During the summer, my wife and I enjoy traveling.  Last summer, we traveled to Finland, Russia, Estonia, Norway, Denmark and Sweden.  All of these countries operate under the Nordic Model. The Nordic model includes a combination of free market capitalism with a comprehensive welfare state and collective bargaining at the national level. It’s a system that works very well for them and its success is largely based upon cultural and demographic characteristics that we, in the US, would likely find difficult to replicate.  As an educator, I was particularly interested in the educational programs of the region, especially that of Finland.  Finland , was once poorly ranked educationally with a pompous bureaucratic system that provided low-quality education and large inequalities. It now boasts the best readers in the world!  Below are a few of the  interesting and stimulating facts about their educational system that appear to mirror those found in most private or religiously based schools, like MCS.  

• They have national curriculum's with goals and subject areas, but teachers are free to teach the way they want. MCS staff enjoys this freedom as well.
• Finland is largely a homogeneous population similar in all the indicators that might impact educational performance.  MCS families, by in large, also share this distinction.
• They have the same curriculum for all students. At MCS, we may adjust the pacing, mode of instruction or evaluation for an individual student, but not the content of their program
• They have a liberal approach to curriculum; teachers are allowed to choose their own textbooks and to customize  their lesson plans.  MCS staff enjoys this same freedom.
• No high stakes testing, only for college admission (or, in our case, admission to competitive Catholic high schools)
• Finnish and MCS teachers are not evaluated based on student scores on standardized tests
• If learning problem is noted in Finland or at MCS, diagnostic testing of student is used early and frequently, and if necessary, intensive intervention is provided or recommended.
• Finnish and MCS teachers visit each other’s classes to observe their colleagues at work
• Instruction in Finnish schools (and at MCS) caters to the needs of the different types of learners in terms of their skills and interests
• High achieving Finnish and MCS students serve as role models for their less advance classmates
• In Finnish and MCS preschool, socialization into school culture and learning to work together with other children is the central rule
• Finnish and MCS teachers have regular contact with parents
• Finnish and MCS parents provide strong models to their children relative to the importance of education and the need to be invested in their programs.
• Finnish and MCS students study in a relaxed & informal atmosphere
• The Finns and MCS staff believe learning to read is the key to all the rest of learning
• When Finnish and MCS students are let out, they are allowed to attend after school programs such as dance, music, and art

       As you can see, MCS embodies many of the strong attributes associated with Finnish schools. Decades ago, when the Finnish school system was badly in need of reform, the goal of the program was never excellence. It was equity. All students deserve the best we have to offer.  The school’s responsibility is to help each student to have access to the best we have to offer. That’s a goal, we at MCS, happily share with our peers in Finland.

God Bless,

Dr. F

Basketball Report Home Games

Girls JV Team played Saturday against Blessed Sacrament and lost 37-30

                     Points scored by Emily Howe 11, Dani Harriman 7,                         Bridget Mohan 6 and Marina Charette 6

Girls V Team played Saturday against St Rocco's and won!

Boys Team played Sunday at Bishop Hendricken and lost 44-25

                   Points scored by Chris Bell 2, Sean Ryan 2, Ian Mackin 7                     and Marcus Plante 14.

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