Office for Schools
Diocese of San Diego ~ September 2016
Welcome!
Dear Catholic School Educators, There are moments in our lives when meaningful crossroads intersect taking on profound proportions. 25 years ago, after graduating from art school and embarking on a professional path as an illustrator, I was “called” to a different path altogether. I was accepted as a seminarian to the Diocese of San Diego and spent the majority of my major theologate studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. During that time, I had an opportunity to spend a day of reflection with Mother Teresa at the North American College. As an “art guy” studying in Rome, I was surrounded by the same master artworks I had researched in college throughout my Art History courses. A common motif found in the paintings and frescoes of famous and not-so-famous saints was the halo. Of course, I had always understood the halo as an artistic device used to denote luminance or “the glow” of God’s holiness emanating from the saint. Here was where the crossroad hit. The only thing I remember in Mother Teresa’s message that day was her story about caring for an infirmed young man in a hospital suffering from tapeworms. With her small, thin body, she spread her arms wide and exclaimed, “When I pulled the tapeworm out, it was this big!” Perhaps not surprisingly, it was not her words I remember most. She had a genuine, no-nonsense way of living authentic holiness. She had public credibility unlike anyone, yet personal humility. She had the halo. On September 4, 2016, Mother Teresa became the newest member of our Communion of Saints. Here’s something you may not know. Born as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia, Mother Teresa taught in Catholic schools India for 17 years before she experienced her “call" to a life devoted to caring for the poor and sick. This leaves us with a question: What can we Catholic educators learn from this fellow Catholic educator? Upon her canonization, Pope Francis said, "Mercy was the salt which gave flavor to her work, it was the light which shone in the darkness of the many who no longer had tears to shed for their poverty and suffering." As Catholic educators, she remains an example to us. To everyone, Pope Francis equally encourages, “May she be your model of holiness." May the selfless, ever-giving spirit of Mother Teresa continue to live within your Catholic teaching ministry. Every day presents an opportunity to meet a student, parent or colleague in their own brand of poverty. May you be the mercy of our compassionate God in those moments every day in our Catholic schools. In Mission, John & OFS Team
Mother Teresa with John Galvan
Did You Know...
- You can nominate your students for the first annual NCEA Youth Virtues, Valor, and Vision Award? Let's recognize #americasfineststudents! Our goal is to have EVERY school in the Diocese nominate one student! The deadline is October 15.
- You can also nominate your fellow #americasfinestteachers for NCEA's Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Award!
- Join our Facebook Professional Learning Group! Log in to your Facebook account and search for SD Catholic Schools Professional Learning Network. We are sharing resources, tips, and strategies. We are also discussing our 2016 Summer Reading Book Making Thinking Visible.
- We now have a teacher induction program (formerly known as BTSA) in the Diocese of San Diego where teachers can earn their Clear Credentials through job-embedded training?
- Our Principals will engage in a book study this year? The text is Cultures Built to Last and we will be focusing on building a collaborative culture in our Diocese. Click here to access resources for creating a Professional Learning Community at your school.
Professional Learning
(NEW PD PORTAL!) We have many Professional Learning opportunities - most are free and not during school hours!
Check Out in the Portal Below:
- Storybook Science NGSS Workshop - September 24 ($15)
- Ed Camp - October 1 (free)
- Learning Support Meetings - beginning October 13 (free)
- Science and Faith Alliance Workshop - October 28 ($40)
Digital Portfolios for Catholic Education
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2016, 03:00 PM
3888 Paducah Drive, San Diego, CA, United States
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Atlas Webinars for the Diocese of San Diego
Webinar Series
In an effort to deepen a foundation of knowledge and support for your team, we have worked closely with Julie to design a customized webinar series for participating Diocese of San Diego schools. Below you will find a description and schedule of the trainings on offer.
Webinar Training & Logistics:
Webinars are free of charge
All webinars will begin at 3:30 PST and will be approximately one hour
Sign up as an individual or for a group: If you intend to view the webinar as a group, set up a common space with speakers and a projected screen
If you sign up but cannot attend, you will be sent a recording 24 hours after the webinar
Webinar Offerings:
Navigating Atlas: An overview of Atlas, as it pertains to the Diocese of San Diego curriculum mapping process. Meeting password: learning
Monday, September 12 [Register Here]
Wednesday, September 14 [Register Here]
Tuesday, September 20 [Register Here]
Thursday, September 22 [Register Here]
System Administrator Overview: Training for the system administrators at each school. Meeting password: learning
Thursday, September 15 [Register Here]
Wednesday, September 21 [Register Here]
Tuesday, September 27 [Register Here]Additional Webinars:
Navigating Atlas (event password: learning)
· October 4th [Click here to register]
· October 10th [Click here to register]
System Admin (event password: learning)
· October 6th [Click here to register]
UPDATED Articles/Resources to check out in our Google Drive:
Celebrating Our Catholic Schools
Sacred Heart - In the News!
Other Important News
STAR Testing Window #1 September 12-30
2016-2017 Diocese of SD Learning Support Handbook
2017 Catholic Schools Week
January 29-February 4, 2017
Daily Themes for 2016
Saturday, February 4 ~ Celebrating Families ~ Catholic Schools' Night at the San Diego Gulls (details coming soon)
Save the Date!
May 10, 2017
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
Links to Previous OFS Newsletters
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