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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022


Faith Feature

Tomorrow we celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes.  Our Blessed Mother appeared to young St. Bernadette in Lourdes, France, beginning in 1858.  Mary said to Bernadette “I am the Immaculate Conception” and also instructed her to drink from a nearby spring of water.  This water was blessed with miraculous healing properties.  Millions of pilgrims visit Lourdes every year and there have been numerous confirmed miraculous cures from the waters at Lourdes.   

We ask our Lady of Lourdes to intercede for us for an end to the pandemic and for healing for all those who are sick.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

From Vic Michaels: COVID-19 Guidance and Protocols (updated February 10, 2022)

International and state travel quarantine guidelines are now the same.

  • If a student is vaccinated, no quarantine is required.
  • If a student is unvaccinated, they must quarantine for 5 days after travel.
Click here for additional guidance and protocols. 
 

Let's get social!

In an effort to stay connected, we invite all AOD schools to complete the following two social media updates: 
  1. Please follow AOD Schools on Instagram and Twitter. Our handles are:
    1. Instagram: @aodschools
    2. Twitter: @aodschools
  2. Please add these handles to your school's social media page bios.
We'd like to ensure that our AOD schools are all networked on social media so that we can unleash the Gospel with the most unity. Let us know if you have any questions about how to add @aodschools to your school's Instagram and Twitter bios.
 

Calendar Dates for 2022-2023 School Year

AOD schools are expected to participate in the Archbishop’s Catechetical Day and AOD-wide Professional Development Days.  Students should not be in session on these days.  Non-AOD schools are invited to participate in these days.  Additional calendar details and the Calendar Planning Document will be sent soon.  
  • September 19, 2022 – Archbishop’s Catechetical Day
  • October 17, 2022 – AOD Professional Development Day
  • March 13, 2023 – AOD Professional Development Day

March 14 Uniform Professional Development Day

Sessions will be offered from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and a draft of the agenda will be shared with principals (to disseminate to teachers) mid-February. The PD website will be updated accordingly by the beginning of March.
 

Teacher PLCs

Based on feedback from principals and teachers, we will offer six Teacher PLCs (for grade K-8 teachers) beginning in March and ending in May. They are completely optional and 25 SCECHs will be available to those teachers who attend all six sessions. More details will be shared soon.
 

MOY Star Testing

Thank you for your diligence in remaining within the testing window for the MOY assessments. The testing window will close Friday, Feb. 11.
 
The Custom Parent Score Reports will be processed 7-10 business days after the close of the window, and Dr. Bluestein will send the files and passwords to each principal upon arrival.
 
As a reminder, please see the attachment regarding the  archdiocesan guidelines for sharing reports with parents after each testing window. You may modify and use the attached parent letter (template) to keep parents informed about the reports they will receive this year (Note that the template was shared at BOY and will need to be edited accordingly).
 

EANS I Round Three

MDE announced that the EANS I, Round Three application opened for Michigan nonpublic schools on February 3, 2022 at 1:00pm. The link to the application can be found here. Please note the link will not be active and live until 1:00pm on Thursday, February 3, 2022.  As it relates to EANS I, Round Three, this is the final opportunity to gain access to the remaining funds for EANS I. Although there is no limit any entity can request, MDE has established $100/pupil as a reasonable target for budgeting purposes.   All eligible schools should apply.  Please contact Eric or Laura if you would like assistance spending these funds. 
 

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

Student Art Contest

All schools are encouraged to participate in the Student Art Contest kicked off during Catholic Schools Week.  The theme is “The Holy Eucharist as the Source and Summit of the Christian Life”.  Contest details can be found here (teacher resources are also available).  Entries may be submitted by teachers or by individual students.  If your teachers will not be facilitating contest entries, please share the information with your school families.  The submission deadline is February 28. 
 

Black History Month

Schools are welcome to use the attached posters as resources. 
 
Kaye Crawford of Black Catholic History has also shared a calendar and resources.
 

The Holocaust Center: Art & Writing Contest

The Holocaust Center invites Michigan students to submit creative entries in the areas of poetry, prose, and art (2D and 3D pieces). The Elie Wiesel Night Competition is for grades 9-12, and the Kappy Anne Frank Competition is for grades 7-8. The theme of this year’s competition is The Power of Your Voice. Please visit the website for contest guidelines and details.
 

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.

Petition Drive – Michigan

The Michigan legislature recently passed two bills that 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 that includes the Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) and the Michigan Association of Nonpublic Schools (MANS).  MANS will provide you with instructions.
 

UPCOMING EVENTS & EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Free Online Course: A Church in Crisis

The Church today faces significant challenges: an increasingly secularized society, disruptive culture, scandals, and a growing polarization caused by lack of clarity about what the Church teaches. In this short online course offered by Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Dr. Ralph Martin, director of programs in the New Evangelization, offers a detailed look at the growing hostility to the Catholic Church and the dilution of its teaching. This course seeks to uncover the forces working to undermine the Body of Christ and offers hope to those looking for clarity and seeking truth in our modern world. The curriculum is based on Dr. Martin’s book A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward.

Learn more: https://shms.edu/lent
 

Save the Date: 2022 Great Lakes Homeland Security Training Conference and Expo School Track

The 2022 Great Lakes Homeland Security Training Conference and Expo’s School Track will be offered Wednesday, May 11, 2022. This year’s School Track provides a wide array of workshops geared toward improving security and safety in Michigan schools.  Attendees will learn how to prepare to address the many potential threats and situations they could face within their school environments while receiving resources on programs and interventions available to improve school safety. This educationally-focused safety and security program will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

This conference is free to the first 300 school officials. Registration will open in February. Learn more
 

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
 

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
 

AFPC-NCEA Webinar Series

  • Cultivating Diversity and Inclusivity in Youth Choral Programs
    Thursday, February 10, 2022 | 4 pm EST | Register

PREVIOUS NEWS & REMINDERS

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
 

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.  
 

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.
 

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

Catholic Schools Week: How Catholic education can make a difference (VIDEO)

Students choose saints they would 'hang out with' for Alliance scholarship contest

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@UTGDETROIT FEATURED CONTENT

This Lent, commit to a prayer challenge that will not only help your family grow in the habit of prayer and but also have fun along the way! The challenge includes a game board that has 40 unique prayer challenges for each day of Lent. Your family can choose which one to do each day to complete the board.

Learn more at unleashthegospel.org
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Questions and/or comments, email catholicschools@aod.org.

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