Volume 6, Issue 9
November 26, 2007
Feast of St. John Berchmans
Eldest son of a shoemaker, John was born at Diest, Brabant. He early wanted to be a priest, and when thirteen became a servant in the household of one of the Cathedral canons at Malines, John Froymont. In 1615, he entered the newly founded Jesuit College at Malines, and the following year became a Jesuit novice. He was sent to Rome in 1618 to continue his studies, and was known for his diligence and piety, impressing all with his holiness and stress on perfection in little things. He died there on August 13. Many miracles were attributed to him after his death, and he was canonized in 1888. He is the patron of altar boys.
Message from the Secretary for Education/Superintendent
I hope you all had a peaceful and lovely Thanksgiving with your family and friends.
As we look forward to Advent, we enter into a very special time with which the Church begins its year. It is a time of expectation and hope in which we anticipate the coming of Christ. Not only do we celebrate the historical coming of Christ into the world, but we also look forward to the second coming of Christ that sometimes is spoken of in ominous terms. Yet we, as Christians and Catholics, believe that Christ will conquer the evil that abides in the world and that which is in each of us. Advent also is a time to give thanks for the Christ who comes to us in the Eucharist. There are so many lovely rituals and practices associated with Advent and Christmas that we need to share with our students. I know that you will use the time wisely to open up the wonderful world of Advent to them. Perhaps the high cost of fuel and everything else as well as the threat of lead in toys will leave time for what is really important during this season. Our world cries out for compassion and sharing of the riches we all experience in our lives. A happy and fulfilling Advent will lead to a truly peace-filled and joyous Christmas. For excellent resources on all aspects of Advent just Google™ Catholic Advent Resources.
Congratulations!
Mrs. Karen Cocita, Language Arts Instructor at St. Mark School has received the Ohio Lottery Teacher of the Month Award. She was recognized on the field at halftime at the Cleveland Browns Stadium on November 25. She also did a radio interview. She is being recognized for her excellence in teaching as well as her outstanding work in community service. We are very proud of her accomplishments!
Protecting God’s Children Reminders
The implementation of the policy Protecting God’s Children requires that all staff be trained in the identification and referral of any child who is suspected of having been abused. As you know, the Virtus training and BCI check fulfills this mandate. However, the policy also stipulates that abuse prevention training be included in our curriculum and programming for students pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
To insure that staff remains vigilant in protecting children, we recommend the following actions:
Ø Complete BCI checks on all staff and volunteers.
Ø Insure all staff compliance with Virtus training requirements.
Ø Publish in your faculty and staff handbooks the school’s guidelines for making
referrals.
Ø Publish in your student handbooks a procedure for students to follow to alert an adult
about abuse.
Ø Commemorate the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention month with parent,
teacher and student activities.
Ø Insure staff teaches safety training in the Health curriculum.
April: National Child Abuse Prevention Month
In keeping with the Called to Protect God’s Children policy, we encourage you to celebrate the month of April as the national Child Abuse Prevention month. This would be a good time to review with students ways to keep themselves safe, both during school days and over the summer months. A PTO meeting on this topic might also be a good idea. There are a myriad of activities that schools can do. Here are some sites to access resources and materials:
Blue wristbands to wear during the month of April and packets of resource materials for the national commemoration can be downloaded from: http://www/preventchildabuse.org
Other resources can be found at the following websites:
The Child Abuse Network http://child-abuse.com
National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/topics/prevention/index.cfm
Stop It Now! The Campaign to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse http://www.stopitnow.com
Sexual Abuse Statistics http://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/stats.htm
Child Help USA http://www.childhelpusa.org/virginia/prevention.htm
Safe Environment Compliance Form
Please keep track of all offerings you provide your parents and students on the topic of child safety and abuse prevention. These dates and programs will need to be documented on the annual Safe Environment Compliance Form due at the OCE by May 30, 2008 for the annual program audit.
Missing Children Clearinghouse
The web site of the Attorney General of the State of Ohio, Marc Dann, now contains the Missing Children Clearinghouse 2006 Annual Report, the Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse Brochure and the quarterly publication for law enforcement, known as the Bulletin. The web site is: www.mcc.ag.state.oh.us.
The Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse offers publications and information regarding child safety. If you would like additional information on keeping our children safe or have any further questions please call the Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse at 1.800.325.5604.
CEET Emergency Fund Grant Recipients
For any of your students who received emergency tuition assistance in the 2006-2007 school year or even in this first semester of 2007-2008, please be sure the families submit a PSAS application by the March 1, 2008 deadline for consideration of 2008-2009 Diocesan Tuition Assistance (DTA). There have been instances in the past where a family received emergency tuition assistance, did not submit a PSAS application for the next school year, and came back again in the new year seeking the Emergency Fund a second time. CEET's Emergency Fund is intended as a one-time-only assistance when a family encounters a crisis. Of course, if your school chooses not to participate in the DTA process, the PSAS application a family submits will be used solely for your LTA (Local Tuition Assistance) and not DTA. Please call Jan Ravas at Ext. 2830 if you have questions.
Returned DTA Grants
If you have not yet reviewed your Final School Report for 2007-2008 DTA grants which included your lump-sum check, please be sure to do so promptly. Any funds for students no longer enrolled, should be returned to Jan Ravas, with your check made payable to Diocesan Tuition Assistance, and include the names of the students. On the other hand, if you have a student enrolled who claims to have received DTA, but he/she is not on your list, contact Jan Ravas at ext. 2830. Once the information is verified, she will request a check for that grant and send it to you.
FOX 8 Catholic Schools Week Marketing Campaign
The deadline for schools to choose a “featured school” option is December 7th. OCE has again invested in the program that includes 15-second ads on FOX 8 asking the viewer to visit www.myfoxcleveland.com where there will be click-thru ads to a special Catholic School Section. This section will simply list all school names and addresses. If you are interested in your school being featured, the following options are available:
Option 1
This option will not only give you a link to your web site but also put your school in the rotating featured position on the web page. Furthermore, there will be a text description of the school and the phone number and address of the school. Investment: $1,000.
Option 2
You would receive all of Option 1, as well as a streaming video highlighting your school, along with a page devoted solely to your school featuring your logo, an image of your choosing, 2 PDF downloads (perhaps your brochure and admissions application), as well as your phone number, an email link, and a link to your school’s web site. Since we have limited time for this project we will only be able to offer this option to schools that currently have a video produced (maximum video length 3 minutes). Investment: $3,000.
Please contact Paul Bodamer at 216-432-4206 or via email at paul.bodamer@foxtv.com if you are interested and/or have questions.
Atlas Changes for Curriculum Mapping and Understanding by Design
All school sites have been updated to include Rich Text Editing. This allows teachers to use bullet points, automatic numbering, bold lettering, etc. Please note that the browser Safari does not support this program. Teachers are encouraged to use Mozilla/Firefox.
Elementary update- The New Math Curriculum has been added to your curriculum mapping sites! Look for it under the title of “Mathematics NEW.”
Secondary update- Based on the discussions and work at the Understanding by Design sessions held with Dr. John Brown in October, Atlas has updated the assessment piece to further match the UbD model. Please know that we are working closely with Atlas on this unprecedented customization to make your Atlas sites as beneficial as possible.
Notes from Carolyn Jurkowitz, Catholic Conference of Ohio, re: FBI Checks
Preliminary information on HB 190: The bill covers many topics. Not all of them are included here. Because the bill carried an emergency clause, it is effective immediately upon filing, following the Governor's signature. The Governor has signed the bill. All general provisions of the law are applicable to all parties (public and nonpublic) as spelled out in the legislation.
This means that:
- Criminal records checks must be done for all employees and job applicants (not just those whose job duties entail the care, custody, or control of children);
- Employers must request checks of both BCII records and FBI records, regardless of how long an employee has resided in Ohio. As in prior law, the employer must request an FBI check if the individual is not an Ohio resident;
- Checks, including FBI checks, must be repeated every 5 years;
- An employer is expressly prohibited from hiring or continuing to employ any person whose criminal records check reveals a conviction of or a plea of guilty to any crime that disqualifies an individual from employment with a school, unless the person met the State Board's rehabilitation standards.
N.B.: An agreement with ODE leadership (including the Director of the Center) was made that because Catholic educators holding a permanent or non-tax certificate are required to complete BCI checks by December 31, 2007, these educators will NOT have to complete the additional FBI checks by December 31. In fact, because the checks must be "current," and "current" means not older than one year, these educators should NOT get FBI checks now. PLEASE ask them to wait until ODE specifically notifies you and/or them to get them. However, the law does not permit ODE to let these educators forgo the FBI checks for another five (5) years. ODE has agreed to place our permanent and non-tax teachers “at the end of the list" for the scheduled implementation.
So educators on permanent and non-tax certificates should anticipate getting FBI checks sometime after January 1, but within the next 5 years. Eventually, ODE will synchronize their BCI/FBI requirements so that educators get both at the same time.
Fair Trade Study Grants for Teachers
http://www2.samsclub.com/fairtrade/?est=223&mid=fairtrade
This link takes you to a Sam's Club offered essay contest for teachers of students in grades 7-12 on the subject of fair trade. Below is a clip from the link's Q&A section. Applications are due by 12/15, so there is still time.
Fair Trade Study Grant Frequently Asked Questions
The 2007-2008 Fair Trade Study Grant is a weeklong, intensive study of how Fair Trade Certified ™ coffee is produced and the impact Fair Trade has on Brazilian communities. Study grants will be awarded to teachers who express exceptional ideas to educate students on the economic, social and business lessons surrounding fair trade.
Fair Trade Certified ™ coffee began arriving in the United States in 1988, offering consumers a chance to choose beans that were grown by individual farmers who are paid a fair price for their harvest. Nearly a decade later, the availability of Fair Trade products is expanding, but consumers are still learning how Fair Trade works. As we expand our offerings of Fair Trade Certified ™ products, Sam’s Club is also proud to sponsor Fair Trade Study Grants for teachers.
Who can apply?
The study grant competition is open to fulltime junior high and high school teachers (7th grade and up), from public or private institutions, who can reasonably expect to teach at least fifteen (15) hours a week during the 2008-2009 school year and dedicate at least five (5) lessons to topics related to Fair Trade.
What do I win?
Ten teachers will win an all-expense paid trip to visit Fair Trade Certified ™ coffee farms, cooperatives and community schools in Southern Brazil. All travel, accommodations, meals and other necessary expenses will be paid for and arranged by Café Bom Dia Ltd.
How do I win?
Applicants are asked to submit an essay of one thousand words (1,000) or less that presents how you would incorporate Fair Trade issues into five (5) lesson plans. Lessons could covercorporate social responsibility, international trade and economics, environmental issues, human rights and labor, consumer marketing, etc. Essays will be judged on (a) Professionalism in application (25%), (b) Coherent approach to examining relevant issues (25%), (c) Creative engagement with students (25%), and (d) Plans for documenting the trip to farming cooperatives and sharing the experience with students (25%).
When is my application due?
The study grant application must be submitted to www2.samsclub.com/fairtrade/register.aspx on December 15, 2007 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
What is expected of me if I win?
Winners are expected to travel to Brazil July 20-26, 2008, and integrate that trip into fair trade lessons during the 2008-2009 school year. Winners are expected to cooperate with media who may write stories about the study grants and the teachers’ experiences in Brazil, and winners are expected to cooperate with their local Sam’s Club to share their study grant experience with employees.
How do I apply?
Visit the web site for the registration form: http://www2.samsclub.com/fairtrade/register.aspx and fill out the online entry form completely. Your application will be evaluated by your entry essay, which in 1,000 words or less that presents how you would incorporate fair trade issues into lesson plans and how you would document and share the experience of visiting the farming cooperatives in Brazil with students. Be creative, original and thoughtful. You are not expected to be an expert on fair trade, but you should have interesting ideas about why fair trade is an important concept to explain to students.
How am I judged?
The Essays will be ranked in the following four (4) criteria:
(a) Professionalism in application (25%),
(b) Coherent approach to examining relevant issues (25%),
(c) Creative engagement with students (25%), and
(d) Plans for documenting the trip to farming cooperatives and sharing the experience with students (25%).
Ten (10) individuals whose entry earns the highest overall score will win. In the event of a tie, winner will be selected based on the criteria described in (a), then (b), then (c) and finally (d). Judges will be fair and impartial. Decisions of the judging panel will be final. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received and quality of submitted essays. Judging will be completed on or about March 1, 2008.
When are winners announced?
March 1, 2008
How do I know if I’ve won?
Café Bom Dia and Sam’s Club will contact winners privately.
Who is coming on this trip?
As supporters of the Study Grant, representatives from both Café Bom Dia and Sam’s Club will accompany the winning teachers on the study grant. Representatives and staff will handle logistics and translation, providing hours each day for teachers to interact with farmers and agriculture specialists, as well as American retailer representatives.
This link should take you to the web page that further RFP associated with an essay competition for junior and senior high teachers re "fair trade." Registration starts October 1, and it ends December 15, 2007.
January Thaw
The tenth annual “January Thaw: Fire Up” Conference is scheduled for Saturday, January 19, 2008, at Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron. This catechetical conference is sponsored by the Southern Area Catechetical Leaders of the Diocese of Cleveland in association with the Diocesan Office of Catechetical Services. The conference offers 30 sessions for Parish and School Catechetical Leaders, Youth Ministers, Catechists, Teachers and RCIA Candidates and Catechumens, plus a 3-session retreat option. A brochure with registration information will be included in the December Memorandum or online in November at www.oce-ocs.org/ocs. Please note that registration is limited and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. For additional information, call the Southern Area Office of Catechetical Services at 800-869-6525 X 1029 or contact pflaherty@dioceseofcleveland.org.
New Media Resources Web Page and Media Blog
In an effort to increase one's awareness of his/her faith and favorite media offerings, the Office of Catechetical Services has launched a Catechetical Media Blog on its web site. The blog is written by Jeff Stutzman and contains thoughts, reflections and resource suggestions for classroom, small groups or one's own personal faith formation. The blog is available on the home page by clicking on the logo in the left-hand column. The address is http://www.oce-ocs.org/ocs/media_blog .
Jewish-Christian Journey to France
Anne L. Lukas, Executive Director of the Ursuline College Accelerated Program is inviting high school students, college students and especially educators to join her on a Jewish-Christian Holocaust Journey to France in July 2008 or a Jewish-Christian Holocaust Journey to Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and Israel in July 2009.
The goals of the Journey to France – Monday, July 28 to Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – are to:
- Learn about the third largest Jewish population (600,000) in the world.
- Financially support the now-fragile Jewish community of the world vial Jewish hotels, restaurants, museums and organizations.
- Develop insight regarding the role of Christian and Islamic anti-Semitism as it relates to the Holocaust.
- Analyze the acts of Christian and Jewish French resistance and rescue.
- Understand the significance of the Holocaust connection to Israel as a Homeland for Jews.
- Become an eyewitness to the destruction and renaissance of Jewish life in France.
College credit (3 credits) is available at Ursuline College. Post-secondary option may apply for college credit for high school students.
Financial aid may be available – a partial subsidy of $500 for participants; total journey and college course scholarship for two students.
For complete information, syllabus, and requirements for credit, contact Anne Lukas, Alukas@ursuline.edu.
Doing What Works Web Site
The U.S. Department of Education recently unveiled a new web site to support educators across the nation working towards No Child Left Behind’s goal of having every student proficient in reading and math by 2014. “Doing What Works” –available at http://www.ed.gov – provides an online library of resources for teaching practices that have proven to be effective. It draws primarily from the evaluations of research findings compiled for the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), which was established in 2002 by the Department’s Institute of Education Sciences. The very user-friendly site is ideal for building professional development activities for groups of teachers.
City Club in the City – Inaugural Forum
The City Club of Cleveland is proud to present the inaugural City Club in the City, which brings City Club Forums to nontraditional settings. Programs will focus on speakers and topics relevant to the communities in which they are held with the goal to expose members and nonmembers to rich and diverse ideas and people.