Department of Education Accomplishments 2008/2009: A Real Team Effort!

Looking back at the 2008/2009 fiscal year, Dr. Joe Bound, Diocese of Green Bay Director of Catholic Education provides a synopsis of the year's activities:

Adult Faith Formation. We offered a number of adult faith formation courses throughout the Diocese. Between the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults classes, W.O.W! The Sacraments, presentations, the Pope Benedict XVI courses, and the Know Your Faith program more than 1,500 people participated in these programs. The Adult Faith Formation division of the Department also produced a booklet celebrating the 10th anniversary of the USCCB document Our Hearts Were Burning, provided guidance to a number of parishes in how to establish adult faith formation programs on the local level. We also started a state-wide adult faith formation organization.

Catholic Schools. The Schools division, with the assistance of a committee composed of system presidents and school principals, developed a new school administrator evaluation process and a set of standards for faith integration in all aspects of Catholic school operations. In addition, the Diocesan Board of Education Finance Committee developed and disseminated a new budgetary and financial planning manual and corresponding DVD to all of our schools. The division also sponsored five Leadership Days for all school administrators this year and provided 11 regional in-services, five initial educators’ in-services, five new administrators’ in-services, as well as a number of meetings regarding the Supportive Consultants program. The division also made a little bit of history this year by hosting the first meeting of Catholic school athletic directors since 1992. On May 15, 2009 we conducted the first ever meeting between a Bishop of Green Bay and Catholic school athletic directors.

Religious Education. Supporting catechetical and sacramental preparation programs on the parish level, our Religious Education division worked extensively on the new K-12 religion curriculum project, strengthened the religion certification program requirements for all school and parish religious education personnel, and started work on developing the nation’s first ever accreditation program for parish religion education programs. This division also sponsored five leadership days for catechetical leaders, 11 regional in-services, and a host of catechist training sessions throughout the four corners of the Diocese. In addition this division sponsored Theology of the Body workshops for catechists and catechetical leaders.

Also during 2008-2009 the Department of Education developed the Alive! A Witness to Love program, a new chastity education initiative based closely on the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ chastity education guidelines. This program is designed to help parents teach their children about chastity at an age appropriate level. The program consists of parents teaching other parents how to utilize the new Department of Education-produced set of DVDs for boys, girls, and parents; a manual including a number of helpful tips and bits of practical information; as well as books and pamphlets. This Spring, the Department held peer-parent ambassador training sessions for 35 parents preparing them for a fall 2009 roll out in the parishes. More news about this program will appear in future editions of this Compass insert.

Promotional Services. Our Promotional Services division continued to produce the popular monthly Department of Education Compass insert. This division also spearheaded a collaborative marketing effort this past January with a number of school systems in producing TV ads on WFRV-TV highlighting Catholic Schools Week throughout the Diocese. These ads which ran for three weeks sparked interest in our Catholic schools and some schools were able to track increases in enrollment in February to traffic generated by these ads. This division also worked collaboratively with the Power of Life organization in promoting the Power of Life Event held at Xavier High School this past October. Currently this division is in the process of developing a number of ads promoting our extensive July through August Theology on Tap program as well as the upcoming Lifest event in Oshkosh, and a celebration of Catechetical Week in the Fall.

Curriculum and Instruction. The Department of Education Curriculum and Instruction division continued working with the Link4Learning project, the largest single curriculum project in public or private K-12 education in Wisconsin. The K-8 religion, math, and physical education standards, benchmarks, and grade level expectations were completed this year as well as the K-12 guidance counseling standards. A tremendous amount of progress was made in a number of other disciplines as well. This division also assisted in the accreditation or re-accreditation of eight Catholic schools.

Earlier in the school year, around November, the Diocese transferred youth ministry and young adult ministry from the Evangelization and Worship Department into the Department of Education. This internal restructuring resulted in the Department of Education providing more services to schools and parishes without the assistance of additional personnel. To assist the Department in providing services to youth and young adults, two advisory councils were established to help us with planning and providing events for these very important segments of our Church.

Youth Ministry is under the direction of Rosie Bartel, our Religious Education Director who has been extremely busy this past eight months working with the Youth Ministry Advisory Council, providing services for the Catholic parish Scouting programs, conducting the Diocesan Catholic Youth Conference in April at St. Pius X Parish in Appleton, preparing to send a delegation of youth to the National Catholic Youth Conference in Kansas City, sponsoring Youth Jam held in February at St. John the Baptist Parish in Howard, developing strong connections with the diocesan Vocations office, as well as providing consultation to parish youth ministers.

Young Adult Ministry is under the direction of Julianne Donlon, our Adult Faith Formation Director. She has also been extremely busy working with the Young Adults Ministry Advisory Council, organizing this summer’s Theology on Tap program, preparing to send a delegation of young adults to Madrid, Spain for World Youth Day 2011, as well as consulting with young adult groups throughout the Diocese.

Administrative Services. The Administrative Services division conducted a number of regional board in-services this year, conducted a board retreat for the Kaukauna Catholic School System (KCSS), attended a number of Total Catholic Education (TCE) board or school board meetings, and published a new boards, committees, and commissions manual. This division also facilitated the strategic planning process for KCSS, conducted information sessions on strategic planning at a number of schools as well as at all 11 regional in-services, and did a follow up evaluation of the St. Rose, Clintonville & St. Mary’s, Bear Creek TCE strategic plan in January 2009.

Board of Education. The Diocesan Board of Education developed and rolled out new personnel policies for schools and parish religious education programs, expanded its committees from the original Catechesis, Executive, Finance, Nominations, and Policy & Personnel Committees to now include the new Athletics, Development, Leadership, and Marketing Committees.

As you can see, we have had a very busy year. All of this would not have been achieved without the assistance of a large number of people working on boards, committees and councils, a number of parents stepping forward to help with the new chastity education program, a Diocesan strategic plan for adult faith formation, parish religious education, and schools, the tremendous support of Bishop David Ricken, your prayers, and the dedication of the nine members of the Department of Education team.

Please know that I am deeply appreciative of the collaborative efforts of hundreds, if not thousands, of people in the Diocese of Green Bay who are working diligently to improve Catholic education in its five forms: adult faith formation, parish religious education, schools, youth ministry and young adult ministry. Wait until you see what’s in store for 2090-10. In the meantime, enjoy the summer weather and get a little rest and relaxation. Fall will be here sooner than you think. Take good care and God bless.