Volume 6, Issue 3
September 4, 2007
Labor Day 2007- Excerpts from A Reflection by The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn
“Labor Day is a holiday with an important, but sometimes forgotten purpose. It was established in New York in 1882 as a day to honor work and workers and also a time to celebrate the contributions of the American Labor Movement. …We should not forget how our nation’s economy and commerce, our standard of living, and even our time off are in many ways the hard won gains of workers organized into unions to bargain for decent wages, working conditions, and benefits, such as vacation time and health care coverage. …It is also important to remember as Catholics that the dignity of work and the rights of workers are central elements of Church teaching that continue to challenge all Catholics.
…This year is the 40 th Anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s powerful encyclical, On the Development of Peoples. He called Catholics to defend the lives and dignity of the poor and vulnerable workers in our own societies and around the world. Paul VI called us to be in solidarity with those who seek to “escape from hunger, misery, endemic disease, and ignorance.” …Our present Holy Father, Benedict XVI, in his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, has placed the Church’s social doctrine in the context of God’s love for us and our duty to love the ‘least of these.’ “[W]ithin the community of believers there can never be room for a poverty that denies anyone what is needed for a dignified life.” (Deus Caritas Est, 20)”
Labor Day 2007 is a time to look back, look around and look ahead. It is a day to celebrate the work and the workers who are at the heart of this holiday. It is a time to recall the powerful and consistent teaching of our Church on the dignity of work and rights of workers. It is an opportunity to remember when we have fallen short and when we have made a difference. Most of all, like New Year’s Day, it is a time to resolve to do better. For Catholics, Labor Day 2007 is a time to recommit in our own small ways––to our own work, to treat others justly, and to defend the lives, dignity, and rights of workers, especially the most vulnerable. This is a requirement of our faith and a way to advance the promise of our nation.”
You may read the entire text of the Labor Day Statement, including Bishop DiMarzio’s reflection on the failed immigration reform debate and how to have a new and better immigration discussion by going to www.usccb.org/sdwp/Labor%20Day%202007.pdf .
Message from the Secretary for Education/Superintendent
As we begin the school year in this week after Labor Day, I want to again wish all of you a blessed and peaceful beginning to the school year. As you know, planning ahead for the entire year pays dividends as each event and activity rolls around before you know it.
This year is the year of the Ohio Catholic Education Association Convention, October 11 and 12, 2007. “This gathering from Dioceses of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia provides untold opportunities for learning, sharing and experiencing the “oneness” that is ours in Catholic education,” states the Most Reverend Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop of Cincinnati, this year’s host city. “This convention is designed to assist and encourage you, while providing you the motivation and encouragement to assure our educational excellence within a Catholic environment.”
Frank Kuhar, Eastern Area Superintendent, Karl Ertle, President/Principal of Cleveland Central Catholic High School and John Stipek, Principal of Our Lady of Good Counsel have served on the program committee for the convention representing our diocese. We are grateful for their willingness to serve and for their hard work in making this convention a memorable one. A SPECIAL EVENING OPPORTUNITY has been planned for Thursday. There is complimentary admission this evening with your OCEA badge to The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center from 7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.
Go online to the OCEA Convention and read all of the opportunities for professional development during these two days. Besides, it’s a lot of fun! This is a great event for which to enlist funding from your Parent-Teacher group. Your teachers gain a broader picture of Catholic education as they mingle with educators from all over Ohio and its surrounding states. Please do your utmost to support this event. I hope to see many of you there.
Audit on Compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
The audit will take place during the week of September 17, 2007, and will assess compliance with the charter for the period: 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007. Thanks for all of the great data you provided.
Meetings will take place with Bishop Lennon and various diocesan staff members to assess how the charter is being implemented.
No visits will be made to the parishes/schools/agencies to determine compliance with the charter; nor will random calls be made to pastors to discuss implementation of any aspect of the Diocesan Guidelines for Sexuality Catechesis.
Atlas Trainings for Curriculum Mapping and Understanding by Design
Atlas Trainings will be held the week of September 10th.
-System Administrator Training, focusing on resetting passwords, adding teachers and courses, etc., will run from 2:00-3:00 pm.
-Analytical Tools Training, focusing on analyzing assessment data, scope and sequence reports, standards profiling, etc., will run from 3:00- 5:30 pm. You can register online at www.oce-ocs.org/oce/teachers/prof_development.
Please note that the Analytical Tools Training at Corporate College West is already full!
Curriculum Mapping
Looking for information on Curriculum Mapping topics and locations for 2007-2008? Want to view a presentation from 2006-2007? All of this information is available at www.oce-ocs.org/oce/teachers/curr_mapping.
Technology Newsletter
If you did not yet receive the September issue of the Office of Catholic Education Tech Newsletter, you can download it at www.oce-ocs.org/oce/teachers/edtech. Here you can also sign up to receive it monthly!
Save the Date
What: GAR “Gifts & Grants Conference
When: Saturday, September 29, 2007 – 11:30-3:30 pm
Where: Akron-Summit County Public Library
Keynotes: Alan November and Dr. Beth Stroble
Come and learn how to maximize your “gifts” as an educator with creative cutting edge ideas from national and local experts and learn about ways to fund them!
For more information: GAR Foundation 330.576.2926
Web: http://www.garfdn.org/4-educator.htm
Katie Wells-Goodwin (katy7ed@verizon.net) 330.670.6252 or
Connie Leonard (conniekayleonard@yahoo.com) 330.699.5382
PSI in the a.m.
PSI is sponsoring a new monthly breakfast speaker series for principals and administrators called PSI in the a.m. The series will be dedicated to a variety of topics including public relations, marketing, enrollment, and new programs attractive to parents.
Tuesday, September 25 9:00 – 10:30 am Defining Your School:
Doubletree Hotel – Cleveland South, Independence Creating an Irresistible
Marketing Image – Gerald R. Jindra
Tuesday, October 30 9:00 – 10:30 am Taking Your Message to
Market-Affordable
Marketing Campaigns – Gerald R. Jindra
Tuesday, November 27 9:00 – 10:30 am The Assessment Dilemma:
When Grades Don’t Match
Standardized Performance
Measures – Marge Joyce
Tuesday, January 22 9:00 – 10:30 am Helping Students Cope With All
Forms of Aggression – Marsha Michaels
Seminars are free for PSI client schools. Cost to other schools is $25 per person. Make check payable to PSI. Continental breakfast begins at 9:00 am and seminar begins promptly at 9:30 am.
Contact PSI at 800.841.4774, ext. 104 to make a reservation.
Youth Helping Catholic Charities
A special thank you to all of the schools who participated in the 2006-2007 Youth Helping Catholic Charities program. We raised over $12,300 in cash for Rose-Mary Center, and collected an enormous amount of items for Rose-Mary Center's Wish List! With the school year off to a great start, we look forward to everyone's participation in the 2007-2008 Youth Helping Program! Please contact Celeste Cappotto at 216-696-6525 ext. 1049 or ccappotto@dioceseofcleveland.org if you are interested in finding out how you can help.
High School Essay Contest
The contest sponsored by Ave Maria Press has been established in honor of the upcoming beatification of Father Basil Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Students in Catholic high schools may participate by writing a 500-word essay entitled“Engaging Minds, Hearts, and Hands for Faith: Fr. Basil Moreau’s Vision for Education.” The focus of the essay should be 1) what it means to educate the whole person; 2) how Catholic high schools are able to incorporate education for “minds, hearts, and hands” into their mission and curriculum. Essays should also include biographical information on Fr. Moreau, a brief overview of the educational ministry of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and the events surrounding Fr. Moreau’s beatification.
One winning student and one winning teacher will be selected. The deadline for receiving essays is Friday, September 21, 2007 at 4:30 pm EST. A team of religious educators, including members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, will judge essays. One $500 scholarship payable to a Catholic high school or college in the name of the winning student will be announced on Saturday, October 6, 2007 as part of the Ave Maria Press Enrichment Day for high school religion teachers. The teacher named on the most qualifying essays will win a complete set of one of Ave Maria Press’ textbooks for up to 50 students at his or her school. This will also be announced on October 6 th at the Enrichment Day.
Directions for students:
E-mail a word attachment of the essay in care of:
Michael Amodei
Executive Editor, Adolescent Curriculum
Ave Maria Press
Include with the essay:
Your Name
Your High School
Your Home Address
Your Home Phone Number
Your Religion Teacher’s Name
For more information contact Karey Welde, Institutional Marketing Manager, Ave Maria Press, 800.282.1865 ext. 247 or kwelde@nd.edu.
Attention Science Teachers: National Chemistry Week Poster Contest
As part of the National Chemistry Week 2007 celebration and in recognition of the 20 th anniversary of the program, the American Chemical Society is sponsoring a poster contest for students in Kindergarten – Grade 12.
Students are invited to create a poster that celebrates the theme “The Many Faces of Chemistry.” The poster should be fun, motivational and inspire students to pursue a science/chemistry-related career.
Consider how people in different careers use science/chemistry:
- Photographer: chemistry’s role in developing film and making prints
- Artist: the chemistry of the materials used to paint, draw or sculpt
- Veterinarian: understanding what medicines can be given to pets
- Crime Scene Investigator: investigating crimes with chemical tests
Prizes will be awarded to first and second place in each of the following grade categories:
- K-2 nd
- 3 rd-4 th
- 5 th-8 th
- 9 th-12 th
First Place = $250
Second Place = $150
There are also prizes for teachers of winning students, which will include a Periodic Table of the Elephants poster!
EDUCATORS: Find additional ideas about careers in chemistry, resources for students and easy ways to celebrate at www.chemistry.org/ncw. Detailed contest rules are found at this site as well. For additional information about the contest, contact the American Chemical Society, Office of Community Activities at 800.227.5558, ext. 6097 or email ncw@acs.org.
Best Buy Teach Award Program
The Best Buy Teach Award Program is designed to recognize innovative and effective uses of interactive technology in the classroom. This year more that $3.5 million will be awarded to K-12 public, private and parochial schools in the United States through the Best Buy Teach Award program. Up to 1,500 schools will be selected to receive a $2,000 Best Buy Teach Award Card. Based on the creativity of the applications submitted up to 50 schools will receive awards of $10,000 each. And, school districts of award recipients will be invited to apply for one of eight $100,000 Teach Awards to benefit the entire district.
More information about this year’s program is available on www.BestBuy.com/Teach. All applications must be completed and submitted online by September 30, 2007. Awards will be announced in February 2008.
Immunization Level Assessment
Each principal should have received the Immunization Level Assessment, 2007-2008 School Year forms for reporting immunization status of pupils new to the school. Please complete these forms and follow the directions carefully for submitting them. The deadline is October 15, 2007. Submitting online is preferred.
8 th Grade Religion Books Available
Saint John Bosco School has 38 eighth grade student religion books to give away. They have never been used. We do not have the teacher manuals that accompany the books. The publisher is Harcourt Religion Publishers, the copyright date is 2007, and the title is Call to Faith (three candles on the front). Arrangements for pick-up or drop off can be made by calling Eileen Updegrove at 440.886.0061 extension 4.