In the Spotlight . . .

You've heard of a "Double Domer." Well, Michigan native Dane Whipple is becoming what might be considered a "Double ACEr." Last year he completed his first certification with ACE in English as a New Language (ENL); now he is well on his way toward earning his second certification with ACE in Teaching Exceptional Children (TEC).

This long-time Notre Dame fan graduated from the University of Michigan-Flint, and taught in Flint-area Catholic schools until, as he says, "the General Motors strike approached and the economy took a downturn." He relocated to San Diego, where he continued teaching and found his way to ACE.

"My motivation to join the ACE TEC program," he says, "was based on my experience in the ENL program. I learned so much [there] and met so many wonderful people that, when this second program was offered, I decided to pursue it." Dane found that teaching English as a new language truly helped struggling students—his ultimate goal. So he knew that the TEC program would equally support students with mild to moderate disabilities.

What he may not have expected is the change these programs have wrought in him. Even as he has established his school's Student Study Team, a resource for parents and students to help students achieve success; and even as he has introduced Quizlet, a website that helps students make study flashcards for their classes, Dane attests to his own growth in body, mind and spirit. He speaks of his increasing empathy for students who struggle, his openness to differentiated instruction, and the value of daily mass and other resources offered during summertime training.

Just as this teacher calls his ACE experience "a blessing," so ACE calls him, ever grateful for the thought and commitment he and others like him bring to our Catholic schools.

Sister Gail Mayotte, SASV, PhD, has been an educator for twenty-six years in varying roles: teacher, principal, diocesan curriculum and testing director, and currently as professor of supervision and instruction for the Alliance for Catholic Education ACE Teaching Fellows program. "In this latter role," she tells us, "and in working for ACE, I have the opportunity to support individuals in their teacher formation as well as collaborate with others who are passionate about working towards sustaining and strengthening Catholic schools."

When asked about what incited her own passion for Catholic schools, Sr. Gail says, "As a student within Catholic schools, I experienced the strength of community, the opportunity to learn about and express the Catholic faith, and the importance of service to others. I received an excellent, well-rounded education. As an adult, I wanted to work in that same environment and contribute towards shaping those valuable experiences for others."

Today, in addition to her role as professor, she directs field supervision visits of ACE teachers. She also works alongside Dr. Tom Doyle for ACE Collaborative for Academic Excellence, an effort to strengthen the academic quality of Catholic schools.

All of which emphasizes what she values most about Catholic schools: "[They] provide a place where the Gospel message is shared and expressions of faith permeate all aspects of school life; an experience of Christian community that supports and challenges each member; and a commitment to the holistic development of each individual student."

ACE Advocate Anna Jacob is passionate about parental choice. "Our society," says the native of Waterford, Ireland, has a "moral obligation to protect families' [rights] to select what they deem are the most appropriate schools for their children."

Anna's experience in the ACE Teaching Fellows program kindled the flame of this passion, and her participation last summer in the ACE Advocates Parental Choice Symposium fanned that flame into a blaze. The symposium, she says, "is an invaluable experience for teachers who...recognize a gap in their knowledge and understanding of the relevance of the school choice landscape for Catholic schools."

"Anyone who has taught in or led a Catholic school knows the struggles many families face financing the necessary tuition for their children," Anna says. "Catholic school leaders are also brutally aware of the startling rate at which enrollments have declined in recent years. The unsettling reality is that many [students] who switch out of Catholic schools do not choose to do so because of dissatisfaction with ... their child's Catholic school." On the contrary, most often it is simply because they cannot afford it. This injustice, she says, "stirs a profound objection in me."

Today Anna is working towards a doctorate in education policy at the University of Arkansas, where her experience as a teacher and advocate helps her strike a healthy balance between theory and practice. As she learns in greater detail about education reform, she says, "the ACE Advocates Symposium reminds me to pay attention to the common experiences, responses, and revealed preferences of practitioners, students, families and community members generally, and to reflect deeply on the issues in hand."

Anna Jacob has worked as a graduate assistant with the School Choice Demonstration Project since 2010 with Dr. Patrick Wolf and fellow ACE graduate Mike McShane. The group recently released the final set in a series of annual reports on the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. Anna received her B.Ed. from St. Patrick's College Dublin, where she graduated with first-class honors, and her M.Ed. through the University of Notre Dame's ACE program. Her email address is .

Applications for the 2012 Parental Choice Symposium are currently being accepted.

ACE 19 Intern Sam Reich has known since childhood that she wanted to be a teacher. That's why the History and Chemistry double major pursued an internship with ACE as an undergraduate at the University of Notre Dame. This week, she tells us what that experience has been like.

"I applied to ACE [through the ACE Internship] because of its incredibly supportive environment and innovative approach to alternative certification. I was immediately drawn to the community and spirituality aspects of ACE, along with its excellent academic preparation.

My instincts were not wrong. From the first day that I walked into the ACE office as an intern, the program has warmly accepted me. Staff members always have a moment to talk, whether I have a serious issue that I need to discuss or I just stopped in for the free coffee!

The ACE Internship has allowed me to see the ins and outs of all that is ACE. I have learned plenty about the ACE Teaching Fellows program, as one of the main intern jobs is recruiting at campus events. I have also learned a bit about other ACE initiatives, such as the Remick Leadership Program, where I assisted with data analysis in one of its research projects.

I've enjoyed getting to know ACE staff members; I can now sit in Remick Commons and pretty much guarantee that I will see at least one person to chat with so that I can procrastinate doing homework! What's more, I cannot stress enough how comforting it has been that I haven't had to worry about what I'm doing after graduation.

As my entrance into the ACE Teaching Fellows program is rapidly approaching, I am both nervous and excited. I know that my ACE experience will teach me how to become a better educator. However, I also hope that I will become a better person with a wider world perspective by the end of my second year. I want to learn more about ways to give back to the community in which I will be working, as well as to strengthen my faith life."

To learn more about the ACE Internship, click here.