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N. County Catholic Schools Collaborating: What does that mean?
Special to The Independent News
In many areas, Catholic elementary schools are known more for their competition than collaboration, but in North County that is no longer the case. Since the 2010-11 school year, Catholic parishes and schools have been working together here and the Federation of Catholic Schools is building relationships and establishing the foundation for working together even more in the future.
The nine North County schools that are part of the Federation of Catholic Schools are participating in Catholic School Week activities Jan. 29-Feb. 4 and each is holding an open house.
One of the flagship collaborative programs of the Federation is called “Professional Learning Teams (PLTs).” Teachers of the same grade level and/or subject area gather to share best practices and support one another in solving classroom challenges.
“PLTs give me the support of another teacher when I am (usually) the only one of my grade level in my building. We use each other as resources, and we have shared our success stories and lesson ideas with others in the group,” said Kendra McFail, fifth-grade teacher at St. Ferdinand School. “We have a student-centered goal and use the time together to come up with ways to help our students become successful in several areas. It brings us together. It is a true collaboration effort that I believe benefits both the teacher and the student.”
In addition to proving the opportunity for teachers to share best practices and resources, PLTs also provide an opportunity for community engagement. For a third year, SSM Health DePaul Hospital will sponsor the CatholicFIT program in the spring, where all 3rd and 6th-grade students learn about the connection between faith and fitness in their P.E. classes.
Fitness Trainer and Coach, Dave Reddy, creator of the program, sees a strong connection between faith and fitness and between spiritual and physical health, and notes that elementary school is an ideal time for kids to start noticing and reflecting on this connection.
“CatholicFIT is not about being super holy and/or super fit—it is about offering universal, values-based programs for our children so when they struggle in either area throughout life, they look back upon this experience for guidance and support,” says Reddy.
Another benefit of working together is the ability to share ideas for marketing and reaching out to families looking for excellent academics in a faith-based setting.
The Federation’s Director of Advancement, Cara Koen, works closely with each school principal on enrollment management plans and gathers school marketing committee representatives together regularly to share ideas and resources.
“We have really strengthened our marketing efforts in the last six years by working together. More people now know about our excellent schools and that scholarships are available to help them afford a Catholic education,” said Koen. “We really have a good sense that working together helps us all improve.”
The Federation also recently submitted a grant proposal to the Beyond Sunday Education Fund seeking financial support for an initiative that would enhance the schools’ technology equipment and training by providing teachers and students access to Google Chromebooks and apps for education.
This collaborative spirit lays the groundwork for future planning, as the schools look forward to embracing the “Renaissance” for Catholic Education that the Archdiocesan School Oversight Committee is working on throughout the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Details of the proposed plan are being shared with parishioners and school families throughout North County at meetings in January. The committee is collecting input and will provide updates to the recommended plan in February.
The nine Catholic elementary schools in North County that participate in the Federation of Catholic Schools are: Blessed Teresa of Calcutta School, Christ Light of the Nations School, Our Lady of Guadalupe School, Sacred Heart School, St. Ann School – Normandy, St. Angela Merici School, St. Ferdinand School, St. Norbert and St. Rose Philippine Duchesne School.
To learn more about the programs and goals of the Federation of Catholic Schools, or for application and enrollment information for any of the eight schools, please visit www.ExploreCatholicSchools.com.
