What Makes a Catholic School Catholic? Cont.

Catholic Schools Office:
1662 Ingram Road
Charleston, SC 29407
Tel: (843) 402-9115 ext. 19
Fax: (843) 402-5464
www.catholic-doc.org/cso
Volume 1 | Issue 3
Fall | 2012
What Makes a Catholic School Catholic?
South Carolina is a relatively small state, with only one Catholic Diocese – The Diocese of Charleston. However,
The Diocese of Charleston, under the leadership of Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone, has a mammoth task in
ministering to and representing the entire Catholic population of the state. Suffice it to say that with the
number of parishes and schools represented by the Diocese, and the diversity of the people in those parishes
and schools, it is a great challenge not only to meet the needs of each person, but to be fully effective in
proclaiming the good news to all. This is a challenge that the Catholic Schools Office, and the thirty-one
schools within the state take seriously. As Catholic educators, we recognize that the schools are one of the
most significant facilitators of the evangelizing mission of the Church. The schools exist to educate not only
the students, but to minister to the families of those students, and thereby create the community that is
essential to the life and flourishing of the Church. Academically speaking, Catholic schools have earned a
well-deserved reputation for excellence, providing students from every race, creed, color, and socio-economic
level with the opportunity to succeed in higher education, and in life. Academics are surely important, but in
the Catholic School system, academic achievement is not the ultimate goal. If this were the case, there would
be no reason to continue to promote Catholic education; there are many fine academic institutions available.
Having said that, we know that what makes our schools different…special…is that Catholic identity piece.
Last year the schools of the Diocese of Charleston underwent accreditation, which was a time-consuming and
tedious task, in many ways. But the beauty of the accreditation process,
which involves rigorous self-study, is that all stakeholders become
IN THIS
more aware of the value of their “product.” It allows each stakeholder
to learn more about the schools they are involved in, and take pride
1 Welcome Letter
in the accomplishments of each. Through a series of activities,
2 Diocesan News
parents, students, teachers, pastors, school boards, parishioners, and
3 School News
the community at large, were able to articulate exactly what makes
4-13 More School News
each school specifically “Catholic.” They learn that the school not
14 Diocesan Articles
only “teaches the Catholic faith according to the Catechism of the
15 Diocesan Articles
Catholic Church,” but that “faith is lived out both inside and outside the
school community.” “Service programs include reflection on Catholic
Catholic Schools Office:
values, Catholic social teaching, and global solidarity,” and “the school
1662 Ingram Road
demonstrates a commitment to equity and diversity.” Not only is
Charleston, SC 29407
Tel: (843) 402-91151ext. 19
prayer an important part of each school day, and liturgy is available
Issue
Fax: (843) 402-5464
SCHOOL NEWS
DIOCESAN NEWS
2
What Makes a Catholic School Catholic? Cont.
for the school community on a regular basis, but “the school provides religious formation in Catholic beliefs,
values, and traditions for all stakeholders.” The faculty and staff at any given Catholic school recognize that
they do not merely have jobs…they have a calling, a vocation to serve the people of God in a specific way,
and because of that “a welcome spirit exists at each school.” While undergoing accreditation, we learned of
the many standards by which “Catholicity” is measured, some of which were quoted above. However, going
beyond the fancy wording and paperwork of the formal accreditation process, it becomes evident to all who
set foot on the campus of a Catholic school that they are truly standing on “holy ground.”
Herein, you will read short articles about the “happenings” in the schools within the Diocese of Charleston.
Some of the news you read may seem extremely significant and worthy of recognition, while other articles
may seem rather “homespun.” What you might want to do is to read between the lines of some of these
articles, and see what emerges in your mind’s eye. Look closely at these “vignettes” of our schools, each with
its own unique identity. Look closely and reflect, and see if you can’t just picture Christ at work with all of
the children that he so loves. When you do catch a glimpse of Jesus in an article, you will better know that
Catholic schools can and do change the lives of the students and parents, and indeed, everyone within the
school community. You will know and understand that Catholic schools truly are extraordinary!
Diocesan Schools Become Accredited
The Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Charleston were recently accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and School
(AdvancEd). All of the elementary and diocesan secondary schools along with St. Francis Xavier High School, an independent
Catholic High School, were included in this district accreditation effort.
The process of applying for and receiving the accreditation took almost two years. Under the guidance of the Diocesan
Catholic Schools Office, each school was required to go through an intense self-evaluation based on the six standards of the
program with the addition of a seventh standard, Catholic Identity. Each school established committees to work on assessing
their performance against the standard. Committees were made up of faculty, parents, students, and other stakeholders
(parishioners, community members, other family, etc.).
At the completion of the self-study, each school was asked to develop a Continuous Improvement Plan. According to the
philosophy of the accrediting agency, there is always room for improvement. Once goals are set and a plan is made to meet the
goals, there should be a regular evaluation of the methods and outcomes. When the established goals are met, new goals are
set.
As each school evaluated their program efforts, the Diocesan Catholic Schools Office had to do the same. Principals were
asked to serve on committees and assisted in determining the level of performance of the Catholic Schools from the diocesan
perspective. A Diocesan Continuous Improvement Plan was developed and goals were set.
This past spring a team of educators from AdvancED, the parent accrediting agency, met in Charleston to review all of the
reports and evidence that had been compiled. Many of the eight members of this team were diocesan superintendents from
all over the New England/ Southeast area. The announcement was made that we had indeed “passed the test”. On top of that
great news, we were recognized with the highest rating in the area of Catholic Identity! What a wonderful achievement to have
our school programs validated as academically strong and outstandingly Catholic!
The process doesn’t end here. A committee of principals from the diocese will visit each school over the next few years
to determine that all schools are current working on their identified Continuous Improvement Plans and maintaining the
accreditation standards. In five years, the accrediting agency will return to make certain that we are keeping up! This is a good
thing!
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Blessed
Sacrament
Charleston
Catholic
Christ Our King
Stella Maris
Month of Rosary
iPad Pilot Program
Administration Model
Changes for 2012-13
The pastors of Christ Our King - Stella
Maris School in Mt Pleasant made the
decision to implement a President /
Principal administration model effective
with the 2012 - 2013 school year.
Each year in October, the Month of the
Rosary, Blessed Sacrament School prays
the Rosary as a student body. There is
a grotto for Mary on our campus where
we gather to pray. Our intention for
this rosary is not solely a prayer of the
group gathered, but a public display of
our Roman Catholic identity. We let our
parents know when we will be praying
this rosary and invite them, as well as any
parishioners of our parish who may wish
to pray with us. Students lead hymns to
Mary and teachers lead the rosary. We
pray the rosary with our “buddies;” this
gives our older students a time to mentor
our younger students.
Praying the rosary brings us together
as a school and parish community to
honor Jesus’ mother, our Spiritual Mother.
The teaching of our faith that Mary’s
role is vital in our salvation history is
demonstrated by our setting aside this
time to honor her. Later in the year,
again as a student body, we crown
Mary, honoring her again. In these two
particularly Roman Catholic displays, we
honor the Mother of our Savior and teach
our students to do the same. There are
other ways we demonstrate our Catholic
faith; for example, our 8th grade students
write and perform a Living Stations of the
Cross. Evangelization and proclaiming
God’s Word to our families, faculty, parish
and community is an essential part of our
school environment.
The Charleston Catholic School (CCS)
is participating in a distinctive iPad
Program to make learning more
customized, innovative and creative.
The program is funded through grants
from the Speedwell Foundation,
Shelter Hill Foundation, the Diocese of
Charleston Bishop’s Stewardship Fund
and individual donors. Sixty-six students
in sixth through eighth grades were
issued iPads during the first week of the
2012-13 school year. The iPad program
will help support the educational
mission of CCS and promote educational
excellence by facilitating resource
sharing, innovation, research, creativity,
communication, increased productivity,
and mobile learning. This program will
also allow teachers to project content
from their iPads onto SMART Boards
or televisions using Apple TV devices.
Its goal is to improve education for
students and teachers, while organizing
and delivering Open Educational
Resources that are available online, as
well as teacher-created material.
This model recognizes that it is
important for a school to focus on the
day-to-day operations as well as the
future of the school. The size of COKSM’s
campus, its enrollment, the rising
costs of providing a quality Catholic
education, and the importance of
remaining financially strong make this
model perfect for the school.
Under it, the president is the
school’s chief executive with overall
responsibility, reporting into the
pastors. He will work with the pastors,
be responsible for management of
business, finances and facilities, serve
as community liaison, and handle other
areas such as marketing, fundraising,
and recruitment.
The principal will then be free to focus
on the day-to-day internal aspects
such as academics, curriculum, faculty
supervision and development, as well as,
student activities.
John Byrnes, a long-time school board
member, was named president, and
Larry Oleksiak was tapped as interim
principal.
SCHOOL NEWS
SCHOOL NEWS
4
Divine
Redeemer
Finding the Divine in
Hanahan, SC
Hanahan is a small town on the
outskirts of Charleston, and Divine
Redeemer Catholic School is a small
school in that small town. On any
given day, a visitor may come to Divine
Redeemer to inquire about our school
program, to make a kind donation, or
volunteer to work with our students.
Each person who visits our campus
invariably notices the calm and soothing atmosphere. You won’t hear any
bells ringing during the school day, but
classes still start on time. At recess you
won’t hear children bickering on the
playground; they are too busy having
fun. At the end of the day, you won’t
hear any car horns honking; our parents
wait patiently for their children to appear in the driveway, smiles on their
faces, as they linger with friends. Divine
Redeemer Catholic School is “a little
corner of the divine” in a world that too
often rushes past the wonder and awe
of God’s creation. Our print material will
tell you that we offer “Academic Excellence in a Traditional Catholic School
Setting,” and traditional it is. We begin
and end each week with school-wide
Mass on Mondays and Fridays, attended
not only by the students, but by many
family and parish members as well. We
begin and end each day in school-wide
prayer, where we recite traditional
prayers, but also remember our friends
and associates who are sick, or delivering a baby, or facing a challenge. Our
school and parish community knows to
come to us with their prayer requests,
and our students have the faith to
believe that God will answer our sincere
prayers in his own way. At Divine Redeemer, our Catholicity is evident to all
who enter. Whether we are celebrating
a church feast day, or enjoying an ordinary Tuesday, we are a strongly Catholic
school, that aspires to nurture strong
Catholics who will grow up to be caring,
competent individuals who will lead our
church in the future. Divine Redeemer
Catholic School truly is…”a little corner
of the divine.”
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promotes healthy school life and
the desire to learn and grow within
the school community. Additionally,
the student-teacher ratio provides a
positive, encouraging atmosphere
where students feel safe to explore their
educational possibilities. I believe as the
years go on, our son will build a strong
character that is grounded in faith,
principles and morality.
3rd Grade Altar
Servers Christened
Jim & Rachelle Schutte — Parents of
Holt —Grade 2
Holy Trinity Catholic School
Nativity
Annual Fall Carnival
Holy Trinity
Building a Strong
Foundation
We chose Holy Trinity Catholic School
for several reasons. Although we are
not Catholic, we felt that the Catholic
education system would provide a
firm, moral foundation for our son.
We believe this foundation, grounded
in faith, will guide our son during his
formative years. We feel the teachers
are teaching at Catholic schools, not
for the money, but for the love of the
faith and students. This environment
Our Lady of
Peace
Nativity School hosted their 3rd
Annual Fall Carnival on September 21,
2012. Our students, parishioners and
surrounding community enjoyed rides,
jump castles, games, food and live
music provided by The 3 Dudes. The
highlight of the carnival was the “jail.”
Warrants were issued for the arrests of
the principal, Mrs. Dukes, the teachers,
and Father Kingsley. A silent auction
was held in conjunction with the
carnival. Creative class projects brought
about bidding wars which raised a lot
of money for the PTO. The next PTO
fundraiser will be the 4th Annual 5K Fun
Run and 1 Mile Walk during Catholic
Schools Week. Money raised from
both fundraisers will be used to keep
technology in the school up to date.
Every year at our Lady of Peace, as with
many schools throughout the diocese,
we incorporate the newly christened
3rd graders to the ranks of altar servers
for our Friday school Masses. We have
recently begun our training for the 3rd
graders, all Catholic students new to
the school, along with refresher training
for all prior altar servers. The students
are ecstatic to play such a major role in
a Mass and to learn through hands on
participation. It is truly is a magical time
of year. God bless.
Our Lady of the
Rosary
Arrowsmith
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School
has opened its heart to a new programArrowsmith! This program identifies
and strengthens the weaker cognitive
capacities that underlie learning
disabilities that affect learning and
the acquisition of academic and social
skills. Arrowsmith deals with the root
causes of the learning disability rather
than managing its symptoms. Students
become effective learners without
having to compensate for their learning
disabilities. Their ability to perform
complex tasks is improved when the
weak cognitive areas are strengthened.
The Arrowsmith Program has been
available in the Toronto Catholic District
School Board since 1997, and is now
in 8 states including South Carolina.
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School
is proud to be the second school in
South Carolina to open its doors to
the Arrowsmith Program. “During my
thirty years as an educator I dreamed
of finding a way to help students who
were having learning difficulties. I
was given a copy of the book BRAIN
SCHOOL by Mrs. Nipert, an OLR
parent. Next, I was approached by Mrs.
Wood, another OLR parent, who also
had read BRAIN SCHOOL. With their
drive, determination, enthusiasm,
energy, and belief, Arrowsmith was no
longer a dream, but a reality. While
in a Greenville store one day a good
friend asked what was new at OLR. I
explained the Arrowsmith Program
and the need for a classroom. She and
her husband generously donated the
classroom. With all these wonderful
blessings~ I knew we were headed in
the right direction. Since 1955, we have
educated many students. As we look
to our future, we will not only educate,
but also change the lives of some of
our students.” ~Mrs. Tully, Principal.
The OLR family is pleased to welcome
certified Arrowsmith Program cognitive
teacher, Kathleen Fowler, as well as
her extraordinary aide, Cathy Moman.
This “A+” Team, together with the drive
and dedication of our amazing and
ever supportive parents, parishioners,
students, and staff, made this dream
come true for all of us at Our Lady of the
Rosary Catholic School.
Prince of Peace
Data Teams: Pulling
Data Together to
Improve Learning
Diocese of Charleston Catholic Schools
kicked off the 2012 school year with a
visit to all our Catholic Schools from Dr.
Michael White, Director of Educational
Consulting Services and author of
Extraordinary Teachers: Teaching for
Success.
Dr. White got us thinking! At
Prince of Peace Catholic School, our two
third grade teachers are running with
Dr. White’s idea of the “Data Team.” We
already utilize the Iowa Assessments for
summative data and Children’s Progress
for formative data K4 to 2nd. Our
third grade teachers, however, wanted
to expand our data collection and
collaborate on goal-setting.
So our third grade teachers have
begun working with our library/media
specialist who collects reading data
using Scholastic Reading Counts. They
have also started using assessments
provided by the University of Oregon’s
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early
Literacy Skills or DIBELS. Finally we’re
coordinating our data collecting efforts
with Riverside Publishing as we pilot
the new Iowa Interim Assessments
SCHOOL NEWS
SCHOOL NEWS
6
where our third graders test three times
per year tracking student learning
progress against personal learning
goals.
Our commitment to coordinate
our third grade “Data Team” members’
collaborative review of data with each
other, with library/media personnel,
and with 2nd and 4th grade teachers,
will not only provide a better picture
of how the children in our third grade
learn successfully and what we can do
to improve, but will serve as a model for
expansion to other grade levels within
the year!
St. Andrew
Students Walk to
Combat Hunger
7
special guest, local meteorologist Ed
Piotrowski, came along and brought
his camera crew. As we approached
the halfway point, everyone was happy
to see our parents waiting with fresh
water and oranges, to revive everyone’s
energy. Three miles later students
arrived back at school tired but happy.
A final totaling of donations showed
that $13,813 was raised during this
event. The beneficiary of these
donations was the Myrtle Beach
Community Kitchen. This organization
serves hundreds of meals each day to
the poor and homeless of our area and
is totally funded through donations. All
agreed that this was an activity worth
repeating.
St. Anne - Rock
Hill
We Believe
The St. Andrew School community took
a walk on the Beach to raise money to
stamp out hunger. Prior to the event,
students found sponsors and collected
donations. Some children solicited
donations by canvassing their families,
friends, and neighbors. One family held
a yard sale, donating their profits. The
children sold donuts and coffee.
It was a beautiful Myrtle Beach day
when the entire school walked to
demonstrate solidarity with the poor
and hungry of our area. Middle school
students paired with younger students
to help out with street crossing, shoetying, and keeping the line moving.
Parents, friends, and our pastor, Fr.
James LeBlanc, joined in the hike. A
BETA Club members gather items for the food
drive for St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Anne
Parish. A total of 1,495 items were donated by
our school family to assist many in our local parish and community.
The motto “Let it be known to all who
enter here that Christ is the reason
for this school,…” has deep roots and
a strong presence even as St. Anne
Catholic School began its 61st school
year on August 21, 2012. From its
humble beginnings in 1951, to a
student body of 280 students today, St.
Anne School continues to pride itself on
the traditions and qualities that make
it a solid choice for families seeking to
provide their children and families with
an atmosphere focused on Christ and
academic excellence.
St. Anne School continues to serve
students K3 (pre-school) through grade
eight. This year promises to be blessed
in many ways. The theme of the school
year is “Discover God in Every Day.” The
faculty, staff, parents, and students of
SAS are committed to working as a
united family to make these discoveries
endless.
To properly prepare for the upcoming
year, the St. Anne School Teacher
Academy opened its doors one week
prior for seminars on classroom
management, catechism, assessment,
and curriculum. The week was full of
collaboration and collegiality among us
and outside presenters. St. Anne School
also welcomed Fr. Fabio Refosco, CO as
its principal and Mrs. Shaileen Riginos
as its Associate Principal. They worked
closely with the SAS CORE Team to
revamp schedules, assess events and
update policies. The implementation
of additional technology and improved
communications has also been a
prime focus of the SAS CORE Team.
This year, our students will have 60
new computers including an entirely
updated computer lab housing new
tools for advanced learning in the
technology arena. St. Anne School
is working closely with parents to
consciously implement technology
into the middle school classroom. A
“Bring Your Own Technology” policy
where students can bring laptops, iPads
and the like for integration into the
daily lesson and curriculum has been
adopted by our administrative team.
BYOT is being embraced and utilized by
our school family.
As with so many schools’ start up
times, our families have participated
in many ‘welcome back’ festivities
including orientations where school
administration set the expectations for
a great school year. We also use this
time to look back at those people and
events that have molded and shaped us
into the entity we are today.
St. Anne School is proud of its history
and the men and women whose
decisions and efforts, steadfast in the
Catholic faith, opened the doors to
Catholic African American children
during the tumultuous time of Civil
Rights in our country. The 1954 school
year is in the history books as one that,
through the leadership of Fr. William
Tobin, members of the Oratory and
Catholic families from both St. Anne
Parish and St. Mary’s Parish, created
St. Anne School as the first racially
integrated school in the state of South
Carolina. It is through the rock-solid faith
of early South Carolina Catholics that
this event occurred before its time. St.
Anne School is proud today to continue
teaching the history and virtues of our
Catholic faith in South Carolina as we
welcome students from Divine Saviour,
St. Philip Neri, Our Lady of Grace, All
Saints, and St. Joseph in Chester. Daily
prayer, weekly mass along with Fr.
Fabio Refosco’s new Virtues program,
continues to strengthen our community
of faith. Above all, it is a true privilege for
the students and staff of St. Anne School
to have Fr. Fabio and other members
of the Oratorian community, Fr. Elbano
Munoz (St. Anne Parish Pastor), Fr. Jim
Moran, and Brother Joe Guyon as part of
our daily Catholic education experience.
Additional to our current religious
curriculum, Virtues will focus on a
different virtue each month. Our
focus will be on one of the following
virtues: Charity, Temperance (modesty),
Justice, Fortitude (courage), Prudence,
Friendship, Respect, Hope and Joy.
Students and staff alike are recognized
for their actions surrounding the virtue
in focus. Through this year-long lesson,
St. Anne Students put their faith into
action.
SAS Beta Club members led the way
modeling CHARITY. The school began
living their faith with a food drive to
assist our friends at the Society of St.
Vicente De Paul with a food drive.
Together our school family collected and
contributed 1,495 food and related items
for the poor in our community. At St.
Anne School, we believe it is important
to model our faith.
At St. Anne Catholic School…We Believe.
We believe in God.
We believe in family.
We believe in teachers.
We believe in each other.
We believe in you.
St. Anne Sumter
in our music program. Regardless of
the faith of the patients or staff, the
voices of these young people lift their
spirits and bring smiles to their faces.
It is a special time for our students to
witness to people through the gifts God
has given them. In turn, God touches
our students in a special way when they
participate in this program.
St. Anthony Florence
Food Drive
Spirit Lifters Music
Program
I know that we would all agree that
hospitals are very important institutions
in our society. The hospital staff
works hard to heal the patients that
come to them. The very nature of
the environment, for both patients
and staff, can be very stressful.
The circumstances surrounding a
hospital visit can leave people with
an overwhelming feeling of sadness.
For these reasons, the students from
St. Anne Catholic School in Sumter
participate in our school’s Spirit Lifters
Music program each year.
The Spirit Lifters program is a monthly
visitation program in which one class
will walk to our local hospital, Tuomey
Regional Medical Center, to sing to the
patients and staff. The students sing
beautiful songs that they have learned
In November 2011 every class at St.
Anthony School competed in a monthlong food drive to see who could collect
the most canned and non-perishable
food items to donate to a local mission,
Lighthouse Ministries. The winner was
a 7-student 4K class, which collected
230 items. The overall school total was
2, 408 cans and boxes, collected by
Lighthouse Ministries staff in December.
7th and 8th grade students helped fill
a trailer with the collected food, which
helped many hungry families during
the holiday season.
SCHOOL NEWS
SCHOOL NEWS
8
St. Anthony of
Padua
Mother Earth
In addition to teaching our children
to give thanks to God for the wonder
of Brothers Sun and Wind and Sisters
Water, Moon and Stars, many extra
efforts are being made at St. Anthony
of Padua Catholic School to appreciate
Mother Earth. In the spirit of St. Francis,
the patron saint of caring for creation,
and, with the assistance of various
grants, all of the children have become
members of “St. Anthony’s Garden Club.”
Using her expertise and experience
with the St. Francis Hospital Community
Garden masters and our parish Master
Gardeners, Miss Cheryl Baxley engages
the developmental skills of each grade
level during the after school hours.
A “lasagna” compost pile (so-called
because of its layerings) made with
scraps from the kitchen has been used
to supply nutrients for the various
vegetable and flower plots around the
school. The children water their areas
and assist our parish gardener, Mr.
Horace May, in watering the big garden
twice a week. Now that we have a rain
barrel provided with grant funds, “Sister
Water” will help also teach re-cycling.
Exercise for the children is a built-in
blessing for our mini-gardeners!
St. Francis Hilton Head
9
St. Gregory
103 Anniversary
No More Bullies!!!
St. Francis Catholic School in Hilton
Head Island is joining hundreds of
schools around the country and
throughout the world that are taking
action to stop and prevent bullying.
The Olweus Bullying Prevention
program is the leading research-based
program that has been shown to
reduce bullying incidences as well as
making schools safer, happier places for
students to learn and grow.
St. Francis Catholic School has initiated
the Olweus program to assist students
and their families in preventing bullying
incidences from occurring in the
school community. Faculty training,
parent meetings, and class discussions
concerning bullying prevention are
both educating and providing members
of our school community with the
tools necessary to make SFCS a more
positive, caring place in living out Jesus’
commandment of loving your neighbor
as yourself.
St. Gregory the Great Catholic School in
Bluffton began their 2012-2013 school
year with service and celebration. To
commemorate the 103rd Anniversary
of the orders of the Sisters of Saints
Cyril and Methodius; the community
of Sisters serving SGGCS, students
honored the congregation of SSCM by
holding a food drive in their name for
Bluffton Self Help, a local food bank.
On the day of the actual anniversary,
students were allowed to wear their
favorite t-shirts and enjoyed an end-ofthe-day outside party with the Sisters,
priests, and staff featuring cake, cookies
and ice cream.
St. John
Artifact Show and Tell
grade students at Saint John Catholic
School decided to bring artifacts to class
reflecting civilization in the Americas
from any period of history for a Show
and Tell. Students researched their
artifacts and discussed them with family
prior to taking them to school. John
Colin Gilbert showed and explained
the use of the sextant in maritime
navigation, and Brandon Wells gave the
history of sailing ships using a replica
of the Cutty Sark. Jacob Bouchillon
exhibited a segment of barbed wire
from the 1953 Korean DMZ. The wire
was framed with documentation and
had been presented to Jacob’s father in
recognition of military service. Preston
Maile delivered demonstrations of
the box camera and an early Polaroid.
Savanna Becker displayed vintage
photographs, as well as a vintage
postcard of New York City. Teacher Miss
Smith displayed a widow’s mourning
bonnet, circa 1880, vintage clothing,
a daguerreotype, and 2,000-year old
Native American pottery shards. All
students participated in the artifact
show and tell with enthusiasm.
Intellectual inquiry was their top priority,
and spirited discussions followed all
presentations.
St. John
Neumann
Importance of Rosary
As you approach the school, you drive
around our Rosary Garden that was
designed and constructed by the sixth
grade. With stepping-stones for each
bead, beautiful statues of Mary, and
comfortable benches, it is a place not
only of worship but also of serenity.
At St. John Neumann School, the Rosary
is an integral part of our day. This
Catholic tradition is brought to life in
several ways.
45th Birthday & 8th
Grade Addition
Each morning as we start our day, the
student body says a decade of the
Rosary together. Throughout the year,
fifth and sixth graders lead this tradition
on our Morning Show. By the end of the
school year, together we have said16,500
rosaries.
More than ten years ago, an afterschool Rosary Club was formed. Every
Wednesday, fifth and sixth graders
create beaded rosaries. At the end of the
year, the rosaries are blessed and sent
to missions around the world to share in
the devotion of Mary.
Several times during the school year, the
sixth grade leads the school in saying
the rosary in a rather unique way. We
call it the Living Rosary. Teachers and
students gather in the gym, sit, and
form a circular shape on the floor. Each
decade is pictorially introduced. Groups
of students then stand and lead the rest
of the school in the prayers of the Rosary.
Cardboard beads are held during each
prayer and then placed on the floor so
that by the end of our service, a visual
rosary has been formed in the center
of the gym. The sound of 370 children
reciting the prayers of the Rosary
together makes a lasting impression.
Through sharing the Rosary in various
ways, our students continue to develop
their Catholic identity with a Catholic
tradition.
After a two-week unit on the arrival
of humans in the Americas during the
Ice Age and class discussions about
the meaning of “civilization,” seventh
St. Joseph
Anderson
St. Joseph Catholic School in Anderson
has two things to celebrate this school
year!
The first is the celebration our 45th
birthday. In August of 1967 St. Joseph
opened the school with grades 1
through 6. Forty-five years later we
also celebrate the completion of our
school with the addition of the eighth
grade. These students will be our first
middle school graduates and have the
opportunity to earn two high school
honors credits in English and algebra.
To provide space for our expansion,
two portable classrooms have been
added to our campus this year. Things
are looking up for St. Joseph Catholic
School as we go “up, up, and away” to
greater faith and knowledge!
SCHOOL NEWS
SCHOOL NEWS
10
St. Joseph
Columbia
Altar Servers: Training
in Faith
At Saint Joseph Catholic Church, we
are blessed with approximately 120
altar servers, 58 from our school, all of
whom are enthusiastically trained and
staunchly supported by our principal,
Rose Tindall, and pastor, Monsignor
Richard Harris. The program is a
wonderful source for strengthening
the altar servers’ knowledge of the
Catholic faith and what it entails. From
terminology for the items used to
the proper way to hold the book to
carrying items from the offertory to the
altar, it’s an education and experience
in faith. The role of our altar servers
is extremely important to Monsignor
Harris. “Not only do the servers offer
invaluable assistance to me at the
altar, but they also help me to pray
the Mass,” he said. “Our servers are
so respectful and prayerful that they
project an atmosphere of reverence
and prayerfulness when they serve.”
For the parents of our altar servers, the
pride is evident, as well as the lessons
it teaches the children. “The children
learn that faith is an active practice,
not just prayers in a pew or prayer at
night,” said Ann Buchmaier, whose
children, Sophie and Wolfi, are servers.
For Lori Long, whose son Joseph is
also a server, the fact that the altar
servers are taught that this is a ministry
for them is very special. “I love that
they learn the importance of having
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the proper reverence and respect for
the celebration of the Eucharist and
that they are an important part of the
celebration,” she said. And for Joseph,
serving is an honor. “We get to serve on
God’s altar and get to assist the priest in
the celebration of the Eucharist at Mass,”
he said. Because of their important
roles, Monsignor works hard to ensure
the servers don’t get too nervous during
Mass. “They are so well trained and
conscientious that they have confidence
they will serve to the best of their
ability, which helps alleviate some of
their nervousness,” he said. “Our older
servers are also always willing to help
the younger ones. I also tell them only
a few people will know if they make a
mistake. For those children thinking
of becoming altar servers, Joseph Long
passes along this advice, “Don’t worry
too much about messing up, because
God loves you for trying your best.” It’s
an important sentiment we could all
take to heart.
about Jesus & Gospel living. This time
of shared faith is prayerful and joyous.
Our school’s anniversary, September
14th, is also a celebration of love .The
celebration includes a story about St.
Martin de Porres. The day ends with
shining stars treats.
St. Martin De
Porres
We ask for the grace to live each day as
children of the Lord.
God’s Amazing Love
The chosen theme-true to our
Catholic Identity, will be the focus
of our morning prayer as we gather
each morning. Thursday is our school
Mass. Students in Pre-K-6 participate
by reading the first reading from the
Mass & praying the petitions. An added
uplift is the musical selections by the
choir. Fr. Michael’s homily is a message
St. Mary of Help St. Mary’s
Christians
Saint Mary’s Serves
Vocations Club
As disciples of the Lord Jesus, Saint
Mary’s serves those in need with His
words, “Whatever you do for the least of
my brethren, you did it to me” (Matthew
25:40).
In the Religion classes, the students
learn about Jesus, saints and Catholic
feast days. The feast of St. Martin de
Porres, November 3rd. is one of our big
highlights. This year marks the 50th.
Anniversary of the canonization of St.
Martin de Porres. Throughout the year,
we will remember our patron saint. St.
Martin de Porres loved children.
God’s amazing love is everywhere
especially in the hearts of St. Martin
de Porres school family. As followers of
Jesus Christ, we pray, believe, celebrate
the good news and help others. “We do
not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ
as Lord.” 2 Cor. 4:6
teacher and her class help families in
need and bring presents to school to
wrap and prepare for them. Through
Triune Mercy Center, these families
receive a Christmas surprise of presents
in their time of need.
St. Michael
The Father Kolbe Vocations Club
for Young Men and the St. Cecilia
Vocations Club for Young Women meet
monthly at St. Mary’s School. Any boys
or girls in grades four through eight
are eligible to attend the monthly
meetings. The meetings are typically
held during the middle school lunch/
recess time and the older students
bring their lunches to the meetings.
Meetings focus on a specific religious
or lay vocation. Guest speakers have
included priests, deacons, sisters, and
seminarians. Meetings usually also
include some activity like a scavenger
hunt, relay race, or game. Students
also pray for priests, seminarians, and
religious at the meetings and each day.
Typically 80 – 90 percent of the
students who are in grades 4 – 8 attend
the meetings. For more information
about vocation clubs, contact Peggy
Wertz, the principal at St. Mary Help of
Christians.
Each month, a class of students and
parent volunteers take time to help
prepare a sack lunch for those in need
at a nearby charity, the Triune Mercy
Center. Students take turns decorating
brown bags to be used for the lunches.
Student Council representatives,
teachers and the principal carry the
lunches to the center and distribute to
those in need. With a “God bless you”
and “enjoy your lunch”, the students
offer a smile and an act of kindness to
Christ in His distressing disguise of the
poor. The Student Council also collects
coats, hats, scarves and gloves to give
to the center during the cold months of
winter.
Other ways the students learn to serve
those in need include collecting food for
the Poor Clare Nuns during November,
U.S. Marines Toys for Tots service project
in December, and money for the Holy
Childhood Association during the weeks
of Lent.
During the month of October the third
grade class work on a service project
called “Chores for Charity”. Students
completed chores around the house/
neighborhood and earned money. The
money earned was used to purchase 21
space heaters, one for each student, to
donate to Catholic Charities.
Before Christmas, the fourth grade
Celebration of Faith
and Thanks
Beginning in the fall of 2011, the
students and staff of Saint Michael
School watched as a new church took
shape before our very eyes. From the
day the backhoes arrived in August,
2011 until the dedication on August 17,
2012 we watched it grow. Our students
became involved in the project through
their daily prayers for the construction
process as well as the safety of the
construction crew. They included
prayers for all of the parishioners who
donated their talents and treasures to
the project, as well as thanked them for
their prayers and support throughout
the year. Several classes watched the
day the steeple was placed on top of the
church and some watched from outside
the construction area. From the pieces
of dirt and individual family items placed
in the ground above which rose the
sanctuary, to our first All-School Mass
on August 29th, Saint Michael Catholic
School students celebrated a beautiful
place to worship our Lord
SCHOOL NEWS
SCHOOL NEWS
12
St. Paul the
Apostle
Our Catholic Faith
Students at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic
School in Spartanburg truly live and
learn their Catholic faith. They attend
Mass as a school community every
Friday morning. Students must be well
versed in the readings of the day and
the feast days celebrated. Our pastor,
Fr. Timothy M. Gahan, will speak to
the students through his homily and
then, will question them. The students,
even K-4 and K-5 students, are excited
to participate and show him that they
know the answers.
Faculty, School Board members, and
parents assist with frequent special
celebrations and traditions. So far, this
school year, students have celebrated
the birthday of the Blessed Mother with
a cupcake rosary, the Exhaltation of the
Holy Cross with veneration of a relic, the
Feast of the Archangels with a prayer
and a piece of angel food cake, and the
month of the rosary as they add their
rosary count to the parish’s count.
On the feast of our patron, St. Paul,
Fr. Gahan will process through the
school with a relic, attended by acolytes
ringing bells. Students know to kneel
and receive the special blessing.
Under the direction of teachers
Katherine Brown and Shannon
Slaughter, the school has started a
Vocations Club. 28 students have
earned their shirts honoring St.
Maximilian Kolbe or St Cecilia. The
shirts were handed out by Fr. Jeff Kirby,
Director of Vocations for the Diocese of
Charleston.
Each morning teachers gather in
a circle before opening the doors
to pray together and to share their
special intentions. Students begin
their day with prayer and are given
the opportunity to put forth their own
prayer petitions. In the school lobby
there is a Prayer Board on which are
listed the special requests for prayer
that we receive. At noon each day
students stop to pray the Angelus.
Our students grow in their faith
through all of these experiences. Every
step of the way we include prayer and
extend that to community service in
which we are all constantly involved.
St. Peter
Beaufort
Has ESP
(Environmental
Science Program)
St. Peter’s students continue to see
that the classroom extends beyond
the school wall as the eighth-graders
at St. Peter’s Catholic School had the
opportunity to hit the water again
this school year, with the help of
some friends at The Kayak Farm. In
cooperation with Eric Gibbons, of The
Kayak Farm, these students are looking
at the Lowcountry’s salt marshes and
13
lagoons in a new way these days.
After three fall kayak excursions
exploring the ecology and beauty of
their own “backyard,” these students
have witnessed our home through
different “lenses,” making realizations
that they will hopefully take into their
adulthood as stewards of our planet.
The environmental studies component
shall focus on their immediate
environment and how natural events
and man’s activities affect it. It is the
primary mission of this program to
provide students with a template of
proper scientific study for them to build
upon in their future academic and
professional careers.
St. Peter’s
Columbia
enabled over $500 to be donated to the
Bayler’s Prayer Foundation.
The students beamed with pride as
parents and guests from the hotel
marveled at the amazing pieces of art.
Many asked if the artwork was available
for purchase. Note cards were made
from a selection of the artwork with the
proceeds from their sale also going to
Children’s Hospital.
It was a wonderful evening where the
children’s individual gifts and talents
were celebrated with the community
and used to help other children!
Summerville
What Makes us a
Catholic School?
Children Helping
Children
Student achievement, community
collaboration and service to others
all came together on “Art Night” at
the Springhill Suites in the Vista, in
downtown Columbia.
Each grade level from St. Peter’s School
had beautiful art work, in a variety of
mediums, displayed at a reception and
art show that benefited Palmetto Health
Children’s Hospital. A collaboration
between Mrs. Molly Chance, St. Peter’s
Art teacher, and Ms. Maria Giomi,
Director of Sales for Springhill Suites,
(and graduate of St. Peter’s School!)
As a Catholic school community, we
believe in the uniqueness, dignity and
potential of every student. For the past
five years, SCS has been developing
a classroom program to meet the
varying needs of individual students.
Our evolving Inclusive Education
program has recently expanded to
assist students with mild to moderate
cognitive learning abilities. The goal
of this program is to help students
achieve their personal best while
including them in the regular classroom
environment. Our full time teacher and
part time assistant work with children
independently and in small groups.
Following the example of Christ, we can
foster a learning environment open to
all of God’s children.
Bishop England
Locks of Love
Cardinal
Newman
Sign of the Cross
Nine months after the initial event
was publicized, students, faculty, as
well as students from nearby schools
participated in an event that would
change the lives of so many individuals.
Locks of Love, a non-profit organization,
takes donated hair and makes wigs for
children who suffer from a medical hair
loss. Since last August, a committee
of 16 young men and women from
Bishop England High School met
throughout the year to organize the
event by making posters, advertising in
the feeder schools, and raising money
with bake sales and homeroom change
drives. After nine months of publicity,
18 girls and faculty members had signed
up to have their hair cut and donated.
On May 4, the initial 18 girls who signed
up quickly multiplied to an astonishing
77 by the end of the day. The selfless
acts were infectious; one haircut led to
another, which led to another. With all
the local publicity, 85 ponytails from
women as far north as Maine will have
their hair sent away to the organization.
A HUGE thanks to all the GIRLS in the
community, and especially to those here
at Bishop England High School. Thank
you for making this event happen! We
couldn’t have done it without your
LOCKS!
“In the name of the Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit. Amen.” For the last 10
years, faculty, staff, families and the
entire student body have gathered
at Mass and made the Sign of the
Cross as our oldest students passed
special Cross necklaces to the newest
members of our faith community. As
we welcome these students into our
Cardinal Newman family, this ceremony
reminds us all that the Sign of the Cross
is a spiritual foundation in our lives.
It renews our faith with belief in the
Holy Trinity, and it reminds us that all
blessings, help and hope come through
the Cross.
DIOCESAN ARTICLES
SCHOOL NEWS/ DIOCESAN ARTICLES
14
St. Francis
Xavier
Social Justice
For one week this past June, eight of
our students spent a week repairing
the home of an elderly lady here in
Sumter. Under the guidance and
encouragement of Bill Hentges ,
these young people were able to
experience first hand the sense of
fulfillment that comes from selflessly
doing for others. The S.A.M. (Sumter
Area Missions) project comes under
the auspices of United Ministries.
Youth from local churches and civic
organizations volunteer a week in the
summer to repair homes for needy and
elderly under the supervision of adult
volunteers. This was the first time in the
history of S.A.M. that youth from the
Catholic community had participated
in this event. Our students completely
replaced a roof, a rotted wall and the
siding, repaired a front porch and
repainted. They spent five days from
early morning to evening working on
this elderly woman’s home.
Principals’ Leadership Conference
“I am the author of my own story,” was one of the wonderful quotes by Brother
Robert Bimonte at our recent Principals’ Leadership Conference. The thirty-three
principals of our Diocese came together for three days in Myrtle Beach for the
annual Conference. One day was devoted to learning from our keynote speaker,
where we had the privilege of hearing Brother Bimonte enlighten us on a variety of
topics: from transforming leadership to brain-compatible learning.
Brother Robert Bimonte is Executive Vice President of the National Catholic
Education Association (NCEA), where he previously served as the Executive Director
of the NCEA Elementary Schools Department. Established in 1904, the NCEA is
the largest private professional education organization in the world, representing
200,000 Catholic educators, who serve 7.6 million students in Catholic elementary
and secondary schools, religious education programs, Catholic colleges and
universities, and seminaries. Brother Bimonte has conducted numerous retreats
and workshops on a wide variety of topics, including collaborative learning, the
power of myth, transformational leadership, and brain-compatible learning. His
extensive work on brain-compatible learning has been recognized by the Hewlett/
Packard Foundation.
During our time with him, Brother Bimonte reminded us that by fulfilling the basic
human needs of affection, accomplishment, influence, and inclusion, we can help
each child to experience success in school. “Believing in another person is the
greatest gift you can give them,” said Bimonte. Brain-compatible learning was also
discussed, with the reminder that focusing on the multiple intelligences (musical,
linguistic, logical/mathematical, kinesthetic, spatial, naturalist, intrapersonal,
and interpersonal) greatly influences student learning and achievement. It was
interesting to note that each of these intelligences develops and “peaks” in human
beings at different ages, and so it follows that utilizing a variety of modalities in
teaching will maximize the benefits of these intelligences.
Brother Bimonte then discussed The Learning Pyramid, quoting the average
retention rates applied to various teaching strategies, and reviewed braincompatible components. He
finished with an overview of the
necessary skills for learning in
the 21st century, emphasizing
that Basic Skills (reading, writing,
spelling, speaking), Thinking
Skills (organizing, analyzing,
synthesizing, evaluating),
and Personal Skills (integrity,
honesty, etc.) will all be essential
components of the Common
Core Curriculum, which will be
adopted in the near future.
Quoting John Dewey, Bimonte
reminded us that, “Education is
not a preparation for life…it is life
itself.”
15
The Communion of Saints
“The Communion of Saints” is a phrase you say every time you attend Mass and say the Apostles’ Creed, but have you ever
stopped to think about its meaning? In consulting the Catechism of the Catholic Church, article 946 states, “After confessing ‘the
holy catholic Church,’ the Apostles’ Creed adds ‘the communion of saints.’ In a certain sense this article is a further explanation of
the preceding: What is the Church if not the assembly of all the saints?” In other words, the communion of saints is the Church.
But who, exactly, are these saints? We know about the great and long-standing saints of the church, such as St. Patrick, St.
Francis of Assisi, and St. Catherine of Sienna. And in the past century we’ve learned of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Maximilian
Kolbe, and much more recently, St. Kateri Tekakwitha. But what bearing does this have on us, the living? We certainly believe
the saints can intervene for us, and we know we can look to them as role models, but more importantly, we must believe that
sainthood is something to which we can all aspire. That is the message we deliver to our children each day in our Catholic
schools…we can be saints!
Article 951 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that within the communion of the Church, the Holy Spirit “distributes
special graces among the faithful of every rank” for the building up of the Church. “Every rank” takes on a new meaning when
you visit a Catholic school. Depending on the school, we see children from three years of age to eighteen, “building up the
church.” Our children are highly visible within the parishes they serve, and as such, draw the faithful closer to God. Whether
they are selling baked goods outside the doors of the church to raise money for their school sports teams, presenting a parish
Christmas pageant, or performing works of charity within the community, they are seen and perceived as the Church of the
future. That is why Catholic schools are so vitally important to the enhancement of the churches in small towns and big cities
across our state, and indeed across America.
Catholic schools are not only educating, but engaging, the future leaders of our Church. While sharing the faith with their
students, teachers’ faith journeys are also impacted immeasurably. Jesus recognized the dignity and importance of children,
and so we try to imitate him in saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven
belongs to such as these.”
You’ve heard of St. Simon and St. Anne, but what about St. Tiffany, or St. Landry? Who knows to what heights our children can
fly when given the strong spiritual foundation provided by a Catholic education? In the right environment, with the correct
upbringing, and in the daily presence of God, we can all be saints.