2/10/08 either by fax, phone: 800.435.3499 ext. 2817 or email: Tina.Stryker@pearson.com.

American History Summer Seminar
For teachers of the colonial era, civil war, gilded age, cold war or other aspects of American History, apply for one of 32 Gilder Lehrman summer seminars. Historians from universities including Stanford, Columbia, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge will lead seminars on American History topics. In 2008, seminar participants may earn graduate credit through Pittsburg State University, in Pittsburg, Kansas. To apply online or download an application form, visit: http://www.gilderlehrman.org/teachers/seminars1.html.

Call for Nominations: American History Teacher of the Year
Announcing the fifth annual History Teacher of the Year Award, honoring outstanding teachers of American history across the country. To nominate a middle or high school teacher, send an email to moses@gilderlehrman.org along with the teacher’s name, school, and a short paragraph describing why the teacher is exceptional. For more information, and to listen to 2007 History Teacher of the Year Maureen Festi’s acceptance speech at the award ceremony in November, click here: http://www.gilderlehrman.org/teachers/resources_press.html

First Lady Laura Bush presented the fourth annual Preserve America History Teacher of the Year award to Maureen Festi, a fifth grade teacher at Stafford Elementary School in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, in a ceremony that took place at the Museum of the City of New York on November 16, 2007.

Ms. Festi, who was recognized for her outstanding commitment to the study and love of American history and dedication to sharing this knowledge and passion with students, conducts extensive research and locates primary source documents for her students to analyze, question, and challenge. This has enabled them to uncover evidence of a colonial ironworks in Stafford and discover Connecticut ’s and Stafford ’s involvement in the Revolutionary War. Her students also visit many local and state historical sites either in person or through multimedia presentations that Ms. Festi has filmed. 



The History Teacher of the Year Award, established by Preserve America, recognizes outstanding American history teachers and the crucial importance of American history education. Winners are selected from each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and U.S. Territories. These winners become finalists for the National History Teacher of the Year Award. Each state winner receives $1,000 and an archive of books and educational resources for his or her school's library.

Large Projection Screen Available at No Cost!
St. Joseph and John School in Strongsville is offering a 12.5ft wide, 9ft high projection screen—in good condition— to anyone who is interested. If unable to pick it up, SSJJ could deliver. Contact Silva at 440.238.4959. Thank you.

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