Monday Mission Memo
May 20, 2019
Superintendent's Update
Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter
School Leaders of the Diocese of Cleveland,
I’d like to comment a bit this week on the third root belief, that excellence happens on purpose. Recall that the working draft for the Office of Catholic Education’s School Leadership Team includes these four beliefs:
Every person is a gift from God.
Leadership matters.
Excellence happens on purpose.
Collaboration is a force multiplier.
If the first two are foundational -- the unshakable goodness bestowed to every person by God and the high importance on your, my, and all of our leadership -- then this third root belief reminds us to connect those intentionally. Important as leadership is, we have only a fixed amount of time to devote to the many demands of our schools as well as the demands of our own spiritual lives and our vocations to our families or communities. It is therefore critically important that we spend the right amount of time doing the most high-leverage activities to build and maintain strong Catholic school cultures. This focus on culture is, in fact, what makes our schools Catholic. Not just that we teach the faith as a subject, or even across all subjects, but that we live it daily, and that our school environments of learning and growth first and foremost exhibit the joy of the Gospel in ways that are irresistible for students and parents alike. That work is the least easy to measure but the most transformational for our schools and students.
This is not to say that we can spend all of our time leading from the ether while everyone else is on the ground. Being intentional also includes getting the details right. This season of year-end celebrations and awards is a great example–after 180 days of school, these moments are likely to be the ones that stay with students for years to come. Taking care that the details all point to our uplifting mission is how an “ordinary” event like a school awards program can be an instance of evangelization. So many positive examples abound, and the leadership team and I look forward to joining many of you in the coming weeks for these celebrations.
Our graduation season is underway, with a number of high schools holding commencements this week and weekend and the following weeks as our elementary schools begin to hold theirs. Please keep these graduates in your prayers as they celebrate this milestone and begin to take their next steps in life.
May God Bless you this week and this weekend as well as all those who have given their lives in the service of our country, whom we especially remember on Memorial Day.
Frank
P.S. Thanks to those who have looked at or commented on the Catholic School Leader Profile.
We will take other opportunities to obtain feedback as we grow in establishing common language for leadership, but feel free to comment at any time.
Scheduling the Culture Project for 2019-20
The Culture Project will begin its ministry in the Diocese of Cleveland next fall and is starting the process of scheduling implementation in schools, parishes, and other organizations. The programming and presence of Culture Project missionaries is available at no cost to your school.
To request The Culture Project, please fill out the schedule form online at:
www.thecultureproject.org/schedule
For scheduling inquiries or for more information about the Culture Project in Cleveland, please contact Lauren Sabatka: lsabatka@thecultureproject.org
Elementary Tuition Agreements - please submit (2nd request)
Several weeks ago, we asked our elementary schools to send us copies of their tuition agreement, and we received a good number. I am adding this reminder for you to send or forward to your finance office/business manager if you have not done so already. Please email a copy to Dennis Beckstrom, school controller, at dbeckstrom@dioceseofcleveland.org. Our team will review in order to make recommendations on how best to structure these agreements to the benefit of our schools and families in accordance with state and federal law.
School Spotlight - St. Barnabas
Students at St. Barnabas make the most of the beautiful grounds of the church and school!
Principal Erin Faetanini and Parochial Vicar Fr. Matt Byrne show off one of the beautifully decorated doors at St. Barnabas School
Peer Mediators at St. Barnabas School
2019 STREAM Academy
The STREAM Academy, which takes place on August 7 at St. Bernadette School, provides training for schools implementing STREAM education. Most of the courses offered this year provide training for teachers who intend to teach the course to students either in a class or club situation and then have those students compete in the X-STREAM Games in the spring. Other courses are on STREAM topics of a broader nature that may appeal to any teachers and principals. All schools are welcome to participate. See course descriptions in STREAM Academy booklet below. Registration is currently available on the Digital Academy.
NASA's TECH Day 2019!
Select students from St. Mark, Cleveland, and St. Joseph, Avon Lake, applied to be participants in NASA’s TECH Day. Formerly known as National Lab Day, this annual event presents students with an opportunity to participate in hands-on scientific activities, tour various test site buildings, and hear from NASA representatives about their goals like having the first woman on the moon and getting humans to Mars. Astronaut Doug Wheellock spoke to the students about doing things people never thought of before. He stressed that ordinary kids in ordinary places in ordinary schools can work, study, and prepare so that when the extraordinary opportunities present themselves, they will be ready. After all, he was an ordinary kid in a small-town school who dreamed for the extraordinary and it happened!
Students at St. Joseph School in Amherst take action to help fight hunger. Read their story.
Summer Seminar Offerings - Facing History and Ourselves
Click the links for more details.
The Fragility of Democracy: The Reconstruction Era - June 18-19
In our upcoming two-day workshop, explore how society heals and rebuilds a democracy after extraordinary division and trauma, when the ideals and values of democracy are fragile.
Holocaust and Human Behavior Featuring Elie Wiesel's Night - July 23-25
The aftermath of atrocities such as the Holocaust can have a lasting impact on justice and judgment. Explore how small steps lead to
the dismantling of democracy, dehumanization, and collective violence in our 3-day seminar featuring Elie Wiesel’s Night.
Top Workplaces 2019!
Elementary Principals - Date Change for 2020
GCCTM Outstanding Educator Awards
Congratulations to two Catholic educators recognized last week by the Greater Cleveland Council of Teachers of Mathematics as 2019 Outstanding Mathematics Educators: For grades K-5: Tanya Pallardy, St. Jude School For grades 6-8: Cara Nestor, St. Sebastian School For a complete list of awardees, see: http://mygcctmonline.org/elections-awards/
Great ideas for online professional development this summer!
It's almost summer, and that means lots of you are thinking about ways to improve your practice. Here are four incredible online courses* for your consideration, starting with my own: 1. JumpStart: A Technology Course for Thoughtful Educators Instructor: Jennifer Gonzalez By guiding you through a series of hands-on projects, this course gives you the confidence and skills to make smart choices about the tech you use in your teaching. The self-paced Basic version of the course is open all year round, but JumpStart Plus, which adds an online community, a team of mentors, and a calendar of deadlines to keep you on track, opens just five times a year. Our June cohort is open for enrollment right now! Learn more here. 2. Student Motivation Course Instructor: Dave Stuart, Jr. What would it be like if, every time you asked your students to do something, they all did it, and they did it with care, engagement, and effort? In this course, Dave shares what he's learned from tons of research and his own classroom practice. You'll also join a community of hundreds of positive-minded teachers who have taken the course and share their best practices. The course is open year-round, but summer is a great time to get laser-focused on what really motivates your students! Learn more here. 3. The 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club Instructor: Angela Watson This club has helped tens of thousands of overwhelmed teachers get their lives into balance. If you've thought about leaving teaching because the rest of your life is getting the short end of the stick, you need to check out this year-long, life-changing club. Early bird access opens June 15. Learn more here. 4. Google Certification Academies Instructor: Kasey Bell of Shake Up Learning Although you can use Google tools perfectly well without ever getting any kind of certification, pursuing certification has significant professional benefits. Google expert Kasey Bell offers training for three different levels of Google certification in her online academies. The courses only open twice a year, and one of those times is this week: Enrollment starts May 21. Learn more here.
A Great Opportunity for Cleveland Catholic Students
Curriculum Updates
The preschool professional development sessions for the 2019-2020 school year will be on November 1, 2019, at St. Jude School in Elyria, where the focus will be nature education. The preschool curriculum rollout will take place on February 21, 2020, at St. Rita School in Solon. Please share these dates with your preschool staff.
Free Robotics PD July 31
BlocklyProp is conducting a free Robotics course in Ohio coming up at the end of July. This course is for middle school, high school, and technical school educators.
See the sign-up page: https://www.parallax.com/company/event/3230/robotics-blocklyprop-berea-oh
Or to learn more, visit the education page: https://www.parallax.com/education/teach
Changes Coming to Substitute Licenses
As soon as there is further clarification on the name of the license and more criteria, I will let you know. In the meantime, teachers may continue to apply for new or renew their substitute teaching license. Attached are the directions for new and renewal applications, as well as the credential request form that comes to my office before approval. Questions: mhokanson@dioceseofcleveland.org.