May/June 2014 From the Superintendent’s Desk Mr. Henry Forer Secretary for EducaƟon / Superintendent of Catholic Schools Inside this Issue: May the Peace of Christ be with you! Professional As we come to the end of this school year, I pray you closed out the year strong and with the joy of Development Christ in your heart. I hope you take me this summer to rest and reflect so that come August your heart may be full once again with love to share with your new class of students. Cerficaon NCEA 2015! This past Easter week I joined about 40 of my colleagues from our Catholic schools in the diocese at the NCEA convenon in Pisburg. It was an amazing week filled with prayer, laughter, learning and welcoming others from around the country to join us April 7‐9, at the Orange County Convenon Center, here in Orlando. Bishop Noonan joined our welcome Technology Tips brigade in Pisburg and he parcipated in the professional development sessions, liturgies and the fun. At the Pisburg con‐ venon, we connually staffed an NCEA 2015 welcome booth to share all the excing things Central Florida has to offer. It Accreditaon was a wonderful trip that gave me many memories that I will cherish forever. Corner This convenon will likely be a once in a lifeme opportunity for our Central Florida area. The NCEA convenon, in its 110 years, has never been held in the state of Florida. Bishop Noonan and the Diocese of Orlando are honored to have been se‐ Markeng & lected to host such an important conference. The Naonal Catholic Educaonal Associaon convenon is not just for Catholic Development schools, but is also the naonal convenon for seminaries, Catholic colleges and universies, and religious educaon. It is Catholic educaon at its broadest definion, so this convenon is not just for our schools but also for our parish catechists, seminarians, priests and all those who would like to deepen their professional knowledge and spiritual growth. We will have SAVE THE DATE! naonal speakers, big name keynotes speakers, and hundreds of sessions to select from during the 3 days. We will kick off the NCEA, ORLANDO first day with an opening liturgy which Bishop Noonan will be presiding along with priests from around the diocese. 2015 In discussions with all the principals and presidents, there has been a collaborave decision made by the school administrators to fully ulize the professional development opportunies the NCEA will offer. I know that tradionally the week aer Easter Mission Office many schools might close, but given this unique opportunity to pray, learn and network with fellow Catholic educators from around the country. I thank you in advance for your understanding and I know your commitment as a dedicated professional San Pedro Center would expect you to be present for the enre conference. Summer Scripture Camp 2014 We have begun our preparaon for hosng NCEA April 7‐9, 2015. Subcommiees have been formed for Liturgy and Worship, Hospitality, Volunteer Coordinaon, Entertainment, Transportaon, Communicaon, and Visual Arts. The chairs for each of these commiees, and a few others from the chancery, form the overall steering commiee. We will need approximately 600 Office of Advocacy volunteers for our convenon to be a success. We will be calling you and others from our parish faith formaon programs to contribute your talents during 2 hours shi. Sign up for the wide variety of volunteer roles will occur later this fall. Florida Southern As part of the convenon, we want to make sure we highlight the many talents God has given our students and teachers. We College Teacher will be calling on student choirs, dance, drama, bands, etc. for performances throughout the 3 days. Welcome cards will be Workshops made for the potenal 10,000 aendees. Each of our school communies will make specific items that reflect your unique‐ ness which will be displayed throughout our space at the Orange County Convenon Center. We will also use art projected NCEA Newsleer from our Diocesan Art shows to display in the corridors. So, we are calling music teachers, art teachers, drama teachers, dance teachers, choir directors, and all others! I need you to use the summer for planning, so once we begin school in August, you can begin preparing students and their works of art to showcase how talented they are and how we use God’s gis in our NCEA Faith in Catholic schools and parishes. Acon Please enjoy your summer and return safely in August ready for the new opportunies God has in store for you. I close with a quote from our most recently canonized saint: Play Like a “Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustraons, but about your unfulfilled poten‐ Champion Weekly al. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what is sll possible for you to do”. Coach Note ~Saint John XXIII Save the Date!! Invitaon to Orlando 2015 by Bishop John Noonan - Video Invitaon to Orlando 2015 by Mr. Henry Forer - Video Jim & Joe’s Mr. James Cooney Dr. Joseph Belinski Associate Accreditation Director of School Superintendent Corner Planning Diocese of Orlando Early Childhood Programs In 2009, Archbishop of Miami Thomas Wenski, (then Bishop of the Diocese of Orlando) determined that all the early childhood programs in the Diocese of Orlando would come under the auspices of the Office of Catholic Schools. Over the past school year, I have had the pleasure of vising all of the early childhood centers in the Diocese, meeng the respecve Directors, touring the facilies, and meeng the teachers and students. The centers are located in various areas of the Diocese and have a wide range of enrollments. Because of their relaonship with the Office of Catholic Schools, the personnel of the early childhood centers have the ability to receive many services that can assist them with planning and growth. The Office of Catholic Schools is able to provide assistance with finance, curriculum, instrucon, assessment, technology, professional development, planning based on data, and markeng. As I spoke with each Director during this past year, the most commonly menoned needs were curriculum, assessment, professional development, and markeng. The Florida Catholic Conference is in the process of developing standards specifically for early childhood educaon. The standards are targeted for children ages 2, 3, and 4. They will be available for trial implementaon in fall of 2014 in Catholic schools as well as early childhood centers across the state. I will provide you with more informaon regarding the FCC accreditaon standards iniave as that informaon becomes available. As we begin to plan for the 2014-2015 school year, we will connue to invite all early childhood center Directors to the Leadership Meengs scheduled over the course of the year. In addion, we will plan a separate meeng specifically for early childhood Directors in early fall. At this meeng you will meet Mr. Henry Forer, Superintendent, and the staff members of the Office of Catholic Schools. We will nofy you over the summer of the dates for these upcoming events. I have listed below the current informaon for both categories of our early childhood centers. I hope that you find this informave. Jim Cooney Associate Superintendent of Schools Diocese of Orlando Early Childhood Early Childhood Centers that are located on the property of a parish with a school, but are not physically connected to the school. • Blessed Trinity, Ocala (Birth- 4 yr. olds), Enrollment: 48, Director: Kelly Schwietert • Holy Family, Orlando (3- 4 yr. olds) Enrollment: 40, Director: Lorraine David • Good Shepherd, Orlando (Birth- 2 yr. olds) Enrollment: 42, Director: Sandy Cooney • Annunciaon Catholic Academy, Altamonte Springs (Birth- 4 yr. olds) Enrollment: 114, Phyllis McCabe & Janis Frazee (co-directors) • St. Mary Magdalen, Altamonte Springs (Birth- 4 yr. olds) Enrollment: I 07, Director: Elisa Steiner All are accredited by the Florida Catholic Conference; all are licensed by the Department of Children and Family. Annunciaon is also accredited by NAEYC. "Free‐Standing" Early Childhood Centers that are a ministry of a parish without a school. • Lile Blessings Preschool at Our Lady of the Lakes, Deltona (3- 4 yr. olds) Enrollment: 58, Director: Jada Niewinski • Children's House Montessori at Queen of Peace, Ocala, (3-4 yr. olds) Enrollment: 18, Director: Doubra Wariebi • Resurrecon Catholic Church Preschool at Resurrecon, Winter Garden, (3-4 yr. olds) Enrollment: 48, Director: Denise Williams • St. Patrick Early Childhood Learning Center at St. Patrick, Mount Dora, (Birth-4 yr. olds) Enrollment: 49, Director: Denise Harris • Sts. Peter and Paul Early Learning Center at Sts. Peter and Paul, Winter Park, (Birth-4 yr. olds) Enrollment: 69, Director: Terry DeVore All are licensed by the Department of Children and Family. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Dr. Jacquelyn Flanigan Associate Superintendent for the Office of Catholic Schools Professional Development “Bits and Pieces” As we move toward the closing of the 2013-14 school year, there are a few “bits and pieces” to share out regarding professional development. In order to encourage aendance at NCEA, the Diocese will not pool the Title IIa allocaon. This means there will be no Diocesan-wide PD for the 2014-15 school year with the excepon of our “Kick Off” Day. We are currently working with the Florida Catholic Conference to assist in the consistent use of Title IIa for NCEA conference registraon. I will nofy principals about this process once it has been determined. Unused Title IIa can be used for individual site-based PD opportunies. Principals: please note that you can pool your allocaon with other schools located in your county. Should you need any assistance in this effort, please do not hesitate to contact me.