Despite shifts in the percentage of Catholic students, our commitment remains unwavering: we are Catholic schools first.
Category: Mission & Catholic Identity
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 […]
Shaping the Catholic School Difference: Embracing Christ’s Love
Throughout my two decades as an educator in Catholic schools, the question that I have been asked most frequently is, “What is the Catholic school difference?” I must confess that my response to this inquiry has evolved over the years, given my various roles within Catholic education. However, one constant in my answer remains unchanged: […]
Teaching Faith Across the Grade 6-12 Curriculum and Programs: Math
Written by Father Tom Simonds, S.J., NCEA Director of Secondary Engagement [email protected] Teaching the Catholic faith is everyone’s job in a Catholic school. Father Tom Simonds, S.J., will be writing a series of blog posts over the coming weeks to provide examples of how to do that. How can faculty develop lesson plans across the […]
Why Dual Language Catholic Education?
Written by Elena Sada, Pd.D., Boston College, Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Roche Center for Catholic Education I have spent the past twenty years interacting closely with dual language educators, both in the public and Catholic school setting, and the answer is always the same: “Dual language has so many academic, cognitive, sociocultural […]
Nurturing New Teachers: Fostering Mission-Driven Mentoring in a Catholic School
Written by Dr. Josh Packard, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Operations, NCEA, [email protected] Mentoring new teachers in a Catholic school is a rewarding responsibility that requires a thoughtful approach. It’s also one of the most important things we can do in an environment that is increasingly competitive for top teaching talent. As school administrators, […]
Soar Like An Eagle: To Our Teachers
Written by Laura MacDonald, Director of Professional Learning, NCEA, [email protected] Mom would put me to bed earlier than usual on the first day back to school after the summer break; I could barely sleep the night before school. I stepped onto campus hesitantly in my clean white sneakers, armed with a backpack filled with new […]
