ACE Advocates News

Each day during Catholic Schools Week, we will post a reflection on the focus of the day centered around this year’s theme: "Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service". You can find a complete list of the reflections here. The following reflection is from John Schoenig:

Perhaps the most sacred promise we make as a republic is the one that every generation is invited to renew for the next: that we will do whatever it takes to ensure that every child, regardless of color, creed, or socioeconomic status, has equal access to an outstanding education. This promise is in many ways as confounding as it is inspiring – and it serves as the bedrock of our foundational aspiration to form a more perfect Union.

As we prepare to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, we would be well served to reflect on just how far we have come (and how much farther we have yet to go) making good on the promise of equal education opportunity. For those of us in the Catholic school community, I truly believe we now stand at a historic moment, one in which we are being called to renew our zeal for Catholic education, and to celebrate the unique role that Catholic schools continue to play as agents of human formation and social transformation. In so doing, I am convinced we will help author an exciting new chapter in American education.

Indeed, our schools matter a great deal to this country, regardless of one’s position towards general questions of faith. In a time of deep skepticism about the quality of K-12 education broadly, it is clear that Catholic schools are sacred places serving an essential civic purpose. As missionary disciples invited to help the world hear and respond to the joy of the Gospel, we should take every opportunity to make clear just how instrumental our schools are in putting generations of children firmly on the path to college and heaven.

[T]he results of our pastoral work do not depend on a wealth of resources, but on the creativity of love. To be sure, perseverance, effort, hard work, planning and organization all have their place, but first and foremost we need to realize that the Church’s power does not reside in herself; it is hidden in the deep waters of God, into which she is called to cast her nets.

- Pope Francis

John Schoenig, J.D., M.Ed. is the Director of Teacher Formation and Education Policy for ACE. He received his bachelor's in the Program of Liberal Studies from the University of Notre Dame before enrolling as a member of the ACE Teaching Fellows program, in which he taught at Holy Rosary School in Shreveport, Louisiana. Schoenig then went on to join the ACE team and later served on the Alliance for School Choice before attending Notre Dame Law School and graduating with honors.

Each day during Catholic Schools Week, we will post a reflection on the focus of the day centered around this year’s theme: "Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service". You can find a complete list of the reflections here. The following reflection is from Andrea Cisneros:

Middle school teachers have the incomparable privilege of overseeing the production of a cornucopia of projects. The wonder of these is their comprehensive range of styles, quality, and adherence to directions. Give one million middle schoolers the same assignment, and you’ll get one million distinct efforts in return.

Once, I tasked my personality-rich eighth graders with a multi-part research, writing, and presentation project: identify a human rights issue, gather and present the relevant facts, and persuade us we ought to care about this issue. Trusting such a topic to a group of people who have only recently discovered their frontal cortexes and who, moreover, find that area of reason and rationality very much in development is a gamble. I was vividly aware of this when presentation day came.

One girl shared a thoughtful talk about human trafficking, an issue almost none of her classmates were aware of. In the midst of a rock discovery phase, she titled her poster after a moderately inappropriate 80’s anthem, explaining that by “sugar”, she meant kindness and Christian love. I remain skeptical that she was as innocent of the song’s connotation as she claimed, but her conviction about her chosen issue was genuine.

The boy who managed to be both the most gregarious and the most pugnacious in the class spoke about the prolife movement. Considering the tendency of adolescent conversations to devolve into rhetoric and finger pointing and the tragically similar nature of discussion on this particular issue, I was nervous. Instead of a rant, however, he lead with the need for compassion and care for those who believe abortion is their best option, and described a slew of services for women in crisis pregnancies, including a number in our area for which his peers could donate or volunteer.

Every class has one student who, if writing and intensity of stare are reliable indicators, takes in everything but never speaks. That girl stood before her peers the most fired up I had ever seen her and talked about girls’ lack of access to education worldwide.  It was a battle to get more than five words at a time from her, but on this matter, she had plenty to say.

Two things struck me. First, when I trusted my students to do something important, they did it brilliantly. Second, that every single one of them focused on their faith and the call of our Church to care for the least of these. While they didn’t say it in so many words, they talked about their shared humanity and the God-given dignity of these people they had never met, people they wanted to help, in the tiniest measure, through their essays and hastily assembled poster boards. In the meeting of these discoveries –the needs of their brothers and sisters, and their own ability to do something constructive – they lit up. They became more fully themselves, the persons God created them to be, compassionate towards and empowered by their global community.

Giving eighth graders a meaty project is a gamble. It almost always pays off.

Andrea Cisneros is the Assistant Director of the Notre Dame ACE Academies. She graduated from the University of Delaware before enrolling in ACE's ACE Teaching Fellows program and teaching in Brownsville, TX. In her current role, Andrea focuses on developing and strengthening Catholic school culture, seeking out successful schools and learning from their practices to enrich the environment at Notre Dame ACE Academies.  

Each day during Catholic Schools Week, we will post a reflection on the focus of the day centered around this year’s theme: "Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service". You can find a complete list of the reflections here. The following reflection is from Greg O'Donnell:

We shall always place education side by side with instruction; the mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart. While we prepare useful citizens for society, we shall likewise do our utmost to prepare citizens for heaven. – Blessed Basil Moreau

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Why Catholic schools?

For anyone who has ever had any connection with ACE, you very quickly learn about the “three pillars,” which constitute the foundation of the program: teaching, community, and spirituality.   This foundation, as evidenced by the quote from Fr. Moreau, finds its roots in the teachings of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and still serves as the foundation for my own work to this day.

Being the product of public schools, it was not until I began teaching in the ACE program that I started to question my own educational background.  As I thought about the lessons I was trying to instill in my students - I wondered how I had been taught these same values myself, and why did I hold them to be so valuable? 

At first my reaction was to be upset with my parents for never giving me the opportunity to attend a Catholic school as I grew up.  So much of my education had been spent trying to earn A’s and excel at school, yet through very little of it did I understand the importance behind what I was learning. 

Yet when I looked at my own students, while I still wanted them to excel, I more so wanted them to gain an understanding of what we were learning. I wanted them to comprehend that why they did things mattered as equally as to how they did things. It was not right to cheat on a test simply because the teacher said so, or because your parents would get upset with you, but because it was morally wrong.  In essence, what I hoped to teach them it was that idea of educating not only their minds, but also their hearts.

Only after completing my service through ACE did I realize that I had received this same education that I was yearning to provide for my students.  Despite never attending Catholic schools until I entered university, it was there that I gained my own personal connection to my faith, and found meaning to all of the facts and figures I had learned through my years of grade school.  It was this same education that gave me the strength to have faith in my decisions, and ultimately led me to find my vocation.  It was those values uniquely found in Catholic schools – that taught me to value not only knowledge, but also faith and service as well.

Greg O'Donnell is the Associate Director of the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2008 with a BA in Psychology and History before enrolling in ACE's ACE Teaching Fellows program and teaching in Pensacola, FL. He was also a member of the ChACE program in Santiago, Chile before joining the ACE team in 2013.  

Each day during Catholic Schools Week, we will post a reflection on the focus of the day centered around this year’s theme: "Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service". You can find a complete list of the reflections here. The following reflection is from Deacon Nick Senger:

My wife Brenda and I have four kids—ages 9, 15, 19 and 22—and they each drive us crazy in their own way. That’s what kids do. They ask for money, they make messes, and they require lots of time and energy. Life would much simpler without them. Simpler, but also more hollow. Our children bring us life, they keep us from taking things too seriously, and they draw us closer to God. They take us out of ourselves and teach us the meaning of unconditional love.

The same thing can be said about a parish Catholic school: it takes a lot of money to operate; it puts a lot of wear on the buildings; and it requires a lot of time and energy to maintain. Parish life would be much simpler without a school. But just as the heartaches and headaches our kids cause are worth it, so are the challenges that come with operating a parish school.

School children bring a special kind of life to a parish community. They remind us of the importance of laughter and recreation. They help a parish fulfill its mission to evangelize.

There’s something deeply spiritual about watching a class of children kneel in prayer, trusting that God is listening. The noise of laughter from the playground is a sign of life and joy to a parish. It means God is present, that the Church is being renewed in the hearts of these young disciples who are just learning how to live like Jesus.

Just as children were brought to Jesus so that he might lay hands on them and pray, parents bring their children to their parishes to be touched by the hand of the Savior.

During this Catholic Schools Week, we remember not to follow the example of the disciples who tried to rebuke the children for coming to Jesus, but instead we open our hearts to hear the Lord’s words:

“Let the children come,” Jesus said, “and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Let the children come to our parish schools. Let them come with their grimy hands, their uncontrollable giggles, their fidgety fingers, and their raging hormones.

Praise God for the craziness of parenthood, and praise God for Catholic schools.

Deacon Nick Senger is the founder and editor of the Catholic School Chronicle (http://www.nicksenger.com/csc/), a blog of news, resources, and community building for all those interested in Catholic education.  He is a teacher at All Saints Catholic School in Spokane, WA, and is a deacon the Diocese of Spokane.

Hundreds of educators and school leaders eager to enhance the future of Catholic schools will attend a unique collection of summertime conferences hosted annually by the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE).

The June and July conferences, some of which are currently accepting registrants, are part of ACE’s mission to sustain, strengthen, and transform Catholic schools. They are a growing component of the busy summers when ACE conducts the majority of its on-campus academic programming and graduate-level classes with the hope of inspiring the next generation of Catholic school teachers and leaders.

Preparation of outstanding college graduates to teach in Catholic schools is the organization’s best-known activity, now welcoming its 20^th cohort of aspiring educators as ACE prepares a major celebration of the nation’s Catholic schools to mark its 20^th anniversary.

The conferences are hosted by various ACE units that have grown in recent years to respond to particular issues and needs. Those interested in attending or learning more can visit these conferences’ respective web pages:

ACE Teaching Fellows Annual Conference (June 11-14). Participants in the Melody Family ACE Teaching Fellowship program convene to assess and catalyze their growth as master teachers, educational leaders, and generators of problem-solving research. Several benefactor-supported fellowships support highly promising educators who wish to continue their careers in Catholic classrooms while pursuing advanced knowledge and skills. Fellows cultivate these leadership assets along with their mentors during the conference.

Advocates for Parental Choice Symposium (June 14-19). This intensive formation experience gives participants a first-hand experience of people and places on the cutting edge in implementing school choice policies. Catholic school supporters will receive skills, insights, and working relationships to equip them as advocates in the parental choice movement. Major speakers on- and off-campus will increase these future leaders’ understanding of the social, legal, political, pedagogical, and moral dimensions of parental choice.

Play Like a Champion Today ® Sports Leadership Conference (June 21-23). This annual conference, titled “Character Education through Sports Leadership” for 2013, emphasizes developing the whole person through sports. Guest speakers offer professional development for coaches and athletic administrators at both the youth and high school levels. Hosted by ACE’s Play Like a Champion Today ® experts in sports as ministry, the conference gathers representatives of parochial leagues around the country to network and share best practices. Register for the Sports Leadership Conference.

Equitable Services Institute (June 23-28). Students in Catholic schools across the country are not getting federally funded services to which they’re entitled; this institute assists diocesan superintendents, principals, and other educational leaders to address this problem. Attendees will receive updated information about complex federal funding policies plus practical roadmaps for the process of consultations by which educators obtain equitable shares for their students from Title 1, Title 2, and Title 3 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Information and registration are available online.

Principals Academy (June 24-28). A four-day enrichment experience for Catholic school principals, entitled “Fueling the Fire of Leadership in Catholic Schools” for 2013, will engage expert faculty and practitioners as they develop an action plan to increase motivational practices for instruction, enrollment, and school identity. Principals will explore tangible, evidence-based strategies to increase teacher motivation and self-efficacy, improve supervision processes, and encourage teacher self-evaluation to improve the professional learning environment of schools. Register for this academy hosted by ACE Consulting.

Latino Enrollment Institute (June 25-28). The Catholic School Advantage campaign will invite principals from around the country to discuss strategic possibilities and pursue practical strategies to increase enrollment, particularly among Latino children, in Catholic schools.

Superintendents Strategic Leadership Conference (July 9-12). ACE Consulting will host its annual conference for diocesan schools superintendents, providing expert speakers and facilitating in-depth conversations to explore key issues faced by the invited school leaders.

School Pastors Institute (July 9-12). Pastors whose parishes include schools are invited to this annual institute to learn to manage and leverage better the distinctive relationship between a parish and its school. The Institute develops many skills and perspectives that a pastor will need in overseeing a parish school,its people, and its finances. Insights presented will support pastors’ reflections on the value of Catholic schools to parishioners and to the Church’s future.

Mary Ann Remick Leadership Conference (July 12). This conference, a capstone event for those earning their master’s degrees in educational administration through the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program, is a unique and informal venue for South Bend-area educators to discuss current research with ACE leaders and experts from across the country. The graduate students preparing to serve as principals present the action research they have conducted, and local visitors attending free-of-charge exchange ideas on school challenges and solutions.

ACE Summer Forum (July 12-14). The ACE Summer Forum is a professional development opportunity for Catholic school supporters and ACE graduates, focusing on urgent needs in Catholic schools and how aadvocates can address them. This summer, Forum participants will discuss raising local awareness for Catholic schools and connecting local initiatives to the broader ACE movement.

ACE 19 Parent Retreat (July 24-26). Parents whose sons or daughters have just finished their first year in ACE Teaching Fellows often have many questions about these first-year teachers’ experiences. ACE Advocates hosts a special retreat for these parents at Notre Dame to get their questions answered and to see the broader context of the journey their ACE teachers are taking. The retreat also allows these parents of the ACE 19 cohort to hear presentations, worship together, and swap stories.