New: Jodee Blanco Presents Crisis Management for Principals
Jodee Blanco will be returning on Thursday, March 2, 2023, to offer PD to principals on Crisis Management. The event will be held at SHMS with two sessions offered for convenience. There will be a morning session from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and an afternoon session from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Lunch will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Please RSVP here for the session you will be attending. Keep reading for more information about this presentation. Continue reading
New: School Safety Upgrades
If your school needs additional funding to make upgrades to school safety, please email Laura (knaus.laura@aod.org) no later than Friday, February 24. There is limited funding available and funds are distributed on a first come, first served basis.
New: February 5-Minute Safety Drill
The month of February is heart month.
- Review your school’s Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP).
- Consider conducting an AED drill this month. A drill does not require the entire school community to be involved and could be done multiple times throughout the month. You can reference the AED Drill Checklist here.
- If your school does not have the MI HEARTSafe designation, consider applying. The application process provides an opportunity for reflection on plans and procedures already in place and areas to improve or revise.
- Ensure your school/parish AED equipment has been inspected. Do a walkthrough of the building to ensure signage of AED location is appropriate. Also, ensure that items are blocking access to the equipment.
- Instructional staff could review with students their role in a classroom emergency. Students should know what to do if the Instructional staff needs medical attention. A potential classroom emergency plan template is helpful.
New: Uniform Professional Development Day: March 13
As the Uniform Professional Development Day draws near, please review and share with faculty the tentative agenda, including the content descriptions for each session and any speaker information that has been provided.
As in the past, the PD website will be available two weeks before the PD Day with any necessary registration links; all sessions will be recorded and the recordings will be posted to the PD website upon availability.
Note that Jodee Blanco’s session will be offered as a hybrid. Attendees may choose to attend via Zoom or in-person at the Seminary. Those who attend in person will have the opportunity for a follow-up breakout discussion with Jodee Blanco and fellow colleagues who attend live in-person. The RSVP for the live in-person option will be provided to principals (via email later this week) to ascertain interest in the in-person option.
New: Use 52 Sundays This Lent
We invite you to visit 52Sundays.com throughout Lent for inspiration that can help your family refocus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving throughout the season.
Bonus 5-Minute Safety Drill
Please review with your staff and students your schools plan for when a Violent Critical Incident (VCI) occurs. If you have questions or concerns about your school communities plan, please contact local law enforcement or the Athletics and Student Services office.
VIRTUS - Clarifying Letter from Msgr. Bugarin
Please read this letter from Msgr. Bugarin for answers to any questions you may have regarding how the Virtus platform/curricula will be used to replace previous Safe Environments curricula, as well as new requirements and modifications to the Protecting God’s Children (PGC) training.
Department of Catholic Schools 2023 Principal Retreat
Our Annual Catholic Schools Administrator Retreat is scheduled for Thursday, March 23 and Friday, March 24, 2023. For the second year in a row, the retreat will be held at the Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth and is open to Principals and Assistant Principals. Please RSVP here by the end of the day on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. If you have already RSVP’d and need to change or confirm your response, please email Erin McNally at mcnally.erin@aod.org.
2023-2024 Department of Catholic Schools Calendar for Administrators
The 2023-2024 Department of Catholic Schools Calendar for Administrators and 2023-2024 Calendar Planning Documents have been emailed to principals. You can also access these documents below. Please send a PDF of your school’s 2023-2024 calendar to Erin McNally (mcnally.erin@aod.org) by June 1, 2023. Please save the document as SCHOOLNAME_CITY_2023-2024 School Calendar. If you have any specific calendar questions, please contact your Associate Superintendent.
Catholic Schools Week 2023 Art Contest
The Department of Catholic Schools would like to remind you students to submit a piece of art for our Catholic Schools Week Art Contest. This year’s theme is “The Impact of the Priestly Vocation.” We are asking students in grades K-12 to artistically express the positive influence of these Men of the Hearts on those they serve. You can submit a photograph of your art to AODArtContest@gmail.com by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2023. There will be 3 tuition scholarship prizes awarded to winners in grade levels Kindergarten to 4th Grade, 5th to 8th grade, and 9th to 12th grade. Please click here for all of this year’s Art Contest Details.
2023-2024 SOF Grant Application – Now Open
The School Outreach Fund application for the 2023-2024 fiscal year is now open. Schools may apply for a grant if the purpose is to obtain funding:
- for an innovative School project that is “on-mission” with Unleashing Our Catholic Schools and Unleash the Gospel with a showing that it will become self-sustainable within a reasonable period of time; or
- for operational needs that are “on-mission” with Unleashing Our Catholic Schools and Unleash the Gospel. Operational needs do not include or encompass capital improvements.
Please note that parishes must have submitted current and approved budgets and financial reports to the Archdiocesan Department of Financial Services. To submit your application, please click here.
All applications must be received by MARCH 2, 2023. For additional information or if you have any questions, please contact Jessica Orzechowski at orzechowski.jessica@aod.org or 313-596-7407.
From the Office of Family Ministry - Unleash the Gospel Resources
The Family Ministry Office has developed several resources to encourage families as they unleash the Gospel in our community! Parishes and schools are invited to use these links to download graphics for bulletins/newsletters, or printed flyers to distribute in-person.
- Archbishop’s Family Challenge: This postcard-sized handout gives families the seven challenges to families from Archbishop Vigneron’s pastoral letter, Unleash the Gospel in easy to understand, real-life examples.
- Compass promotional materials: Compass is a new online database of resources for Catholic parents with suggestions for books, articles, and videos to accompany parents raising children in today’s world.
- 52 Sundays promotional materials: 52 Sundays has gone fully digital and entirely free for 2023! This dynamic guide is designed to accompany families as they reclaim Sundays for faith and family.
Come STEM With Me at DCC!
Principals, please share this with your staff. Are you a K - 8 grade teacher or administrator that would like to incorporate more STEM in your classroom? Then come STEM with me at DCC! This series of STEM professional development is provided free of charge by Detroit Catholic Central as an educational outreach to assist current classroom teachers in including more STEM in their everyday teaching.
This is the first in a monthly series of STEM professional development workshops aimed at K-8 educators and administrators that are interested in new and innovative STEM curriculum, as well as strategies to incorporate more of the STEM disciplines into their classrooms and schools.
Mrs. Amy Ely, Detroit Catholic Central's Director of STEM, will present an informative session on bringing STEM into your daily classroom learning in this first session, "What is STEM and Why Do I Need More of It?"
The first session will take place on February 22, 2023, 4:30p - 5:30p at DCC in the Learning Commons.
Once you have completed the linked form, you will receive a confirmation and reminder the week of the session. If you have any questions, please email Mrs Ely at aely@catholiccentral.net.
Holy Moments Gift to Schools
As shared previously, DCS has provided Matthew Kelly's Holy Moments to the faculty and staff of each school. Thank you for sharing the attached letter upon distribution of the books.
Mary Martin and Dr. Bluestein will be offering an opportunity for reflection and discussion. See details below.
Holy Moments Reflection & Discussion
Zekelman Holocaust Center Free Educator Workshop Opportunities
As a valued MI Holocaust Educator, we wanted to make you aware of 2 free educator workshop opportunities available to you in February. The Prevention Genocide Workshop will be offered in two different formats so that you can participate no matter where you are located! These workshops will be held on February 16, 2023 (In-person) and February 23, 2023 (virtual). The Workshop includes all materials share electronically and is free for MI educators. For those choosing to participate here at the HC we will provide dinner for you. For both sessions we are awaiting approval for both sessions from MDE and hope to be able to offer 2 SCECH hours as well. Please feel free to email Rick Schaffner (Rick.Schaffner@holocaustcenter.org) with any questions, and please feel free to share with your colleagues across MI! Educators in all fields are welcome! To register click here.
The Journey of Conversion - Free Online Self-Paced Course
Sunday, February 26 - Saturday, April 8
Join us this Lent as Dr. Patricia Cooney Hathaway, Professor of Spirituality and Systematic Theology, explores the journey of conversion as a letting go of the false self as we discover our true self in God.
In this FREE online, self-paced course, Dr. Cooney will illustrate this journey to our true selves in God through the compelling life stories of Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, Oscar Romero, and Etty Hillesum. Their journeys of conversion illuminate and provide guidance for our own!
Completed at your own pace, you can use this course as a Lenten study or retreat experience to grow deeper in your personal relationship with God.
Learn more and register at www.shms.edu/lent
Financial Guidance Workshop Zoom Recording
If you were unable to attend one of the Financial Guidance Workshops in December, or would like to review what was covered, please reference this PowerPoint and the zoom recording of Brian Mooney’s presentation. Please reach out if you have any questions.
Zoom Recording (passcode: DmgW7#Ej)
Compass for Parents
The Family Ministry Team at the AOD recently launched a new resource for parents - the Compass website. www.compassforparents.org. Compass is an online catalog with resources for parents to accompany them through the joys and trials of family life. An article about the project can be found here. The catalog already has 150 entries, but it will continue to grow over the next 18 months to include original videos, articles, and content for parents of children at every age from birth through young adulthood. Please share this helpful resource with parents.
52 Sundays for 2023
52 Sundays is a weekly resource to help parents reclaim the Lord’s Day for faith and family. This year, 52 Sundays is available online and is free to access! This all-new digital format includes downloadable PDFs and a podcast, making it easier for parents, catechists and teachers to use and share the content. Learn more and subscribe today to receive weekly content!
Teen Star Curriculum Letter
Please read this important letter from Archbishop Vigneron and Dcn. Sean Costello regarding the Teen Star curriculum and the call to ensure its use in our schools.
Nicole Joyce will provide further information about the curriculum at the “Come and See” opportunities offered January-March 2023. Please note that the “Come and See” date listed within the letter as “Wednesday, February 16” should be Thursday, February 16.
Please contact Dr. Bluestein with any questions.
Ruah Woods Follow-Up
Many thanks to all schools that have onboarded with Ruah Woods Theology of the Body this year. Schools that onboarded this year were advised to complete the three core training videos with the entire staff followed by one curriculum training with Rob Stamper for only those teachers that would be teaching the curriculum.
If you have not yet completed the three core training videos with your staff, Rob Stamper will be reaching out to offer support and schedule completion along with his follow-up curriculum training.
More information will be provided in the coming months for the remaining schools that need to onboard next year.
Please contact Dr. Bluestein with any questions.
Encounter Retreat on March 13, 2023
St. Fabian is excited to offer this Catechist Formation opportunity for anyone in our schools and parishes who is in the process of being certified as a catechist. Please pass along this flyer to DREs, Pastoral Associates, and Principals.
Zekelman Holocaust Center - 2023 Art and Writing Center Competition
Now in its seventh year, The Kappy Family Art & Writing Competition, Co-Sponsored by the Family of Raphael Schwartz, invites any Michigan student in 7th-12th grade to take inspiration from and respond to the theme of “Art as Resistance” in Anne Frank’s diary, Night by Elie Wiesel, and the artwork of Erich Lichtblau-Leskly, currently featured in the visiting special exhibit, To Paint is to Live.
This year, the categories of submission include poetry, fiction prose, 2D art, 3D art, and graphic art. Any student may respond to any source of inspiration, or multiple sources. The deadline for submission is March 24, 2023.
Please click HERE to learn more about the competition as well to access the guidelines, classroom resources, and links for submission.
For any questions, please email competition@holocaustcenter.org.
Designated School Officials Office Contest Announcement — International Student Programs of the AOD
The DSO office has an exciting opportunity for all fifth (5th) grade students within the Archdiocese of Detroit that we would like to share with you.
Last year, several schools within the AOD participated in the Michigan Chapter of The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)'s The Celebrate America Creative Writing Contest. It was wonderful to receive all the entries from our AOD fifth grade students, and we look forward to another outstanding group of students in this year's contest. Learn more
Recordings Available: October 17 Uniform Professional Development Day
Please inform teachers that the recordings and resources (including any slide decks) have been uploaded to the professional development website(www.professionaldevelopmentday.org).
Please also remind teachers to follow the SCECH process using the instructions posted at the top of the PD website.
Those who wish to earn SCECHs for viewing the Oct. 17 PD recordings or any archived recordings from previous PD days (found under “archive” at the top right of the PD website), will need to complete this form before submitting their total earned SCECHs in the MANS application form at the end of the school year.
Please contact Dr. Bluestein with any questions.
Religion Assessment Refund & Apology from Kendall Hunt
Please see the following brief summary and letter of apology from Chad Chandlee, President & COO of Kendall Hunt:
The letter recaps what happened with the eAssessment as well as how we are refunding the money. We are sorry that this engagement has not been a good experience for anyone. We are striving to make sure something like this never happens again. Thank you for the opportunity this year and sorry that our error pointing to 2018’s test wasn’t discovered sooner or that it happened at all.
Discount toward Catechist Certification for Schools & Parishes
Upon collaboration with Sacred Heart Major Seminary regarding Catechist Certification using the program “On Fire for the Faith,” the Seminary has offered to extend a unique discount to schools and parishes. Schools and parishes will be able to register an unlimited amount of staff to complete the program this year at a bulk discount with the following options:
- $300 per school for unlimited # of teachers
- $300 per parish for unlimited # of catechists
OR
- $500 for parish & school combo (catechists/teachers)
If you wish to take advantage of this discount, please contact Mrs. Melissa Pordon at pordon.melissa@shms.edu or 313-868-7031. She will be happy to answer any questions and provide you with a unique school and/or parish code to apply the discount.
Fr. Gabriel Richard Art Contest
The Fr. Gabriel Richard Guild at the Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit is very excited to announce its first art contest for Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Students are invited to submit artistic renderings of Fr. Richard depicting his image, an event from his life, or a general aspect of his life.
The winning students in each age group will each receive a $1,000 cash prize. The winning students' schools will also receive a $1,000 cash prize. Prizes are courtesy of contest sponsor Concorde Financial. Artwork will be displayed at the Annual Exhibit on Fr. Gabriel Richard at the Basilic of Ste. Anne de Detroit in September 2023.
The deadline for submissions is April 1, 2023. Winners will be announced by May 31, 2023. More details and complete rules are on the flyer.
Important SCECH Record-Keeping for Principals
Please recall that Shelley Long with MANS sent each principal an email with the link to the Google Folder created for each school. Please review the important information to ensure your teachers earn SCECHs, especially in regard to the AOD Professional Development Days.
- Google folders (on the spreadsheets) contain links to 10-minute webinar on how to track SCECHs properly, the updated SCECH handbook, & written instructions on how to complete both tabs of the spreadsheet.
- Spreadsheets include AOD earned PD columns; final amount will tally correctly & educators only have to apply one time with MANS.
- Principals must collect & upload to the folder a SEPARATE excel sheet on the details of the AOD UNIFORM Professional Development Days including the following in exact order:
- first name, last name, school name, school city, email address, session title & # of SCECHs session is worth, SCECH verification code for (each session attended).
- Shelley will check in with each school via email mid-year to see if they have questions, concerns, etc.
- Teachers will use online SCECH application shared in May to apply for SCECHs
- All SCECHs processed through MANS are FREE
Protect Young Eyes: Curriculum & Parent App Access
As indicated in August, based on the need for online safety and digital citizenship, the AOD purchased the Protect Young Eyes Curriculum and Parent App for all schools in the AOD (including the order schools).
Click here for the PYE curriculum or the link can also be found under the Educator’s Tab in Virtus. Also note that Chris McKenna provided a walk-through of the PYE curriculum at the Oct. 17 PD Day, showing how it can be used alongside the Virtus Safe Environments lessons (that recording will be posted to the PD site). Information to share with parents and details on how to access the Parent App was sent to principals via email before Thanksgiving.
If you have any questions, please contract Dr. Bluestein.
Virtus: Empowering God’s Children (Replacing past Safe Environments curricula)
As indicated previously, our Safe Environments program for schools is now going to be hosted by the Virtus online platform titled Empowering God’s Children; school are required to teach 2 lessons per year.
Virtus has provided detailed information on how you may access the materials using the Educators Tab, and how you may also provide access for your teachers. They’ve also provided a short 10-minute recording that you may view and share with teachers once you have given them access to the Educators Tab. The recording contains information regarding the lessons, how to navigate the site to access resources (including resources for parents), and how to report when training has been completed.
Please see the attachment and read the instructions from Virtus carefully.
Teacher Evaluations Requirement 2022-2023
Please note that this year (like last), DCS is requiring two formal, written evaluations of all teachers. The PowerPoint presentation provides more information and links. The last slide includes the link to all items on Box.
Catechist Certification Requirement
Please see the attached document which provides details, exceptions, and modifications for the Catechist Certification Requirement.
