Office for Schools
Diocese of San Diego – April 2016
Welcome!
Dear Catholic Schools,
What happens when you host a Catholic school PD party in America’s Finest City? 5,000 of your closest friends show up for an incredibly successful national convention!
It is only fitting that NCEA 2016 Convention & Expo came to our diocese during Easter Week. The Church has always recognized signs and symbols in its rich tradition as important in the transmission of faith. Easter is the apex of our Christian faith, because it carries the promise of all that we hope for in this life and beyond − a life eternally transformed into union with God through Christ. There is poignant symbolism here that connects to our shared Catholic school mission. Near the core of our mission as Catholic educators is the work of transforming the hearts and minds of our students. St. Paul said it perfectly: “So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come” (II Cor. 5:17). Isn’t that the hope for each of our students? To that end, thank you for what you do day-in and day-out to embrace this work as ministry.
As for the convention itself, the feedback from across the country was unanimous. YOU ROCKED IT! The hospitality and positivity coming from all of you were nothing short of spectacular. The Spirit that is alive in your classrooms year-round was evident throughout the Gaslamp and downtown area over the course of those three days. Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for your joy. Thank you for shining. On behalf of the Diocese of San Diego, we are grateful for what you bring and for who you are in your ministry to our children every day.
In Mission,
John & the OFS Team
NCEA Echoes
At the NCEA convention in San Diego, David Coleman delivered the keynote address. Coleman is the President and CEO of the College Board which produces the SAT, the PSAT, and the Advanced Placement Curriculum. His talk was centered on college preparation but was nevertheless thought-provoking. Here are a few points which have given me reflection:
Coleman spoke of “productive solitude.” College is an experience of isolation where people don’t care as much about you as they do in high schools. Catholic high schools invite students into communities in order to teach self-sufficiency and confidence, which serves them well. But they also emphasize a relationship with God, which leads to comfort in solitude.
Restful excellence was a point of emphasis for Coleman. He stresses keeping the Sabbath holy (or simply keeping a day reseved for family) and also balancing our different demands. Do you know what predicts success in college (other than GPA and test scores)? Research shows that prolonged engagement in one activity is an indicator of future success. In other words, quality engagement, not quantity. So we need to stress that students should worry less about filling their schedules with every activity possible and instead focus their efforts on a more balanced life.
Consider Coleman's thoughts when reading the article from The Atlantic entitled "Why Do Some Poor Kids Thrive?" In researching poor students from Baltimore in a decade, they found that kids who had found an "identity project"--meaning a singular passion which consumed their time and interest--were more likely to make it out of poverty.
Gratitude and grace are emphasize in Catholic schools. How many students make it to graduation and forget to thank those who helped them? If so, then we have failed to instill an attitude of gratitude and have given them a sense of entitlement (i.e. “I deserve these accolades”).
Twice during his talk, Coleman repeated this phrase: “It may not be your fault, but it is your problem.” I can recall countless times in my educational career I have uttered the phrase, “It’s not my problem” because I have assumed that someone else caused it. However, because a student hasn’t learned the material he should have—or the teacher was hired by the previous principal—or the school’s pastor has decided to take a school in a certain direction—those are MY PROBLEMS NOW. I can’t pass on the present because I wasn’t involved in the past. I’m involved in shaping the future.
Did you know...
- the majority of the recent Catholic School Teacher Job Fair attendees learned about the Job Fair from the following three places: 1) the Diocesan Website 2) Ed Join and 3) University of San Diego. Please see below for more detailed attendee information.
- the final 2015-2016 Beginning Teachers' Meeting will be held on Thursday, April 21, 2:00-4:00? Topics will include: quick formative assessment strategies, useful apps for the classroom, and end of year traditions.
- the Second Annual Rokenbok Challenge will take place on Wednesday, May 25 at Good Shepherd School (12:30 – 3:00)? There will be prizes for the top three teams. A separate email will be sent out later this week detailing the Challenge as well as information for a follow-up training for the schools that participated in the Rokenbok program last year.
- the California Catholic School Superintendents Curriculum Committee (CCSSCC) has completed the NGSS Catholic Identity Version? Click here to access the document. Also, if you teach science and are interested in serving on a ad hoc committee to review this document, please contact Julie: jcantillon@sdcatholic.org
- we have a group of six schools piloting an elementary standards based report card? More information will be forthcoming.
UPDATED Articles/Resources to check out in our Google Drive:
Celebrating Our Catholic Schools
TWEET of the Month!
St. John's Encinitas - School Newspaper Recognition!
The Eagle Pride Publisher, the school newspaper at Saint John School in Encinitas, earned a Best of Show award (3rd place in middle/jr. high division) at the National Scholastic Press Association convention in Los Angeles April 16. Thousands of middle and high school journalism students from throughout the nation attend this event.
This is the third national recognition the newspaper has received since 2013 when the paper won 1st place in the Scholastic Student Journalism Contest. In 2014-- the last National Scholastic Press Association convention was held in Southern California-- the Eagle Pride Publisher also won third place in Best of Show in the same division. The paper has also won Best of Show in the middle school division at the San Diego County Fair for four of the past five years.
Click here to access the paper.
NCEA ~ San Diego 2016
We have many PD opportunities - most are free and not during school hours!
Announcing - Summer Professional Book Study!
Click on the title for a synopsis from book sellers. All participants in the survey below will receive an email invitation to the meeting at USD - only the first meeting will be face-to-face; subsequent meetings will be virtual. The most popular book selection (announced in the forthcoming email) will be the focus of this summer's Book Study.
Cost: Only the cost of the book (TBD)
3) Choice Words
4) Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well
5) Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners
Next Generation Science Standards
Learner outcomes are currently in development and will be shared soon.
The county offers many trainings for schools that would like to begin more advanced professional learning. See their flyer below.
Other Important News
ONLY 14 Tables Left! This Event will Sell Out!
WCEA/WASC
WCEA/WASC NOTE: Hard copies of interest forms will not be sent to your schools. Please complete this form in the electronic version below. We have 12 schools going through the accreditation process next year. No previous experience serving on an accreditation team is required.
Click here to complete an interest form for serving on a 2016-2017 WCEA/WASC team.
The bi-annual WCEA Commissioners' Meeting is the first week in May. During this meeting, commissioners will share names of potential chairs who are willing to lead committees in other dioceses during the 2016-2017 school year. If you are a principal/assistant principal who has served on several accreditation teams and are interested and willing to chair in a school in one of the western states, please let me know this week and I will share your name at the meeting. Your participation is greatly appreciated! Thank you!
New Executive Director of WCEA Announced
Catholic Teacher Job Fair Data and Improvements for Next Year
This Year's Data at a Glance: Click here
We are collecting feedback for improvements for the 2017 Job Fair and general recruiting efforts. Please email Julie Cantillon with your input: jcantilon@sdcatholic.org (Subject Line: Job Fair)
Updates from the California Catholic School Superintendents Curriculum Committee
The following are brief updates from the CCSSCC meeting that Julie Cantillon attended last week in Ontario, CA.
Standards Based Reporting - Most dioceses have begun piloting standards based report cards (including San Diego). Information regarding the San Diego pilot will be shared in next month's e-newsletter.
Religion Standards - The CCSSCC has begun working on assessments that correlate to the new Religion Standards. The new standards have been posted in the principal portal, but haven't yet been vetted by a diocesan ad hoc committee. Please let Julie know if you would be interested in unpacking the standards. The previous religion standards may guide your instruction until this process is complete and information is communicated.
Social Studies - The CCSSCC will begin reviewing the current Social Studies Standards beginning in the fall.
WCEA Website
The mission of WCEA is to promote quality Catholic education for students in our member elementary and secondary schools through an accrediting process that assures the primacy of faith formation and educational excellence.
NCEA Website
Rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) is a professional membership organization that provides leadership, direction, and service to fulfill the evangelizing, catechizing, and teaching mission of the Church.
CICI
Mission: Catholic Identity Curriculum Integration (CICI) is a national collaborative project to develop and disseminate academic resources and professional development that supports the integration of Catholic Identity into locally developed rigorous, standards-based curriculum.
Shared Office for Schools Google Drive
Diocesan Prayer
Lord, Jesus,
through the intercession of our patron saints,
San Diego and Our Lady of Refuge,
we beg you for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit
upon all of us called to be your disciples
and members of your Church.
Bless us to be obedient servants,
as you were obedient
in loving response to the Father’s love,
and to love one another
as you have first loved us.
Bless us with happy marriages and holy families,
with bishops, religious, deacons and priests
to image your presence among us,
and with dedicated lay people,
both married and single,
to be signs of your love in the world.
Help us to embrace
the mission you have entrusted to us,
in lives of fidelity, holiness and compassion.
San Diego, pray for us.
Our Lady of Refuge, pray for us.
Contact Information
Email: ahodges@sdcatholic.org
Website: http://www.diocese-sdiego.org/
Location: 3888 Paducah Drive, San Diego, CA, United States
Phone: 858-490-8240
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DioceseSanDiego
Twitter: @DioceseSDschool