New: 2023-2024 Calendar for Administrators
Please see the revised 2023-2024 AODCS Calendar for Administrators here.
Deadline Approaching: AOD Uniform Professional Development Survey
The DCS Team would like to more effectively plan this school year’s AOD PD Days to serve the needs of our Catholic School teachers. Please complete this survey regarding your school’s preferred Professional Learning Plan Option by Friday, June 23, 2023. If you have any questions, please reach out to your Associate Superintendent.
New: FACTS End of Year Reminder
In preparation for system enhancements for the 2023-2024 school year, it is important that all Archdiocese of Detroit schools Archive 2022-2023 Report Cards by June 30, 2023. Please see this End of Year Reminder from FACTS for instructions and resources for closing out the 2022-2023 school year and transitioning into the 2023-2024 school year.
New: FACTS SIS On-Site Training Workshop
Together with the Archdiocese of Detroit, FACTS invites you to a FREE in-person SIS training workshop. You can choose between one of the two dates below.
- Tuesday, August 8, 2023
- Wednesday, August 9, 2023
- Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (with optional afternoon sessions from 1:00 – 3:00)
- Location: TBD
- Audience: Principals, Administrative Assistants, Admissions, IT Directors, Development
- Cost: Free
School Safety 5-Minute Drill
Upon winning a championship, many legendary coaches and players start working toward the next championship days after winning the current championship. It’s time to start working on the 2023-24 school year. Below are some suggested activities over summer vacation. Congratulations on concluding another school year.
- Collect “Go Bags” from every classroom/teacher
- Review your Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
- Revise your EOP
- Schedule safety presentations (First Aid, CPR, ALICE) for August
- Schedule inspection of emergency equipment (AED and Fire extinguishers)
- Order “Go Bag” replacement items
- Emergency Plan Template for reference
- Classroom Quick Reference Template
Star Renaissance Wrap-Up & Reminders
- File and Data Management
- CA-60: Please place the Star Test Record Report and Star Student Progress Monitoring report (for Math/Reading) in each student’s CA-60 file. These reports may be found in the Star Renaissance platform under the Star/Assessment tab.
- Download and save data/reports you wish to retain by July 1. After July 1, some reports and data will be inaccessible.
- Next year’s Testing Windows
- BOY 8/28 - 10/6
- MOY 1/15 - 2/9
- EOY 4/22 - 5/17
- Summer Engagement Kits
- Download Accelerated Reader Summer 2023 Engagement Kit by clicking HERE.
- Download Freckle Summer 2023 Engagement Kit by clicking HERE.
- Download myON Summer 2023 Engagement Kit by clicking HERE.
- Download Lalilo Summer 2023 Engagement Kit by clicking HERE.
- Star Renaissance How-To Webinars
Orientation to the Archdiocese of Detroit Schools
The Department of Catholic Schools team will be hosting an orientation for newly hired Catholic school faculty members on August 7, 2023, at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. Please see this flyer for more information. We kindly ask that you RSVP by July 21, 2023. Please reach out to your Associate Superintendent with any questions.
AOD Safe Environment Compliance Update
AOD School Food Program Training for School Staff
The AOD School Food Program will host two training sessions this August for all food service staff who work at a school that participates in the AOD School Food Program. Trainings will be held on Monday, August 14, 2023 and Wednesday, August 16, 2023 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Your staff only needs to attend one session. Please see this flyer for more details.
- Monday, August 14 Training
- Sacred Heart Major Seminary – Cardinal Mooney Parlor
- Wednesday, August 16 Training
- Our Lady of Sorrows – North Halls
Please RSVP before you leave for summer vacation, or by Friday, June 30, 2023. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Pam Rucker at Rucker.Pam@aod.org or 313-883-8742.
FACTS SIS Proposed System Changes
Please see the short recording of the proposed system enhancements:
Feedback can be emailed to Laura Knaus – knaus.laura@aod.org.
MNSAA Seeking Summer Peer Review Team June 27-28, 2023
The in-person MNSAA Summer Review is back! The peer review team will serve for two days in Lansing to review a selection of school annual reports from across the state. This is an excellent opportunity for school administrators and building leaders preparing for a visit, for those looking for school improvement strategies, and for those interested in a developing a deeper understanding of the standards.
Participants will be provided with travel reimbursement, overnight lodging (if needed), meals, up to 14 SCECHS, and a stipend for participating. A virtual or hybrid option is also available. Please complete this brief registration to indicate your availability. We look forward to working with you in June!
Regional Coordinators and Team Chair are invited to join us on June 26, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for a reflection on the year, to be the first to review the updated NSBECS, and to test drive a new tool for identifying quality evidence. Please email Angelia for more information, to RSVP, and to indicate if you have any dietary restrictions.
Jodee Blanco’s INJAA (It’s Not Just Joking Around) Anti-Bullying Program – Schedule Fall Visits
Jodee will be making visits to a cohort of schools this fall, specifically during the weeks of September 11, September 18, and October 23. The following dates are currently open if you are interested in scheduling a visit. Please contact Jodee Blanco directly (with Dr. Bluestein copied) at jodee@jodeeblanco.com by June 15 if you’d like to reserve any of the open dates.
- Thursday, September 14
- Thursday, September 28
- Wednesday, October 25
The Zekelman Holocaust Center - Summer PD Academy for Michigan Educators
We are pleased to share with you our Summer Professional Development Academy taking place August 7–10, 2023. As a valued education partner, we wanted to make you aware first, that registration is now open. For participants that register by June 15th and attend this summer, The HC waive the SCECH application fees for participant SCECHs (up to 25 available). Also, for participants this summer, there will be an opportunity to sign-up for pre-booking for our new core exhibit that will have the grand reopening in January 2024. In addition, each day will include lunch for participants, access to our bus subsidy program and much more! Spots are limited, so save your spot today! If you have any questions, please contact Rick Schaffner (Rick.Schaffner@holocaustcenter.org). All sessions are free to Michigan and Northwest Ohio educators. To register online, click here.
Ruah Woods Theology of the Body Survey
If your school was in the cohort that onboarded with Ruah Woods Theology of the Body this year, please complete the following surveys:
Your feedback is valued and will help ensure a successful implementation for the remaining schools that will need to onboard next year.
Religion Curricula Matrix
The Religion Curricula Matrix provides information in one location with active links and answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding Ruah Woods, Teen Star, Virtus, and Protect Young Eyes. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Bluestein.
Recordings Available: March 13 Uniform Professional Development Day
Please be mindful of the following items.
- SCECH Form Template
As requested, Dr. Bluestein has created a Google Form Template for principals to collect the SCECH information after each Uniform PD Day. Please be sure to MAKE A COPY first before making any edits. Once you make a copy, you may edit, and share with your teachers. Note that it is currently set up exactly how Shelley Long from MANS has requested. Also note that it is NOT mandatory that you use the Google Form Template if you have already collected the needed information another way (following the SCECH guidelines laid out at the start of the school year); the template is meant to be a helpful tool for those who requested it, with the thought others may benefit from its use.
As a reminder, please upload what you collect from the PD Days into your Google Folder from MANS, and be sure to tally the SCECHs from the PD Days and add them into the appropriate columns in the general (or year-long) PD spreadsheet that MANS created for you.
- Uniform PD Survey
Please complete the PD Survey found at the top of the PD website, https://www.professionaldevelopmentday.org/, and encourage teachers to complete it as well. Your feedback is valued and helps inform future PD decisions.
- Recordings, Resources
All sessions were recorded and the recordings, as well as any other resources, are now available on the PD website.
- Form for Viewing PD Recordings or Archived Recordings
Those who wish to earn SCECHs for viewing the 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.
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
Posting Positions on the AOD Careers Website
Extended Access to Protect Young Eyes: Curriculum & Parent App
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). Due to the confusion with the Virtus platform, however, Chris McKenna has generously offered to extend the access to both the curriculum and the parent app throughout next year, 2023-2024.
Click here for the PYE curriculum; the link can also be found under the Educator’s Tab in Virtus.
If you have any questions, please contract Dr. Bluestein.
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.
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.
