Stronger Together
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“We have realized that we are all on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us now called to row together, each of us in need of comforting and helping each other.” —Pope Francis, March 27, 2020 Extraordinary Blessing,Urbi et Orbi Fulcrum Foundation’s Newsletter | Spring 2020 is to be commended at the highest level. Additionally, the Fulcrum Foundation, the Stronger The students are thriving, parents and Archdiocese, and Catholic Community grandparents and others are providing Services/Housing Services (CCS/CHS) Together support, and learning continues. are partnering together, at the request of Archbishop Paul D. Etienne, in joint But these weeks have not been without COVID-19 emergency relief efforts for We hope this spring edition of the challenges. Nearly all of the schools our collective ministries, including for Fulcrum News finds you and your loved in the archdiocese face cancelled (or parishes who are faced with empty pews ones safe, healthy, and adjusting to moved-to-online) auctions and other each week. A portion of the gifts raised this new environment in which we find fundraisers as well as reduced parish in this partnership will provide aid to the ourselves. support due to the state-wide “stay-at- archdiocesan schools and will be counted home” orders. Many parents have lost in Fulcrum’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief The COVID-19 pandemic is a time of jobs and are having difficulty making Fund. firsts—school buildings are closed, classes ends meet, including making tuition are remote, and people are working payments. Yet, the schools continue to In this “crisis of the century,” from home. These changes are new and serve their children and have not turned extraordinary measures are necessary sometimes uncertain, but they have their backs on them. The projected and our community needs institutions revealed an important truth: revenue loss from these factors is it can count on. Fulcrum promises currently estimated at over $10M through to stand in solidarity and provide We are stronger together. June 30, though we will not know the full unwavering support to the schools that toll for some time, especially if school are an essential part of that community. It’s a truth we have taken to heart. It’s a closures extend into the fall months. But we cannot fulfill this commitment truth that guides Fulcrum’s way forward without you. in our unchanging commitment to our Recognizing the need to react swiftly mission to support the Catholic schools in to these circumstances, the Fulcrum We know times are difficult, yet, as the Archdiocese of Seattle. Foundation Board of Trustees boldly always, we ask that you continue to approved a COVID-19 Emergency Relief give to Fulcrum what you can, when you For nearly seven weeks, more than 21,000 Fund, with a goal to raise $10 million can. Because we are, and always will be, th students (pre-K through 12 grade) above and beyond our normal fundraising stronger together. have continued with their curriculum efforts. The board is also seeding this online and have achieved a 99% remote fund with $1 million to address the Thank you for being a trusted and valued attendance rate! Their teachers pivoted immediate financial needs of the schools partner to Fulcrum and Catholic schools. nearly instantaneously to teaching in facing unprecedented hardship. We will Stay safe and well. Our thoughts and this new environment and did so with go wide with our fundraising efforts prayers are with you all. enthusiasm and energy, even while for this fund later this summer and we likely feeling uncertain and anxious. The intend for this initiative to last as long as —Vivian Shannon commitment they have to their students this virus impacts our schools. Fulcrum Executive Director For more information about the fund or to make a donation, visit our website FulcrumFoundation.org or contact Conne McGlynn Bruce, Advancement Director at [email protected] or 425.922.0010. to make sure Aahmir is on track with their internal internet access for the past Catholic Schools virtual school. five years through the Fulcrum IT Network Modernization Fund. Lead in Virtual “We lead with equity and because of Fulcrum, school never stopped for our “Fulcrum helped a number of our Catholic Learning students. Our demographic is very similar schools with IT modernization which had to the public schools in White Center. them ready to send digital learning home When COVID-19 happened, the other with students. No matter what their “Who would have schools said ‘we can’t’ do virtual school. socioeconomic status is, their education Our Catholic school said ‘we can,’” shared and school community support continues,” known I would do principal Larkin Temme. added Jan. homeschool online?” “We’re in constant communication with Meanwhile, second-grader Aahmir’s said Ida, a local our students and families, and make sure grandmother says she couldn’t be more to respond to each student to foster a grateful. “Our Catholic school knows that grandmother, raising dialogue,” said Katie Laskey, Holy Family’s every family is different and they take the middle school teacher-leader. “We do a time to meet your needs.” her grandson Aahmir, check-in question every morning and a a second-grader at ‘mood meter’ talk about things other than the virus, even planning virtual spirit week. Holy Family Bilingual Our teachers are trying to respond to each student’s individual needs each day.” Catholic School in “Thanks to Fulcrum supporters, students White Center. who would have otherwise been overlooked in the public system because Before COVID-19 forced schools to go of a lack of technology resources in all online, Ida had never logged onto a their homes have not missed a day of computer. learning with Catholic virtual school in the Archdiocese of Seattle,” said Tom “I said to the school, what is Google O’Callahan. Classroom?” Ida recalled. Holy Family Bilingual’s office administrator, Jesika Tom and Fulcrum Trustee Jan O’Callahan Santillan-Zapata, talked Ida through how have worked closely with schools to update GRACE Teacher-Leaders Rise to the Challenge This method of collective leadership and collaboration provided the GRACE teachers the skills they needed to respond to the crisis. Martha and Greg spearheaded the school’s efforts to move to remote learning after the school buildings were closed. “We set up a plan and offered to send home laptops and even desks for students,” Martha said. “They were just on it,” Julie recalled. “They came to me and said, ‘We know you have a lot to do—we’ll take over planning the distance learning to help out.’ And then they just took off. It was magical to see.” Fulcrum’s leadership training helped make Julie Prepotente, a first-year principal at In the transition to remote learning, Julie it all possible. St. Matthew School in Seattle, credits the said she relied on the help of two teachers Fulcrum Foundation and the Office for in particular, Martha DeSapio and Greg “Fulcrum has really been an incredible Catholic Schools (OCS) for their launch of Hawksford—both GRACE teacher-leaders partner to St. Matthew School over the the GRACE (Guiding Regionally, Advancing for St. Matthew. years, supporting us through many Catholic Education) Program. With a projects and fundraising,” said Julie. “We total of 135 participants, the GRACE “Our principals have an incredibly hard appreciate everything Fulcrum does to Program offers professional development job,” Martha said. “The GRACE Program support Catholic schools and to continue in instructional leadership for the showed us how we can support our the mission of the Church.” Archdiocese of Seattle Catholic schools. principals and our students.” Fulcrum Partnership Grant Helps Transition to Remote Learning In 2019, St. Michael Catholic School in About 50 of St. Michael’s 98 students Snohomish received a Fulcrum Foundation currently use the school’s laptops to School Partnership Grant to upgrade their learn from home. “We’ve been able technology. The school used the grant to to reach all our students,” Karen purchase 40 additional laptops and began said. “We had parents who were ramping up its usage of online learning confused about the online learning platforms. in the beginning, but we were able to get them laptops with the learning Months later, St. Michael’s students are programs already loaded. It’s made thoroughly engaged in remote learning the process so much easier. You would during the COVID-19 crisis, utilizing the not believe how much it helped.” exact tools that Fulcrum provided them with. Now, due to the access to technology, all K-8 students at St. Michael’s can enjoy “The technology has sewn everything “I really appreciate the support Fulcrum educational activities such as direct together and helped create a sense of gave us,” said Karen Matthews, the instruction from their teachers, face- family,” Karen said. “Our parents feel principal of St. Michael’s. “If we hadn’t had to-face-meetings with their classmates, very supported and we have been able the grant, transitioning to remote learning fluency practice, and all school activities to keep our curriculum pretty much the really would have been much more while keeping up with the day-to-day same. We’ve really been able to show our difficult. The laptops have really helped us curriculum. community that we are here and ready communicate with our students.” to help.” really scary because she wants to help Living the Faith people.” During COVID-19 Gem continues, “Some people think that if you’re Catholic, you’re rigid. But it’s not Braving the front lines of the COVID-19 true.