Annual State of the
Catholic School
Report
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
1
Annual State of the Catholic
School Report
Rev. Jeffrey V. Romans, Pastor
Rev. Roberto D. McCarthy, Parochial Vicar
Mrs. Margaret Whalen, Principal
Mrs. Judith Rowinski, Asst. Principal
Mr. Eric Bauer, School Board Chair
2
Mission Statement
Where We Attend To The
Spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional, and physical needs
of our students
Based upon the gospel message of Jesus to “love one
another as I have loved you”
With the goal of empowering each of us to serve the parish
and community and make a positive difference in the lives of
others.
3
Hallmarks
Family Oriented School
Experienced and stable faculty
Partnership with parents
Updated / online text books and materials
Active and supportive H.S.A.
Experienced School Board
Three-year strategic plan
Co-curricular activities including sports, chorus, drama,
violin, piano, FMI/CMI band, Student Council, NJHS, Math
Counts Club, Garden Club and Homework Club.
4
Hallmarks (cont.)
Professional faculty learning communities - weekly
Before/after school academic enrichment - Chess Club,
Technology Club, and Lego Club
Safety Drills: Lockdown, weather and fire
Special Events:
Fall Festival, Celebration of Catholic Schools month,
Concerts, Halloween Party, Christmas and Easter
Celebrations, Flag Day, middle school socials, monthly
grade led meditations, Play Day and the Cheshire Memorial
Day Parade with float, band, marching students.
Technology – Computer cart, iPADS, smart boards, primary
computer lab
5
Legacy of Catholic Education at
St. Bridget Catholic School
1963 – Opened as a junior high staffed by Sisters of Charity
1985 – Closed due to lack of enrollment
1994 – Re-opened as only parochial school in Cheshire with Pre-K, K & 1st
1997 – All 10 classrooms are full
1998 – 12 classroom wing added
2002 – 1st graduation class
2005 – Library and office upgrades
2008 – Gym, parish center, music and art rooms added and field
upgraded
2014– Continues to flourish as a Pre-K thru 8 school accredited by the
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
6
DEMOGRAPHICS
Cities / Towns
Cheshire, 06410
Beacon Falls, 06403
Bethany, 06524
Bristol, 06010
Cromwell, 06416
East Haven, 06473
East Hampton, 06424
Haddam 06438
Hamden, 06514
Meriden, 06451
Middlebury, 06762
Middlefield, 06455
Middletown, 06457
Naugatuck, 06770
New Haven, 06516
North Haven, 06473
Oxford, 06478
Prospect, 06712
Southington, 06489
Thomaston, 06787
Wallingford, 06492
Waterbury, 06705
Weston, 06883
Wolcott, 06716
Woodbridge, 06525
Total
20142015
197
1
2
2
0
1
0
0
16
32
4
0
3
14
0
3
0
21
28
2
40
14
0
3
2
385
20132014
252
1
0
5
0
1
0
1
16
28
1
0
0
12
0
0
0
26
35
0
35
8
0
2
0
423
20122013
265
1
2
4
13
22
1
1
11
1
24
38
35
8
4
430
20112012
257
1
5
3
3
12
20
2
1
5
4
24
46
37
8
6
434
20102011
259
1
5
3
3
1
11
23
2
1
1
2
1
27
44
37
8
8
1
438
20092010
232
1
1
3
3
2
1
13
14
2
1
3
1
2
31
48
32
6
9
1
406
7
Enrollment History
Year
Enrollment (# of Students)
03-04
421
04-05
400
05-06
395
06-07
389
07-08
391
08-09
386
09-10
408
10-11
441
11-12
436
12-13
430
13-14
423
14-15
385
8
Initiatives to Increase Enrollment
• Active recruitment plan & rolling enrollment plan
• Community and Parish outreach through events and ads
• Advertising / Promotion / Public Relations-Weekly goal
• Weekly open door school tours
• Parent Ambassador Program
• Enhanced Facebook page & website updated weekly
• Visiting local organizations such as daycares & libraries, outreach to
CCD parents
• iPAD program for all Middle School students and throughout the
school
• Solicit new grant ideas
• Encouraging the benefits of word of mouth advertising
9
Initiatives to Increase Enrollment
Special Events:
• Annual Open House
• Grandparents / Special Guest Day
• 20 Year Anniversary Celebration
• Alumni Reunion
• Alumni Newsletter
• Active Pre-K and Kindergarten transition to primary grade
curriculum program for parents
• Middle School presentation for current and prospective 5th grade
parents detailing curriculum
• Mrs. Judith Rowinski Annual Student Scholarship
10
Curriculum Objectives
To graduate students who are:
- Productive, moral citizens
- Critical thinkers with emphasis on:
• Recognition and appreciation of God being the creator of
everything good in the universe
• Problem solving applications to everyday life
• Logical and abstract thinking
11
Curriculum – Pre-K
Full and Half day classes
Religion
• Integrated throughout the curriculum
Kindergarten Readiness
• - Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science
Weekly Enrichment
•
Spanish, Library, Physical Education, Music, Art and Computer Lab
12
Pre – K (continued) 3 and 4
Religion: children brought to
Social Studies: family tree,
church to show them the altar
community helpers, special
and Tabernacle, weekly
holiday celebration
Mass,Stations of the Cross,
Multicultural music and dancing;
Tabernacle; Gospel Weeklies;
Spanish
celebrating the liturgical season
Science: experiments,
Math: making patterns with
investigations, making
concrete materials; sorting by
predictions, graphing
color; basic addition and
Physical Education: Coordination,
subtraction sentences
respect of personal space,
Language Arts: letter of the week;
following directions,
sight words, name writing,
cooperation.
books created and colored by
students.
13
Curriculum - Kindergarten
Full Day Classes
Religion
• Integrated throughout the day, weekly Mass
Language Arts
• Phonics, reading, writing and speaking, grammar, penmanship
Math
• Basic math computation, math concepts
Science / Social Studies
• Hands-on lessons with real world applications
14
Curriculum - Kindergarten
Religion
• God gives us many gifts
◦ Light, water, land, animals
• God is our creator
◦ God made all people
◦ God helps us to discover
• We learn about God with our families and friends
◦ Jesus shows us God’s love
◦ Jesus’ life and teachings
• Jesus wants us to share God’s love
• Liturgical seasons
• Saints
15
Curriculum - Kindergarten
Language Arts
• Whole group and small group
instruction
• Identify nouns, verbs, and
adjectives
• Use of various assessments to
guide instruction
• Write sentences and questions
• Author and illustrator
• 2-3 new sight words every other • Characters, setting, plot, and
week
main idea of a story
• Short vowel words
• Differentiate between reality
• Words with blends
and fantasy
• Rhyming words
• syllables
16
Curriculum - Kindergarten
Math
• Whole group and small group
instruction
• Money
• Use of manipulatives
• Fractions
• Time to hour and half hour
• Recognize and write numbers to •
30 in order
•
• Count to 100
•
• Add and subtract to 20
•
• Identify greater than, less than,
•
and equal to
Measurement
Graphs
Plane and solid figures
Patterns
Sort by different attributes
17
Curriculum - Kindergarten
Science
Social Studies
• Weather and Seasons
• Past and present
• Plant parts, needs, and life cycle •
• Animal characteristics, habitats, •
and life cycle
•
• States of matter
•
• Natural resources
•
• Sun and shadows
•
• Moon and stars
•
• Senses
•
• Movement and force
•
• Magnets
Maps and globes
Transportation
Rules and responsibilities
Wants and needs
Goods and services
Caring for the environment
Symbols of the U.S.
Holidays
Important historical figures
• Sink and float
18
Curriculum - Kindergarten
Technology
Integrated across all curriculum areas
SMART board
iPads used for small group activities
Computer lab utilized 2-3 times per week
Use Kidspiration for various activities as well as other
software programs.
• Phonics program – Read, Write, & Type
• Websites:
• starfall.com
• abcya.com
• pbskids.org
• primarygames.com
•
•
•
•
•
19
Kindergarten
Math: sorting, patterns, addition Social Studies: maps and globes,
and subtraction, time to hour
why rules are important,
and ½ hour; introduction to
community helpers, needs and
money, measurement, graphing
wants, goods and services,
holidays, symbols of the U.S.,
Science: weather, clouds, sun and
how people around the world
shadows, night and day, life
are the same and different
cycles, animal characteristics,
sink and float, magnets, seasons
20
Curriculum – Primary Grades 1-3
21st Century learning is incorporated throughout the curriculum, building a
sense of community and Catholic identity.
Religion
• Taught daily and integrated throughout all areas of curriculum;
sacramental preparation (grade 3); Participation in the Living Rosary;
Gospel Weeklies, weekly mass; prayer meditations, Child Lures Program,
family life
• Student Ministry activities
Language Arts
• Phonics, Reading, Spelling, Writing, Oral Language, Handwriting,
Grammar, Listening Skills, Smartboard, iPAD, computer lab integration
• Small group instruction – differentiated activities
• Book Reports with Oral Presentations
• Writing across the curriculum
• Research projects
21
Curriculum-Primary Grades 1-3 (cont’d)
Math
• Hands-on use of manipulatives
• Critical thinking
• Real world application of skills-through games, iPADS and Smartboard
lessons
• Fact fluency skill building
• Differentiated instruction
• Whole group, small group and partner instruction
Social Studies
• Geography-Maps and continents
• World cultures : Family report, & Christmas around the world
• Government and Community-Study of Cheshire
22
Curriculum – Primary Grades (cont.)
Science
• Hands-on skills development
• Problem solving and the use of the scientific method
• Life, earth and physical science/Science Fair boards
Weekly Enrichment
• Spanish, Art, Music, Library, and Physical Education
• Technology integrated across all curriculum areas via Smartboards,
iPADS,Webquests
• Use of computer lab-word processing, keyboard, math & Language Arts
activities
Field Trips
To enhance our curriculum such as: Visiting community sites, Literature-based
performances, Science Museum & Art Museum
23
Intermediate Grades 4-5
Overview of methods used in all subject areas:
•
Technology infused
•
Differentiation at all levels
•
21st Century fluencies: creativity, problem solving, perseverance,
critical thinking, collaboration, and global citizenship
•
Cooperative Learning
•
Responsibility and Accountability
Our hope is to guide the students to be self-directed, life-long learners
who can work both independently and cooperatively and for them to
grow into spiritual, intelligent, compassionate and productive
members of society.
24
Curriculum – Grades 4-5
Religion
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
10 Commandments
7 Sacraments
Liturgical Year
Parts of the Mass
Beatitudes
Works of Mercy
Family Life
• Child Lures Program
• Service Projects
25
Curriculum – Grades 4-5
Language Arts
- Reading of fiction/non-fiction material
books, articles, magazines, poetry, etc.
- Writing for different purposes and lengths
paragraphs, letters, essays, poetry, journal entries, etc.
- Grammar, Mechanics and Spelling – integrated into curriculum
- Oral and Communication Skills
presentations, both live and video
- Responses to Literature
Literature Book Clubs, Book Reports, Projects, Response
Journals
26
Curriculum – Grades 4-5 (cont.)
Math
• Basic operations and skills
Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division of money, whole numbers,
integers, decimals, fractions, and percents
• Algebra/Computation and Measurement
Equations, Measurement of time, volume, mass, distance,
• Geometry
• Data Statistics and Graphing
• Writing and Technology integrated throughout
• Use of Smartboard, iPADs and Laptops
• Thinking Process: concrete to abstract, accessing deeper analysis of topic
27
Curriculum – Grades 4-5 (cont.)
Science
• Life, physical and earth science
• 1 Lab report/marking period
• Using interactive software – SMART, Apps, websites to enhance
• 5th grade renewable energy research boards
• Science Fair boards – display of concrete science experiments
28
Curriculum – Grades 4-5 (cont.)
Social Studies
• Study of the United States
- US Regions, State of CT
- People, Geography, Famous Landmarks, Resources and
Products, History, Culture, Growth, Impact of Technology,
Government, Qualities of Citizens
•
- Online research projects, essays, biographies, presentations, etc.
29
Curriculum – Middle School 6-8:
Emphasis on high school preparation
Religion
• Old Testament, symbols, rituals, and Sacraments, morality, church history
and becoming witnesses to our faith
Language Arts
• Variety of genre, short stories, novels
• Grammar instruction including composition, parts of speech, research
papers, SAT prompts, document based question
Spanish Language
• Emphasis is on distinguishing and producing the sound patterns of
Spanish. Students learn to make the correct correspondence between the
written and the spoken word. Concentration is on vocabulary, grammar,
expression of ideas, pronunciation and listening skills.
• Culture is learned through listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Cultural traditions are compared and contrasted among numerous
Spanish-speaking countries, as well as to our own culture.
30
Curriculum – Middle School (Cont.)
Geography
•
Students in grades 7 and 8 gain an understanding of the world around us.
•
Current environmental issues are discussed.
•
Different types of governments and cultures are studied.
•
Catholic Social Teachings are integrated throughout the curriculum.
•
Students participate in the National Geographic Society Bee.
•
A Geography Fair highlights landmarks and locations around the world.
Science
• Life, Physical, and Earth Science
• Use of science lab with inquiry based weekly lab activities
• Annual science fair (school-wide)
31
Curriculum – Middle School (Cont.)
Math
Grade 6: differentiation – (2 groups for 2nd ½ of year)
Grade 7: Algebra Readiness/Pre-Algebra
Grade 8: Pre-Algebra/Algebra
Some students placed into Geometry or Honors Geometry
MathCounts competitive club meets weekly
Math peer tutoring 3x a week
Varied set of math web tools (i.e. Thatqiz.org, ALEKS.com
Social Studies / History
• Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome
• American History from colonial period to the present time
32
Technology
Technology is integrated across all grade levels to:
• Design and develop lessons and activities in a variety of
instructional settings for all students
• Optimize learning
• Differentiate instruction
• Create multi-media presentations
Professional Development:
• Current research on new technologies in order to plan learning
environments and experiences
• Gather curriculum specific information
• Integrate technology into the curriculum/subject
• Use portal to communicate to community
33
IOWA Assessment - Mathematics
12
G
r
a
d
e
10
8
E
q
u
i
v
a
l
e
n
t
6
National
ADH
4
SBS
2
0
3
4
5
Grade Level
6
7
34
IOWA Assessment: English Language Arts
14
G
r
a
d
e
E
q
u
i
v
a
l
e
n
t
12
10
8
National
ADH
6
SBS
4
2
0
3
4
5
Grade Level
6
7
35
Student Ministry
All based on the Catholic Social teaching and bringing dignity and
justice for all life that God has created. We follow in the words of
Jesus “Love one another as I have loved you.” Our prayers go with
every project and we are God’s hands on this earth. “We are called”
Cheshire Food Pantry: “Stuff-a-bus”, Easter bags, Mitten Tree
“Cure” Support – Cheshire Relay for Life, Cheshire Lights of Hope
Military Groups – Vet toiletries, card making, candy collection,
Memorial Day Parade, Flag Day Services
Infant Support – Carolyn’s Place/Waterbury, Birthright rose sale
Parish Service – Shoppers Delite, Lenten suppers
Hospital – chorus to Midstate Medical
Safety/Health – Primary grades Fire Truck/Dental visits
36
St. Bridget Parish - 2014
Marriages - 9
Baptisms - 60
Funerals – 60
Annual Weekly Collection: $12,121.20
Cathedraticum to the Archdiocese: $755.48
37
Financials
Average K – 8 Tuition last five years
• K-8 cost per student based on Budget & Financial Report
- 10-11
$3,722 based on 401 students
- 11-12
$3,846 based on 398 students
- 12-13
$3,905 based on 389 students
- 13-14
Cost: $5,176 Income: $4,021
based on 370 students
- 14-15
Budgeted Cost: 5,870 Income: $4,235
based on 328 students
38
Financials 2014-2015
Archdiocese of Hartford Support
Archbishop’s Annual Appeal Grants $15,000
CSSP – Catholic School Support $10,000
HOPES - $1,000
Archbishop’s Breakfast $6,500
39
Financials
Parish Subsidy – Past Five Years
Year
Subsidy ($)
Bingo ($)
10-11
0
7,500
11-12
0
7,000
12-13
0
16,000
13-14
0
13,122
14-15 Budget
$40,000
$12,500
40
Financial Overview
School Income 2014-2015 Budget
Tuition and Fees
6%
1%
2%
1%
Assessment
7%
Parish Support
Grants
Advancement
Others
83%
41
Financial Overview
School Expenses 2014-2015 Budget
2%
2%
Payroll
13%
Instructional
Operational
7%
Student Services
Advancement
76%
42
Financial Programs to Maintain Stability
Rigorous Budget Development & Tracking
Monthly Cash Flow Analysis
Annual reconciliation of 3 Year Strategic Plan with Financial Outlook
New Development Initiatives
43
Completed Initiatives
• Emergency Alert System
• 100 iPADS- 1:1 computing with each middle school student having
an iPad to use
• 55 iPADS on carts
• 30 laptops
• Fencing around blacktop and field
• New lighting in parking lot
• Window blinds in all classrooms
• Playscape
• Wireless technology throughout building
44
Planned Near Term Capital Initiatives
• Further upgrades to school wide security system
• Expand intercom system to music and art rooms and parish center
• Additional security camera
45
Strategic Plan
• Strong partnership with parish community
• Continued strong Catholic Identity
• Increased outreach
• Increased co-curricular activities
• Expand e-book learning
• Increase mobile device learning
• Increase professional development
• Increase endowment for scholarships
• Investigate need for special education teacher and part time resource
teacher (part time)
• Pave the parking lots
• Electric screen for gym
• Sound system for gym
46
St. Bridget School
Fostering Academic Excellence,
Community Awareness
and
Spiritual Growth
47