January 10, 2014 Corpus Christi Catholic School Colt Express

RENEWING CHRISTIAN WITNESS:

Reflections on Catholic Schools as Instruments of the New Evangelization

Our annual Catholic Schools Week and our 2014-2015 Current Family Registration is QUICKLY approaching! Next week we will be sharing our CSW calendar of GREAT events so you can mark your calendars!  So why Catholic Schools?

“…Catholic schools are at the very heart of the New Evangelization. They are instruments of grace, sacred places where the gospel comes alive daily – and where children and families encounter (and, not infrequently, re-engage) the faith. In Educating Together in Catholic Schools, the Congregation for Catholic Education identified the fundamental aim of the Catholic school as one of ‘forming the person in the integral unity of his being.’  In response to their call, Catholic schools in the United States shine forth as beacons of hope in our increasingly secular culture. More then ever we need strong Catholic schools perhaps our most effective means to bring families and children to completeness in the image of Jesus Christ.

As the recent Synod of Bishops articulated: ‘If evangelization is to be true to itself, it cannot take place apart from education; it is directly related to it.’ Can we imagine a more vibrant and authentic context for this work than the Church’s K – 12 Catholic schools where God’s love and truth inform all learning?”

The USCCB Committee on Catholic Education has published reflections on the vital role Catholic schools play in the New Evangelization. Following are a few reflections from our Cardinals and Bishops included in the publication, RENEWING CHRISTIAN WITNESS: Reflections on Catholic Schools as Instruments of the New Evangelization a document by the Secretariat of Catholic Education.

“I believe our Catholic schools are a ‘pearl of great price,’ worth every drop of sweat and ounce of effort that we are making on their behalf. At a time when even public schools across the country are struggling, we Catholic educators need to be bold in our thinking and daring in our actions as we look to the future.”

Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York

“Christ the Teacher is indeed present in all our Catholic schools where students learn to be disciples-Jesus’ friends-and then learn to be evangelists who witness to His truth and love.”

Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, DC

“In a national environment that often seems morally confused, and increasingly indifferent to religion in general and Christianity in particular, Catholic schools offer a path not just to knowledge but to moral wholeness.”

Most Rev. Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia

OUR GREATEST AND BEST INHERITANCE: Catholic Schools and Parental Choice

USCCB - Secretariat of Catholic Education

The Catholic School Advantage:Forming Children for College and Heaven

1.  Catholic schools form children for a personal and living encounter with Jesus.

2.  Catholic school communities stimulate parental engagement.

3.  Catholic schools generate social cohesion and preserve civic order in the local community.

4.  Catholic schools are sacred places serving important civic purposes Christ.

Parental Choice in K – 12 Education:A Matter of Social Justice

Forms of Parental Choice

1.  Opportunity Scholarship Programs (Vouchers)

2.  Scholarship Tax Credit Programs

3.  Parental Tuition Tax Credit Programs

4.  Educational Savings Account (ESA) Programs

Parental Choice Benefits

1.  Parental Choice improves student achievement and attainment

2.  Parental choice empowers families

3.  Parental choice provides fiscal savings

“The education of children and young people is such an important task in forming them as free and responsible human beings. It affirms their dignity as an inalienable gift that flows from our original creation as children made in the image and likeness of God. And because education truly forms human beings, it is especially the duty and responsibility of the Church, who is called to serve mankind from the heart of God and in such a way that no other institution can.”

Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio (Pope Francis) 

Celebrating Sunday- January 22, 2014

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord  

As we begin the Liturgical season of Ordinary Time, we move from the accounts of Jesus' birth to His baptism by his cousin, John the Baptist.  This is the moment when Jesus began His public ministry of approximately 3 1/2 VERY short years - from Baptism to Ascension.   It's that simply amazing that He accomplished so much in such a short amount of time!  We are reminded in this account that Jesus was God's son through the audible words heard as God the Father proclaims delight in Him - "This is my son - with whom I am well pleased." This is a gift that ALL parents can bestow on their own children - the blessing of delighting in them and sharing with them our love a gratitude for the gift that they are to us! 

On the Way to Mass..Explain to your children that today we begin a new season - Ordinary Time.  Ask them to look for what color they see as part of the Liturgy - what color is the priest wearing, what color do they see around the church? Explain that this is the end of this year's Christmas season and it is the "ordinary" time until we begin the season of Lent.  

On the Way Home from Mass...Talk with your children about what gives them confidence.  Ask them what gifts God has given them that they can confidently share - just like John the Baptist was willing to do.  For older children - Ask them if they know what happened to John the Baptist?  Why is he considered a martyr of our Church?

Living the Word

As your family settles back into your own "ordinary time", share with your children what delights you in the ordinary things of life.  Ask them what ordinary traditions they enjoy!  

Our dear Pope Francis has announced the focus of our new liturgical year - The Year of Consecrated Life!  This year, how can you strive toward a more consecrated life?  What changes can you make as a family to be more Holy and closer to Christ? Pray with your family about how you can grow closer to Him! Also, the following link is one for a printable liturgical calendar!  Enjoy!  Liturgical Calendar

AdvancEd School Survey and YOUR Participation

Every five years, it is an honor to welcome an AdvancEd (formally known as NCA) evaluation team to CCCS to determine our level of accreditation   Your teachers, staff, the Home and School Association Board and the School Advisory Council are well on the way in preparing for this team to arrive here on March 17 and 18, 2014.  

We need your input as stakeholders in our school!  If you have not done so already, please access our school parent survey at AdvancEd Parent Survey and complete our survey. Your input is greatly needed and will be used in determining the next steps we take as a school!  Thank you!  

Also, if you are interested in serving on March 17 or 18 as a parent the team will interview, please let Mrs. Schindler know at kschindler@corpuschristicos.org.  Thank you! 

Corpus Christi Scouts and American Heritage Girls

We are so proud of our Parish sponsored Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and American Heritage Girls and want to better promote participation in these groups! We therefore are beginning a new opportunity of all boys and girls who belong to any of these Corpus Christi Catholic Parish groups! They get to wear their uniforms INSTEAD of their regular uniforms if:

• Their Meeting is immediately after school
• It is NOT a Mass day of Holy Day

If your child is interested in joining one of these groups, please contact the parish office for more information!

What Are We Doing with the Common Core State Standards?

With the new Common Core State Standards causing such heated press right now - we also want to express what we at Corpus Christi Catholic School, and across our diocesan schools, are doing with the CCSS.  First of all - let's clarify terms as the words standards, curriculum, objective, goals and even text books are often erroneously used as synonyms for one another! 

• STANDARDS define WHAT children should be able to do (with Mastery) at the end of a grade level. This is the minimum expectation of all students but certainly not the maximum! 
• CURRICULUM, like the Core Knowledge Sequence or our Diocesan Religion curriculum, express how and what children need to know to meet these standards. 
• OBJECTIVE / GOALS - at CCCS these are posted on the board and in lesson plans for every lesson in every classroom in our school.  These statements may read: Student Will Be Able To... (SWBAT) or I WILL BE ABLE TO... (IWBAT).  Both goals and objectives can be defined as statements that reflect what learners will be able to do at the end of an instructional sequence; however, there are significant differences between the two. A goal is an abstract and general umbrella statement, under which specific objectives can be clustered. Objectives are statements that describe—in precise, measurable, and obtainable terms—defined and desired learner outcomes.
• TEXT BOOKS (or programs)- only one of the tools teachers used as PART of instruction - they are by no means our curriculum nor the only tool we use.

Please know: EVERYTHING we teach students and what we expect from them comes through the "funnel of our faith"! As educators, we may use "secular" resources such as text books but they are ONLY one of the tools we use to teach our kids!  As an example, as you walk by Mrs. Theresa Bruno's middle school Social Studies class, you will see students referencing the Catechism to determine what the Church teaches related to individual historic events.  We do not use textbooks as our only resource - they are not the curriculum of what students are learning in our school - they are only one of the resources we use.  All this to be said - we are meeting and EXCEEDING the new Common Core State Standards and are more than able to prove mastery of the standards outlined in the CCSS.  

I will encourage you to access http://www.corestandards.org/ to see the "whats", or the CCSS standards, by clicking on the Math and ELA tabs on the right on this web page.  We as Catholic Educators, through the lens of our faith, determine the "how" we meet and exceed these standards - which will ALWAYS be Catholic!  

We are also excited that a team of diocesan religion teachers and our superintendent have almost completed our new religion curriculum.  The expected date of release is January, 2014. We will continue, as we have been doing, to follow the Archdiocese of Denver religion curriculum through the end of this year and will train teachers in this new religion curriculum for implementation in 2014-2015.

Along with this religion curriculum and it's overlayed approach across the other curricular areas, we use the Core Knowledge Sequence as our curriculum.  This sequence of learning is as stated above taught through the lens of our faith but also aligns to the Common Core State Standards.  Please note - our adopted Core Knowledge Sequence and the Common Core State Standards are not the same thing!  :) The word choice of "CORE" has caused great confusion.  Once again - I encourage you to examine our curriculum at the following links:  Core Knowledge Preschool and Pre-K Sequence and the K-8 Curriculum at Core Knowledge K-8 Sequence. To learn even more about the Core Knowledge Sequence please access www.coreknowledge.org. 

So here's a few advantages of the Core Knowledge Sequence and why as diocesan schools we chose to adopt this curriculum 5 years ago:

Benefits of Core Knowledge

All Stakeholders Benefit from a Coherent, Cumulative, and Content-Specific Curriculum

For Students

Core Knowledge:

• provides a broad base of knowledge, and
• provides the rich vocabulary needed for reading achievement and academic success.

For Schools

Core Knowledge:

• provides a plan for coherent, sequenced learning from grade to grade,
• promotes teamwork and an institution-wide focus, and 
• enables schools to work more effectively while meeting and exceeding state standards.

For School Districts

Core Knowledge:

• decreases the learning gaps caused by student mobility,
• provides a strong foundation of knowledge for success in high school and beyond,
• creates a common focus to share information and expertise, and
• encourages cooperation among schools to provide a quality learning experiences for all students.

For Parents and Communities

Core Knowledge:

• enhances accountability and parental engagement by providing a clear outline of what children are expected to learn in school, and
• provides a common ground for communication—in school and in life.

As always, we will be Catholic!  The Common Core State Standards will not change that!  We will keep our own standards high and ensure that our faith is always our primary learning focus!  Corpus Christi Catholic School is, and always has been, in the "business" of working with parents to form the souls of your children and keep our focus on "Educating each child's mind, body and SPIRIT!" 

Get TEXTS from CCCS! 

We are really excited to offer a new tool to our CCCS community!  We are inviting parents, students and staff to subscribe to a program called SchoolTextLine so we can share announcements and reminders via text message! 

To subscribe, you simply text: CCCS27 to: 96298 to start receiving text announcements and reminders from our school!  We currently have 13 individuals who have signed up!  Let's make this grow so it can be an effective communication tool!  

Get your Yearbook for 2013/2014

Check it out! On line ordering for the first ever, student-produced Corpus Christi Yearbook is now available. Please follow the  links below to order books, purchase an ad to promote your business or pay tribute to your child. You can also upload your favorite photos from school events for inclusion in the yearbook; action sports pictures are especially needed!

Secure on-line ordering via our publisher’s web site

Cost is $25.00 per book

Deadline for orders is March 31, 2014

To buy a yearbook: https://yearbookforever.com Type in: Corpus Christi Catholic School

Both business ads and personal ads are available

Full Page $60, Half Page $30, and Quarter Page $15

Deadline for orders is March 1, 2014

To buy an ad: https://yearbookforever.com Type in: Corpus Christi Catholic School

Submit your school event photos – Our yearbook team can’t be at all school events. Please upload only clear, sharp images.Our yearbook team will select and edit images as required - thanks for sharing!To upload photos: 

1. Go to: https://yearbookforever.com 
2. Type in: Corpus Christi Catholic School. 
3. Look for: Community Upload (lower right corner of the Corpus Christi page)
4. You will need our access code to upload: CCColts  (case matters)

Thanks to those of you who have already purchased your yearbook and uploaded photos using the PDF in the digital locker.

Dave Ramsey's Financial PEACE at Corpus Christi 

We have just set the dates for our next FPU classes here at Corpus Christi.  This will be our 9th class in the past 3 1/2 years!  Over 120 families have completed the series so far! Here are the details for the next sessions:

Financial Peace University (FPU)

It is a nine week series that runs from 1/24/2014 - 3/21/14.  It will be on Friday nights in the Youth Room (church basement) from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  Baby sitting will be provided (let me know if your high schooler wants service hours).  Cost is still right around $100 and interested parties can contact me directly to sign up at 593-9503.  FPU "gives you the same financial advice that your grandma would" and helps you to "act your wage".

Generation Change

Many parents have been asking us how they can get money and budgeting information to their high school kids.  Well, this Winter we are conducting a new program called "Generation Change".  It is basically FPU for our teenagers.  It presents one way for kids to look at their relationship with money from a biblical point of view.  It will be a lot of fun!

Classes will be every other Sunday night from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. starting on1/12/2014 (through May 11th). There are a total of 9 classes which covers three separate series; BE, DO and GO.  Total cost of the nine weeks is only $30.

Budget Counseling:

One other activity we are doing through the Budget Ministry is One-on-One budget counseling.  Whether you want to work towards tithing as a goal or you want an overall review of some of your budgeting categories we will sit down with you at your kitchen table and talk things over with you.  It is part of the ministry so there is no cost to you.

Please contact John Krause directly at 593-9503 or johnbkrause@aol.com to sign up for the classes or to schedule a counseling session.

SMHS FREE TUTORING 

SMHS National Honor Society began their 2013-2014 peer-tutoring at St. Mary's (3:30-4:30) on Wednesday, January 8th. They will be offering this free opportunity every Wednesday for students K-8th grades. SMHS is more than willing to help with bus transportation Please contact Mrs. Robyn Cross for more information or to arrange transportation to St. Mary's at rcross@smhscs.org 

Flu Season Is HERE!! - UPDATED WELLNESS POLICY now available in Digital Locker

Flu Season has hit Colorado Springs with it's annual vengeance!  :( Please reference our new document from the Colorado State Health Department entitled - "How Sick is TOO sick?" for the our updated school wellness policy in the digital locker of www.teacherease.com  

SCRIP Letter Coming Home Soon!

As a reminder, in January 2013, we began a diocesan mandated requirement that each family participate in our school SCRIP program or pay a flat fee instead of participating.  As we put this incremental plan in place the first year requirement was that every family bring in a profit of $75 in SCRIP percentage credit or pay the $75.  

Here's How it Works:
As an example, we get an average of 5% back on SCRIP cards. This means that for every $100 purchased in SCRIP cards, the school receives $5.  By just purchasing $1500 over this last year in SCRIP that earns 5%, families have been able to meet the $75 requirement.  

Coming home soon will be a letter stating any outstanding balances your family may have if this year's SCRIP requirement has not been met.  The balance will be due on or before your family's re-registration process can begin.  

As stated, this is a three year incremental implementation for our school with the final 2015 year profit expectation capping at $275.  In this final year of implementation, once this $275 has been met, all "extra" profit will come back to families in the form of TRIP (a Tuition Reimbursement Incentive Program) which will be credited to their tuition accounts. Many families in other schools use SCRIP to pay most of their tuition just by buying gift cards to make their regular family purchases!! 

Beginning this month through December, 2014, the expectation is that each family will purchase enough SCRIP to bring in a profit of $175. So using the 5% idea again, that would mean purchasing $3500 in 5% Scrip cards.  As always, if you do not wish to participate, a flat payment of the $175 (or $75 for this year) is always acceptable *.

* Scrip requirements for new families to our school are based on the number of months of attendance and they are not responsible for the total amounts. 

Rocky Mountain March for Life 2014

Monday, Jan. 20^th

in honor of

Martin Luther King Day

and

the 41^st anniversary of Roe v. Wade

at the sidewalk near the

Planned Parenthood facility at 3480 Centennial Blvd.

v   9:00 – 10:00 am:      Silent hour of prayer

v   10:00 – 10:30 am:     Balloon release & march lineup

v   10:30 – 11:30 am:       *March to Corpus Christi church

v   11:30 – 12:00 pm:      Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

v   12:00 – 1:00 pm:       Mass with Bishop Sheridan

*Shuttles to Corpus Christi will be provided for those unable to march.

Please join us and invite others.  All are welcome!

“How can there be too many children?  That’s like saying there are too many flowers.” - Mother Teresa

KOAM - EXPAND YOUR FAMILY - EXPAND THE FUN!

Picture yourself introducing your exchange son or daughter to the American culture by going to the grocery, window-shopping at the mall, taking in a  baseball and/or football game, attending a concert, visiting a museum, or barbecuing in your own backyard.  Not only are you able to expand your family, but also expand the fun!  Whatever your favorite activities consist of, sharing them with an exchange student will make lasting memories for you and your new family member.

For your children, their new brother or sister may be their first exposure to another language, different customs, and new ways of thinking.  These early experiences teach tolerance and may spark a lasting interest in world cultures, history, geography, and language.  KoAm students arrive with round-trip airline tickets, complete medical insurance, tuition, school fees and personal spending money for the duration of their stay.  The exchange students show appreciation to the host family with a monetary gift.

We have students ready to come in January and February.  Please apply to become a KoAm host family by contacting Area Coordinator, Choungin Gilbert at 719-637-3584/719-201-7685 or National Coordinator, Haewon Park at 800-521-6640 and 720-339-7710 or by email at administrator@koameduall.org.  To apply online, please visit our website at http://www.koameduall.org and click 'Becoming a Host Family'. 

We have several students who would like to come in January/February and we would love to place them at your school.  The following article placed in your school newsletter may bring forth new host families!

Safe 2 Tell 

Sometimes it is hard for students to report to teachers and parents when there is something going on in their lives that they know is not ok and they don't know what to do about-abuse, suicide, etc.  Corpus Christi Catholic School is now partnering with a wonderful organization formed here in Colorado Springs called Safe 2 Tell. Safe 2 Tell - http://safe2tell.org/ is an organization designed to allow youth to anonymously report events that they may not be willing or able to report to adults in their lives.  These reports are then sent to the school where we can contact local authorities or parents to get students the help they may need.  Please access the website above or call 877-542-7233 for more information.

Here's What Happening NEXT WEEK:

Sunday, January 12 - Corpus Christi Colors Sunday; Feast of the the Baptism of the Lord

Monday, January 13- Everyday Uniform for K-8

Tuesday, January 14 - Everyday Uniform for K-5; PE Uniforms for 6-8

Wednesday, January 15 - Mass Uniform for K-8; 1:45 - School Mass

Thursday, January 16- Everyday Uniform for K-8; Advent Celebration in Gym at 7:40 AM; HSA General Meeting in Cafeteria - 5:45 PM; Christmas Program in gym - 6:30 PM

Friday, January 17- Everyday Uniform for K-8

Reminder of THINGS to DO:

• Check out your classroom teacher's blogs!  They are working hard to keep you in the loop of all that is going in in their classrooms!  This is a great way to be in the "know" of what your students are learning in class!  These can be accessed via our website or by following your teachers at the link they have shared.  
• Look for re-registration info coming from Al Chromy very soon!  

EVENTS COMING SOON: 

Monday, January 20 - NO SCHOOL - MLK Day! Rocky Mountain March for Life

Friday, January 24 - Jeans Day!

Sunday, January 26 - Catholic Schools Week BEGINS! CCCS Open House at 10 and Noon - bring your friends for donuts and coffee and to tour our school!

Wednesday, January 29 - NO CCCS Mass due to Friday's events

Friday, January 31- ALL SCHOOLS MASS at St. Dominic's!  Students picked up after Mass at school at around noon!  

Saturday, February 1- Annual Spaghetti Dinner and HSA Basket Raffle - 6 PM in Gym