Inspire(d)!

Good morning, Kristin,


Last Thursday and Friday, we gathered at Seattle University for our third annual Inspire Conference, bringing together advancement teams and front office personnel from our parishes and schools. The conference featured speakers from both within our archdiocese and across the country, offering unique perspectives to elevate our work.


Among the many insights I gained, Fr. Dwight Lewis’ homily on Day 2 resonated deeply with me. He reflected on a recent interview with Pope Francis, focusing on four key elements essential for our ministry: hope, patience, humor, and prayer.


As we prepare to welcome our students back and begin a new academic year, I pray that you find these four elements in abundance.


With gratitude, 

NICHOLAS FORD | Superintendent

Office for Catholic Schools | Archdiocese of Seattle

 

OPERATIONS CALENDAR & MONTHLY TASK LIST

Click here & log into mycatholicschool.org

Principal Weekly Meetings

Stay tuned for Fall Schedule.

Upcoming Events

 
 

August 19, 2024

Missionary Discipleship Institute Kick-Off

Our Lady of Guadalupe

 

September 6, 2024

GRACE Teacher Leaders Kickoff Meeting

Online


 
 
 

September 18-20, 2024

CIC Leadership Retreat Registration

Registration for the CIC Leadership Retreat from September 18-20 is now open. Please register here today.

 
 
 
 
View All PD Opportunities
 

MISSION & CATHOLIC IDENTITY

CIC Leadership Retreat Registration

If you have yet to register, please click here for the Christ in the Classroom Leadership Retreat registration.

Grant for Symbolon Licenses

The St. Joseph Foundation has generously awarded a three-year grant for teachers and administrators to enroll in the Symbolon program through the Augustine Institute. Click here to learn more and request Symbolon licenses.

Pop-up Shop Order Reminder

The OCS pop-up shop closes at noon on Friday, August 23. Please order one item by then, which will be delivered to you at the Seabeck retreat.


GOVERNANCE & LEADERSHIP

2023-2024 Spring/Summer Data Collection

Please submit your data reflecting the end of the last school year in this linked form.

As a best practice, we suggest you first collect your responses on the appropriate attached Spring Data Collection pdf file (elementary; secondary).

If you have questions, please submit them to Synthiea Kaldi.

Leadership Academy Recommendation Form

Principals-recommend an aspiring leader for the Leadership Academy. Click here. Questions, contact kelly.surapaneni@seattlearch.org

Personnel & Policy Notes for the Week 

Included in this week's update are important reminders for the start of the school year and information from the new school employee orientation (and the upcoming make-up session). 


ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Register for GRACE 24-25 

Please register your teachers for the GRACE program today!

NWEA MAP testing dates for 24-25

Check out our MAP webpage with all important 24-25 information

Curriculum Committee Interest Form 24-25


Environmental Education and English/LA both will be meeting this year in-person. For more information and to sign up, please fill out the form. 


 

OPERATIONAL VITALITY

2024/2025 School Budgets

Please share your 24/25 Budgets with John Sullivan. Also, Budget Enrollment, In Parish Tuition, Avg Salary Increase & Salaries to Local School District.

Multi-Year Budget Template

Are you still working to develop your Schools' Multi-Year Budget template ? See linked spreadsheet. Tab 1 - results and Tab 2 assumptions. Questions to John Sullivan.

 
 

Fulcrum Foundation News & Updates

Assign a Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) Coordinator Today

Please designate a TAP Coordinator as the main contact for all questions related to the Fulcrum's Tuition Assistance Program for the 24-25 school year. For inquiries, email Susan Ocoma or call 206.748.7988.

Fulcrum New Student Tuition Assistance Grant Program 2024-2025 – Deadline September 30th 

Fulcrum’s New Student Tuition Assistance Program, formerly known as Rolling Tuition Assistance Program (RTAP), is currently open. The deadline to submit grant requests for this program is September 30, 2024. This program is open to all schools that participate in the Fulcrum Foundation Tuition Assistance Grant Program, commonly known as TAP.


This program is different than TAP in that families do not apply for the program on their own. Schools administer this program at the local level and determine whether a family qualifies using a form provided by Fulcrum. In short, a family must: 

  • be new to Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Seattle for the 2024-2025 school year (transfer students from other Catholic schools in the Archdiocese are not eligible)
  • not have been awarded a Fulcrum TAP grant for 2024-2025
  • qualify for the Federal Reduced Lunch Program
  • students awarded grants must be in grades K-8 


After a school has determined that a family qualifies, they will submit the form to Fulcrum via email. Grants in the amount of $1,000 each are then approved by Fulcrum on a first come, first served basis until a school has met its max number of grants (3) or program funding has been exhausted for the year ($70,000 total). We will accept grant requests from schools from March 25, 2024, through September 30, 2024.


LINK to Program Overview

LINK to Grant Request Form 


It’s important to note that these are one-time grants for students that are new to the school. They are not renewable. In future years, families are expected to apply to the Fulcrum Foundation Tuition Assistance Grant Program (TAP) via FACTS which they may or may not qualify for based on their current financial information in relation to the total pool of applicants. 


Questions? Contact Susan Ocoma at 206.748.7988 or susan.ocoma@fulcrumfoundation.org. 

 

Resources

 

10 Studies Every Teacher Should Know About

This article from Edutopia summarizes 10 key studies every teacher should know, offering research-backed strategies to improve teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes.

You can read more here.


What Do School Leaders Need to Know About AI?

This Wallace Foundation article explores the essential knowledge school leaders need about AI, focusing on its potential impact on education, ethical considerations, and strategic implementation.

You can read more here.