Tolle Lege Insides Fall 2019 for Web.Indd
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Fall 2019 TOLLETOLLE CLEARWATER CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE LEGELEGE Inspiring Excellence in the Classroom & Beyond FALL 2019 EDITION Our Mission In This Issue Clearwater Central Catholic High School, a The theme of this issue is Inspiring Excellence: In college-preparatory school in the Diocese the Classroom & Beyond. Throughout the pages of St. Petersburg, is committed to educating of the Fall 2019 Tolle Lege magazine, you will learn the whole person with “minds for truth, hearts of the exciting academic opportunities available for love, and hands for service”. Our unique to our students and hear from the perspective of academic, extensive co-curricular and stu- our educators. We encourage innovation and dent-centered program inspires all persons to creativity, while embracing the modern world we develop their spiritual, intellectual, moral, phys- live in. ical, and creative potential and to respect the diversity among them and in the world beyond. We further challenge our students to intention- ally pursue social justice and live in service to Tolle Lege literally translates to “take up and others for the betterment of society. read”. We hope you enjoy taking up and reading this edition of the Tolle Lege magazine, including Core Values the 2018 – 2019 Annual Report. Living Faith Inspiring Excellence Valuing Service Embodying Respect CCC Leadership Team Dr. John Venturella, President Mr. James Deputy, Principal Mr. Enrique Garza, Assistant Principal Mr. Richard Falls, Director of Advancement Mrs. Janet Ashe, Director of Finance & Operations 2019-2020 Advisory Council Mrs. Kimberly Cass Mr. Peter Cunzolo*, Co-Chair Mrs. Paulee (Coughlin) Day ‘87 Sr. Donna Daniels, SND Dr. JoAnne Hopkins* Mrs. Debi Jewell Dr. Dean Koutroumanis Mrs. Missy Liermann Mrs. Janet Long Mr. Jim Madden ‘68 Mr. Michael McGinn Mr. Matthew Noyes ‘83 Mr. Steve Piazza* ‘82 Mrs. Carol Purcell Mr. John Rich* Mr. Brian Riley ‘98 Mrs. Nermine Rubin Mrs. Carolyn Sramek Mr. Corey Wells*, Co-Chair *Member of the Executive Advisory Board Tolle Lege is published through CCC’s Advancement Office. Page 1 Office of the PRESIDENT FROM THE PRESIDENT Learning and Achievement at Clearwater Central Catholic High School Saint Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton set up a school for poor children in Emmitsburg, Maryland, in 1809, and from her initial effort, there are now 6,289 Catholic schools: 5,092 elementary schools and 1,197 secondary schools in the United States. Catholic schools have made a tremen- dous difference over the last 200 years. What is the value of a Catholic Education at Clearwater Central Catholic today? Why do I believe in it so much? First and foremost, Clearwater Central Catholic aims to educate the whole child—spiritually, physically, psycho- logically, academically and socially. The demands of the 21st century require a new and different approach to Catholic education, one that is inquiry-based, fosters critical thinking, integrates technology, and teaches collaboration for greater academic success. While the above are important, without a spiritual life, a safe and nurturing environment, individualized instruc- tion, and students being “known and cared for” in a faith-based environment, these can remain minimally effective or even ineffective as a preparation for col- lege and life. Put in a nutshell, the value of a Clearwater DR. JOHN A. VENTURELLA Central Catholic education is that it provides all of these President and more, to a very high degree. I have remained at Clearwater Central Catholic for 15 years, because this is a school open to new ideas and ways of approaching education. I am excited by so much that has been accomplished in the past and by the many projects and plans we are presently under- taking. I’m especially enthusiastic for the new ideas and plans that are yet to be born, as we discover them to- gether as a CCC community. We are an intellectually curious community and that’s what makes being here so worthwhile! For me, everything flows from our newly adopted Grad- uate Learner Profile which outlines our end product, the CCC graduate. This document identifies the cognitive, personal, and interpersonal competencies that students should have when they graduate from Clearwater Cen- Page 2 New Photo Dr. V with Students tral Catholic. As we look to prepare our stu- Catholic Education because of what it pro- dents for college and life, we use this profile vided me: college-bound peers, a challeng- as the basis for our projects and plans. ing curriculum, self-discipline, a strong sense of God in my life and a safe environment in Our International Baccalaureate (IB) Pro- which to learn, grow and have fun. Given gram is uniquely different in that our goal my own experience of Catholic education, is to motivate and help our students thrive. my experiences as a Catholic educator in The IB Program at CCC allows students to schools around the country, and my 15 years earn a diploma, a certificate, or college at CCC, I know Clearwater Central Catholic credit for individual courses, an approach High School is worth any sacrifices made to that is uniquely different from many schools be here. It is an investment worth the cost. with an IB Program. I have observed quite a few IB classes this year and have walked Am I full of energy about Catholic education away inspired by both teachers and stu- at Clearwater Central Catholic High School? dents. What really inspires me is that all stu- You bet I am! Pray for us, as we pray for you, dents now have access to this type of learn- in this time of tremendous growth. As St. Julie, ing experience! spiritual mother of the Sisters of Notre Dame would say, and what we are experiencing Our program for students with various learn- now at CCC, “How good is the Good God.” ing differences has become a hallmark of Let’s never forget to be grateful. academics at CCC. Our new energetic learning specialist (see p. 5) and our learn- In God’s provident care, ing and achievement team are always working to make each student in the pro- gram successful. This is a dream come true, after many years of planning, working and praying! Dr. John A. Venturella I believe in Catholic education. After 39 years in Catholic schools, I’d better believe in it! I attended Catholic schools from kinder- garten through graduate school. I believe in Page 3 Inspiring Excellence Joe & Jo Ann White Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation In April 2019, Clearwater Central Catholic opened the doors to the Learning and Achieve- ment Center. This building houses flexible learning environments that help prepare our stu- dents to thrive in college and beyond. Within the Learning and Achievement Center is the Joe and Jo Ann White Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CEI). This space serves as an incubator for ideas; facilitating independent study as well as collaborative learning and the use of technology. The completion of the first wing of the Learning and Achievement Center finishes phase one of CCC’s Ignite Tomorrow, Today capital campaign. “While we recognize that appearances matter in a competitive environment, our aim isn’t simply to create a new and shiny campus. Rather, our vision addresses creating the space and providing the resources necessary to continue preparing our students for the most challenging and goal-oriented steps in their academic and personal development.” – Dr. John Venturella, President With the beginning of the 2019 – 2020 school year, CCC students are learning, exploring, and creating in these new spaces every single day, as our faculty members use these innovative spaces to cultivate their students’ creativity and teach in a modern way. We hope you enjoy reading the perspectives of our educators, as they share what it is like to teach in the new Learning and Achievement Center. Page 4 The job of a Learning Specialist is to provide individualized aca- demic support to students who have been diagnosed with learn- ing or physical exceptionalities. I encourage students to work to- Cristina ward academic success and help them develop self-advocacy and coping skills. In the past, this job meant working in an office and occasionally meeting with students and parents. However, with the development of the new Center for Entrepreneurship & Quintana, Innovation (CEI), alongside the school leadership’s vision of the future, my role has evolved into something new and exciting. In addition to sixteen years of teaching experience in Hillsbor- M.Ed. ough County and a master’s degree in educational leadership, my internal drive to improve and gain knowledge has gifted me Learning Specialist shares with many unique experiences. I’ve taught for Hillsborough Com- munity College, worked with the AVID program, scored essays for perspective on her role at CCC. CollegeBoard, tutored for SAT and ACT, trained teachers at USF, and traveled around the world with students through EF Tours. My passion for education has even led me to work with legislative policy for the state of Florida through my involvement in Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society for key women educa- tors. I am a resource that every teacher at CCC can turn to for les- son planning ideas, co-teaching opportunities, and small group trainings. In the freshman ‘Approaches to Learning’ courses, I co-teach with Ms. O’Brien. We are working on lessons that will help the freshmen throughout high school: note-taking strategies, study skills, becoming intrinsically motivated, and how to deal with stress in healthy, productive ways. My educational philosophy is that steady improvement through continuous practice is the key to success. My goal is for each student to become a critical thinker, a thoughtful and powerful writer, and a dynamic class participant who will be fully prepared for life beyond high school.