Leading with Faith

4/23/25 Begin Title I Consultation with All Districts for 2025-26 School Year

4/23/25 Request New 2025-2026 Health Services from District of Location

4/25/25 Last Day to Register for Free SUNY Empire Summer Graduate Classes

5/15/25 Last Day to Register for Free UB Summer Graduate Classes

5/30/25 Request 2025-26 Hardware, Software, & Library Materials Loans

6/1/25 Last day for Parents to Request Special Education Services from Districts

TBA NYSED Nonpublic Safety Equipment (NPSE) Claims Due

TBA NYSED Elementary School AIS Claims Due

Graduate Courses available for Free through University at Buffalo (UB) and SUNY Empire: As an eligible nonpublic school teacher or leader, you can take select online courses through these colleges’ Graduate programs.

• University at Buffalo Professional Development for Religious and Independent School Teachers

• Available online courses for Winter & Spring 2025 - University at Buffalo

• Online application deadline for University at Buffalo Summer 2025 courses is May 15, 2025 (classes begin May 27, 2025)

• Online application deadline for University at Buffalo Fall 2025 courses is August 15, 2025 (classes begin August 25, 2025)

• University at Buffalo Summer 2025 and Fall 2025 Academic Calendars

• Questions? Contact the Office of Graduate Admission at gse-apply@buffalo.edu or 716-645-2110.

• SUNY Empire Graduate School for Religious and Independent School Teachers

• Available online courses for Summer 2025 - SUNY Empire

• Complete the SUNY Empire application by April 25, 2025 (Classes begin 5/12/2025)

• Additional information and application instructions - SUNY Empire

• If you have questions, please contact Graduate Student Services at 800-847-3000, ext. 2429, or TitleIIa@sunyempire.edu

Hardware, Software, & Library Materials – Order through School District of Location: If you have not already done so for this school year, please make arrangements to order hardware, software, and library materials through the Public School District in which your school is located using the state funds available for such items to be loaned to you. For the 2025-2026 school year, the ORISS "Dates to Remember” document recommends that Catholic school administrators “assemble and submit requests to the public school district in the spring before the year in which the programs will be used” - please consider sharing your anticipated 2025-2026 Hardware, Software, and Library loan requests with the school districts before June 1.

Erie 1 BOCES Title IIa Consortium: Although it is a bit early for you to make a decision about your Title IIa funds for 2025-2026, I wanted to let you know that Erie 1 BOCES will again offer a Title IIa Consortium for Nonpublic schools next year at the cost of $2,700 per school. Participating schools will receive:

1. One in-district day of professional development. If schedules permit, they will also consider two half-days. The training can be discipline-specific (i.e.: math, ELA, reading, science, social studies) or more “methods”- oriented (engagement strategies, social-emotional learning, etc.). They also have technology trainers who can offer support in Google Classroom or other vendor-based apps.

2. Access to MOST of their workshops, trainings, consortia, etc. (Some of the vendor-based workshops (eg: Orton-Gillingham) are not covered through the Consortium)

3. Access to their “Desire to Learn” asynchronous online PD courses, which provide licenses and access to their catalog. Courses on technology and other popular book studies are included.

4. Two Principal / Leadership trainings on best practices for leaders, NYSED updates, etc.

5. Occasional special events… depends on the year & what becomes available.

If the available Title IIa dollar amount you have available is significantly lower than $2,700, the participating school can access all of the above except for the in-district training opportunity (1). When you are ready to commit to this consortium, use the attached the 2025-26 “desire to join” letter.

A Renewed Focus on Well-being and Safety in Our Catholic Schools

As the joy of Easter continues to resonate – He is Risen! – we embrace the season's message of hope and renewal. We also hold in our prayers Pope Francis, cherishing his profound teachings on mercy, forgiveness, healing, and love.

In this spirit of renewed hope, our focus turns to fostering safe and positive environments within all our Catholic schools. We take immense pride in the robust safety protocols and practices already in place, alongside programs that champion acceptance and nurture individual growth.

As a vital next step in our Middle States Accreditation journey, aligning with our strategic plan, we will commence the collection and review of our comprehensive safety plans, crucial documents, and valuable resources.

To initiate this important focus on school safety and mental health, each school will send its crisis response team to specialized Suicide Prevention training this week. This essential training, facilitated by the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Erie County, will empower these teams to effectively train their own faculty and staff.

Middle States Accreditation: Student Enrichment and Student Well-Being Checklist

To ensure a thorough and well-documented approach, please note the following requirements:

• Review and update your Building-Level Safety Team: This team, appointed by the building principal, is crucial for developing and maintaining the building-level emergency response plan and its necessary components. Membership must include representatives from teachers, administrators, school safety personnel, other school staff (including nurse, lunch monitors), community members, local law enforcement, ambulance and fire officials, and other emergency response agencies.

• Review and update your Emergency Response Team or Crisis Team: Designated by the Building-Level Safety Team, this building-specific team will comprise trained school personnel ready to assist in medical, behavioral, school safety, or weather-related emergencies.

• Upload Required Documents by May 2: Please upload the following documents to the designated Student Enrichment and Student Well-Being Google folder. Principals will receive a follow-up email containing helpful resources.

• School Safety Plan: https://www.nysed.gov/student-support-services/school-safety-plans

• Emergency Drills Log

• Code of Conduct

• Bullying Policy

• Student Handbook

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Chris, myself, and several dedicated principals, we have compiled a wealth of resources and templates to support your school safety teams in completing these processes, conducting thorough document reviews over the next few months, and implementing other vital building safety training.

Weekly Virtual Principal Meetings

Meeting Details:

• Day and Time: Wednesdays, 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

• Platform: Microsoft Teams (link sent by Laurie)

Next Meeting: 4/23/25 - MSA: Student Enrichment and Student Well-Being: Safety

STAR updates

• END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR: eSchool CDI will stop updating your Renaissance site the day before the last day of school. You may continue using your Renaissance site with CDI disabled. Please take a minute to view Renaissance’s tips on end of year activities, so you can be certain you’ve gathered any end of year reports you may need. You may want to archive a set of testing results before the school year rolls over.

• SUMMER SCHOOL: Since Renaissance can be used for summer testing, directions for manual summer school setup can be found here.

• 25-26 NEW YEAR ROLLOVER: The process to update your Renaissance site for the 25-26 school year will begin two weeks prior to the start date you provided us. Your SIS data will be reviewed nightly, and as soon as adequate data is available, your Renaissance site will be rolled over to the new school year.

Summer Programs

If your schools will be offering any Summer Camps or programs, please send your information to me and I will get them up on our website. Thank you to those who have already shared this information with me.

Cultivating Green Shoots: Earth Day and Environmental Education in Elementary Schools

Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22nd, presents a golden opportunity to ignite a passion for environmental stewardship in our youngest learners. More than just a day of planting trees, it's a chance to weave sustainability into the very fabric of elementary education, fostering a generation that understands and respects our planet.

Why Environmental Education Matters in Elementary School:

• Building Foundational Understanding: Early exposure to environmental concepts lays the groundwork for lifelong responsible habits.

• Developing Critical Thinking Skills: Exploring environmental issues encourages students to analyze problems, propose solutions, and understand the interconnectedness of ecosystems.

• Promoting Civic Engagement: Learning about environmental challenges empowers children to become active participants in creating positive change.

• Connecting with Nature: Hands-on experiences in nature foster a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world.

Earth Day Activities and Lessons for Elementary Students:

1. Nature Exploration and Observation:

• Nature Walks: Organize guided nature walks in school gardens, local parks, or even around the schoolyard. Encourage students to observe plants, insects, and animals, and record their findings in nature journals.

• Sensory Scavenger Hunts: Create scavenger hunts that engage students' senses, asking them to find specific textures, smells, sounds, and sights in nature.

• Birdwatching: Introduce students to local bird species and provide binoculars for observation. Discuss bird habitats and the importance of biodiversity.

2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rethink:

• Recycling Relay Races: Make recycling fun with relay races where students sort recyclable materials into designated bins.

• Upcycled Art Projects: Encourage creativity by using recycled materials like plastic bottles, cardboard, and fabric scraps to create art projects.

• Composting Demonstrations: Introduce the concept of composting and demonstrate how food scraps can be transformed into nutrient-rich soil.

• Rethink consumption: have a discussion about what items are needed, and what items are wanted.

3. Gardening and Planting:

• School Garden Projects: Establish a school garden where students can plant seeds, care for plants, and learn about the food cycle.

• Seed Bomb Making: Create seed bombs using clay, compost, and wildflower seeds to promote pollinator-friendly habitats.

• Tree Planting: Organize a tree-planting event to beautify the school grounds and contribute to carbon sequestration.

4. Water Conservation:

• Water Audit: Conduct a school-wide water audit to identify areas where water can be conserved.

• Rain Barrel Demonstrations: Show students how rain barrels collect rainwater for gardening and other uses.

• Water Cycle Experiments: Conduct simple experiments to illustrate the water cycle and the importance of clean water.

5. Energy Conservation:

• Energy Audit: Have students look around the classroom and school to see where energy is wasted.

• Solar Oven Construction: Build simple solar ovens using cardboard boxes and foil to demonstrate the power of solar energy.

• "Lights Out" Campaigns: Encourage students to turn off lights and electronic devices when not in use.

School-Wide Sustainability Initiatives:

• Green Teams: Establish student-led green teams to promote sustainability initiatives throughout the school.

• Waste-Free Lunch Programs: Encourage students to bring reusable containers and utensils for lunch.

• School-Wide Recycling and Composting Programs: Implement comprehensive recycling and composting programs throughout the school.

• Sustainable Transportation Initiatives: Promote walking, biking, and carpooling to school.

• Environmental Education Curriculum Integration: Integrate environmental education into all subject areas.

• Parent and Community Engagement: Involve parents and the community in school-wide sustainability initiatives.

• Outdoor classrooms: whenever possible, have classes outside.

• Reduce paper waste: Encourage the use of digital resources, and double sided printing.

Empowering Future Stewards:

By engaging elementary students in meaningful Earth Day activities and fostering a culture of sustainability, we can empower them to become responsible stewards of our planet. Let's cultivate green shoots of change and inspire a generation that will protect and cherish the Earth for years to come.

The May Principals Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 15th at the Catholic Center in the Formation Room located on the first floor. Click on the link below to register to attend. https://forms.gle/pugxEWWozw9nFJ4S7

Important Information:

The eighth grade diplomas will be handed out at the May 15th Principals’ Meeting.

This week, I stumbled across a short but powerful video that I just had to share. It beautifully showcases how one elementary school has woven the principles of STREAM and Project-Based Learning (PBL) into the fabric of their everyday instruction.

The video, titled STEAM + Project-Based Learning: Real Solutions From Driving Questions, offers a glimpse into what’s possible when curiosity, creativity, and collaboration take center stage in the classroom. As we continue to reflect on what it truly means to be a “STREAM School,” I think you’ll find this clip both inspiring and thought-provoking. It’s definitely worth a 5-minute watch!

STEAM + Project-Based Learning: Real Solutions From Driving Questions

What made this video resonate even more deeply is that I’ve had the recent pleasure of visiting several of our own Diocesan schools and seeing their STREAM initiatives in action. From creative engineering challenges to thoughtful student-led investigations, robotics to gardening, and real-world technology to caring for classroom pets, it’s clear that our schools are embracing STREAM not just as a curriculum, but as a mindset. These visits have filled me with so much joy and excitement—it’s incredibly rewarding to witness students actively engaged in meaningful learning, guided by educators who are passionate about innovation and faith-filled formation.

As we keep moving forward on this journey, let’s continue to share ideas, celebrate successes, and support one another in bringing STREAM to life in our classrooms. Feel free to reach out if your school has something special happening—I’d love to come see it! (And if you’d like to chat about how to enhance your school’s STREAM program and bring it to life within your classrooms, we can chat about that, too!)

St. Stephen’s on Grand Island has gone beyond teaching about seeds and life cycles in the classroom to planting and growing their own flowers and vegetables. Some plants are sold as a fundraiser, and others feed classroom pets!

At Our Lady of Victory, students in all grade levels participate in STREAM & Technology classes, including Fab Fashion and Robotics, but that just scratches the surface - teachers collaborate often to bring project-based, interdisciplinary learning to their classrooms.