In-service helps teachers prepare for new school year

Educators from all 18 schools in the Diocese of Corpus Christi attended professional and spiritual development in-service days Aug. 3-4 at St. John Paul II High School and Bishop Garriga Middle Preparatory School.
 
The events were held in preparation for the first day of classes, which will begin Aug. 8.
 
Educators came from Alice, Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Robstown and Rockport. The schools consist of two high schools, two middle schools, one early childhood center and 13 elementary schools.
 
Second grade math teacher Katherine Orines thought the workshops she attended were really good. She said she learned some new activities, strategies and techniques which she can include in her own class at St. Patrick School from the "Math Problem Solving" in-service presented by Kathy Shieldes-Harry, Executive Director of Catholic Charities from the Diocese of Tyler and former Math teacher, consultant and Catholic school principal.
 
Orines was also impressed with the presentation on “STREAM” presented by Shari Weaver. Weaver is a Consultant at the STEM Education Center at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts. The acronym STREAM comes from the acronym STEM, which stands for: science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STREAM–adds art and religion in the mix of disciplines.
 
"Our group had to design a structure that would hold for wind and highways. Other groups had to design solar power," she said. "The activities in the 'STREAM' class were fun."
 
First grade teacher Anna Fischer said that her mind was going "one-hundred miles a minute" after the professional in-service classes the day before. "I'm also a college student and I had homework to do, but when I went home–I had all these ideas I can implement this coming year," she said.
 
Patsy Limon has been a teacher's assistant for 25 years at Ss. Cyril and Methodius School and no matter how many in-services she has attended she learns something new every year. "This one included how to treat your children in the classroom–teaching them about Jesus and bringing prayer in throughout the day," Limon said.
 
Msgr. Louis Kihneman concelebrated Mass first thing in the morning Aug. 4 with Father Frank Martinez. During his homily, Msgr. Kihneman challenged teachers by asking them to search their own hearts for Jesus and to teach children as Jesus would.
 
Terry Garcia, who teaches at St. Joseph in Alice loved the clip Sister Gloria Rodriguez, MJMJ presented on vocations. The workshop, entitled, "Vocations: Inspiring Our Students to a Life of Fullness," which starred a young boy who acted out celebrating Mass for her.
 
Pre-K4 teacher Carolyn Guerrero from Ss. Cyril and Methodius was grateful for the information presented by Stephanie Bonilla, diocesan director for Safe Environment and Family Resources. Guerrero said she didn't know some of the information was available to them or that if she runs into a situation where there might be child abuse, Bonilla and her office would be available to help.
 
The In-services also had a Health/Wellness Track for P.E. teachers, athletic coaches/directors, health coordinators, school nurses, instructional aides, and school secretaries