Schools commence new year

“We don’t want Catholic schools, but schools that are Catholic,” Diocesan Superintendent of Schools Rene González told a gathering of new teachers hired by the schools in the Diocese of Corpus Christi for the Fall 2011 school year.

González explained to the new teachers, who gathered at the library at Blessed John Paul High School on July 27, that they should participate in the life of the church and proactively live the faith.  He emphasized that it was important that they attend to the intellectual, physical and social needs of their students, but it was their spiritual needs that are the most important.
“You are primarily in the business of forming souls,” González said.

Catholic schools opened their fall 2011 school year on Aug. 8-15. Before students began pouring into classrooms, the Diocese Office of Catholic Schools provided valuable in-service training to new and returning teachers.

The in-service began with the diocese’s 28 new teachers, most of which are experienced educators coming from other Catholic schools in Texas and beyond and others coming from public school settings. Several are recent graduates starting their first teaching j0b.

“I hope I can meet the expectations of Catholic school,” said Adriana Gámez, a recent graduate from Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Her degree in early childhood reading should be an asset in teaching kindergarten at Most Precious Blood School. She is also working on a Master’s in Special Education.

A native of San Antonio, Gámez was brought up in public schools but feels confident she can meet the expectations to shape her students “in the eyes of the Lord.” As a parishioner at Most Precious Blood she has already begun to meet some of her students.

Susie Slavik, on the other hand, is an experienced teacher having retired from public school teaching several years ago to take care of her ailing mother. After her mother passed away, Slavik tried her hand at other professions but soon realized that she belonged in the classroom.

“I feel like I’m honoring my father,” Slavik said. She is Episcopalian but her father’s family was Catholic and she has had plenty of exposure to the Catholic Mass and teachings.

“I am going to be very mindful of my students’ Catholicism,” Slavik said. She will also look to her colleagues at St. Patrick School, where she will teach first grade, for direction and guidance.

As part of their orientation, the new teachers met staff from the Diocese Office of Catholic Schools, were provided information on grievance procedures and learned about the accreditation of Catholic schools. They were provided information on a code of ethics, curriculum guides, classroom schedules, lesson plans, student grades and parent conferences.

“You must be people of prayer and you should teach your students to be people of prayer,” González said.

The spiritual aspect of Catholic education was reemphasized to administrators, teachers and staff at a Spiritual Development Day held on Aug. 3 at Blessed John Paul High School. “The Vocation of a Catholic School Teacher” was the topic for the day with Msgr. Mark Chamberlain as the keynote speaker.

Msgr. Chamberlain reminded educators that the Second Vatican Council exalted teaching as a “beautiful and solemn vocation.” In his presentation, Msgr. Chamberlain discussed how the Catholic Church entrusts teachers with the task of forming the minds and hearts of students and how to develop in them a total commitment to Christ.

The following day, Aug. 4, educators were provided a Professional Development Day with various topics helpful in different situations.

Julie Brunet and Renee McAlister with Creative Consultants for Sadlier Publishing got things going with “Math Mania” where participants learned how to bring math into the classrooms in “an exciting and interactive way.” Participants were provided new tools for teaching Math through hands-on experiences.

Middle and high School faculty and staff heard presentations on discipline and bullying. Mike Brock, Counselor at the University of Dallas, presented talks on “7 Ways to Discipline” and “Bullying: What it is, What it’s Not and Who’s Responsible.” Brock provided participants with methods on how to use “effective, respectful approaches to discipline” and on “how to respond to bullying.”

“Drug Impairment Training for Education Professionals” was the topic of the presentation that Detective Dean Peterson of the Round Rock Police Department Narcotics Division made to coaches, school secretaries and health coordinators. Peterson provided participants with techniques to recognize the signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol impairment in students.

Finally, Teresa Martinez, RN, BSN and School Health Administrator for the Office of Catholic Schools explained to school administrators, secretaries and health coordinators the basic guidelines for administering medications in schools.

On Wednesday, Aug. 24, Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey will celebrate Mass for the “Liturgy to Begin the School Year” at Corpus Christi Cathedral. The Mass will begin at 10 a.m.