The following blog was contributed by Jill Annable, executive director for academic excellence at the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) in Arlington, Virginia.
The partnership between Catholic schools and the families we serve has undoubtedly strengthened in the past year. Live video feed has welcomed Catholic teachers into the homes of their students. Parents have expressed a strengthening of their own personal faith lives through participation in the school’s daily prayer rituals, overhearing the virtual preparation of their children’s upcoming Sacraments, and through the work as daily facilitators of their children’s Catholic education.
We all recognize, however, that it hasn’t all been sunshine and roses. Students learning from home hasn’t been easy. Most families never imagined setting up school-like workspaces with strong WiFi signals throughout their homes. The relationship between teacher and parent came to the forefront as whole school communities shared tips and ideas to make the 2020-2021 school year as seamless as possible.
One clear example of this school-home partnership is Our Lady of Mercy School in Potomac, Maryland. Led by Mrs. Doreen Engel, Our Lady of Mercy School prioritized procedures for safe reopening plans in Fall 2020, offering in-person learning. However, like many Catholic schools, distance learning was also inevitable for some families and for entire classes at times throughout the first semester of 20-21.
To assist families who would be learning virtually, parents at Our Lady of Mercy School offered Distance Learning: Best Practices and Helpful Tips to their fellow virtual families. The tips include various home workstation set-ups, routines in family life, and communication strategies to reduce confusion and stress. The goal of this era certainly is not perfection, yet in sharing strategies that work, families can strengthen the opportunities before them for various forms of distance learning in our schools.
Catholic school families continue to amaze me. We have witnessed resilience and dedication to the common good throughout the pandemic, including the family’s commitment to Catholic education. We are grateful for this commitment and are humbled by the ways Catholic school communities continue to strengthen their members.
The following blog was contributed by NWEA of Portland, Oregon. NWEA is a research-based, not-for-profit organization that supports students and educators worldwide by creating assessment solutions that precisely measure growth and proficiency—and provide insights to help tailor instruction.
As this uncertain school year continues—and as research shows math is proving especially challenging for many students—there are many ways to support families with at-home learning. For starters, they can encourage their kids to see how math is all around us. Children can count similar items as they help put away groceries, measure ingredients for a recipe or calculate the number of days remaining until a special event or holiday.
Building strong skills now can help kids meet grade-level standards in the short term and tackle advanced math in the future. Here are just a few tips to pass along to your families and support their efforts.
Computation
Count orally by twos, fives or tens.
Complete connect-the-dot pictures.
Count and pair objects around your home and determine whether there’s an odd or even number of items.
Ask your child to solve verbal math problems. “Take the number five. Add six. Multiply by three. Subtract three. Divide by five. What’s your answer?” Speak slowly at first until your child gets better at solving these mental problems.
Help your child identify percentages in signs, on websites and in books and magazines.
Encourage your child to read nutrition labels. Have them calculate the percent of a specific nutrient in each item.
Geometry
Fold a sheet of paper in half and have your child draw a shape along the fold. Cut out the shape and unfold the paper to create a symmetrical shape.
Search your home or neighborhood for different geometric shapes, such as triangles, squares, circles and rectangles.
Use common household items, such as toothpicks, empty toilet paper rolls, twist ties, sticks and paper, to construct shapes.
Help your child recognize and identify real-world examples of right angles (e.g., the corner of a book) and parallel lines (e.g., railroad tracks).
Measurement
Teach your child how to set the kitchen timer when you’re cooking.
Arrange various objects (e.g., books, boxes, and cans) by various size and measurement (e.g., length, weight and volume) attributes. Talk with your child about how they are arranged using comparison words like “taller,” “shorter,” “narrower,” “wider,” “heaviest,” “lightest,” “more,” “less,” “about” and “same.”
Use a standard measuring tool to measure objects in your home.
Gather a tape measure, yardstick, ruler, cup, gallon container and scale. Discuss the various things you can measure with each.
Encourage your child to incorporate terms such as “whole,” “halves,” “thirds” and “fourths” into everyday life. Mealtimes are a great time to practice this. Encourage them to eat half their broccoli if they want dessert!
Statistics, probability, and graphing
Open a pack of Skittles or M&M’s and make a bar graph showing the number of each color found inside the pack.
Look through a science textbook or website and find three examples of different types of graphs.
Find the coordinates of places on a map, like your home or town.
Watch the weather report for a week, write down the temperatures for each day and then graph the temperatures.
Have your child make a list of things that could never happen, things that might happen and things that are sure to happen.
Problem-solving
Encourage your child to figure out answers to real-life situations: “We have one can of tuna and we need five. How many more do we need to buy?”
Ask questions that involve equal sharing. For example, “Seven children share 49 baseball cards. How many cards does each child get?”
Help your child look up the population and land area of the state and city in which you live and compare these facts with those of other states and cities.
Visit the website for the U.S. Census Bureau and have your child write down three interesting pieces of information they learned.
Algebraic concepts
Encourage your child to count and recognize patterns and color in the environment by discussing what they see, like the color of their math textbook, the number on the house across the street and the number of swings on the playground.
Have your child look for patterns on buildings, rugs, floors and clothing
For more ideas on how to support families during COVID-19, visit the NWEA blog, Teach. Learn. Grow.
The following blog was contributed by Adam P. Zoeller, a member of the theology department at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky.
The liturgical celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany at the end of the Christmas season coincides with the beginning of our secular new year. One of the definitions for ‘epiphany’ according to Merriam-Webster is a sudden manifestation of the meaning or essence of something. The turning of calendars provide an opportunity for reflection, growth, and change in light of our own personal epiphanies associated with our role within Church and society.
As the city of David awaits its Messiah, the Christ child is born. Yet the Holy Family flees to Egypt to escape what is known as the “slaughter of the innocents.” When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi” (Matthew 2:16). This synopsis of the Christmas story calls us to recognize Jesus, Mary, and Joseph fulfilling Old Testament prophecies, caretakers of the Word Incarnate and lastly as refugees. According to The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), “a refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war, or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Most likely, they cannot return home or are afraid to do so. War and ethnic, tribal and religious violence are leading causes of refugees fleeing their countries.” Considering that Herod believed that his kingship was being threatened by the birth foretold by the magi, Jesus and His family fleeing due to impending violence due to religious prophecy appears to be an accurate representation of their experience as refugees.
The authors of the sacred scripture were inspired by the Holy Spirit. The beauty of this divine inspiration is that the lessons do not merely relate to the audience in the first century, but continue to resonate throughout salvation history and into the experiences of our modern world. Biblical exegesis focuses on the interpretation of sacred scripture through a variety of means including but not limited to: contextually, morally, and anagogically. Did the caravan of refugees fleeing “O little town of Bethlehem” include more than the Holy Family? Was this event the first documented case of Mary’s heart being pierced as a mother as she begins to understand the words of Simeon (Luke 2:25)? How does this application of the flight to Egypt inspire Jesus’ teaching on the Judgment of Nations such as, “a stranger and you welcome me” (Matthew 25:35)?
Displacement of peoples due to oppression is not unique to the 21st century either. In October 2020, CBS News reported that President Trump’s administration refugee resettlement hit a historical low, citing that, “Mr. Trump has reduced refugee spots year after year, radically departing from the 110,000-person cap President Obama set in his last year in office. Mr. Trump slashed refugee spots to 45,000 in fiscal year 2018; to 30,000 in fiscal year 2019; and to 18,000 in fiscal year 2020.” In 2019, USA Today ranked the United States of America as the eleventh richest country in the world while the New York Times reported in 2020 that the United States of America is the richest country with the biggest wealth gap. What type of country do we want to reflect to the world, economically rich or rich in kindness?
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “the practice of the moral life animated by charity gives to the Christian the spiritual freedom of the children of God. He no longer stands before God as a slave, in servile fear, or as a mercenary looking for wages, but as a son responding to the love of him who “first loves us.” (CCC, 1828). By our faith, Christians are called to charity which in turn provides hope for the hopeless. Recognizing human dignity is at the forefront of Jesus Christ’s mission of inclusion which reaches its fulfillment in the Kingdom of God. This inherent dignity of the human person has a history of being not valued individually and/or collectively. Therefore, the United Nations created the Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 to challenge and hold accountable nations that do not recognize the dignity of the human person. For example, the importance of recognizing the dignity of refugees is reflected in Article #2 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.”
Nations have responsibility for solidarity. Healthy relationships between citizens are contingent upon honest communication, mutual respect and empathetic understanding. Under these standards, a metaphorical bridge for citizens can be built within and between nations to promote human dignity. In conclusion, the words of Pope Francis from the 50th World Communications Day in 2016 challenges the faithful to reflect upon not only our actions, but our words: “Communication has the power to build bridges, to enable encounter and inclusion, and thus to enrich society. How beautiful it is when people select their words and actions with care, in the effort to avoid misunderstandings, to heal wounded memories and to build peace and harmony. Words can build bridges between individuals and within families, social groups and peoples. This is possible both in the material world and the digital world. Our words and actions should be such as to help us all escape the vicious circles of condemnation and vengeance which continue to ensnare individuals and nations, encouraging expressions of hatred.”
References
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed. (2002). Washington DC: United States Catholic Conference.
Adam P. Zoeller is a member of the theology department at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, KY. He earned his B.A. in religious studies and B.A. in clinical psychology from Spalding University (Louisville, KY) and his M.Ed. in educational leadership from the University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH). He holds a Master’s Catechist Certification from the Archdiocese of Louisville. He has presented workshops for the National Catholic Education Association, been published by the Catholic Journal of Education, and worked on educational materials for Revolution of the Heart: The Dorothy Day Story from Journey Films. Adam can be reached at azoeller@saintx.com.
The following blog was contributed by Megan Fangmeyer, product manager for FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment. Megan recently hosted a webinar on how schools should refine their financial aid strategies for the upcoming school year. She has worked at FACTS for 11 years and spends most of her time researching, interviewing financial aid professionals and working with development teams.
We’ve listed the key highlights from the webinar below.
What We Know About Current Financial Situations
There are still a lot of unknowns and financial situations are changing almost every week. But what we do know is:
Lower-income, Hispanic, and black families have been hit the hardest since March.
Those in the service industry and some self-employed workers continue to struggle financially as the COVID-19 dials fluctuate across states.
Unemployment is nearly twice as high as it was this time last year (6.9% compared to 3.6% in October 2019).
The stock market has leveled out and most have made back what they initially lost.
Determining Aid in the COVID-19 Era
Despite these economic and financial changes, the fundamentals of allocating aid are still the same:
Families will fall into a “rank” or “order” of need.
When a “tie” happens in the ranking with limited funds, additional priorities will need to be given.
The goal is to provide families with what they need to send their child(ren) to private school sustainably for the duration of the child’s education.
The struggle we’re facing is that the “order” of need is changing much more rapidly than normal, and there is a lot of uncertainty on when and if the financials will balance out or return for the family.
Determining Financial Picture
This year – unlike others – you will be digging deeper into family financial situations to see a clear picture of their need. Focus on families whose situations fall into the known affected categories by job type or socio-economic status.
Regardless of the tax return year, a family’s situation may have drastically changed. Even if using the 2020 income data, you will still need to consider how a family’s income continues to change and that it may not be a perfect picture to predict their ability to pay next year’s tuition. For instance, consider families that received the extra $600 for unemployment for a few months, and reduce the family’s 2020 income (especially at lower income ranges) as this will not be income they can count on to pay tuition next year.
In addition to income changes, you may want to take a look at year-over-year changes in assets and debt. Many families are having to tap into savings, or go further into debt in order to pay bills and stay afloat.
To figure out a more immediate family income situation, or to capture proof of changes, you can ask for more recent documents – bank statements, pay stubs or unemployment letters. You and your committee will need to balance what the family is stating has changed on the application with the work of collecting and evaluating the impacts of these extra documents.
Giving Aid as Situations Continue to Change
Unfortunately, even with these documents, the situation may change within a few months for that family – and again – we’re trying to predict affordability.
Some schools and organizations have given temporary additional awards to families – an expansion of emergency awards. These awards help bridge financials during these times, at varying time intervals (for the full year, semester, or quarterly). These funds are tracked separately so you know which awards came from which bucket, can report to the board, and make predictions for future years knowing what supplemental aid was. Families then know what their ‘normal’ financial aid packet was and what has been added to help during these times. This will help set better expectations as finances recover.
Options Outside of Financial Aid Budget
Does this family need a temporary break? Are they currently paying by semester and need to move the payment date out a little into the future? Or would they benefit from breaking payments down into smaller chunks? Tuition payment plan flexibility can help.
Look at what other organizations are available in your area, such as state-specific program relief for education costs. The more you can pull from other resources, the more aid you have to give families.
Try COVID-19-specific fundraising. Appeals to donors, other families, or parishioners can sometimes yield enough to help a family – asking for $5, $10, or $20 can add up quickly.
It is vital that families know there is help available, and how they can discreetly ask for help. This is especially important for non-traditional aid families. It’s also important to remember that at the end of the day, your school’s financial stability is as important as the families’.
2021-2022 Application Changes
Due to the changing circumstances, the 2021-2022 application needs to capture more information about family situations.
Here are some general tips when asking questions:
Leverage conditional questions. If you said yes to this question, let me ask you some more questions related to that one.
Ask for narrative in an essay or short answer. This year as the numbers fluctuate the raw financial data may not match what is going on currently with the family. This will not only give you a better picture of their current situation, but will also help families feel heard.
Ensure you ask ‘set answer’ questions, such as dropdowns, checkboxes, fill-in answers with a validation setting such as date or currency. This will allow you to export and pivot on the data for reporting to boards and donors.
Here are some sample questions that you can use (or adjust to better fit your school’s needs):
Have you been affected by COVID-19?
Has your household income decreased due to events surrounding COVID-19? Yes/No
What is the primary reason for the decrease? Check all that apply.
Reduced hours or pay
Unemployment
Self-employed with a significant reduction in business
Self-employed and business closed
Income Change (Currency)
Prior to COVID-19, what was the applicant’s monthly gross income?
What is the applicant’s current monthly gross income?
How much do you estimate your total 2020 (or 2021) income has or will decrease?
Unemployment & Job Situation
Was unemployment filed for?
Is the applicant currently receiving unemployment?
Yes
No – Application is Pending
No – Ineligible
Please select one of the following that has contributed to your financial situation:
Job Loss
Temporary Lay Off (Furloughed)
Reduced Hours
Essential Worker Paying Additional Daycare
Small Business Owner
Other (Please explain below)
Essay Examples
Please describe your current financial situation and how it has changed from your pre-COVID-19 situation.
How long do you believe it will take for your current financial situation to improve?
Please provide any other information that would be helpful for us to know regarding the impact COVID-19 has had on your family.
The most important thing this financial aid season is to not forget to take care of yourself. Working with financial aid and knowing family burdens on a normal year can be hard, but this year and next year are especially difficult. Plan time off, spend time with family and take a minute to focus on your breathing. Find financial aid forums and support groups that can help lift you up. Just by reading this, you’re educating yourself and trying to do what is best for your families. That’s what matters, so be gentle with yourself. You got this – and we’re here with you.
To learn about the FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment platform, visit FACTSmgt.com.
The following blog was contributed by Matthew F. Manion, Professor of Practice in Management and Operations and Faculty Director of the Center for Church Management in the Villanova School of Business.
The NCEA is partnering with the Center for Church Management in the Villanova School of Business to offer a new Certificate in Catholic School Management. The program is designed to provide school leaders with the critical business skills and knowledge necessary to successfully manage their schools.
Before registering for this tremendous opportunity, you should consider the top four reasons not to sign up:
I don’t have the time
Catholic school administrators are some of the busiest people on the planet. You have responsibility for students, faculty, staff and their families. Many of you care so deeply about your school that you feel “on” 24/7 and 365 days a year. The thought of adding another commitment to an already overflowing plate can be overwhelming in a normal school year. In a pandemic, it could be impossible.
But imagine if you could handle the financial and human resource issues you face in half the time you do today? Imagine if you could manage your staff and key volunteers so they multiplied what your school could accomplish instead of adding to your workload? Imagine if you could spend more time developing your teachers and students and less time recruiting and fundraising?
This program is designed to fit into your busy schedule. Much of the content is delivered asynchronously and it is 100% online, so you can learn in the time and place that is most convenient for you. It will make the business and management aspects of your role easier, better, and more enjoyable.
It’s too expensive
Similar certificate programs at other institutions cost thousands of dollars. Thanks to a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment and the generosity of the benefactors of the Center for Church Management, eligible educators can receive a $600 scholarship reducing the tuition from $899 to just $299. That is a great deal for a Certificate from the Villanova School of Business. Based on our experience with other programs, you will find much more than $299 in increased revenues and decreased expenses within the first year as you apply what you learn.
You are worth it. Your school is worth it. Your mission is worth it.
I already have advanced degrees in education
Most school leaders like you are highly educated. However, typical educational degree programs, while excellent in leadership, pedagogy and curriculum, do not cover the practical realities of managing a school. This non-credit program will cover topics unique to Catholic school leaders such as budgeting and financing for mission; data-driven decision-making; advancement, stewardship and donor relations; enrollment, recruitment and tuition management; contract negotiations and vendor relations; and spirituality of administration.
This certificate is designed to complement, not replace, the excellent education you have already received.
Catholic education is a calling, not a business
We agree. Yet Catholic schools are organizations and as a leader, you have a responsibility to steward the people, financial and other resources of that organization in a way that is worthy of the Gospel.
In fact, from the beginning, Jesus entrusted much of the mission to entrepreneurial small business owners. Many of the apostles were fishermen, along with a tax collector. St. Paul was a very successful tentmaker before his conversion. Jesus learned how to run a business at the foot of St. Joseph before starting his public ministry.
Jesus was fully reliant on the Father and yet still made time to deal with the management responsibilities of his mission. He is a great role model for how to share a life-changing vision, for coaching and developing people, for giving effective feedback and for attending to the material as well as the spiritual needs of his followers.
We know that when the organizational, strategic, financial and people issues in a school or ministry are done poorly, it reflects negatively on the school and can block or inhibit the transmission of the Gospel. When these same elements are done well and in a way that is worthy of the Good News of Jesus Christ, they are not disconnected from the mission, but actually amplify the Gospel message. Which would you prefer for your school?
If you have considered these four reasons not to sign up and would still like to enroll, we would love to have you join us for this learning experience!
The following blog was contributed by Cathy Stephen, assistant superintendent of Operational Vitality, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
As Operational Vitality covers finance, function, facilities and funding, making sure that the right personnel is in place is critical to a sustainable and balanced budget. The rule of thumb for school budgeting matches the classic 80/20 rule. Salary and benefits run 80% of the expenses, and tuition and fee collections counter this with 80% of the income. Taking an annual look at the costs and people currently in place helps to determine how to move forward with a strategy for hiring the right people, training current staff to improvement and forecasting the annual budget. Principals must look at enrollment trends and ensure that they have the most qualified, positive people in the positions as there are few, and we need the most excellent people filling them. An annual personnel review is a practice that assists any principal in their budget knowledge and cost controls.
In a world where rising costs are shutting down business, we know that our Catholic schools need to reduce costs while increasing enrollment. We need to have an appropriate amount of staff for instruction and supervision of students. Although the standard timing for a personnel review is January – February, considering this before the end of the fall semester helps our schools move forward in the right direction in the most challenging year we have faced.
Conducting an annual personnel review takes time and attention to detail. Principals need thought-partners (perhaps from the Schools Office) who can assist in tough decision-making when it comes to rethinking the standard 40 hours of work for full-time staff, as well as what positions need to be reduced or cut altogether. Sometimes a thought-partner can challenge the status quo and thinking of a principal, allowing for new ideas and a shake-up of traditional positions. Some of our Catholic schools have no choice if they want to remain open.
Start with building a case for each current staff member. Notate number of years serving there, what their specialty is and what dollar figure they represent in expense to the budget. Ask the questions that help to move them toward offering a new contract for next year. Do we have enough Catholics? Catechist certified teachers? State certified teachers? Is our staff diversified to match the community and student body? What other value-adds do staff members bring to the community? Have they asked for a change in assignment? Do they need one? Can a paraprofessional or ancillary teacher position move from 40 hours to 30 hours for full-time benefits? Begin to match the strongest members of the team to the jobs you know you’ll have next year. Do the math on the salary and benefits of these valued employees. Does this keep you within the 80%? Do open positions require you to hire first year, lower salaried teachers?
The tough decisions made from this line of thinking actually strengthen the team overall. Some teachers need the change of grade level or assignment to spark their passion again. Newly schooled candidates bring a different set of skills to our schools. A balance of veteran, master teachers and the blessing of a new generation of apprentice teachers can be a marketing message that with traditional values comes a new way of teaching and learning. The budget, too, is all the better for it.
The following blog was contributed by Kathy Mears, interim president/CEO at the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) in Arlington, Virginia.
Each November, on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, we begin our Advent and Christmas preparations. While putting out the Advent wreath and putting up the Christmas tree, we watch White Christmas. I enjoy it more than others in my family, but they put up with me.
One of my absolute favorite songs from the movie is “Count Your Blessings.” November is traditionally the month where we give thanks for God’s many blessings, so the song works during Thanksgiving weekend. This year, it would seem like it might be harder to find gratitude. 2020 has kicked us and some days, it is difficult for us to remember the abundance of blessings that God has provided. Yet, the multitude of blessings we enjoy is right in front of us.
The first on my list of blessings is the dedication and commitment of our teachers and school leaders. The love that they show to our children is never ending. They model what it means to be lifelong learners. They show us day after day that they are heroes and saints in the making. We are so grateful for our teachers and school leaders. During this pandemic they have been fantastic, and I am grateful that these particular people have answered God’s call to serve in this wonderful vocation of Catholic education at this moment in time.
Our families are on my gratitude list, too. They have handled the shift from in person teaching and learning, to online teaching and learning, to sometimes online and sometimes in person, to person to person, to online and back again. Their flexibility and willingness to “roll” with us is so very much appreciated. They trust us with their children, and I am very happy that they do.
I am blessed by our students. Their energy, enthusiasm and joy are gifts and thankfully, these gifts are visible to use in the classroom and online. This is a very difficult time for them, yet from all reports, they are trying and showing maturity that not all adults display when met with confusing moments in their lives. Our students continue to learn, to serve and to bring smiles to our faces and for that I am thankful.
Our pastors also bring hope to our work and I thank God for them. Learning to connect to people via Zoom or other platforms is challenging and they meet that challenge in a variety of ways. They are patient and kind. We are indebted to them for their work.
I am grateful for the generosity of many. Catholic schools depend on the generosity of others and although many have fewer financial resources than they did last year, people are still giving of their time, talent and treasure to our schools. We need them and so many are supporting us in every way that they are able.
Finally, I am so very thankful for our NCEA family. Our team has had many surprises and twists and turns this year, but they greet each day with a smile and a desire to serve you. They care about you! Everyone says, “our” schools, “our” teachers, “our principals.” They worry when they hear about a loss in a school community and they join in prayer for you each day. They laugh or cry each day because they care so deeply for our shared vocation. They are truly servant leaders.
My gratitude list is much longer than this, but I will end this blog with words from the song:
If you’re worried, And you can’t sleep, Just count your blessings instead of sheep, And you’ll fall asleep, Counting your blessings.
I hope you sleep well, counting your blessings. Happy Thanksgiving!
The following blog was contributed by Adam P. Zoeller, a member of the theology department at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky.
What is your educational philosophy? Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching? Embarking ever so slowly on my 20th year as a theology teacher, sacred scripture continues to be my primary source of inspiration for what I consider to be sound pedagogy. In light of the lessons of the faith of the patriarchs, the challenging words of wisdom literature, and the unconventional teachings of Jesus Christ, my philosophy of education is rooted in scripture.
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8). The disruption of the unseen coronavirus on school systems, administrators, teachers, students and parents is seen throughout the country. I find myself soul searching asking the question, where did this come from and where is it going? Teachers have been required to teach in-person, teach remotely or teach in a hybrid model. Flexibility and patience have been essential to navigate through these uncertain times. However, using sacred scripture as my inspiration in light of the pandemic, the opportunity for my craft to evolve is evident and necessary. The Call of Simon the Fisherman from the Gospel of Luke reflects my educational philosophy that has brought comfort and stability throughout teaching this school year. While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. (Luke 5:1-6). The primary lesson of this story is Jesus Christ calling His Apostles and specifically the faith of Saint Peter to respond to discipleship. However, the application of this story to the classroom teacher is focused on not what to do (curriculum), but how to do it (pedagogy). For example, my educational approach during the pandemic has been rebranded to focus on “how to think” and not “what to think.” While navigating on a new online platform and teaching in a hybrid model, I have transitioned to student-centered, project-based learning. My “pedagogical net” has been cast out to enhance the 21st century skills of my students by not focusing on the content for the sake of content, but instead requiring the students in my class to research, apply, analyze, or evaluate the information.
Perhaps the challenge of teaching amidst the pandemic is to recognize that it is time to rethink the old ways of teaching and move towards a new approach. Which side of the boat are you standing on? Which side of the boat are you looking out? The challenge is not only to cast the nets in a new direction, but to “lower these nets” deep into the theological content in our classroom in order to “tear” our students from the secular world in order to bring them closer to Christ, and be true fishers of men (and women).
About the Author
Adam P. Zoeller is a member of the theology department at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, KY. He earned his B.A. in religious studies and B.A. in clinical psychology from Spalding University (Louisville, KY) and his M.Ed. in educational leadership from the University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH). He holds a Master’s Catechist Certification from the Archdiocese of Louisville.
Adam has presented the following workshops for the National Catholic Educational Association:
Practice & the Game: Using Sports Language to Teach the USCCB Curriculum Framework (NCEA Webinar 2017)
Media Literacy & Scriptural Exegesis: Essential Skills for 21st Century Religious Educators, (NCEA Convention and Expo 2017)
From heart to missionary zeal: Using language and lessons from athletics to aid adolescent catechesis in the New Evangelization, (NCEA Convention and Expo 2018).
Framing Brain-Based Learning in High School Theology (NCEA Webinar 2019)
Adam has written the following reflections for NCEA Talk:
Paschal Mystery: Storytelling and Media Literacy (September 2016)
Personal Litany of the Saints (April 2017)
Motion Offense in Basketball. (November 2017)
Bully, Victim, and Bystander in light of the Woman Caught in Adultery (July 2018)
Searching for God in the MCU (September 2018)
The Way (truth and life) of the Cross: Reflecting on the road to Calvary through the temptations of Jesus Christ (March 2019)
My Inner Room during the Coronavirus Pandemic (March 2020)
The following blog was contributed by Jill Annable, executive director of academic excellence at the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) in Arlington, Virginia.
I recently ran into an old friend, a fellow Catholic school alum, whose children attend a Catholic school. As we discussed the launch of the most unique school year to date, she candidly shared, “Our principal is a rock star.” I agreed. In her admiration, this parent did not know that her principal has not taken a day off since the pandemic hit; she serves with unwavering passion and is the core of vibrancy of the school.
When I became the assistant superintendent in the Diocese of Grand Rapids, I had never been a school principal. My background is in teaching and curriculum development, and I must admit: I was initially intimidated! I took the first weeks on the job to observe classrooms but also found myself observing principals. It was fascinating. My tunnel vision of classroom life was nothing compared to the scope of principal responsibilities; as a teacher, I had been completely ignorant of school budgets and operational vitality. Now in this seat, positioned to support schools as the assistant superintendent, my internal questioning mirrored what my own children wonder about their principal: “Does she run on coffee alone?” “How does she always know the right answer?” I quickly learned that my role had to be singularly focused: How can I help you?
I focused on this question in my time as assistant superintendent, attempting to lift the work of curriculum and instruction so principals could focus on operations and relationships. It was fulfilling, yet it paled in comparison to what principals were handling on a daily basis.
Not many realize the crises averted and conflicts resolved by Catholic school principals. Parents see how the principal supports their own children, but the sheer volume of personal encounters and supports is unimaginable. The launch of the 2020-2021 school year was no exception. Principals filled their summer with tense brainstorming sessions ranging from safety protocols to instructional practices. They worked late nights, on the phone with parents who were worried about their children’s health, the options our Catholic schools could offer, and concerns much beyond the scope of the school. But how did our principals respond? They delivered. They did not wait for the rest of the world to come up with solutions; they instead rolled up their sleeves and worked tirelessly to ensure Catholic education could continue in the safest ways possible.
When the old friend shared that her principal was a rock star, her next question was, “How can I help?” Reflecting on that moment, and in comparison to my own response years back, I am reminded of the beauty of Catholic school communities. This parent, who already sacrifices financially for her children’s education, seeks to give more. The prayer of St. Francis reminds us “It is in giving that we receive.” We are certainly seeing this in one another during 2020.
The most amazing part of watching principals at work is that I expect, by all laws of nature, to see signs of exhaustion, but it never comes. Instead, they are energized by the ministry. When I explained this to my friend, I encouraged her to pray that God continues to grant grace to those in Catholic school leadership and to perhaps send the principal a note of gratitude.
It is with great admiration that we celebrate this year’s Catholic Principal Appreciation Day on November 19. They are not only rock stars, but also headed to sainthood.
The following blog was contributed by Kathy Mears, interim president/CEO at the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) in Arlington, Virginia.
As Catholics, we are called to participate in civic activities, to work for the common good.
We are called to vote.
As a principal, my school was a polling place and our eighth graders were treated to lessons from poll workers and voters. Our students recognized that our school was important, as we were a place where we selected our next president, governor and other elected officials. Our students saw firsthand that people had different opinions, but everyone was respected, and everyone had the right to express their hopes and dreams by choosing the candidate of his/her choice. I believe that most people still honor and respect that right and I know it is what our teachers are teaching.
Pope Francis stated, that if “the just ordering of society and of the state is a central responsibility of politics,” the Church, “cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice.” (Evangelii Gaudium, no. 183). As members of the Church, we are called to be part of the solution to the problems we face. We are asked to do what we can to assist in the political process in order to work for outcomes that support the common good. Therefore, we vote, we serve, we do what our conscience calls us to do for the common good. We are guided by our faith, our consciences, our hearts and our minds.
We must also remember that the election will not solve our problems. People will still need employment, people will still need food, and healthcare will be needed by all tomorrow and the next day. The election does not end our civic responsibility. It is one point along the journey of faithful citizenship. It is but one way that we participate.
As in all elections, someone will win, and someone will lose. We are called to challenge each other to respond with kindness and respect after the election. We must model this and teach our students that our response shows our character.
Micah 6:8 asks what is required of us. The response: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. It is our prayer that these words become our guide as we teach and learn during our electoral process. We pray for unity, grace, peace and mercy. We pray for our nation and its promise.
Catholic school administrators are some of the busiest people on the planet. You have responsibility for students, faculty, staff and their families. Many of you care so deeply about your school that you feel “on” 24/7 and 365 days a year. The thought of adding another commitment to an already overflowing plate can be overwhelming in a normal school year. In a pandemic, it could be impossible.
We agree. Yet Catholic schools are organizations and as a leader, you have a responsibility to steward the people, financial and other resources of that organization in a way that is worthy of the Gospel.
