But without a doubt, my first 100 days have been marked with profound inspiration and admiration for the incredible work happening within the CISVA schools.
One of the greatest parts of my job, thus far, has been my ability and privilege to visit nearly half of our 46 schools. Whether meeting with individual principals, entire staffs, Parent Education Committees or visiting individual teachers in their classrooms - I have been completely inspired by the faith, dedication, passion and commitment to "best practice" of men and women working in our schools - in humble service of our students.
Walking into our schools, not only do they "look" Catholic but the Gospel values permeate the hearts and minds of staff and students . The daily actions of staff members and students embody the life giving values that honour the "whole child"- with their many and varied blessings, talents and challenges. I am sensing a genuine and overall happiness from students at school.
I am learning things about schools that I never noticed before or even had access to. Here is a small collection of noteworthy items happening in a few schools that caught my attention over the past 100 days:
- Learning Supported by Technology: a school's 3:1 iPad initiative, a school using Google Chromebooks, a teacher is awarded the Prime Ministers Award for her use of technology in the classroom, and how other schools are using BYOD and other resources to empowering learning through technology
- An outdoor Kindergarten program
- some high-school teachers moving to "grade-less report cards"
- Schools moving to more holistic grading guidelines - placing the focus on student learning as opposed marks
- a school taking Gr. 7 students to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre for a week -where students actually "become marine biologists"
- a school community (parents, staff and students) coming together to raise funds and build a new playground
- Schools empowering students, teachers and parents to be agents of change for those less fortunate at the Door is Open and at the Agape Street Ministry
- Students in our schools learning to code and even gaining employment in the field
- Schools using Social Media to connect with their communities- see the growing use of the #CISVA hashtag
- Schools being intentional about the spiritual, social and emotional health of students. Whether through programs like Second Step, I am a gift from God or high school peer counseling programs
- Early Childhood Intervention Programs and Literacy initiatives that place an intentional focus on meeting the learning needs of individual learners at an early age.
I know that there are many more incredible things happening in our schools that I am sure to encounter in the coming months.
I have come to learn these things because my new role has allowed me to connect with people and schools on a different level.
And yet I think we are missing out on a system wide opportunity.
We need to get to a place where my "privileged" position as an Associate is irrelevant!
With today’s access to social media, we increasingly have an opportunity to tell and share our own story to a broader audience - beyond our local communities.
More importantly, as we look grow in our own faith, improve our own professional practice as Catholic school educators and enrich the teaching and learning in our school’s we need to look to each other for support, sharing and learning.
The first 100 days have been full of inspiration. I want others to see what I have seen. Let's continue to create networks of learning across school communities, in an effort to share and inspire each other to continue to meet the needs of every student entrusted to our care.
