Reminder Michigan Opportunity Scholarship Petition Signature Collection
Please make one last push to collect signatures. All signed petitions should be mailed, no later than May 23, to:
Let MI Kids Learn
C/O National Petition Management
24293 Telegraph Rd. Suite 285
Southfield, MI 48033
Tomorrow Principal PLC
A 1-hour PLC will be provided for principals using Star Renaissance tomorrow, Friday, May 20 at 1:00 p.m. It will also be recorded for anyone who is unable to attend live.
Content:
- Star Reporting-EOY
- How to Read/Use Star Data
- Using Star Custom for Progress Monitoring
- Important Reports to Save/File
- Summer Programs
- Q/A
Zoom Link
Due Tomorrow MNSAA Annual Reports
Your MNSAA Annual Report is due tomorrow, Friday, May 20, 2022. Be sure to use the new link to Accreditrac. When you submit your completed report and forms on Accreditrac, please remember to hit the button “submit to the Superintendent”. We will be switching to a 5-year Accreditation cycle. There will be 12 to 13 Accreditation Site visits per year. Finally, if you are a new Principal, or have not done an Accreditation Site visit but would like to, please contact Nancy Kuszczak and you will be given priority. Please email Nancy at nkuszczak@livoniastmichael.org. The 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 site visit list can be found here.
Here is a tutorial on how to use the updated Accreditrac.
Reminder EOY Testing Window
As a reminder, the EOY Star testing window is April 25-May 20. Please make an effort to complete all testing within the window to ensure a timely receipt of our Custom Parent Reports.
New Catholic Foundation of Michigan Scholarship Opportunity
The Catholic Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the 2022-2023 Scholarship process to benefit K-8 students in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Archdiocesan school students will receive awards ranging from $1,000 up to $5,000, made possible through the generosity of Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron, the Archdiocese of Detroit, and faithful donors in the community. In the last two years, the Catholic Foundation has granted over $400K in scholarships to more than 160 students through the St. Anne Scholars and the St. Martin De Porres Fund.
The scholarship application is invitation only by pastors, principals and school administrators. Please click here to nominate up to 3 students by May 25, 2022. Recommended students will be sent a personal invite from the Foundation to apply on May 30th. To learn about student eligibility requirements and the online application process, please visit 2022-2023 Scholarships. If you have any questions, please reach out to Christina Shabo at 248-204-0332, ext 4.
New Eucharistic Procession on the Feast of Corpus Christi – June 19
On June 19, 2022, the Archdiocese of Detroit and dioceses across the United States will begin the National Eucharistic Revival. This three-year grassroots revival of devotion and belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist will foster a “movement of Catholics across the United States, healed, converted, formed, and unified by an encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist—and sent out in mission ‘for the life of the world.’”
The Revival will begin locally with a Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, followed by a Eucharistic Procession from the Cathedral to Sacred Heart Major Seminary. I write today to invite you and your families to consider joining me for the Mass, Eucharistic Procession, or both. You can learn more and RSVP by visiting aod.org/eucharisticprocession.
Please share this flyer with your school community.
A Few Reminders Regarding COVID Procedures
K-12 students and staff exposed to someone who is positive for COVID-19
If the exposure is to a personal/household contact:
- No quarantine is needed.
- Wear a mask around others for 10 days.
If the exposure is to other type of contact (from school or social setting)
- No quarantine is needed.
- Conduct symptom monitoring for 10 days and test if symptoms develop.
New International F-1 Program: Important Reminders
As a reminder to our schools with international F-1 students, or prospective F-1 students coming this fall, please note that the Archdiocese of Detroit Department of Catholic Schools has put in place the policy that all F-1 students studying in our school system must have health insurance throughout the duration of their educational program in the AOD. At this time, we do not have recommended carriers or companies; it is the responsibility of the student/family to make those arrangements. Documentation must be provided to the school for record keeping.
Also, while the deadline for Form I-20 requests is June 15, the office kindly requests to receive applications by June 1, 2022 as Erin Dewimille, DSO, will be on maternity leave around June 15.
If you have any questions on this matter, please contact the Office of the Designated School Official by emailing Dewimille.erin@aod.org, and AOD-DS0@aod.org for assistance.
New CSW Art Contest Winners
Over 100 students submitted entries for the second annual Catholic Schools Week Student Art Contest. The students were asked to design their own work of art using the Holy Eucharist as the “source and summit of Christian life” as the theme. We appreciate the thoughtfulness, talent, and time that our students spent creating these works of art. These students have truly honored the Holy Eucharist and shown how it is truly the source and summit of Christian Life. We are grateful for all the students who have shared their gifts with us! Click here to view the winning entries.
Religion Assessment
We took a brief pause from the Religion Assessment during COVID. During this pause, a Religion Assessment Review Committee was formed to edit and revise the assessment. The committee met over the course of this past year and has concluded their work. As such, we will return to using the Religion Assessment next school year (2022-2023). Dr. Bluestein will send more details soon.
SCECH Application
Please share one of the following links with your teachers in order to apply for SCECHs with MANS.
For the schools who did not sign up for SCECH processing, the administrators will need to complete the spreadsheets MANS shared with them; or they can email Shelley Long approval of the educators’ SCECH applications. Shelley needs proof of their work, such as certificates of completion if it was independently acquired PD, or administrators’ approval that they participated in AOD PD.
All principals, please verify with your teachers the total number of SCECHs you will be reporting to MANS and confirm that they are applying for that same number. MANS indicated a discrepancy last year and if such a discrepancy occurs this year between what the principals report and what the teacher reports, MANS must select the lesser number.
Spiritual Direction for Principals
The AOD may be able to provide Spiritual Direction for principals next year. A Spiritual Director would meet once a month, one-on-one, to provide a listening ear and heart, accompany the participant on their spiritual journey, and pray with and for them.
If you are interested in Spiritual Direction, please email Dr. Bluestein.
New Ruah Woods Rooted: K-12 Theology of the Body Curriculum
The world’s first Theology of the Body Curriculum for K-12 students provides timely, age-appropriate lessons authentic to St. John Paul II’s vision and understanding of the human person according to God’s divine plan. Students discover the fundamental truth of their innate dignity firmly ROOTED in God’s image, as male and female, called to love one another as God loves. Principals are invited to implement the Ruah Woods curriculum and DCS is committed to assisting with the associated costs. Please contact Dr. Bluestein if you are interested in learning more about Rooted and would like to consider it as a supplement to your current religion curriculum..
Federal Programs and EANS Presentations from FACTS Education Solutions
Dr. Susan Abelein and Jeremy Beck of FACTS Education Solutions gave great presentations last week. Please see resources from the presentations below:
Jeremy Beck’s Presentation:
Dr. Abelein’s Presentations:
Please email Laura Knaus if you would like the links to the Zoom recordings of the presentations.
Principal Performance Evaluations
The Principal Performance Evaluation template is available on Box. Please complete your self-reflection and then ask your pastor to complete his portion. Once the evaluations are completed, reviewed, and signed, please email a copy to Erin McNally.
Star Data Meetings
Dr. Bluestein is meeting with all principals using Star Renaissance for the annual end-of-year meeting to discuss your school’s results and provide comparative data, as well as discuss any PD or curricular needs.
Each appointment will last 30 minutes (via Zoom) and openings are available:
Tuesdays through Fridays, April 26-May 27, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
If you have not yet scheduled your meeting, please email Dr. Bluestein asap at bluestein.may@aod.orgwith a few preferred dates/times and she will respond with a finalized calendar invite.
Reminder: Childcare Stabilization Grants
Childcare Stabilization Grant Funds need to be returned to MDE. Laura sent an email to principals with instructions. Please ensure that your business manager is aware of this as well. We will not be able to accept second round funds either.
