Early Learning Update Week of June 7th

Each week I will send out an Early Learning Update email.  These are meant to be quick updates on any relevant items for the week including resources, Professional Development, new health department info and more.

Items Covered:

• All: Reflections and Thank you
• Licensed Only: Check to make sure all staff will achieve 10 STARS hours for Fiscal year July 1^st2020 – June 30^th 2021

Please see this week’s professional development opportunities and news: https://mycatholicschool.org/for-catholic-schools/catholic-identity/early-learning/

 

All: Reflections and Thank You
As we enter the last days of the school year I wanted to take a moment in this week’s update to reflect and say thank you.  I started this position in August of 2020 as you embarked on the most challenging and inspiring year of education we have seen in our lifetimes.  It has been an honor to work alongside as you provided amazing, meaningful and important programming to our Early Learners.  Thank you for your incredible dedication, time, creativity and patience to make this happen.  Thank you also for welcoming me to the Office of Catholic Schools and into your schools and programs.  I look forward to the work ahead to continue to build these awesome programs!

 

A Prayer of Thanks: “Lord, bless the teachers who give their heart to teaching.  Thank you for the special gift that you have given them and for giving them a spirit of grace and compassion. May they have strength and endurance to perform their many tasks, and may they know and feel the deep gratitude of those whom they teach.”

 

I want to share Superintendent Dixon’s message to teachers again as I think she found powerful words to share with you all!

 

Dear Teachers and Staff of our Catholic Schools,

“Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.” Deuteronomy 32:2

I want to pause and offer my appreciation for all you do and have done to support our families and one another! Reflecting on the passage above, one could consider that the past 13 months have felt like anything but tender. We have struggled through so many challenges. Many authors, pundits, and poets have only begun to unpack this complex experience for us all. On my morning walks, now that spring has arrived, I marvel at the beauty of God’s creation. The birds sing sassily not knowing or caring about a pandemic. The flowers continue to bloom without a care as to the on-going racial injustice. Each of you, however, throughout the year, continued to answer the call to offer your tenderness and care. Your ministry reflects the words in this scripture verse, “…like showers on new grass…on tender plants.” Informed by your faith throughout this year of so many unknowns, you have modeled for your students how to encounter the challenges of the day, by acknowledging, and acting on the present moment and your ability to remain steady. You have made the conscious choice to get up every morning and to bring the best you have to offer to the students and families you serve. I thank each of you for your willingness to serve, and to go the distance…to the very last mile of this very long marathon. I hope and pray you can rest assured that God is well pleased with the work of our Catholic schools. We have led with our hearts to see Christ in all we meet and to be Christ for others. On behalf of all who work to support you in the Office for Catholic Schools, we thank you and we keep you close in our prayers of gratitude.

 

 

Licensed ONLY: Check to make sure all staff will achieve 10 STARS hours for Fiscal year July 1^st2020 – June 30^th 2021
There is less than one month to go to make sure that all licensed staff will achieve 10 STARS hours for the fiscal year between July 1^st 2020- June 30^th, 2021.  Key Note:  When staff are logged into their MERIT account and are under the “My Record” and “Professional Record” Tab they can scroll down to “State Approved Training History”; then look under “Annual Continuing Education Training”.  In that section there are two small drop downs “Training Year” and “Fiscal Year”  …  please make sure you select 2021 for “Fiscal Year” and leave “Training Year” Blank.  If you do this the system will accumulate all the training hours completed from July 1^st, 2020 to June 30^th, 2021.  Please let me know if you have any questions on this and I am more than happy to hop on a zoom call and share my screen to show you!  If you or your staff still need hours please direct them to the Early Learning Landing Page to find trainings.

 

Early Learning Landing Page Professional Development Upcoming Trainings:
Early Learning Professional Development – My Catholic School

 

 

Have a great week!