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Archdiocese of Hartford
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June 2, 2014
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Office of Catholic Schools e-Newsletter
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Stay Connected
 
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There will be no July edition of Vision.
We will resume publication on August 1.
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Dale R. Hoyt, Ed.D.
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Final examinations, class parties, award ceremonies, baccalaureates, commencement exercises, and appreciation dinners are all part of the excitement in completing another rewarding school year. June is a time to recognize the successes of students, develop plans for the future, and thank those who have made this school year such a memorable experience.
On behalf of Archbishop Leonard P. Blair, Bishop Christie A. Macaluso, and myself, we extend our deepest gratitude to all the priests, administrators, teachers, and staff who have provided excellence in Catholic education during this school year. Your genuine care for the students and the opportunities you afford them each day have provided a vision that inspires great hope for their future.
Lessons learned this school year were inspired by the canonization of two saints and Pope Francis on the virtue of hope. "St. John XXIII opened the window for the Church to see the world with hope. St. John Paul II bravely opened a door through which he carried this hope as a relentless pilgrim." Pope Francis goes through the door to seek and meet the people with hope. It is this virtue of hope reminding us "People aren't really going to be interested in what you have to say, even if you have a lot to say, until they're convinced that you care about them and their needs." This is exactly how Pope Francis models his life, as a beacon of hope drawing others to Christ with a very caring persona.
At the conclusion of this school year, there will be leadership and staff changes. We wish all those who are leaving the network of Catholic schools the very best in their new endeavors.
I am grateful to be working with such a dedicated team at the Office of Catholic Schools, who strive each day to serve, guide, and inspire transformational growth through the ministry of Catholic school education. The work in the Office of Catholic Schools could not be achieved without the remarkable volunteers who serve on the Archdiocesan School Board, the Principals' Advisory Council for Elementary (PACE) Schools, the Curriculum Commission, and many other working committees that assist in furthering the purpose and vision for Catholic schools. In addition, the services of the Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools, the Connecticut Federation of Catholic School Parents, and other agencies of the Archdiocese are essential to the support of Catholic schools, and for this I am deeply appreciative.
As you journey into the summer season, be like the blossoming flowers and turn your face to the sun - this will provide you with energy and strength. During the summer nights look into the evening sky and experience the illumination of the stars gazing on you and providing you with the warmth of the season. Take the time to appreciate God's magnificent creation of the season. May you find comfort this summer in acknowledging the brightness, hopefulness, and the spark of life that you offer young people in the ministry of Catholic school education.
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St. John Paul II School, New Britain, is the official new name of Pope John Paul II School, New Britain.
Marie Gannatti (Hartford Vicariate) and Margaret Whalen (Waterbury Vicariate) have been appointed by Dr. Hoyt to serve on the Principals' Advisory Council for Elementary (PACE). Marie and Margaret are replacing Colleen DiSanto (Hartford Vicariate) and Patricia Devanney (Waterbury Vicariate), who have served two terms (four years).
Sr. Maureen Fitzgerald, ASCJ, (New Haven Vicariate) has agreed to serve a second term (two years) on PACE. Patricia Martin (Hartford Vicariate), Jo-Anne Gauger and Thomas Maynard (Waterbury Vicariate) have been re-elected serve a second term on PACE.
Christa Chodkowski has resigned from her position at the Office of Catholic Schools.
Cheryl Panzo has been appointed by The Reverend Thomas A. Sievel as the Principal of St. Vincent de Paul School, East Haven. Mrs. Panzo will be replacing Sr. Eugenie Guterch, RSM, who will resign from her position as of June 30, 2014.
Lisa Anderson has been appointed by The Reverend Edward Ziemnicki as the Principal of St. Stanislaus School, Meriden. Mrs. Anderson will be replacing Richard Tomaro who served as Interim Principal.
Sr. Sheila O'Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., '71, President  of Sacred Heart Academy, Hamden, who received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at the Saint Anselm College, 121st Commencement Exercises, on Saturday, May 17, in Manchester, New Hampshire. (Photo, Left to Right - President of Sacred Heart Academy, Sr. Sheila O'Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., '71, President of Saint Anselm College, Steven R. DiSalvo, Ph.D., Anchor and Moderator of Face the Nation, Bob Schieffer, and Chairman, President and CEO of Covidien, Richard Meelia) Sr. Sheila O'Neill, Bob Schieffer, and Richard Meelia received honorary degrees from the college.
Anne Kiernan, a math teacher at St. Mary Magdalen School, Oakville, whose article, Math: Multiple Methods, was published in the June issue of the National Catholic Educational Association, Elementary Schools Department, monthly e-Newsletter. Kathleen Welch, a seventh and eighth grade United States and World History teacher, as well as a middle school geography and religion teacher at St. John Paul II School, New Britain, who was named the 2014 Connecticut History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and Preserve America for her outstanding work in the classroom. Mrs. Welch is a finalist for the $10,000 National History Teacher of the Year Award.
Ryan Curry, an eighth grade student at St. Joseph School, Meriden, who won first place in the History Essay Contest sponsored by the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians.
first place winners, David Perugini, grade 1, Gabriela Rivera-Rodriguez, grade 2, and Sydney Garceau, grade 7, and honorable mention winners, Julian Wengertsman and Angela Lombardi, grade 1, Connor Capaldo, grade 2, Carter Payne, grade 4, of the Friends of the Watertown Library Association, Poetry Contest. These students attend St. Mary Magdalen School, Oakville. There were nearly 600 entries in the elementary and middle school age groupings.
the student participants in the St. Brigid School, West Hartford (Elmwood), Safety in the School Contest, hosted by the Catholic Mutual Group, who were awarded a certificate of achievement and a consolation award in the amount of $250 for their efforts.
Tyler Dias, a sixth grade student at St. James School, Manchester, who was selected as one of ten second place winners in a nationwide reading contest that netted the school a donation of 1,000 books to their library. The annual program, sponsored by the World Wrestling Federation, the Pearson Foundation, and the Young Adult Library Services Association, promotes the importance of reading. Tyler was one of five participants in his age category selected to receive the donation.
Please pray for:
the soul of Ann Daly, mother of The Reverend Shawn Daly, Archdiocesan School Board member and Pastor of Corpus Christi Parish and School, Wethersfield, who entered into eternal life on Saturday, May 3, 2014. May the soul of Ann Daly rest in peace. the soul of Anna P. May, the mother of The Reverend Ronald P. May, the Pastor of St. Dominic Parish and School, Southington, who entered into eternal life on Sunday, May 18, 2014. May the soul of Anna May rest in peace. the soul of Edward Bridgham, the father of Kelsey Bridgham, an eighth grade student at St. Joseph School, Meriden, who entered into eternal life on Wednesday, April 30, 2014. May the soul of Edward Bridgham rest in peace. the soul of Louis Bellefleur, the father-in-law of Tara Bellefleur, Principal of St. Timothy Middle School, West Hartford, who entered into eternal life on Wednesday, May 28, 2014. May the soul of Louis Bellefleur rest in peace. the soul of Michael Norris, the father of Valerie Miller, the preschool aide at St. Joseph School, Meriden, who entered into eternal life on Saturday, May 3, 2014. May the soul of Michael Norris rest in peace. the soul of Daniel J. Post, the father of four children, three who currently attend Catholic schools, who entered into eternal life on Monday, May 5, 2014. May the soul of Daniel Post rest in peace.
the continued improved health of Margie Williamson, Principal of Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford.
the continued improved health of Janet Duffany, wife of Larry Duffany, a Religion and English teacher at St. Paul Catholic High School, Bristol.
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 Mission Formation and Evangelization |
Adult Faith Formation for Catholic School Educators: The Office of Catholic Schools has partnered with the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives at the University of Dayton through their Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation. Within the Church document, Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States (1999), the bishops outlined several areas that should be addressed in adult faith formation. Toward that end, Catholic school educators within the archdiocesan network must complete the following courses within five years of employment:
- Catholic Beliefs (a study of basic truths of the faith)
- Sacraments
- Introduction to Christian Morality
- Survey of Catholic Social Teaching (a course developed by the University of Dayton specifically for educators in the Archdiocese of Hartford)
And two of the three scripture courses:
- Introduction to Scripture
- Old Testament
- New Testament
The Office of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Hartford is noted by the University of Dayton as one of the top three innovators in course implementation. Participation in courses through the University of Dayton is open to any adult associated with the Archdiocese of Hartford. Currently, some archdiocesan offices and religious congregations in the archdiocese are taking advantage of our partnership. For more information on these courses and programs visit the Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF) website at http://vlc.udayton.edu.
Cycle 5 begins on July 20 and ends on August 23; registration opens on June 4 and closes on July 16. Courses to be offered in this cycle to satisfy some of the requirements include:
- Catholic Beliefs
- Sacraments
- Introduction to Christian Morality
- Introduction to Scripture
- Old Testament
- New Testament
Back to School Mass: Join Archbishop Leonard P. Blair on Sunday, September 7, at 2:00 p.m. for a Back to School Mass celebrating the start of the new school year.
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| Leadership and Governance |
School Board Summer Planning Meeting: As we approach the month of June, it is important for the school board to plan a meeting before the school closes or sometime in the summer. The purpose is three-fold:
- First, it is important for the board to undergo a review or self-evaluation. The survey should be compiled and a review of actions should be discussed. Any issues that are unresolved with the running of the board should be entertained.
- Second, the chair, the administration, and board members should review the prior year's goals to insure completion and evaluation of the success of the goals.
- Third, the board and the administration should review 20/20 Vision: An Eye on Our Future for benchmarks that are germane to the excellent functioning of the board, the NEASC recommendations, and general goals that address administrative needs. The goals should be directed to the standing committees. The development of action plans is vital for the successful completion of goals.
Once goals are assigned to the appropriate committee, the committees will have the opportunity to research or strategize steps to goal completion. This summer opportunity is the perfect time for committee members to prepare for successful completion of goals. As the new school year starts, the first meetings will be productive.
The working committee meetings will have a head start on successful achievement of goals. Posting of school board goals on the school website is an excellent way to establish accountability.
This type of leadership from the board chair and the administration sends a serious message to stakeholders that there is sincere investment and willingness to achieve growth, vitality, and viability for Catholic education.
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| Excellence in Teaching and Learning |
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New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC): The following schools will have their NEASC school decennial visits in 2014-2015:
- St. Francis - St. Hedwig, Naugatuck, October 19-22, 2014
- St. Paul Catholic High School, Bristol, November 2-5, 2014
- St. Bridget School, Manchester, April 26-29, 2015
International Students Status Reports: All schools with F-1 status international students must provide the Office of Catholic Schools with updates on their international students. These updates should be documented on the Report of Status of F-1 (Non-Immigrant) Student Form, as soon as possible. If returning students are traveling for the summer, it is imperative that the Office of Catholic Schools be given at least 3 weeks notice so that an I-20 may be produced for re-entry into the United States. Please contact Valerie Mara with any questions.
Great Summer Professional Development Opportunity, Improving Full Class Instruction: This professional development workshop will take place on June 26, 2014 at the Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary, and is a great opportunity for teachers to learn from Pat Quinn, a humorous and highly engaging presenter. Everyone will leave with teaching and learning strategies to implement to the whole class on the first day of school! This workshop is appropriate for anyone delivering or supervising instruction in grades K-12. RSVP to Valerie Mara by June 5.
Singapore Math Strategies: Char Forsten will provide strategies consistent with the paradigm shifts of recent research and best practices on August 21, 2014 at the Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary. Participants will take an in-depth look at Singapore's key instructional components...building number sense with math talk, number bonds, computation methods, fractions, and practice using the model drawing approach to solve word problems. This workshop is particularly appropriate for teachers using Math in Focus. All teachers grades K-8 are welcome. RSVP to Linda Serafin by August 1, 2014.
Catholic Educators Curriculum Conference 2014 - Facilitators Wanted: This fall the Curriculum Conference will focus on Archdiocesan initiatives implemented over the past seven years. This is a year to "Put All the Pieces Together." Teachers from Pre-K through high school continually ask for opportunities to connect, collaborate, and share. If you have a teacher who has demonstrated mastery of any of these initiatives and is interested in the work of facilitating either grade level or subject area breakout sessions, please send their names to Valerie Mara before the end of the school year. Also, please include summer contact information so details can be sent home before September 1 arrives. Initiatives in review are as follows: - Standards-based Unit Planning and Lesson-Planning
- Differentiating Instruction
- Assessment and Grading Best Practices
- 21st Century Learning Environments
8 Terrific Math TED Talks: TED blog has recently featured a playlist containing 8 talks on math. This list of iPad or PC links is useful and informative for teachers of math at all grade levels or those who are fans of mathematical thinking. The speakers in these talks are renowned mathematicians who revitalize a passion and interest in every-day math logic with an interdisciplinary approach. They provide the answer to the common question of many math students: "When will I ever use this math in the real world?" 2. How big is infinity? 4. Scott Rickard: The beautiful math behind the ugliest music 6. Benoit Mandelbrot: Fractals and the art of roughness 7. Michael Mitchell: A clever way to estimate enormous numbers 8. Geoffrey West: The surprising math of cities and corporations |
| Operational Vitality |
Parent Ambassadors' Best Practice, Canvassing: School parent ambassadors, who often live and work in the community where their children go to school, are the best resources when it comes to community canvassing. Canvassing can include speaking directly to people in a neighborhood and/or passing out brochures or printed information to families and businesses. When considering neighborhood outreach, administrators are urged to ask the parents for suggestions about places to canvass. Ambassadors should canvass local businesses where families with children often frequent. These may include:
- Day care centers and preschools
- Doctor and dentist offices
- Parks
- Libraries
- Restaurants and stores
School administrators are encouraged to consider canvassing a neighborhood once a month and especially when the school is hosting a special event. It is a best practice to make sure that local businesses will promote the school before money is spent on printing and distributing materials. Remember to speak directly to the business manager or ask parents with connections to the business to make the inquiry on behalf of the school.
Community canvassing is a marketing strategy that works. Even political campaigns incorporate canvassing into their strategy.
Exit Surveys Are Vital: When families leave or choose not to return to a Catholic school, it is critical that we understand the reasons for this attrition in order to better serve the needs of our students and improve the quality of the Catholic school education offered in this Archdiocese. Best practices demand that we conduct exit surveys with our families to determine the real reasons for their departure, the type of school to which they are transferring, and their general level of satisfaction with the education their child received at the school. To facilitate this process, it is recommended that schools utilize the online Exit Survey for Parents/Guardians which gathers this important data while protecting the identity of the parent responding and avoids what may be an uncomfortable discussion for administrators and parents alike.
Link to Spanish version: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QJ2W3P9
Those schools that would prefer to conduct the exit interview in person are encouraged to have a school board member meet with the departing parents and complete the Exit Survey for Parents/Guardians during that meeting. The results can then be entered into the online instrument, for inclusion into the Archdiocesan data. Greater understanding of the reasons families leave the Catholic schools will lead to a greater understanding of how to retain the families currently enrolled!
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| Calendar of Events |
JUNE
1 Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, Lauralton Hall, Milford, Commencement Exercises,
gymnasium, 10:00 a.m.
1 Notre Dame High School, West Haven, Commencement Exercises, Alumni Hall, 10:00 a.m.
1 Holy Cross High School, Waterbury, Commencement Exercises, gymnasium, 10:30 a.m.
3 St. Paul Catholic High School, Bristol, Commencement Exercises, Cathedral of St. Joseph,
Hartford, 7:30 p.m.
4 Northwest Catholic High School, West Hartford, Commencement Exercises, Cathedral of St. Joseph,
Hartford, 7:30 p.m.
5 Improving Full Class Instruction, Professional Development, Archdiocesan Center, Bloomfield,
8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
5 East Catholic High School, Manchester, Commencement Exercises, Cathedral of St. Joseph,
Hartford, 7:30 p.m.
6 Sacred Heart High School, Waterbury, Commencement Exercises, Basilica of the Immaculate
Conception, 7:30 p.m.
9-13 Office of Catholic Schools Planning Days
13 Archdiocesan School Board Planning Meeting, Archdiocesan Center, Bloomfield,
12:00 noon - 4:30 p.m.
26 Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools, Board of Trustees Meeting, Chancery, 4:00 p.m.
27 Chief Administrators Meeting, Archdiocesan High Schools, Office of Catholic Schools,
10:00 a.m. - Noon
JULY
4 Independence Day (Office of Catholic Schools Closed)
AUGUST
7 New Administrators Meeting, Office of Catholic Schools, 9:30: a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
14-15 Administrators Convocation, Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary
18 Archdiocesan New Teacher Orientation, St. Dominic School, Southington, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
19 Virtus Training for New School Employees, St. Dominic School, Southington, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Facilitated by Kathleen Nowosadko, Director, Office of Safe Environment
21 Singapore Math Strategies, Professional Development, Archdiocesan Center, Bloomfield
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