Volume 8, Issue 10
December 21, 2009

Monday, Fourth Week of Advent

“O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.” (9:1).

The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, December 17-23, with December 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil.

The importance of “O Antiphons” is twofold: Each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Wisdom, O Lord, O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, O Rising Sun, O King of the Nations, and O Emmanuel. Also, each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah.

Message from the Secretary for Education/Superintendent

As Advent reaches its climax in the celebrations to come on Christmas Eve and the Birth of Christ on Christmas Day itself, we are reminded that all of the preparation we have done to make our Christmas Season more meaningful has been to focus not only on the Babe born in Bethlehem, but also on the adult Christ whom we receive in Holy Communion and who will come again to judge us in the final days. The Church in her wisdom has given us the gift of Advent to reflect on these mysteries and to encourage us to create for ourselves a place of calm and peace within the hustle and bustle of shopping, baking, and preparing our homes for Christmas. If you have fallen short in the spiritual preparation, these last few days can provide that oasis you need to fully enter into the true Spirit of Christmas.

May you and all those you hold dear including your school community enjoy the fullness of this most special time of year! May you receive the gifts of peace and joy in knowing the love that God bestows on all of us in having sent his only Son to be our salvation.

Merry Christmas to you and blessings in the New Year!

Contacting the Office of Catechetical Services

This is simply a reminder that the staff of the OCS continues to be available to assist you with any of the questions you may have. While Elaine Pekarek is on an extended absence for health issues, the consultants will be happy to help you:

Pat Flaherty        pflaherty@dioceseofcleveland.org    

         330.773.7621 or 800.869.6525 x 1029

Mary Lou Neckel-James   mlneckel@dioceseofcleveland.org

         800.869.6525 x 1028

Denise Smithberger     dsmithberger@dioceseofcleveland.org

         330.773.7621 or 800.869.6525 x 8910

The newest addition to the OCS staff is Judy Viancourt, who will be assisting with administrative responsibilities in our Cleveland office several days a week. Her scheduled starting date of December 1st has been particularly timely, and we are grateful for her addition to the team. Judy can be reached at:

jviancourt@dioceseofcleveland.org  

High School Selection Week
Just a reminder! High School Selection Week is January 11th - 15th. Applications are to be distributed to all eighth grade students. If you have any questions, please contact Wayne Uehlein at ext. 2450 or Sandy Williams at ext. 4990.

Announcing the JClub Catholic Book Fair Program

The JClub Book Fair program is more than just a school fundraiser. It is a multimedia experience for your students and a resource for the school to enhance existing curriculum. The program includes everything you need to run a successful Catholic book fair in your school. The innovative JClub magazine includes stories, games, and a media literacy page in addition to the extensive book list for the book fair. The JClub Web site, www.JClubCatholic.org includes educational and fun content for students as well as activities and resources for teachers and parents.

Email Pauline Books and Media at JClub@paulinemedia.com to receive a FREE Introductory kit to conduct a JClub Catholic Book Fair.

Women and Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America

This traveling exhibit tells the story of how Catholic sisters helped shape a nation, and how, in turn, the nation shaped them. We are privileged to have it stop in Cleveland from May 9 to August 28, 2010 at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. I ask that you consider supporting the exhibit and making this experience available to as many of your students as possible.

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland is generously supporting Women and Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America, produced by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. The Foundation had supported the exhibit at its earliest stage; the exhibit's first run at the Cincinnati Museum Center attracted more than 50,000 visitors who learned about the tremendous contributions of women religious throughout American history to today. Catch a look at the exhibit in this video. 

Power of the Pen 2010 Tournament Season Has Begun
“Because the ideas, dreams and beliefs of today's youth form the foundation of tomorrow's communities in Ohio, Power of the Pen is dedicated to helping young people find and develop a creative voice that is uniquely their own. It is a mission we will realize when we inspire every teacher and challenge every student to truly embrace the art of creative expression through writing as a life skill.”
 
The 2010 preliminary area “Power of the Pen” tournaments began in this area on December 12, 2009 at Monticello Middle School in Cleveland Heights/University Heights.   Of the 18 participating schools seven schools were from the Diocese of Cleveland: Metro Catholic School, St. Dominic, St. Thomas More, Gesu, St. John of the Cross, Euclid, and Urban Community School.
 

Congratulations:

•To Mrs. Rule (teacher/sponsor) and to the three students from Gesu who brought home three individual trophies and 1 team trophy

•To Sr. Ann Maline (Director of Metro Catholic School) and the 12 Metro Catholic students who participated in the competition, including the students qualifying to move on to the next round!

•To Maureen Covington (teacher/sponsor) and to four St. Dominic students who placed among the top 15 and to one St. Dominic student who won a “best of the round” prize, as well as, placing 4 th in the overall competition.

•To Mrs. Turner(teacher/sponsor) and to two St. Ann students who placed among the top 15 winners.

•To Mrs. Selmensberger and Mrs. Flowers (teachers/sponsors) and the 7 th and 8 th graders at St. Thomas More School; the 8 th grade team brought home a trophy, with one of those team members placing among the top 15 in the competition.

•To Donna Flynt and Sheila Klepcyk (teacher/sponsors) and to the 11 7 th and 8 th graders at St. Felicitas who participated in the POP competition, with two students placing among the top 15 winners.

•To Mrs. Michele Grooms-Massa (teacher/sponsor) and to twelve Urban Community School 7 th and 8 th grade participants; the Urban Community School seventh grade team earned a second place trophy with one 7 th grader placing among the top 10 over-all winners.

 
We hope to hear the outcomes of each district tournament. The next local tournament is scheduled for January 23, 2010 at St. Joseph Academy.  Good luck to all participants! For more information go to: http://powerofthepen.org/.

Cleveland Clinic Explorers Program

EXPLORERS is an innovative, FREE program that connects creativity and wellness to help students in grades K to 8 lead healthier, more active lives. Through this interdisciplinary, standards-based initiative, Cleveland Clinic medical professionals speak to area art classes on important health issues, and the students then create artistic interpretations of what they have learned, submitting their finished projects as part of a juried competition.

This year, for the first time, the Clinic is offering two EXPLORERS distance-learning presentations so art classes anywhere in the world can tune in and interact with Cleveland Clinic healthcare professionals. The presentations are:

Kidney Health: January 13, 2010, 10 to 11 am

Nutrition: January 20, 2010, 10 to 11 am

If you are unable to join in for the live broadcasts, you can still participate in EXPLORERS. One week after these live events, the Clinic will be posting videos of the presentations on its Web site. This way, art teachers and their students can view and then creatively interpret the presentations on their own schedules.

To sign up for a distance-learning session or to learn more about EXPLORERS, visit www.clevelandclinic.org/EXPLORERS and click on the Distance-Learning Forms tab.

GCEDC is Starting a SECOND NEW February Cohort ofFAST, FAST 2B

Become a Formative Assessment Support Team Specialist. Earn a CSU Assessment for Learning Certificate. Help educators in your school use formative assessment strategies to gather evidence of learning in real-time and use that information to adjust instruction to keep student learning on course to the Academic Content Standards. Location: Cole Center at CSU - 8:15 am to 3:30 pm

FAST participants will:

1. Understand how formative assessments fit into a balanced assessment system.
2. Master a wide variety of minute-to-minute student involved classroom assessment techniques.
3. Know how to engage in authentic data-driven decision-making based on real-time data.
4. Be able to employ classroom strategies that make students full partners in their own learning.
5. Be able to lead and develop formative assessment professional learning communities and assessment for learning buddy systems in their buildings/district.
6. Know how to create high quality common assessments that transform the standards into concrete agreed upon learning targets.
7. Develop a comprehensive and effective formative assessment-training packet to use in their home district.

FAST Cohort 2B Dates:

February 24, 25, 26, 2010

March 23 and 24, 2010

May 27, 2010

June 4, 2010

GCEDC encourages schools to send a small team of 2 to 4 participants.

Cost per workshop participant is $1,000. This includes seven days of training, a paper and electronic binder full of ready to use materials, textbook, lunch and certificate. In addition, participants can purchase up to 4 hours of Advanced Formative Assessment graduate credit through CSU. The trainer is Donna Snodgrass, Ph.D. of the GCEDC. Dr. Snodgrass is also AERA’s National Program Chair for Assessment in Schools.

Assessment for Learning Workshop

When: January 28 & 29, February 23

Cost: 3-day workshop participant is $525. This includes 3 days of training, extensive packet of materials, (ETS) Chappuis’ 2009 Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning textbook, and lunches. In addition, participants can purchase one hour of graduate credit through CSU. The trainer is Donna Snodgrass, Ph.D. of the GCEDC. Dr. Snodgrass is also AERA’s National Program Chair for Assessment in Schools.

Learn to use Assessment for Learning strategies like those discussed by Stiggins, Wiliam, Davies, Brookhart, Heritage, Chappius and others to gather evidence of learning in real-time and use that information to adjust instruction to keep student learning on course to the Academic Content Standards.

AfL participants will:

Learn to engage in authentic data-driven decision-making based on real-time data generated from authentic classroom instruction.

Understand the five components of running your classrooms as if learning is guided by a GPS Navigational System. Teachers will be able to:

1. Make all students full partners in their own learning.
2. Help students see the learning target.
3. Use real-time assessments at decision points in a lesson to have s SODA – Stop, Observe, and Decide before they Act.
4. Provide learners with DESCRIPTIVE feedback in manageable “chunks.”
5. Master a wide variety of minute-to-minute student involved classroom assessment techniques that scaffold learning forward to close instructional gaps.

For more information or to register for either of the workshops described above, contact Nancy Carnes at 216.523.7112.

John Carroll University Offers Spring Semester Graduate Class
Closing the Achievement Gap I: Comprehensive Literacy in a Developmentally and Culturally Responsive Environmentis the name of the class.

Dates: January 21, February 4 & 18, March 11 & 25, April 15, 2010
Time: 4:45-8:45 p.m.
Location: Dolan Science Center, John Carroll University

2 graduate credits from JCU will be offered for $300.
Deadline for registration is Monday, January 10.

K-8 educators will explore components of comprehensive literacy through six separate sessions including:

Introduction to Comprehensive Literacy
Developmentally and Culturally Responsive Teaching
Writing Workshop focusing on Independent Writing
Reading Workshop focusing on Independent Reading
Word Study within a Literacy Framework
Tying it All Together for Student Success

The Institute for Educational Renewal (IER) at John Carroll is a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging students and teachers in elementary and middle schools in rigorous and meaningful academic work that results in high achievement for all learners. For more information, please call Monica Bruck at 216-397-3073 or e-mail to mbruck@jcu.edu.

Applications for SPARK Physical Education grants due December 31

Middle school physical education teachers can apply now for training in the Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK) program. SPARK offers a research-based curriculum that teaches movement knowledge, motor skills, healthy lifestyles, and social and personal skills. ODE’s Office for Safety, Health and Nutrition will award individual grants to 40 Ohio teachers to cover their participation in two days of training for implementing the SPARK curriculum. Teachers will receive program manuals, CDs and fitness software. Schools also will receive $100 for each day of training to help cover the cost of substitute teachers. The total value of each grant is more than $700 and includes technical support from the SPARK training staff and the ODE Healthy Schools Program consultant. The trainings will be held in central Ohio in January and August 2010. The deadline for applications is December 31. For more information and the grant application, click here http://www.education.ohio.gov/ and click on the home page link, or search keyword: SPARK.

Some Funding Available for National Board Candidates

House Bill 1 provided no state funding for National Board Certification candidate fees, support or stipends in Ohio for the 2010-2011 biennium budget. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has just announced that it is making funding available through its Targeted High Need Initiative program to help Ohio teachers offset $1,000 of the $2,500 assessment fee for first-time National Board candidates. These funds also are available to pay the $350 cost for Ohio candidates to retake one entry of the National Board Certification process.

Ohio educators with questions about National Board Certification can contact Carole Moyer at cdm346@gmail.com. The application and payment deadline for retake candidates is January 31, 2010. Deadlines for next year’s first-time candidates will be announced in January.

Draft Social Studies/Science Standards Review Extended to January 21

The review period for the first drafts of revised Social Studies and Science Standards has been extended to January 21 to allow educators more time for organizing discussion groups and submitting comments.

Educators are encouraged to review the draft standards and provide feedback using an online survey, which is posted on the ODE Web site along with related materials. These resources include a video that provides an overview of the revisions, a toolkit for hosting discussion groups and other content-specific resources.

Ohio’s students and educators will benefit from the participation of a wide range of educators, business leaders and community members in the standards revision process. The Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment has received a large volume of feedback to date, which will inform the final drafts. Thanks to all participants for your involvement.

To view the revised standards, related information and the survey link, visit www.education.ohio.gov and search keyword revision.

Autism Training for Teachers and Related School Personnel

The Autism Society of Greater Cleveland and The Educational Service Center are very pleased to sponsor autism training with Dr. James Ball for “Effective strategies for working with a person on the Autism Spectrum.” This training is for teachers, administrators, counselors, social workers, school personnel, professionals, and parents.

Dr. James Ball, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctor, is the President/CEO of JB Autism Consulting. He has been in the field of autism for over twenty-five years providing educational, residential, and employment services to children and adults affected by autism. He is also the Director of Clinical Services for New York Families of Autistic Children (NYFAC), a private not-for-profit organization providing support and training for children and families in New York City. He provides private consultation to organizations, schools, and families regarding staff training, parent training, home support services, classroom design/support, and behavior management/assessment.

The training will be held at The City of Independence Civic Center, 6363 Selig Drive, Independence, OH 44131 on January 11, 2010 from 8:30 am-3:30 pm.

Cost is $50 for Professionals and $20 for Parents.

The course includes 5 ¼ CEU credit and lunch.

Register by calling the ASGC 216.556.4937 or email at support@asgc.org. Checks should be made payable to the ASGC, and mailed to P.O. Box 41066, Brecksville, OH 44141. If a school needs an invoice, let ASGC know so that they may accommodate your request. For more details go to: http://www.admail.net/file/6330/b2ea2/.

Get ready for Census 2010

April 1, 2010, is U.S. Census Day, which provides the opportunity to enlighten students on census data and to challenge them to learn more about their community and its needs. The U.S. Census Bureau has created the program Census in Schools: It’s About Us, which offers standards-aligned materials and lesson plans that can be integrated into district curriculum. Additionally, there are family take-home pages that provide information and promote participation in the 2010 Census. ODE is working with the Ohio 2010 Census committee to encourage Ohio schools, students and parents to be counted on April 1, 2010. Because census participation can significantly impact district budgets, educators are encouraged to communicate to families and communities the importance of a complete and accurate count in Ohio. For more information, click here http://www.census.gov/schools/.

Get into the Giving Spirit by Donating at House of Blues®

St. Augustine Hunger Center is accepting donations of canned and dried food at the House of Blues on 12/28/09 at 7 pm – Chris Isaak.

Contact Dennis McNulty at 216.334.2962 or dmcnulty@clevelandcatholiccharities.org

St. Malachi Center is accepting educational board games/puzzles, sweatshirts for adults and youth, school uniforms for youth, individually wrapped food/snacks, and craft materials at the House of Blues on 12/30/09 – Rusted Root.

Contact Faith B. W. Evans at 216.771.3036 x10 faith@stmalachicenter.org

Ticket information – purchase tickets at www.houseofblues.com, www.livenation.com and all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 800.754.3000. The House of Blues Box Office (308 Euclid Avenue) is open daily at 10 am Monday thru Saturday.

Welcoming the 3 rd Edition of the Roman Missal: Deepen, Nurture, Celebrate

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship and the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions in consultation with the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy are offering a training workshop for priests and diocesan leadership on the implementation of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal.

The presenters are Secretariat for the Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship staff Msgr. Anthony Sherman, Executive Director, and Rev. Richard Hilgartner, Associate Director.

In addition, these workshops will also include elements of leadership in a time of change designed by Dr. Dolly Sokol, Archdiocese of Santa Fe and Dr. Brian Reynols, Archdiocese of Louisville.

Each workshop will cover a portion of two days, beginning at 2:00 pm the first day, ending at 6:00 pm. The second day begins with a Celebration of Eucharist at 8:30 am. The workshop concludes at 3:00 pm.

The workshop nearest Cleveland is Cincinnati, OH, Good Shepherd Parish, April 15-16. The fee for the BCDW/FDLC Roman Missal workshop is $125 per person. This fee includes a continental breakfast and lunch on Day Two. Information on overnight accommodations where they are needed will be provided on request.

There are links to the online registration form on both the USCCB Web site: http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/ and the FDLC Web site www.fdlc.org.

Year for Priests

As 2009 closes, we continue to pray for our priests in this special year to honor them. Visit the Web site: www.usccb.org/yearforpriests for more information.