Monday Mission Memo
January 7, 2019
Interim Superintendent's Update
Happy New Year, and welcome back from a blessed Christmas break! The new year is always a time of hope, as evidenced by our many resolutions for continuous improvement in the new year. If you are like me, you may already have a few things in your life on which you have made promises to yourself. But how about our organizations? Do our resolutions help nourish our vocations? Maybe you want to:
Nourish your Faith.Plan to challenge yourself to grow in faith with a resource from the vast library of FORMED, available at no cost through all of our parishes. (See that announcement here.) Or sign up at at http://faith.nd.edu/ to have the daily Gospel delivered to your inbox accompanied by a thoughtful reflection.
Stretch your dollars. Utilize Khan Academy’s free, personalized resources for MAP or exploring the free, customizable online textbooks available via the CK-12 Foundation.
See the World. Book travel to attend the NCEA Convention, an NWEA Fusion Conference, or one of the many Summer Programs from the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE).
Spread the Word. Consider creating parent ambassador programs to harness the renewable resource of families who love our ministry as much as we do. Or adapt one of the many free resources from the Enrollment Management page from the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Stay informed. Keep abreast of the latest education news by following Tim's Uhl’s Catholic School Matters podcast or newsletter, subscribe to Edutopia or Education Week.
For my part, I’m challenging myself to redouble my efforts on prayer and to ensure that I have a little music in my life every day. I considered resolving to send these newsletters earlier on Mondays, but I thought it best to keep with last year’s resolution of living within my limitations. :)
Finally, I’ll be showing colleagues from the Partnership for Inner City Education around Cleveland this week and hope to drop in on some elementary schools. Superintendent Kathleen Porter-Magee will be among the guests. If you missed it last year, here’s her fantastic blog post featuring our own St. Thomas Aquinas
https://edexcellence.net/articles/oases-in-the-desert-catholic-schools-success-isnt-a-mirage
She is a national leader in education and an outstanding blog to follow if you’d like to add her to your new year’s list.
May God continue to bless you in this most uplifting vocation this week and this year!
Yours in Christ,
Frank
Diocesan Meetings during the next month:
January 16–Group IV Accreditation Meeting at Ss. Joseph and John School 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
January 17–High School All-Principal Meeting at Magnificat High School 9:00 a.m - 12:30 p.m. (lunch)
January 22–BRIDGE meeting at St. Albert the Great 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
January 23–Better Together meeting at St. Mary Byzantine School 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
January 29–Makeup EVT Chairperson Training at St. Hilary School 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
January 30–School Safety Training for Elementary & Secondary Schools at IHM 8:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
February 4–Preschool Meeting at St. Basil Parish Center 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
February 5–CLASS meeting at OCFE 2nd Floor 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
February 6–CAPP meeting at OCFE 4th Floor 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
School Spotlight - St. Mary of the Assumption, Mentor
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Program
Mrs. Benns gets silly-stringed by her students!
Live Nativity at St. Mary's of the Assumption to celebrate Christmas
The Faith Builders Leadership Club provides students with an opportunity to share their faith with our school and community. Members participate in dramatic activities through which they share the story of God's love for us: Living Nativity during Advent and Living Stations of the Cross during Lent. In addition, members help prepare special programs and Masses, for instance "I Can the Way I AM" Mass and May Crowning. Members are given an opportunity to lead the school and community in spreading God's love and mercy for all.
School Spotlight - St. Helen, Newbury
Pat Gannon proudly leads St. Helen School
Advent Prayer at St. Helen School
Christmas Family Dinner, a longstanding tradition at St. Helen School
Catholic Schools Week Marketing
1/27–Celebrating your parish
1/28–Celebrating your community
1/29–Celebrating your students
1/30–Celebrating your nation
1/31–Celebrating vocations
2/1–Celebrating your staff & volunteers
2/2–Celebrating families
K-12 School Safety Training–Register now on Digital Academy!
Below is a video of the Live Nativity play at St. Aloysius School in Glenwood.
Educational Technology Survey
Join us for the Next Bridge Conversation for Catholic Elementary and High School Leaders
Service Pins for Milestone Years
Later this week you will receive a listing of any teachers or administrators who are to receive a service pin for 5, 10, 15.... years of service in any of our schools in the Diocese of Cleveland. This has been a long-standing tradition that our office recognize those who have dedicated their profession to the Diocese of Cleveland. Historically this is given to teachers and administrators. Please review and email back any corrections you believe are needed so that we can update our records. But please remember, this is not recognition for just the years at your school, but any schools in the Diocese of Cleveland. Please have corrections back to our office by 18th to allow us time to process and mail them to you by Catholic Schools Week. If you do your recognition at the end of the school year, please adhere to the January 18th deadline, so that we can complete your request with the others.
Thank you!
Missy Hokanson & Patricia Mohney
Teacher Support Services
High School ‘Mass for Life’ on January 22nd
Register this week online for the annual Mass for Life on January 22nd at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. This mass takes place on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. All high schools in the diocese are invited to Mass at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Catholic Charities and the Office for Human Life ask schools to register at: https://ccdocle.org/office-human-life/mass4lifecle
High Schools that register by Friday, January 11 will receive RESERVED SEATING. Please note, this Mass is only for high school students. There will be secured bus parking on Superior and 9th Street in the area immediately surrounding the Cathedral from 9am – 11:45am on January 22nd.