News

This week, 48 students from Catholic schools in Los Angeles, partnering with the Catholic School Advantage Campaign (CSA), an initiative of the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE), will participate in a community forum on Hispanic education at the University of California, Los Angeles.

The forum kicks off Univisión’s third annual Education Week and highlights the television network’s national campaign, ¡Es El Momento! (The Time is Now), aimed at improving academic achievement among Latino students in K-12 schools.

Twelve Catholic schools will be represented at the forum—ten elementary schools that work directly with the CSA campaign’s field consultant in Los Angeles, Sylvia Armas-Abad, and two East L.A. Catholic high schools.

In addition, the forum will give ten of these students the opportunity to speak on behalf of their schools and ask questions of the panelists whose focus will be on how to increase Latino educational attainment, assist with college financing, and pursue pathways to higher education.

A one-hour webcast, in English, will be streamed live from the community forum on Friday, Oct. 4, at 3:00 p.m. EDT (12:00 p.m. PDT). The entire town hall, conducted predominately in Spanish, will be aired on local Univisión television stations around the country on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 4:00 p.m. EDT on the program El Futuro Es Hoy.

Univisión Communications, a leading media company serving Hispanic America, launched the national education initiative, ¡Es El Momento!, in 2010, with special focus on increasing high school graduation rates, college readiness and completion, and the engagement of both Hispanic parents and the broader community in these efforts. The ¡Es El Momento! campaign is conducted in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, and various other community, education, and civil rights organizations from around the country.

Six students from Salesian High School and six students from Sacred Heart High School, schools in East L.A. that draw graduates from schools with partnerships in ACE’s Catholic School Advantage campaign, took part in one of the roundtable discussions and will represent Catholic schools in the Oct. 5 program.

Sylvia Armas-Abad, who, in addition to serving as the CSA campaign’s field consultant in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, is also a native of East L.A. and a product of K-12 Catholic education, has been instrumental in preparing these students for the opportunity to speak in both the forum and the roundtable discussion. For the past 20 years, Sylvia has dedicated her work to advocating for the educational needs of Latino students, especially in the inner-city. In her role with the campaign, she works with a cohort of Catholic elementary schools to help them implement new and innovative recruitment and marketing strategies and better respond to the needs of the Latino community.

In conjunction with the events surrounding ¡Es El Momento! and Education Week, Univisión will air a segment focusing specifically on Catholic schools in Los Angeles on the network news program, Aquí y Ahora, Sunday, Oct. 6 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. The segment will feature interviews with Sylvia Armas-Abad and Archbishop José Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, among other supporters of increased access to Catholic schools for Latino children.

“Working with both our Catholic high school and Catholic elementary students these last few weeks in preparation for the Univision Town Hall meeting has been a beautiful reminder of the importance and urgency of the Catholic School Advantage campaign,” said Armas-Abad. “This experience really deepens my commitment to share the gift of Catholic schools with the Latino community and continue to break down the barriers that keep them from enrolling their children in our schools.”

Photo: On Wednesday, September 18, 2013, 6 young men from Salesian High School and 5 young women from Sacred Heart High School participated in a roundtable discussion, with Maria Hurtado from Univision (pictured here with the students), focused on issues that impact college readiness for Latino students. Footage from this taped roundtable will be featured during the Town Hall telecast on Univision on Saturday, October 5, 2013.

Texas State Senator Jane Nelson will receive a University of Notre Dame Champion for Education Award this Wednesday as Notre Dame’s Fighting for Our Children’s Future National Bus Tour makes several stops in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to highlight the importance of excellent education for all children.

Rev. Timothy Scully, C.S.C., co-founder of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) will bestow the award on Sen. Nelson in light of her long professional and personal history of attention to education. ACE noted that Sen. Nelson is a former teacher and member of the State Education Board who has sponsored many substantive education policies in the State Senate.

The ceremony honoring Sen. Nelson is scheduled on Oct. 2 at 4:30 p.m. outside the offices at 1235 South Main St., Grapevine, TX. The backdrop will include the specially outfitted bus with which Notre Dame is visiting nearly 50 cities on its National Tour. The year-long tour is bringing attention to the profound effect an excellent education can make on a child’s life and celebrating the hope-filled mission of Catholic schools in the lives of children and families.

Media are invited to attend and are asked to contact Megan Hanson at in advance. Information about the Fighting for Our Children’s Future National Bus Tour is available at http://ace.nd.edu/media-room.

Notre Dame--September 26, 2013--
Next week, the University of Notre Dame will hit the road in support of a quality education for every child. To celebrate its 20 years of service, the university's Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) is launching the Fighting for Our Children's Future National Bus Tour, a cross country effort to raise awareness for the profound impact that K-12 schools have as agents of human formation and social transformation, and to celebrate the unique role that Catholic schools play in nurturing the soul of our nation.

Visiting nearly 50 cities during the 2013-14 academic year, the tour will begin in Dallas in conjunction with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football game against Arizona State University at AT&T Stadium on October 5th. It will continue, from there, to the Midwest and East Coast in the fall, and the South, Southwest and West Coasts in the spring.

At each stop along the route, the Fighting for Our Children's Future National Bus Tour will feature a variety of events, ranging from conversations and panels with city mayors, state senators and education reformers to visits at partnering Catholic schools. ACE founder Rev. Timothy Scully, CSC and other Notre Dame experts will meet with civic, diocesan and education leaders to discuss crucial concerns, such as the formation of the next generation of school leadership, the critical role Catholic schools play in the future of the American education system, and the right of every child to have equal access to an outstanding education.

In addition to engaging these topics, the tour aims to celebrate local school successes, honor educational partners and entrepreneurs, and promote the message that Catholic schools are good for America.

"We want to draw greater attention to the amazing legacy and bright future of these schools that form engaged citizens and advance the common good," says Rev. Timothy Scully, C.S.C., who co-founded ACE 20 years ago. "Our themed ACE bus will promote the message that access to a high-quality education is a basic civil right, inspiring all those who have joined Notre Dame in fighting for our children's future."

Notre Dame will join with children, teachers, parents and other stakeholders in these hometown visits as the Alliance for Catholic Education looks toward the next 20 years of its commitment to sustain, strengthen and transform Catholic schools.

Weekly blog posts, multimedia and commentary will be published on ace.nd.edu/20 as news unfolds along the route. For more information about the tour, the role of Catholic schools in the American education system and Notre Dame's commitment to the future of children and schools, media representatives can visit ACE's media room.

About the Alliance for Catholic Education
The University of Notre Dame's Alliance for Catholic Education impacts the lives of several hundred thousand children nationwide by preparing highly talented teachers, principals and school leaders, while offering an array of professional services for US Catholic Schools—the world's largest private school system. ACE works in partnership with hundreds of schools to ensure that the students in their communities, many of them from low-income families in high poverty communities, have access to a high-quality education.

About Catholic Schools
Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the United States have helped generations of immigrant communities achieve a better life since the mid-19th century. Today, these schools educate over two million students, many from disadvantaged populations in under-resourced communities. Despite limited budgets, Catholic schools provide a remarkable, often transformative education to children of all faiths and save American taxpayers billions of dollars each year.

Contact:
Bill Schmitt
574-631-3893

A Report from Rochester Catholic Schools, Rochester, MN:

On September 15, 2013, students, families, teachers, faculty, staff, stakeholders and community leaders will gather in the courtyard at the new Lourdes High School to celebrate together the dedication and blessing of the new Lourdes High School.

After many years of planning and building, this ceremony marks a blessed day when the Bishop will consecrate the new home of Lourdes High School.

"The dedication and blessing is a designated act, a ritual, that gives special recognition to those who contributed to making our new school an imaginable reality," said Rita Hendrickson, Director of Campus Ministry at Lourdes. The celebration will mark the official opening of Lourdes High school and give opportunity to celebrate with all those who are connected to the Lourdes community.

"This very special day is about celebrating a great milestone in the life of Lourdes High School. We are truly blessed to gather together as a community comprised of students, educators, parents, alumni, parishioners, men and women religious, benefactors and friends in thanksgiving for this remarkable gift that God has provided. We are grateful for the commitment and support from so many who remained focused on our vision to cultivate and make manifest a sacred space where our students, and all who enter, will come to witness and experience the presence and love of our Lord. As we bless Lourdes High School, we are humbled to participate in such a significant piece of its history and are proud to serve as faithful stewards of this legacy for generations of Catholic youth to come," said Michael Brennan, Director of Rochester Catholic Schools.

Bishop John M. Quinn, Bishop of the Dioceses of Winona, will preside over the prayer and blessing of the new school. There will be welcoming remarks from Michael Brennan, Director of Rochester Catholic Schools and music provided by the Lourdes High School Music Department. An open house for self-guided tours will be held for those who have not yet toured the new school.

In addition, Rochester Catholic Schools have been engaged in a strategic assessment and planning process in partnership with ACE Consulting, a team of school administration, academic and finance experts from the University of Notre Dame's Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE). To mark its 20 years of service, ACE is launching the Fighting for Our Children's Future National Bus Tour to celebrate the hope-filled mission of Catholic schools in the lives of children and families across the country. Visiting nearly 50 cities during the 2013-14 academic year, the tour will convene community leaders, honor educational and civic partners, and promote the message that Catholic schools are good for America.

The themed ACE bus is making a special first stop in Rochester to be present at the dedication of the new Lourdes High School. For more information about ACE and its mission, please visit http://ace.nd.edu.

Dr. Joe O'Toole, Lourdes High School interim principal, said, "The Lourdes High School community, faculty, staff and many stakeholders gratefully acknowledge the blessing and gift of our new Lourdes High School. As the Interim Principal I am so grateful, honored and humbled to be here and present to all as we enter our new facility and continue together our walk in Faith and learning. As it says in Micah 6:8, "You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God."

Due to age and dynamic educational demands, Lourdes was faced to evaluate the opportunity to re-build. "The initial dream of a new Lourdes High School had been planted long ago and it is such a blessing to be part of the vision that has come to fruition. I believe it all happened due to people's prayers, generosity, and commitment. Families understand the richness and strong roots that Catholic education provides, and so they too supported the same vision to build a new Catholic High School," said Hendrickson.

Unlike the old downtown location, which has served as a high school since 1941, the new space is open and shaped into a campus like structure. The 167,000 square foot building is built in three sections: fine arts, academics and an athletics section. Lourdes High School currently serves 479 students; the new state-of-the-art school will be big enough to house more than 525 students with room for future expansion.

The new building is set on 24 acres of land located at the corner of 19th Street and Valleyhigh Drive NW.

The Lourdes Building our Future capital campaign has been supported through private donations from benefactors who believe in the importance of Catholic education. Participation by everyone has been essential for success; more than 1,600 donors contributed to the campaign.

Lourdes High School gratefully acknowledges the hard work and dedication of all the individuals who have so generously sacrificed their time and monetary funds to make this high school a gift to all.

Students started class in the new building August 27, 2013. Lourdes High School is one of 5 Rochester Catholic Schools campuses. Rochester Catholic Schools provide academic excellence, faith formation and service learning experiences for more than 1,800 students in grades Preschool through 12.

CONTACT: Laura Smith, Communications & Marketing Specialist |

Story and photo courtesy of Department of Advancement, Rochester Catholic Schools

The year of faith is a celebration of our calling to follow Christ and how we can come to know Jesus in our commitment to the ACE community and Catholic Schools. Our prayer is that we can learn to find Jesus in the ordinary and routine things of our lives. ACE Teaching Fellows calls men and women to live a simple life as teachers in Catholic Schools.

There are three pillars of ACE which guide the lives of all who are called and sent forth to teach in Catholic Schools. The foundation of ACE is based on teaching, community, and spirituality. All three are essential and bring balance to the lives of the young men and women serving as Catholic educators.

Let us look at community. We hear, in Acts 2: 43 – 47, about the early Christian community and how they lived as disciples of Jesus. Consider these words:

Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts,praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.

I have visited with several ACE communities and always have come away inspired and happy that life in community can give support, encouragement and growth to the members. I visited with the community in Plaquemine/Baton Rouge recently via Skype and shared in the fellowship they have. I asked each of them to say what they contribute to the community. Their responses were interesting and inspirational; they helped me see the joy they live by and the goodwill that is in their home.

Joe is a master of grilling, so every Thursday is steak night for the community meal. The community always looks forward to this meal.

Samantha likes things to be clean, so she works at keeping the common areas looking nice.

Matt provides humor to the community, which brings about a relaxed and happy atmosphere.

Sam writes inspirational "post- it" notes and puts one on the coffee maker every morning.

Maria is the baker of the community and loves making her famous chocolate chip Oreo cookies.

It is good for these teachers to know their gifts and to share them with the community, as it creates a happy household. They know each other well, and they delight in each other and accept their own talents and those of their housemates. There is a joy in community life.

Spending this time with this group enabled me to see a community that resembles the early Christian communities. These five ACE teachers are people who have glad and generous hearts, and their love for each other enables them to share love with their students.

This Skype visit to an ACE home helped me see Christian community in action. I shared in it, and it made me grateful for the way the ACE pillar of community is lived out during an ordinary day.

The joy of community life leads us to know Christ and inspires us to be Christ the Teacher for our students. May God bless you in this Year of Faith.