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The earlier version of School Mail included an incorrect date for March 14 PD Day registration. The registration deadline is Friday, March 11. 

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022


Faith Feature

“Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return”. These words we hear as we receive ashes on Ash Wednesday come from the Book of Genesis. These words were spoken to Adam and Eve following their sin of disobedience. This act of sin caused death to enter the world. These words usher in this Lenten time of preparation – an intentional time of Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. We dedicate ourselves to these practices as a means of growing closer to the Lord so we are prepared to fully celebrate Easter. Let us continue to pray for one another during this holy season!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

From Vic Michaels: COVID-19 Guidance and Protocols (updated February 25, 2022)

The MDHHS and the CDC have updated their indoor mask use guidance and rescinded the order requiring masks on school busses. We have updated the AOD document to reflect all changes effective 2/25/2022. We will continue to keep you apprised of any additional updates.    

International and state travel quarantine guidelines are still 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. 
 

2022-2023 School Calendar Planning Documents

As you prepare your calendar for the 2022-2023 School year, please see the Calendar Planning Instructions and the AOD School Calendar Planning Document. Schools should complete the Calendar Planning Document and return to Erin McNally (mcnally.erin@aod.org) by June 1, 2022.  
 

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 the PD site is now live. Please inform your teachers that all session descriptions, SCECH information, and registration or zoom links can be found by clicking the dropdown arrow to the right of each session. Also, please remind teachers that they will need to pre-register for FACTS, STAR, and the last two AOD sessions by Friday, March 11. Upon registration, a unique link for entry to the session will be emailed to each registrant.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Bluestein (bluestein.may@aod.org)
 

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 may be earned by those teachers who attend all six sessions.
 
Schedule
PreK-2:    March 1, March 22, April 5, April 26, May 10, May 24
3-5:          March 2, March 23, April 6, April 27, May 11, May 25  
6-8:          March 4, March 24, April 7, April 28, May 12, May 26

Time: 4:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. | Zoom Link
 

School Outreach Fund Grant Application Now Open

The application for the 2021-2022 School Outreach Fund grants is now open. AOD schools whose request meets the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply. The deadline for application is March 14, 2022.  Please click here to review the eligibility criteria and access the application.
 

Star - Custom Parent Score Reports

All of the custom parent reports were emailed to principals last Friday. If you experience any trouble accessing your files or if you have any questions, please contact Dr. Bluestein.
 

March 22, 2022: Nonpublic Schools Legislative Day

Please register for this very important MANS-sponsored event if you can. We need school leaders speaking to state senators and representatives in support of key issues such as teacher retention bonuses, mental health funding, school safety and the robotics grants.
 

EANS Update

The deadline to submit the application for EANS I, Round III is March 30, 2022. There will not be an extension to this deadline. Please remember you can adjust for unspent funds from rounds I and II. You can also add in any unforeseen vendor fees like the 2.5% charge. Please let Laura and Eric know if you have any questions or want to discuss spending ideas.
 

Let's get social!

In an effort to stay connected, we invite all AOD schools to complete the following two social media updates: 
  • Please follow AOD Schools on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Our handles are:
  • Please add these handles to your school's social media page bios. For LinkedIn, please list, "Proud member of the AOD School System."
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 social media bios.
 

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

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

Complimentary NCEA/Star Renaissance Webinar

The Key to Recovery: Mastering Challenging Reading and Math Skills
Wednesday, March 9 | 1:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Learn more and Register
 

Teacher Retreat Opportunity

Teachers are invited to participate in a retreat opportunity at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School on March 14, 2022. This retreat meets the requirements for Catechetical Certification. Please note that this retreat takes place on the same day as our AOD Professional Development Day. 
 

Conference Opportunities

Please see the links below for upcoming conference opportunities for school staff:

Free Online Course: A Church in Crisis

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. 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, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This year’s School Track provides a wide array of workshops geared toward improving security and safety in Michigan schools. This conference is free to the first 300 school officials. Registration will open in February. Learn more
 

SoulCore Recordings and Schedule

The second SoulCore session was offered in February with a meditation on the Sorrowful mysteries and the recording is now available to share with anyone who was unable to attend.
 
Recording 1:  December - Joyful Mysteries (Passcode: Q=ibH5.d)
Recording 2: February  - Sorrowful Mysteries (Passcode: %Y60#L9u)
 
SoulCore will continue to be offered at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom, April 9 and June 4. The next meditations will focus on the following mysteries:  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. Two more opportunities via Zoom will be offered Thursday, March 31 and April 28, from 4:00 p.m.-4:45 p.m.  Please inform your teachers and staff who may wish to attend and share the Zoom link with them.
 

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 that explains what it means to walk with a woman who is pregnant and vulnerable. This video series will be released in full on March 25, 2022. Learn more
 

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. 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 to order! 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. 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

There is freedom in following Christ, Archbishop Vigneron says on Ash Wednesday

Enrollment boom spurs St. Lawrence to open new middle school building

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@UTGDETROIT FEATURED CONTENT

In this episode of Unleashed, Fr. Patrick Gonyeau shares his personal testimony: how he went from being an alcoholic to encountering Jesus. He encourages all of us: "Whether you have a radical testimony of a life-changing conversion, or you've walked with Jesus your whole life, talk about Jesus and who he is and what he's done — because the world needs to hear it!"

Watch now at unleashthegospel.org
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Questions and/or comments, email catholicschools@aod.org.

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