Featured Story

President Donald Trump, Secretary Betsy DeVos, Sen. Marco Rubio, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott visited St. Andrew Catholic School in the Diocese of Orlando Friday, witnessing firsthand the role that the Florida tax-credit scholarship program has played in empowering thousands of Florida families to choose the best education for their child.

Earlier this week, the children of St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando learned that President Trump, Secretary DeVos, U.S. Sen. Rubio, and Florida Gov. Scott might visit their school on Friday. St. Andrew is one of the Notre Dame ACE Academies in the Diocese of Orlando.

Ian Corbett brings a different perspective to our understanding of Catholic education. A native of Ireland, Ian witnessed the decline in popularity of Catholic schools in his home country. As Ireland changed in terms of religious beliefs and people’s feelings about religion’s place in education, the schools have stayed under the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church, but involvement and participation in the spiritual component of the schools has diminished. Ian, with the knowledge and experience he has gained through ACE Teaching Fellows, the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program, and in the Notre Dame ACE Academies, hopes to become a catalyst for renewing change in the Catholic schools system in Ireland.

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine..."

The words rang through St. Albert the Great Catholic Church in Compton, California. Standing at the foot of the altar and facing out towards the crowd of parishioners, a group of young ACE teachers, smiled, clapped, and sang along. Early the next morning, they would be running half-marathons and marathons for this very church and school. I was among those ACE teachers at the front of the chruch that night, and as we processed out of the church, singing and clapping the whole way, I couldn’t help thinking in that moment a thought that doesn’t come to my mind often enough: God is in this place.

Martine and St. Madeleine Sophie welcome anyone who would like to call or visit to learn more about their open philosophy and how they effectively include all students. Please visit the school website at https://smsbellevue.org/ or call 425-747-6770.

Martine Romero knows that St. Madeleine Sophie Catholic School is a special place. Though the parish has been in Bellevue, Washington for almost fifty years, the school itself is only eleven years old. When the school was founded, Fr. James Picton, the pastor of St. Madeleine Sophie wanted to create a school that was open to economic, ethnic, and academic diversity. Today, the teachers at St. Madeleine Sophie don’t see the school as a special education or inclusive school; instead, they use what they call an open philosophy. They welcome students of every kind−gifted students, students with specific learning needs, students who have profound needs and students with physical needs. Of St. Madeleine Sophie’s 205 students, seventy have a learning support plan, whether for a gifted or specific learning need. The school has fifty-six ELL students, as well as students with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, and students who are already working at a high school level. Martine and St. Madeleine Sophie work to create a warm and caring community that provides the best education for every single child and family.