ACE Teaching Fellows

The past year has left many feeling drained, but teachers like Brynn Johnson, a fifth- and sixth-grade science teacher at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, persist in teaching with passion and a readiness to problem-solve.

“I applaud all teachers everywhere because there was this huge moment where all teachers had to come together and collectively figure out what we do now,” says Brynn, who taught in Birmingham as part of ACE 14. “It’s real-life problem-solving, and it’s happening on a day-to-day basis.”

As teachers and school leaders face these days of darkness, the Alliance for Catholic Education invites you to join us as we walk toward the light that our faith tells us lies ahead.

Each Monday, join us for Grace Period, a weekly series of audio reflections by Fr. Lou DelFra, CSC, designed to meet your busy schedule as teachers and educators and help you pause, listen for God’s voice in your life, and begin anew.

And each day, we invite you to pray Anchor Point, a daily prayer to proclaim God’s love to begin the day and proclaim God’s faithfulness as the day draws to a close.

We pray that each of you find grace in each day, and we thank you for all you do for Catholic schools.

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Dr. Rachel Moreno—our beloved colleague who supervised hundreds of ACE teachers over the years and also worked with the English as a New Language program—after a bout with pancreatic cancer.

She was a dear friend to many and has always been a model of Christian love and care for others. Rachel spent her life teaching, caring, and whole-heartedly loving others, and we were all blessed by her example.

The following piece was written by Danielle M. Gonzales—a member of ACE 8 who served in Brownsville, Texas—and was originally posted on Medium.com.

“Umm...what are we celebrating, Miss Ogden?”

The voice came through Kathy Ogden’s computer speakers, barely audible over the uplifting beats of “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang.

“We just finished our first full day of virtual learning!” was Kathy’s energetic answer.

Veritas, unitas, and caritas – or truth, unity, and charity – are the three charisms of the Augustinian educational tradition. At Austin Preparatory School in Reading, Massachusetts, these words are more than a token that hearkens back to the school’s history. They describe and drive the spirit of the faculty, staff, and students in the midst of a pandemic