Dr. Vida Reminisces her Five Years

In August 2010, Frassati Catholic Academy opened its doors under the enthusiastic leadership of its first principal, Dr. Diane Vida, to 131 middle school aged students, nine teachers and a dynamic technology integrated curriculum-new to Lake County, the state of Illinois, and most Midwestern public and private schools. What follows is an interview with Dr. Vida by Fr. Ron Lewinski, President for Mission, and Ms. Renee Luhr, president of the Board for the Catholic Consortium of Lake County.

Renee Luhr: Once you were selected to be the Principal of Frassati Catholic Academy, what was the vision and focus with which you began your leadership?

Dr. Vida: I began with a firm belief in the three C's of leadership: Catholic identity, communication skills, and commitment to academic excellence. From that starting point I wanted to be sure that we focused on the middle school paradigm, respecting the unique stage of development that is characteristic of 6th - 8th graders. I chose to concentrate on blended learning strategies that our students needed to prepare them not only for secondary education, but also for 21st Century learning skills that would become their threshold for college preparation.

Fr. Ron: I remember the many hours you spent in selecting a faculty that fit our vision. Can you tell us about how you went about the selection of teachers?

Dr. Vida: I knew from the beginning that we had to set high expectations for faculty and staff, if we were going to worthy of the name "Academy." Some of the things I looked for were whether the applicant held a valid State of Illinois teaching license and whether he/she had middle school endorsements. I wanted to be sure that the teachers we selected were tech savvy and were willing to integrate their teaching with a fresh technological approach. I listened for how creative the teacher might be and how well he/she understood the psychology of a middle school student. And because we wanted to establish a strong faith environment, the very first questions I asked related to the faith of the applicant. I felt compelled to inquire:  "Are you a practicing Catholic?"  "Does your pastor know you?"  "How do you see your teaching as part of the Church's mission?"

Renee Luhr:  What was your next move after you had your faculty in place?

Dr. Vida: Once the faculty was in place, I developed the learning skills and expectations for each grade level and designed a unique, teacher facilitated - yet student directed - curriculum that would engage middle school students on a creative educational path. We wanted students to use laptops not only as their textbooks, but also as their research tools for class/homework assignments.

Fr. Ron:  I'm proud to say that under your leadership Frassati Catholic Academy broke new ground for teaching and learning.  Renee Luhr:  Didn't the NCEA Momentum Journal publish your vision for technology in the middle school?

Dr. Vida: Yes. The article titled, "Look, Mom!  No More Backpacks!" was published in the fall of 2011. That article drew attention to Frassati and generated much interest on the part educators around the country who inquired about our academic paradigm and new ways of learning whereby students could master their academic achievements.

Renee Luhr:  How has the use of technology developed since Frassati first opened its doors?

Dr. Vida: In place of backpacks, students first used flash drives. Today Frassati students maintain their work in drop box or the cloud. If there would be a sequel to my first article, it should be titled today: "Look Mom!  Learning is as easy as a drop in the box-or Heaven really does hold our answers!" The most important development, however, has been the growing skills of our faculty in using technology effectively by integrating the computer creatively in their teaching.

Fr. Ron: What would you like to be remembered for as you retire from Frassati?

Dr. Vida: I want people to know that we worked very hard to provide a great faith formation. And we worked just as hard to establish a solid academic foundation for middle school students, especially in the areas of math and science.  Each year I worked with staff to raise the bar and encourage students to "reach for the heights."  The success of our graduates in high school is a good indication that we taught them well. I always enjoyed visiting the classrooms and seeing for myself what a great faculty we have and how blessed we are with students who want to learn. I'm also proud of the Frassati Parent Association that I was happy to establish and which was such a great help to me.  

Renee:  Can you say a little more about the faith and spiritual formation that has become part of the Frassati tradition?

Dr. Vida: We drew our inspiration from the life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Pope John Paul II called Pier Giorgio, "man of the Beatitudes." So the Beatitudes became the foundation for our spiritual vision. With the guidance of Fr. Ron Lewinski we developed a Spiritual Charter that gives spiritual muscle to everything we do at Frassati. I arranged to have one of the Beatitudes painted above each classroom door. I produced and organized the special presentations for Frassati Wednesdays. Our weekly celebration of Mass, our retreats, our pilgrimage to the shrine in St. John, IN, our daily prayer - all these efforts have helped our students to be more grounded in their faith. And I'll never forget our festive graduation liturgies at the Mundelein Seminary Chapel.

Renee: What are some of the fun things that you'll remember about Frassati?

Dr. Vida: I had a hand in writing the school's first fight song and volunteered to be the first cheerleader at the first pep assemblies. Weren't they all surprised! I loved going to the athletic events, and the music and fine arts programs.  Each day brought new surprises and the smiling faces and laughter of our students made every day a gift from God.

Fr. Ron: It seems to me that everything at Frassati Catholic Academy bears the imprint of the Dr. Vida touch. In five short years, you dedicated yourself wholeheartedly to this academy and the students who passed through these hallways. So, Dr. Vida, what do you think your graduates will remember about you?

Dr. Vida: Well, hopefully they will always be grateful for what they learned and the spiritual formation they received. But I suppose they will remember me most by what I'd call my favorite "Vidaisms". For example: "Procrastination does not lead to graduation." "You want an attitude? Pick a Beatitude." "80% of life is just showing up." And every student and staff member at the academy will always remember my favorite prayer: "The Guardian Angel prayer."

Renee:  What parting words would you want to leave us with?

Dr. Vida:  I am most thankful for the unique privilege of serving as the first principal of Frassati Catholic Academy. I am grateful to everyone that I worked with and for the parents and students who became like family to me in our pursuit of the very best in Catholic education. These have been the best five years of my life! I just want to remind everyone that "Vida" means life. So put a little "Vida" in everything you do and continue to "reach for the heights!"