Volume 6, Issue 5
October 1, 2007
Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Therese of the Child Jesus
Generations of Catholics have admired this young saint, called her the "Little Flower", and found in her short life of 24 years more inspiration for their own lives than in volumes by theologians. She lived as a cloistered Carmelite for less than ten years. She never went on missions, never founded a religious order, and never performed great works. Her only book, published after her death, was a brief edited version of her journal called "Story of a Soul." (Collections of her letters and restored versions of her journals have been published recently.) But within 28 years of her death, the public demand was so great that she was canonized.
She died on September 30, 1897 at the age of 24 years old. She herself felt it was a blessing God allowed her to die at exactly that age. She had always felt that she had a vocation to be a priest and felt God let her die at the age she would have been ordained if she had been a man so that she wouldn't have to suffer.
After she died, everything at the convent went back to normal. One nun commented that there was nothing to say about Therese. But Therese's "little way" of trusting in Jesus to make her holy and relying on small daily sacrifices instead of great deeds appealed to the thousands of Catholics and others who were trying to find holiness in ordinary lives. Within two years, the Martin family had to move because her notoriety was so great and by 1925 she had been canonized.
Therese of Lisieux is one of the patron saints of the missions, not because she ever went anywhere, but because of her special love of the missions, and the prayers and letters she gave in support of missionaries. This is reminder to all of us who feel we can do nothing, that it is the little things that keep God's kingdom growing.
(Adapted from Catholic Online, Saint of the Day)
Message from the Secretary for Education/Superintendent
First of all, thank you, Tom McFadden, for your great hospitality at the September Elementary Principal Meeting. With regard to the content of the meeting, just when you thought you couldn’t be asked to do one more thing, you heard several additional concerns that will affect you in the near and possibly distant future. You heard Jack Nairus speak to the importance of a correct listing in the Ohio Educational Directory in order to ensure receipt of government funds and, additionally, how increasingly information forwarded to the Ohio Department of Education will be totally online. Jarod’s Law is soon to be a reality with inspections to ensure that our schools are safe. The warnings you read on billboards about a future pandemic flu were reinforced by promptings to have a plan in place that has taken into account continuing the education of students as well as weathering the height of the pandemic. New testing norms call us again to maintain the quality of our program with updated materials. Believe me, we understand your frustration. We also know that we must try our best to assist you to address each of these concerns. Let’s take each of these challenges as they come. You have always met the challenges and met them well. There is no reason to believe that you will not do so this time.
2007 University Circle Teacher Open House –Don’t Miss This Great Opportunity!
Thursday, October 4, 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm - Come and learn about the exciting educational opportunities that await you in University Circle. No pre-registration necessary – Come and bring your colleagues!
WALK-IN REGISTRATION AT THESE SITES:
The Cleveland Orchestra - Severance Hall
The Children's Museum of Cleveland
Cleveland Botanical Garden
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
The Cleveland Music School Settlement
The Cleveland Play House
The Western Reserve Historical Society
FREE PARKING – Shuttle Buses will run among the institutions
FREE parking is available at Cleveland Botanical Garden,
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, The Cleveland Play House,
The Western Reserve Historical Society, and
The Children's Museum of Cleveland.
PAID PARKING is available at Severance Hall and the VA Medical Center.
STREET PARKING is available around Wade Oval and on East Boulevard.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Teachers (preK- high school)
Community Educators
Curriculum Directors
Technology Coordinators
PTO Officers
Home Schoolers
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE OPEN HOUSE?
Program & grant Information for teachers
Distance learning lesson showcase Teacher Giveaways
All teachers who visit The Cleveland Orchestra receive discount vouchers for November concerts
Raffles for field trips
Memberships
Performance/museum passes
Teaching materials
Participating Organizations
CASE - Center for Science & Math & Youth Philanthropy & Service Learning
The Children's Museum of Cleveland · The Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland Botanical Garden · Cleveland Institute of Art
Cleveland Institute of Music · The Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History · The Cleveland Play House
The Cleveland Music School Settlement · Dunham Tavern · Karamu House
Lake View Cemetery · MOCA Cleveland · Nature Center at Shaker Lakes
The Western Reserve Historical Society
University Circle Inc. - Community Education
University Circle Interactive Cleveland
For more information, call 216-707-5014 or 216-707-5021.
Crooked Halo
Crooked Halo will be held on Saturday, October 6th from 7:00 p.m. to Midnight at the Galleria at Erieview. To purchase your tickets, go to: www.cdcf.org/crookedhalo and click "Purchase Tickets Here."
The evening will begin with a cocktail hour at 7:00 p.m. and entertainment by Matt the Magician. Dinner will be served after a short welcome at 8:00 p.m. Music by TopDog, caricatures by EJ the Cartoonist, and casino gaming by Jackpot Gaming are just some of the entertainment for the night. Don't forget to look at the silent auction and Chinese raffle tables for your chance to win some amazing prizes!
October 7 is Respect Life Sunday
The annual 2007-2008 Respect Life Program begins on October 7, Respect Life Sunday. This year’s theme is: The Infant in My Womb Leaped For Joy. The Visitation passage presents a distinct contrast between the way God values unborn human lives and the ways in which modern society falls dangerously short of God’s view in the careless destruction of human embryos in fertility clinics, abortion facilities and research laboratories.
All secondary school principals have already received a complimentary copy of the full program published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities.
Elementary schools can find many ways to discuss with students how they can respect human and all other forms of life.
Celebrate Priesthood Sunday, October 28, 2007
Father Gurnick, Coordinator for Vocations to the Diocesan Priesthood invites us to reflect on the gift of priesthood for the Church and for those men who have generously responded to this vocation. You may order the prayer card for Priesthood Sunday by emailing Mary Avenoso at mavenoso@dioceseofcleveland.org. Indicate the number you need, where to send the cards, and to whose attention. Payment is optional. Ideas for honoring your priests can be found at www.priestsunday.org.
Diocesan-Wide Holy Hour
Join the Cleveland Catholic Forum for adoration, rosary and praise every first Thursday of each month at Conversion of Saint Paul Shrine, 4120 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44103. The Holy Hour begins at 6:45 pm and is followed by refreshments at 7:45 pm. Please note that the November 1st Holy Hour will be an All Saints Mass due to the Holy Day. Visit www.clevelandcatholicforum.com for more details.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Contest
Students in grades 1-12 are invited to participate in a contest celebrating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The contest is part of the Eighth Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast Celebration to be held Monday, January 21, 2008. Full information on the contest will be distributed at the October Principal Meeting. High schools can inquire about the contest by calling Sandy Williams at extension 4990.
Congratulations! Eileen Ellis, St. Richard School
Eileen Ellis, art teacher at St. Richard School in North Olmsted received a leadership award from Artsonia, an online children’s art museum in Gurnee, Illinois. She was recognized for encouraging family and community involvement in arts education. The school’s online art gallery ranks 4th in the state and 52nd in the nation, according to Artsonia.
Congratulations, St. Augustine School, Barberton
In August, St. Augustine opened its new science lab. During the past school year, the school sought grants from the GAR Foundation, Ralph L. and Florence A. Bernard Foundation, The A.W. and J. Belle Bowman Charitable Trust, Laura R. and Lucian Q. Moffitt Foundation, Lloyd L. and Louise K. Smith Memorial Foundation, and other sources in the parish community for a total of more than $54,000 to make the lab a reality. We congratulate Principal Timothy Albrecht and all those who worked so hard on the project.
Congratulations! Winners of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Youth Science Opportunities 2006-2007
The following schools and listed teachers will receive the Governor’s Award from Governor Strickland and The Ohio Department of Education. These schools and teachers in the Diocese of Cleveland are among 83 schools and 222 teachers statewide to receive the award. The Ohio Department of Education will issue special Governor’s Award certificates.
City School Teacher
Avon St. Mary, Avon Mrs. Shannon Szczepinski
Bay Village St. Raphael Mrs. Debbie Singleton
Mrs. Andrea Ruda
Cleveland Heights Beaumont Ms. Gretchen Santo
Ms. Patricia Kenzig
Ms. Lynn Gadus
Ms. Lauren Brandon
Ms. Sandra Fletcher
Ms. Nooshin Beigi
Ms. Samiha Iskander
Parma St. Josaphat Ukranian Mrs. Victoria Nowak
The Ohio Academy of Science initiated this educational partnership program in cooperation with The Office of The Governor and The Ohio Department of Education to recognize schools and teachers who stimulate student scientific research and extend science education opportunities beyond traditional classroom activities. The Technology Division of The Ohio Department of Development has supported this program since 1985 by grants to The Ohio Academy of Science.
To qualify for the Governor’s Award, each school conducted a local science fair with 20 or more students, sent one or more of these students to one of the Academy’s 16 district science days, and involved students in one or more youth science opportunities beyond the classroom such as State Science Day, visits to museums, mentorship programs and extended field trips.
Educating for a Living Faith
The title of this item is the title of an article by James J. DiGiacomo, SJ, published in the September 10, 2007 issue of America magazine. Father DiGiacomo uses an analogy of the process of religious education to a contest in which medals are awarded. He describes what a Gold, Silver, and Bronze performance of successfully reaching students through our religious education programs might be.
Here is what he describes as a Gold performance.
“In working with Catholic students, the highest achievement is turning out well-informed, convinced young believers who identify with the faith community and participate in the sacramental life of the church. Besides being well informed and observant, they aspire to a life influenced by Christian values. This includes sensitivity and a developing social conscience.
“For non-Catholic students, the goals are necessarily different. One is that they take seriously the religious dimension of life. The school’s religious instruction and activities support and encourage commitment to their own religious tradition. They have an understanding and appreciation of the religious traditions and points of view of the Catholic community. They show signs of growth in moral maturity and practice.”
The article that is worth pursuing continues with a realistic look at the challenges catechists face in today’s world. How does your school’s religious education program measure up to Father DiGiacomo’s description of a Gold performance? Do you agree with his description?
VSA arts – Call for Writing
VSA arts is accepting short works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for an online literary journal on the theme “Encounter.” The call is open to students with disabilities and students who have connections to people with disabilities. Students must be between the ages of 11 and 18 years. Entries must reach VSA arts on or before Friday, December 7, 2007.
Students create a short work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry that examines an encounter between them and another person or group of people. They should examine the interactions and relationships in their lives, or delve into the inner workings of their imagination. They should describe the encounter using as many sensory details as possible: sights, sounds, tastes, textures, and smells. Writing will be judged for its creativity, technical proficiency, adherence to the theme, and presence of personal style and vision. Selected pieces will become part of the VSA arts online writing journal, Infinite Difference. A smaller section will be exhibited in VSA arts’ writing gallery. Entries must be submitted by mail using the official entry form that is signed by the author and parent/guardian for students under 18 years of age. Entry forms and detailed information are available at www.vsarts.org. Send entries to:
VSA arts ––Writing Project
818 Connecticut Avenue NW
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006 USA
VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts. VSA arts provides educators, parents, and artists with resources and the tools to support arts programming in schools and communities. VSA arts showcases the accomplishments of artists with disabilities and promotes increased access to the arts for people with disabilities. Each year millions of people participate in VSA arts programs through a nationwide network of affiliates and in more than 60 countries around the world. VSA arts is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Red Mass/Luncheon, October 12 Honors Peter Carfagna
Peter Carfagna, senior counsel at the Cleveland law firm Calfee, Halter & Griswold, has been selected to receive the St. Thomas More Award by the Catholic Lawyers Guild of the Diocese of Cleveland. The award will be presented October 12 at a luncheon following the Annual Red Mass for the legal community at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. We congratulate Mr. Carfagna who has been a long time donor to Catholic education.
Coming Event to Assist Providence House
Providence House Pumpkin Parade, Sunday, October 14, 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm.
For more information call: 216.651.5982.
Bruening Technology Grant Opportunity
The Office of Catholic Education is excited to announce that we have received a $90,000 grant from the Bruening Foundation! The overall grant will be used to further technology integration in the schools. However, a large piece of this funding will go directly to schools in the form of technology grants.
Each school can apply for a grant of up to $3200. Please note that this is a competitive process and accepted grants will be based on thorough and complete applications. We do anticipate visiting a sampling of schools that receive a grant to view the implementation in person. In order to get this funding to you as quickly as possible for this school year, we are requiring all applications to be submitted by October 26, 2007. The application form and further information may be found under Important Documents:
www.oce-ocs.org/oce/teachers/edtech. Any questions? Please contact Moira Conway at mconway@dioceseofcleveland.org.
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.
Grants Available from the National Autism Association
The Northeast Ohio Chapter’s service area, Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Lorain, Summit, Medina and Portage Counties are included in the grant opportunity. Grants will be awarded in an amount up to $1,000 to help children with autism access needed interventions. The Association would consider providing a grant to a family with an autistic child that attends a Catholic school. Tuition to this school might be considered an eligible use if the person attending is autistic and is benefiting from the school. Interested parties may review and download the grant application by going to http://www.autismnortheastohio.org/files/HH2007.pdf. Application forms will be accepted through October 31, 2007.
Examples of covered services include speech therapy, occupational, and physical therapy, music therapy, social groups, behavioral intervention, home programming costs, tuition assistance at autism schools, respite care, marriage counseling for the parents, summer camps expenses, as well as medical testing and treatment costs, including biomedical interventions.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum K-12 Programs to Enhance the Fine Arts-Music Curriculum
Visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum with your students and dive into the rich history and sounds of popular music to explore topics in social studies, language arts, music, and more. Go to www.rockhall.com for details and more information on these programs and other happenings at the Hall of Fame and Museum.
A virtual field trip to the Rock Hall happens through interactive video conferencing that brings the Museum’s resources to your students without ever leaving your classroom.
Professional development for teachers includes:
- A free evening program on the 2nd Wednesday of each month where teachers can learn how to integrate popular music into the classroom.
- Summer Teacher Institute is an annual, weeklong training of teachers to use popular music to enhance lessons through daily presentations on the history of rock and roll, successful lessons and activities and much more.
- NEOEA Day – a one-day teacher workshop in conjunction with the North Eastern Ohio Education Association where teachers learn more abut the Museum’s educational programs and exhibits.
- Rock and Roll Night School looks at different musical genres and artists each month and gives the classic rocker a new perspective on his/her favorite music. Free classes for adults every 4th Wednesday of the month!
Free Publications for Parents
Schools can order the booklets listed below for distribution to parents at parent-teacher conferences. They contain many practical things parents can do to support their child’s education.
Helping Your Child Series—many of the publications are also available in Spanish
The Helping Your Child publication series aims to provide parents with the tools and information necessary to help their children succeed in school and life. These booklets feature practical lessons and activities to help their school-aged and preschool children master reading, understand the value of homework and develop the skills and values necessary to achieve and grow.
Helping Your Child Learn History
Helping Your Child Learn Science
Helping Your Child Learn Mathematics
Helping Your Child Become a Reader
Helping Your Child With Homework
Helping Your Preschool Child
Helping Your Child Succeed in School
Helping Your Child Through Early Adolescence
More titles and information can be seen on the Ed Gov website: http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/hyc.html
300 Desks Available at No Cost!
John Kish, Principal of West Geauga Middle School has 300 desks (half of which are one-armed, the kind used in high schools) to give away. Call 440.729.5940 if you are interested. The school is located at 8611 Cedar Road, Chesterland, Ohio.