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FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2022


Faith Feature

Please listen to the latest episode of Archbishop Vigneron’s Eyes on Jesus podcast where he and the hosts discuss the mission of Catholic schools and their renewal in the Archdiocese of Detroit.  
 
Listen HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

From Vic Michaels: COVID-19 Guidance and Protocols (travel guidance updated January 20, 2022)

Please remember to add all positive Covid cases in your school using the following links: Elementary Schools | High Schools

MDHHS changed its guidance for quarantine/isolation. Unless you receive new guidance from your local health department, please follow the attached guidance effective immediately. This new 5-day recommendation would mean a student or staff member currently on a 10-day quarantine/isolation could return after day 5, if asymptomatic.

MDHHS continues to recommend universal masking in all K-12 school settings. Quarantine and isolation are determined by the local health department and are used as important tools to prevent the spread of disease:
  • You isolate when you are infected with COVID-19 and have tested positive, even if you do not have symptoms. Isolation is used to separate people who are infected with COVID-19 from those who are not infected.  
  • You quarantine when you might have been exposed to COVID-19. This is because you might become infected with COVID-19 and could spread COVID-19 to others. 
  • Any individual that displays COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of vaccination status, should not attend school and should be tested for COVID-19. 
COVID-19 School Quarantine Guidelines for Asymptomatic Students: 
  • Fully vaccinated contacts without symptoms do not need to quarantine. 
  • Contacts that are not fully vaccinated and do not have symptoms: 
  • If masking was maintained, contacts can participate in school activities if wearing a mask for 14 days after exposure and using a "Test to Stay" strategy* 
  • If masking was not maintained, if additional testing and mitigation strategies are used, contacts may participate in school activities at the discretion of the local health department.
Test Kits:
The MDHHS COVID School Test Order Process has changed as of Dec. 13, 2021. Please see the attached document regarding the new procedure for ordering tests.

International or Out of State Domestic Travel: 
Vaccinated students and staff do not need to quarantine.

Unvaccinated students and staff are expected to quarantine for 5 days post-travel and it is recommended to get tested with a viral test at 3 days and 5 days post-travel. If both tests are negative and documented, they may return to campus on day 6. Students and staff are asked to continue to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and wear a well-fitting mask once they return to campus on days 6-10. If a test result is positive, the student or staff member must follow isolation requirements for a positive test. If the trip was school-sponsored and all students and staff on the trip are only from your school, they can return without quarantine.

Tuition Assistance Application 2022-23

The Tuition Assistance application period opens on January 22.  Schools and parents should visit our webpage for more information: Tuition Assistance & Scholarships - Detroit Catholic Schools.
 

Administrator Retreat

Please register HERE for the Administrator Retreat at the Inn at St. John’s on February 10-11, 2022.  We will be following Covid safety protocols and are keeping a close eye no case numbers; we will modify plans if necessary. 
 

Handbook Review

As a means of providing updated and improved resources for schools, please submit your school’s handbooks to Erin McNally.  They can be emailed as PDFs to mcnally.erin@aod.org. Please send:
  • Student/Family Handbook
  • Faculty/Staff Handbook
  • School Safety Plan
  • Crisis Response Plan

From The Catholic Foundation of Michigan: Nominate a 2022 Amazing Catholic Educator

Catholic school principals, presidents, pastors and administrators are invited to nominate fellow educators for the Catholic Foundation’s 2022 Amazing Catholic Educator Awards. The ACE award recognizes teachers, specialists and principals within the Archdiocese of Detroit Catholic schools who exemplify unleashing the Gospel within their school. These are individuals who excel at creating a school culture that is proudly Catholic, academically excellent, accessible to all, and/or sustainable for the future. If you know of an exceptional educator, reach out and encourage your school principal, president and/or pastor to nominate them. 
 
Please review the eligibility requirements by visiting CatholicFoundationMichigan.org/Grants/Ace and consider nominating someone from your school. If you would like more information, please call Christina Shabo at 248.204.0332 or email Christina@CatholicFoundationMichigan.org.
 

From NCEA: Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Award nominations are open

The 2021 Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Award theme is heroes, answering the question: "How is this Catholic school educator a hero in your community?" Submit a 90-second video nomination by Feb. 5.
 

Catholic Schools Week

The Department of Catholic Schools will be sponsoring several events during Catholic Schools Week to celebrate the gift of Catholic education, including Catholic Schools Week LIVE!, a Student Art Contest, and Livestreamed Mass with Archbishop Vigneron. All schools are invited to participate in these activities to supplement the activities in their own schools. See the outline of events here.
 

Bosco Prayer Initiative

Please join in praying for the youth of the Archdiocese of Detroit during Catholic Schools Week (January 30 – February 5).  Our goal is to sign up 1,000 people to pray.  
 
The prayer resource and sign-up are live at www.BoscoPrayer.org.
 
Schools can participate by:
  • Hosting prayer services for the students, or incorporating the prayer resource into a Liturgy
  • Praying through the resource, or an adapted version, in a religion class
  • Sending the information and invitation to parents and grandparents
  • Engaging parent prayer groups or school intercessory prayer teams

Fr. Gabriel Richard Lesson Plan and Educational Tours

The Father Gabriel Richard Guild has created a 1-2 day lesson plan for high school/middle school grades to consider using during Catholic Schools Week; Fr. Richard was one of the earliest proponents of Catholic education in our region. 

Informational tours are also available at St. Anne Basilica in Detroit. See the flyer regarding school visits and contact Kristin Andree kristen.andree@steannedetroit.org with any questions.
 

MOY Star Testing Capacity & Guidelines

The MOY testing window is January 17 – February 11
Please check to ensure that you have enough licenses to test for MOY. The attached document provides brief steps to verify your capacity and/or order more licenses if needed. The document also contains a brief video demonstration.
              
Star Testing Guidelines: Which Star assessment(s) do my students need to take?
  • All Kinder students need a Star Early Literacy assessment for MOY.
  • All Kinder and first grade students should use the Audio option when taking Star Math. This option needs to be turned on for students. Here is the Help File for your reference – Audio Preference Help File - https://help2.renaissance.com/prefs/21020
  • For any Kinder student who achieves Probable Reader on SEL for MOY, they should also take Star Reading and Star Math during MOY window. 
  • All 1-8 graders take Star Reading and Star Math.
  • Any first grade student who isn’t able to take Star Reading or Star Math because they cannot get past the 3-5 practice questions needs to take Star Early Literacy for MOY. 

FACTS Report Card Training & Written Instructions

The audit FACTS conducted concluded that some teachers have not been entering in standards along with assignments; some have been entering them into the wrong field resulting in them not populating into the report card; and some have been selecting “LP” instead of “GB” standards. Please share the recording and written instructions with your teachers to ensure they are following the correct instructions for how to enter their assignments and standards.

Youth Projects to Advocate for the Dignity of Life

As we approach the 49th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a decision that made abortion legal in our country, please consider taking a stand to protect life at all stages by choosing some of these service projects for your classroom or school that promote life in our communities.
 

Transgenderism Resources: from the Department of Evangelization, Missionary Discipleship & Family Engagement

Please review the attached document with vetted resources to assist in providing pastoral care and accompaniment to our youth, adolescents, and young adults in their identity as beloved sons and daughters of God.
 

Families of Parishes

Each of our schools is part of (or will be part of) a Family of Parishes. Wave 1 FOPs were launched on July 1 of last year. Wave 2 FOPs will be launched in July of this year. Families of Parishes are groups of parishes, generally three to six parishes, sharing resources to advance the mission. Our ministry in Catholic schools is critical to the mission of the Church. Please talk with your pastor and with the Moderator of the Family of Parishes to which your school belongs – it is important that we work together to ensure that we are all on mission to share the Gospel.  
 

Detroit Priestly Vocations Seminarian Profiles

The Office for Priestly Vocations has prepared Seminarian Profile Pages with pictures and facts about the men studying to be priests in the Archdiocese of Detroit. These can be used in schools and/or classrooms to promote priestly vocations and to pray for these men. The profiles, along with zip files containing 4 slides that could be shared on social media, can be found HERE
 

Petition Drive – Michigan

The Michigan legislature recently passed two bills which would have provided “student opportunity scholarships” to low-income families for their out-of-pocket educational expenses. Unfortunately, Govern Gretchen Whitmer vetoed the two measures.
 
A petition drive is now underway that would place the issue before the legislature, which if passed again, would not require the governor’s signature to become law. The effort to obtain signatures will be headed by Let Michigan Kids Learn, a coalition of organizations which includes the Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) and the Michigan Association of Nonpublic Schools (MANS).  MANS will provide you with instructions and materials in mid-January regarding this process.
 

UPCOMING EVENTS & EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

EdWeb Webinars

Fostering Creativity Through Collaborative STEAM Learning
Wednesday, Jan. 26 @ 4 pm ET | Register
Presented by Joachim Horn, CEO, SAM Labs; and Rachel Gleitman, Educational Implementation Specialist, SAM Labs
 
Special Education and the Reading Crisis: 4 Actions to Accelerate Reading for Students Who Struggle
Thursday, Jan. 27 @ 5 pm ET | Register
 

RISE Detroit 2022 for High School Students

The Archdiocese of Detroit is hosting a brand-new event for high school students in the spirit of Unleash the Gospel—RISE Detroit 2022. All 9-12th graders are encouraged to attend with their pastor, youth minister, campus minister, or parents! The event will take place on Sunday, February 6, 2022, from 8:15am-7:15pm at Mercy High School in Farmington Hills. Activities include keynotes, powerful praise and worship experiences, two workshop opportunities, small group discussion, and Liturgy! Learn more and sign up at www.risedetroityouth.org.
 

Young Women’s Leadership Forum

Young adult Catholic women, ages 21-30, seeking leadership training, faith formation, and mentoring to better understand and pursue their particular mission and vocation are encouraged to apply to attend the 2022 GIVEN Catholic Young Women's Leadership Forum.  Applications are now open! Prospective applicants can find information about the speakers, schedule, and distinctive Forum features on our website. Applications are due February 18, 2022.
 

SoulCore Recording and Schedule

The first SoulCore session was offered in December with a meditation on the Joyful mysteries and the recording is now available to share with anyone who was unable to attend.
 
Recording:  December - Joyful Mysteries (Passcode: Q=ibH5.d)
 
SoulCore will continue to be offered at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom, Feb. 12, April 9, and June 4. The next meditations will focus on the following mysteries:  Sorrowful in February, Glorious in April, and Luminous in June. In order to register and receive the Zoom link, participants must first complete the waiver form. Upon completion, the Zoom link will be emailed by Carrie Kuhar. For more information about SoulCore, please review and share the attached FAQ document.

All school faculty and staff are welcome to attend.
 

Life is Messy Discussion Sessions

Mary Martin from the Department of Missionary Strategic Planning will be offering opportunities to gather with your colleagues to reflect on Matthew Kelly’s Life is Messy, which was recently distributed to all staff in our schools. Three opportunities will be offered via Zoom on Thursdays: Feb. 17, March 31, and April 28, from 4:00 p.m.-4:45 p.m.  A zoom link will be shared soon. Please inform your teachers and staff who may wish to attend.
 

Procedo Project: Free Webinars for Catholic School Leaders and Teachers

The Procedo Project is offering a number of free webinars throughout January and February. Learn more
 

Van Andel Institute - Webinar

Michigan non-public K-12 administrators are invited to a free 1-hour virtual event hosted by Van Andel Institute:
Network and Discuss School Improvement Planning for 2022-2023
Wednesday, February 9 @ 4:30 pm EST | Register Now
 

Notre Dame – “Into Life” Series

“Into Life: Love Changes Everything,” is a 12-part original series created by the Sisters of Life, the McGrath Institute for Church Life, and CampCampo Films.

Journey with the Sisters of Life as they explain what it means to walk with a woman who is pregnant and vulnerable. Learn how to listen and understand the heart of another, how to rejoice in the beauty of the individual person in an encounter of hope, and how to truly accompany someone into God’s life and freedom. This original 12-part video series will be released in full on March 25, 2022. Learn more
 

PREVIOUS NEWS & REMINDERS

Catechist Certification Update – Franciscan University

While most teachers are now using “On Fire for the Faith” for catechist certification, some have chosen to complete their certification through Franciscan University Catechetical Institute. For the latter, it is important to note that Franciscan University has renovated and deleted some of their workshops.  Because of this, the Office of Discipleship Formation has adjusted the reporting form.  The reporting form has been updated to reflect the workshops offered for certification as an advanced catechist.
 
There are now 20 workshops listed, instead of 22, for a school religion teacher or catechist to achieve advanced certification.  Please share the attached form with teachers who are completing their catechist certification through Franciscan University.
 

Sacred Heart Major Seminary Cafeteria Meal Prices, Process and Payment

Due to the current environment and the impacts of the supply chain on the Sacred Heart Major Seminary Food Service Program, it was necessary for the Archdiocese to adjust meal prices accordingly, in an effort to contain costs and simplify the overall pricing structure. Please see the current meal pricing, identification, and payment process here.
 

AOD School Food Program Updates

There are a number of important updates for schools that make use of the AOD School Food Program. Please click here to read more about forms for special dietary accommodations, a letter to be shared with student families, and a recording of the town hall meeting on October 28, 2021.
 

52 Sundays Resource for Families

The 2022 edition of 52 Sundays is now available fororder! You can order it in either English or Spanish. The theme of vocation is woven throughout the 2022 edition, highlighting different vocations and inviting families to look at discernment in fun and easy ways. Each week will include the Sunday Gospel, information on a member of the Communion of Saints, discussion questions, an activity, a recipe, and a family prayer as well as a liturgy link, a family challenge, and a fun fact. Bulk pricing is available. Visit www.52Sundays.com to order your copies today! If you have any questions about the book, please contact Tara Stenger at stenger.tara@aod.org or 313-237-6056.
 

From NCEA: Free Educator Access to Hallow App for Mental & Spiritual Health

It's hard to believe we are only a little more than a month away from the start of Advent. We know this can be a stressful time of year, so we wanted to share a new resource that has content specifically built to help you and your students find peace amidst the chaos of the world. Hallow is the #1 Catholic app in the world, and we, the Hallow team, have built a series of tools specifically to help Catholic educators strengthen their mental and spiritual health. Redeem your free educator access
 

Counseling and Mental Health Resources

Information about resources and contact information from Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan may be found here
 

AOD Job Position Postings

Please check the AOD Jobs Board to ensure that all postings for your school are current.  Email hr@aod.org to remove old job postings. 
 

Nominate a Principal/Teacher for a Social Media Spotlight

The AOD Communications team is starting a content series for the Detroit Catholic Schools LinkedIn page to celebrate our amazing principals and teachers. You are encouraged to nominate a principal or teacher through the form below. The Communications team will then follow-up with further details about featuring your nomination. 
 
Submit a Nomination

School Mail Archive

View prior editions of School Mail here.



@DETROITCATHOLIC FEATURED CONTENT

Service day gives kids chance to follow King's example, serve as Christ served

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Archbishop Vigneron discusses the mission of Catholic schools and their renewal in the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Listen now at unleashthegospel.org

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Questions and/or comments, email catholicschools@aod.org.

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