ACE-Ireland School Culture Initiative

Overview of the ACE-Ireland School Culture Initiative

The School Culture Initiative is an exciting new undertaking in Ireland by University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education. It aims to offer schools a rich and engaging two-year programme aimed at strengthening and sustaining their Catholic School Culture.

Using a model developed and implemented with Catholic schools in the US, but tailored for an Irish context, individual School Culture Teams (the principal plus two other teachers) are supported over a two-year period to introduce, explore and implement the school culture framework. The process focuses on schools exploring the issue of Catholic school identity from their own perspective and being conscious of the rich tapestry of experiences different schools bring to the initiative.

A collaborative approach is employed, with the various School Culture Teams engaging as a single cohort for the delivery of induction, training seminars and ongoing support. Throughout the two years the Culture Teams from the Partnership Schools gather regularly, forming a supportive community, from which all can draw advice and encouragement as they journey through the process.

The initial experience of a pilot run by ACE with the inaugural school partners has been extremely positive. According to Angela Mitchell, Principal of Loreto Senior National School in Crumlin, “Our partnership with the University of Notre Dame has provided us with a wonderful opportunity for learning as a school community. The partnership is providing a structure and framework to guide us using research proven methods. Being part of the ‘Culture Formation Team’ along with those from the other schools taking part has allowed for a natural network of teachers to develop a community with whom we can share ideas and gain support and advice from. The external support and facilitation from the Notre Dame Team has helped us to ask some of the hard questions that start important conversations in relation to our Catholic school identity and ethos.”

Culture Formation Process

The steps:

1. Induction for School Culture Team
2. Reflection on your School's context
3. Investigation and reflection on the Tenets of a Catholic School
4. Determining Root Beliefs
5. Deciding Core Values
6. Consideration of Actions and Behaviours
7. Communicating the Message (Consistently, Creatively, and Constantly)

Integrated throughout the process are opportunities for the teachers and staff to grow in their own faith life and build community with others who share a commitment to revitalising the Catholic character of Irish primary and secondary schools under religious patronage.

There are four fundamental criteria for selecting the three secondary and three primary schools to participate in the ACE Ireland Schools Partnership initiative:

1. Principal is committed to Catholic Culture of their School
2. Principal believes faculty and staff are open to such a process.
3. Support and buy-in of the school's Board of Management.
4. The successful schools are clustered geographically to facilitate monthly meetings.