One of the tools that we use to measure the impact of religious education is the Assessment of Catholic Religious Education (ACRE), a nationally-normed questionnaire that is administered annually to students in grades 5, 8 and 11. “It is my belief that this begins with me.”, A former theology teacher, Lichter stresses the importance of “intentional faith formation” not only for her students but for her teaching faculty as well, for whom she provides “mini-retreats” that center on prayer and studying. “What sets the Catholic school apart in that regard is people don’t just do good things – collect trash or feed the poor, which are great corporal works of mercy – but they really are brought into reflection about those actions to see how they are part of Catholic social teaching,” she said. That theme emerged from recent media coverage of educational issues that incorporated voices from the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE). 4. An Incarnational View of the World. Know teaching, learning, and best practices. Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki celebrated the Mass. “We recently installed holy water fonts in each wing of our building, and the children are encouraged to mark themselves with this reminder of their baptisms,” he said, adding that the school also “proudly displays crucifixes, statues of Mary, and many sacred images and sculptures.”. Lastly, “the Catholic school is a place where students and faculty and staff are really formed to be of service, to not just themselves and their own community but to larger society,” said Cepelka. Rebecca Anderson, right, a senior at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School and member of Christ King Parish, Wauwatosa, works with Emma Viergutz, a student at St. Coletta Day School, Milwaukee, on Friday, Jan. 23. Service learning opportunities are part of the curriculum of several Catholic Schools. Effective Catholic school leaders 1. Cepelka urges that Catholic schools be a place where prayer and the sacraments are “regular – part of the culture, the fabric of daily life.”, At Christ Child Academy, Mass and eucharistic adoration are celebrated on a weekly basis, and students are allowed to pray in the day chapel following all school Masses. This faith-filled environment instills high degrees of self-confidence, self-respect, and self-discipline among students. “The first responsibility of the Catholic school teacher or leader is to live the faith him or herself … (students’) understanding of the faith is rooted in the culture of the school, which makes this real for them.”. This spiritual mission is carried out in many ways—regular classroom instruction, weekly school liturgies, prayer experiences, sacramental preparation, retreats, service learning, and extracurricular activities. In this model, service activities are incorporated into the curriculum, providing real life learning, and students are encouraged to develop leadership skills and civic responsibility. What makes a Catholic school Catholic? Spirituality in the Catholic school is a search for God. What makes Catholic schools distinctive, however, is that the values that underpin the curriculum explicitly arise from the teachings of Jesus, because Christ is the foundation of the whole educational enterprise. The spiritual mission of Jesus Christ is the reason Catholic Schools exists. It is this requirement, said Cepelka, that illuminates the whole purpose of Catholic education. This means that in addition to providing rigorous academic curricula, Catholic schools actively work with students to build their moral development and shape them into good citizens. 2. 3. The curriculum is seen as a unity in which religious and secular elements cannot be separated. 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