Written by Karen Barreras, Director of Leadership Engagement [email protected] Many Catholic schools have a compelling call to service for students. According to the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools, Second Edition (NSBECS), Domain One, Mission and Catholic Identity, Standard 3 says, “An excellent Catholic school adhering to mission provides opportunities […]
Category: Mission & Catholic Identity
The Transformative Effect of Sacred Listening
By focusing on listening, Catholic educators can help students shape their own faith, making it more personal and meaningful. Listening lays the groundwork for trust and meaningful conversation, which is where true faith formation happens.
Creating a Compassionate Culture in Our Schools
It’s not the grand gestures or the big moments that leave a lasting imprint on our students’ hearts of what being a Catholic means. It’s in the small stuff, how we communicate and treat one another each day that stays with them.
Nurturing Excellence: Exploring Whole-Child Education in U.S. Catholic Schools
The Whole Child Education Playbook for Catholic schools encompasses not only the latest research in demonstrating the interconnectedness of our social, emotional and cognitive development, but the physical needs of our students, and the spiritual longing for meaning, purpose, values and belief.
Belonging Precedes Believing
For young people especially, a central tenet begins to emerge when it comes to their religious lives: belonging precedes believing, not the other way around.
Leading with Mission: What Makes A Catholic School Catholic?
Despite shifts in the percentage of Catholic students, our commitment remains unwavering: we are Catholic schools first.
Measuring is Listening: Assessment as a Critical Ministry Tool
An ideal formative religious assessment should measure both the “head” knowledge and the “hands and heart” knowledge of our Catholic faith—the destination and the journey.
Teaching Faith Across the Grade 6-12 Curriculum and Programs: Middle School Sports Programs
NSBECS Benchmark 9.3 states, “Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities provide opportunities outside the classroom for each student to further identify and develop gifts and talents and to enhance creative, aesthetic, social/emotional, physical, and spiritual capabilities.” It seems to me that we have work to do together to align our school-sponsored sports programs with this benchmark of best practice for Catholic schools.
Embracing Gratitude: Celebrating the Blessing of Catholic School Education
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, our gratitude for God’s grace is abundant for the gift of Catholic schools whose doors are open.
Continued Excellence and Catholic Identity through NSBECS, Second Edition
The NCEA NSBECS Advisory Council (NNAC) is proud to present the NSBECS, Second Edition! The NNAC worked for over three years to complete this document. Thanks to the NNAC members, former and current, as well as the many people in dioceses across the U.S. who have provided feedback on these standards. What has not changed […]
