Regal Leader
Volume 47 - April 23, 2018
A look to the week ahead
What a difference a week makes! I hope everyone was able to enjoy our first nice weekend in a long time. I hope this means winter is officially over.
We have the K-12 Memorial Mass on Wednesday morning. The schedule changes are in the pdf below.
The K-12 Art Show is at 5:00 on Thursday in the MPR. Be sure to make it up to the MPR to see works from our students.
Looking ahead...
AP tests are the weeks of May 7 and May 14. Students taking exams will be missing classes during their exam times.
The Awards Assembly and last day for seniors is May 23. Seniors will not be in classes that day so their last day of classes is May 22.
Baccalaureate Mass is at 7:30 at St. Wenceslaus Church on May 23. Graduation is at 2:00 on Sunday, May 27. All teachers are expected to attend Baccalaureate and graduation.
Monday: 8th graders gone in AM for the Financial Literacy Fair.
Tuesday: 8th grader Earth & Space Science Exam 8:20-10:30, Briggs Luncheon @ 12:00, Board of Education meeting at 6:30
Wednesday: Mass @ 9:30
Thursday: Department PD until 3:30, Art Show in MPR @ 5:00
Friday: Gone for Diocesan Principal Retreat
Saturday: Prom and Post-Prom
Have a great week!
This Week's Morning Prayer
4/23 Shepherd and spirit of love,
I listen for your voice, warm, familiar and loving.
I hear you call my name as you guide me in life.
Help me always to recognize your voice leading and guiding me.
Help me also to see the stranger you lead me to love and serve.
I beg your Holy Spirit to set my heart on fire.
Like the deer longs for water, I long for you, my God.
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
4/24 Source of all life,
I feel so secure, knowing that my shepherd knows me as an individual,
and that I rest safely in the father's hand.
Help me to remain faithful with your grace.
Give me a firmness of heart, so different from my hardness of heart.
Soften my judgementalism, and help me to show greater care for all those in my life
especially those most in need of me today.
May the joy of my redemption spill over into my life
so I may be truly called "Christian" -- a follower of yours.
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
4/25 God of Light,
I pray to do more than simply follow your light.
I want to stay in that light toward which you draw me.
May I shine your loving grace on those in the darkness.
The disciples believed in you and laid their hands as they sent each other off
to spread the work of your gospel to the world.
Thank you for calling me into your light and truth.
Fill me with mercy for those on the margins
that my life, and theirs, may be one of joy and praise.
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
4/26 Risen Jesus,
My heart sings of your goodness and I am in awe of how you have graced all of our lives
with greater dignity and the wonder of rebirth.
You have given me an example with your life
and mission me to receive those you place into my day
with dignity, service and love.
In my Easter joy, I find the courage to say Yes.
Help me to receive the ones you send to me so that I might receive you.
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
4/27 Loving Jesus,
you ask me to trust in you.
You tell me you have a place for me.
But, sometimes, like Thomas, I don't know how to get to that place,
and fear enters my heart.
Then I hear your warm voice telling me not to let my heart be troubled or afraid.
Give me the wisdom to trust in you.
Help me to open my eyes to my brothers and sisters,
so when I return to the place you are preparing, there will be room for us all.
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Mass on Wednesday Morning This Week
Thursday Afternoon Meeting
Yearlong Reflection Journal
Links to past videos:
Week 3 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/week-3-2/
Week 4 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/week-4/
Week 5 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/2001/
Week 6 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/week-6_201/
Week 7 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/week-7_/
Week 8 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/big-mansion-episode/
Week 9 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/truth-person-episode/
Week 10 - https://beingcatholic.com.au/jesus-and-the-poached-egg/
Week 11 - https://beingcatholic.com.au/the-nobility-episode/
Week 12 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/new-missionaries-episode/
Week 13 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/2788/
Week 14 - https://beingcatholic.com.au/the-pope-francis-episode/
Week 15 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/internet-episode/
Week 16 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/rigorous-curriculum/
Week 17 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/power-witnesses/
Week 18 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/okavango-episode/
Week 19 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/human-rights-episode/
Week 20 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/european-sports-car-episode/
Week 21 - https://beingcatholic.com.au/the-lost-sheep-episode/
Week 22 - https://beingcatholic.com.au/the-unity-of-purpose-episode/
Week 23 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/?p=3441
Week 24 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/great-cloud-witnesses-episode/
Week 25 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/going-deeper-ep/courage-episodes-part-1/
Week 26 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/?p=3578
Week 27 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/?p=3596
Week 28 - http://wp.me/P3nYbb-Yf
Week 29 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/the-perfect-dinner-episode/
Week 30 - http://beingcatholic.com.au/week32/
Reflection questions:
Week 3 - Popular culture brings many challenges and pressures to our students. What do you think the Church can bring them to help them deal with all of the outside influences they face? How does Regina do this? Can we do more? How?
Week 4 - What structures or opportunities exist at Regina to help students build a deep sense of community? Can we do more? What?
Week 5 - What kind of balance exists between a Regina student’s intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual lives? Are we happy with the current balance? If so, what can we do to change it?
Week 6 - What practical ways could we incorporate periods of silence into our school day?
Week 7 - Is Jesus the genuine foundation of Regina? In what ways can we improve in making Jesus the foundation of Regina?
Week 8 - Does the sense of Regina achieving its mission ‘depending chief!y on you’ make you feel excited or burdened as a community?
Week 9 - An authentic Catholic school will try to reveal to students the deep truth that they are made in the image of God, that they are loved and that are needed in the world. How effective do you think Regina is at the moment in helping young people know these truths?
Week 9 - It takes courage and effort these days to present Jesus both to the hearts and heads of young people. Do you think your school has the courage to first make Jesus a priority for staff and then proclaim Him to young people in the many opportunities of each day or is Jesus given an occasional mention? What could change and how?
Week 9 - The idea of your subject being a way that students encounter truth can be a paradigm shift. Being totally honest, do you think your school values academic and teaching excellence more in terms of rankings and its appeal to parents or in terms of leading students to truth and Christ? Could both be possible?
Week 10 - What ways currently exist to really encounter the person of Jesus at Regina? What could change or be given more emphasis?
Week 11 - In what ways do you see your school currently developing ‘strong habits of virtue’ in each student that will ‘sustain them in the struggle of life”? What is one thing that could be attempted to strengthen this?
Week 12 - How effectively do you think Regina addresses the spiritual hunger that exists in every young person? Could more be done?
Week 13 - Try and define two or three core elements that truly capture what living the Gospel means.
Week 14 - Do you feel your strengths and expertise are creating a community where love for others is increasing? If not, what could be attempted or done differently?
Week 15 - How could Regina, “...bring warmth and stir hearts.’ through how it understands and uses social communication?
Week 16 - What is your sense of the quality of Regina’s religious education curriculum? Do you think students are given the chance to engage deeply with the Catholic faith on a rigorous level?
Week 17 - If observers spent a week at Regina what would they encounter? What ways exist at Regina for staff to deeply encounter Christ?
Week 18 - John Paul II saw Jesus as the centre of the universe and of history. Would it be fair to say that Christ is the centre of Regina?
Week 19 - Do you think that Regina is currently a place where students, ”...sense their dignity even before they have a definition for it”? What things make this likely or unlikely? What needs to change or what more can be done?
Week 20 - As a staff how do you see the current balance at Regina between a focus on knowledge and outcomes and the bigger picture of human and spiritual formation of staff and students?
Week 21 - How are we meeting the needs of the poor at Regina whether that be financial, relational, social or spiritual? What do we need to do more of? What could we start doing that we are not doing at the moment?
Week 22 - Describe the ‘purpose’ of Regina in a single sentence.
Week 23 - In what ways are we currently bringing the brokenhearted in our Regina community, ‘...rest for their souls.”? In what ways can we help them encounter Jesus who wants to be closer to them? In what ways are we being the presence of Christ to them? What could we attempt?
Week 24 - What role does tradition play in the life of Regina? What is our most valued school tradition? Could new traditions be started that would create a more vibrant Catholic community?
Week 25 - How can moral courage be lived out as a staff at Regina when it comes to witnessing to the Catholic faith? What would it cost people?
Week 26 - In terms of finding the courage to be a faithful Catholic school that is committed to sharing the Good News what do you think are the biggest fears and obstacles to this courage that need to be faced and overcome at Regina?
Week 27 - As well as the focus on Jesus and the need to value every person, what other basic principles do you feel matter at Regina? What opportunities currently exist at Regina for reflection and self-criticism?
Week 28 - In what ways if any do you think Regina is undertaking missionary work in the lives of young people?
Week 29 - As a staff do we love our students equally? How well do we love the most difficult of our students? What strategies can we share with each other for loving those that test our capacity?
Week 30 - How do you feel as a staff about the idea of teaching truth in a very relativist world? Is is hard or easy for you?
Easter Resources
Easter arrives early this year on Sunday, April 1, 2018, offering all of us the wonderful opportunity to celebrate the entire Easter season with our students before the school/catechetical year comes to a close. There are a myriad of resources and opportunities parishes and schools can use during the Easter season. As you prepare to guide your faith community through all 50 days of the Easter season, take a peek at some of the amazing tools available at the 'click' of your mouse!
- Church Life Journal posted an outstanding blog about celebrating the Easter Season in the classroom. Here is the link to the article.
- Busted Halo is a great website especially for those who work with teens and young adults. Take a look at Holy Week in Two Minutes.
- Joe Paprocki's Catechist Journey arrives in my inbox every afternoon with helpful and insightful suggestions for Catholic school teachers and parish catechists alike. His Easter Folder contains an amazing list of helpful ideas, articles and learning activities.
- The Liturgical Catechist has become one of my favorite sites for video clips, articles, links and ideas. I highly recommend looking through their list of Easter resources. Click here.
- Loyola Press has also assembled a series of resources and lesson plans. Click here.
- The Diocese of Albany, NY has assembled an excellent Digital Library for anyone to use. Take a peek at their Easter Folder and then explore the entire collection.
- Catholic Family Faith has curated excellent suggestions that you can look through and share with the families you serve. Click here.
- The Religion Teacher website has great Easter activities click here as does Building Faith click here.
- The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) website is always a good place to start. Their overview of Easter is worth a look, click here.
Submitted by Lisa Orchen, M.Div., the Archdiocese of Hartford's Director of Catechetical Initiatives
Summer PD Opportunities in Outdoor Skills
Advanced Fish Iowa! Lake and Bow-fishing
Teaching Outdoor Skills: An Introduction to Basic Outdoor Skills
Activity #: HL007099991901
Location: Big Creek State Park Marina
Dates: July 31 & August 1 (work due August 15), 2018
Times: 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. (7/31); 8:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. (8/1)
Registration Deadline: July 20, 2018
Online Registration: Heartland Area Education Agency
Targeted Subject Area and Grade Level: Physical Education Grades K-12 with emphasis on grades 4-12
Number of Credits: 1 License Renewal or 1 Drake Graduate Credit
Cost: No Credit: $100; Licence Renewal: $135; Drake Graduate Credit: $210
For More Information: barb.gigar@dnr.iowa.gov; 515-494-3891
Description
Hands-on sessions will acquaint participants with a variety of basic outdoor skills and teaching resources/methodologies. Participants will receive introductory instruction and lesson plans for planning outings, map reading, hiking, paddling, fishing, archery, campfire cooking, and basic firearm safety/shooting. The registration fee includes meals and materials.
Teaching Outdoor Skills: Fish Iowa!
Activity Number: HL005999991901
Location: Big Creek State Park Marina
Dates: June 6 & 7 (work due June 22), 2018
Times: 9:00-6:00/7:00-3:00
Registration Deadline: May 30, 2018
Online Registration: Heartland Area Education Agency
Targeted Subject Area and Grade Level: Health and PE Grades 7-12; Ag and Natural Resources 7-12; Life Sciences 7-12; Nonformal educators working with age 12 and older
Number of Credits: 1 License Renewal; 1 Drake Graduate Credit
Cost: No Credit: $80; Licence Renewal: $115; Graduate Credit: $190
For More Information: barb.gigar@dnr.iowa.gov; 515-494-3891
Description:
This two-day workshop will acquaint participants with the Fish Iowa! fishing education modules and a variety of other resources to teach fishing in a variety of settings. Participants will learn fishing basics including fish identification, fishing locations, casting techniques, and cleaning and cooking fish. Participants will experience lake/pond fishing (including kayak fishing) and be introduced to bow fishing and fly-fishing. A valid Iowa fishing license is required for fishing activities. Instruction will include a variety of demonstration and hands-on, experiential approaches. Activities will also include peer teaching and small group work to develop appropriate teaching strategies for individual teaching situations. The registration fee includes lunch, teaching modules, and an instructor kit. The materials will be provided in pdf format, so please bring a laptop or similar device with a USB port.
Teaching Outdoor Skills: Advanced Fish Iowa! Lake Fishing and Bow-Fishing
Activity #: HL007199991901
Location: Lake Red Rock Visitor Center
Dates: July 24 & 25, 2018
Times: 1:00 p.m. -11:00 p.m. (7/24); 7:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. ((725)
Registration Deadline: July 13, 2018
Online Registration: Heartland Area Education Agency
Targeted Subject Area and Grade Level: Health and PE Grades 7-12; Ag and Natural Resources 7-12; Life Sciences 7-12; Nonformal educators working with age 12 and older
Number of Credits: 1 License Renewal
Cost: No Credit: $75; Licence Renewal: $110
For More Information: barb.gigar@dnr.iowa.gov; 515-494-3891
Description
This advanced Fish Iowa! training includes on-water instruction specific to fishing lakes and bow fishing. Classroom activities include modeling and practice of teaching activities to be used with students. About 2/3 of course sessions are practical experience bow fishing and lake fishing with experienced mentors. A valid fishing license is required to participate. Training in Fish Iowa! basic spincasting module or prior angling experience recommended. The registration fee includes food, all equipment and materials needed for activities, and a teaching resource.
Five Ways Teachers Can Impact School Culture
2. Take responsibility for your students' academic achievement... and share your data with colleagues. Data is used by the most successful schools to make instructional decisions and drive school improvement efforts. It is not always comfortable to share your own assessment results, but it is an essential component of healthy professional learning communities. When you take the tough steps of sharing your data with colleagues, it encourages others to follow suit. Your candor sends the message that weaknesses will be confronted head on. Faculties that are honest with each other about student achievement are in the best position to do something about it. Don't wait on the principal or instructional coach to call a data meeting -- you start the conversation. It will make it more likely that your colleagues will own their data as well.
3. Take risks... and fail publicly. It is easy for faculties to become complacent, especially when the status quo is adequate. Try something new in your classroom, and let your colleagues know how it goes. If a new activity or strategy bombs, scrap it... or tweak it, but share your experiences and move on. Your courage and your transparency will inspire other teachers to break out of their own ruts. Innovation thrives in schools where teachers are free to fail.
4. Be patient with the knuckleheads... and never lose sight of your purpose. Most teachers have some challenging students at some point during the day. It can be tempting for teachers to complain about them in the lounge, at the lunch table, in the hallways, or even at faculty meetings. You teach the knuckleheads too, but you give them the benefit of the doubt. You show empathy, You understand that the inappropriate behaviors are a manifestation of dysfunctional circumstances outside of school that no kid should have to deal with. Your attitude toward the toughest students will not go unnoticed by other teachers. It is usually the case that the most difficult kids need the most TLC. Your patience with these kids reminds other teachers what's really important -- making a difference in the lives of kids.
5. Stay positive... even in the face of adversity. We all have tough days, and some circumstances seem to conspire to destroy the morale of the faculty. Smile, remain optimistic, and figure out a way to remind your colleagues "the glass is half full." Optimism is contagious. The positive energy you bring to work each day will lift the spirits of those around you. Your commitment to maintaining a positive outlook will generate positive energy in the building that can make the naysayers irrelevant.
Taken from Steele Thoughts by Dr. Danny Steele
Glenn Plummer
Email: glenn.plummer@regina.org
Location: 2150 Rochester Avenue, Iowa City, IA, United States
Phone: 319-321-4234
Twitter: @gap_4