September 13, 2004

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1.    Neighborhood Arts Program:  The Franklin County Neighborhood Arts Program is a small grants program designed to assist neighborhood and community groups with arts projects in all disciplines.  Awards range from $200.00 to $2,000.00.  Entries for the next round of applications must be received by
October 29, 2004.
        Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend one of two free grant workshops being offered.  Workshops will be held on Tuesday, October 5 at the King Arts Complex from 2:00-3:00 pm, and Thursday, October 7th at the Greater Columbus Arts Council from 6:30 -7:30 pm.  Contact GCAC at 614-224-2606 to register.
        Download Franklin County Neighborhood Arts program Guidelines and Application Materials from the Community Arts Education section of the Greater Columbus Arts Council's website at www.gcac.org or contact GCAC for more information.

2.    Faith Formation Congress:  As things settle down for a new year, please don't forget to register for the 2004 Faith Formation Congress, November 13 at the Fawcett Center in Columbus.  Up to 4 Religious Education certification hours can be earned or .4 CEUs.  There's something for everyone.
        The registration form may be found on the last page of the brochure.  Brochures were distributed to all principals at the Opening Leadership Meeting at Cherry Valley on August 9.  Please ask if you haven't received one or go on-line at www.cdeducation.org/dre and click on FFC.  If you have any questions, please call Sue Reihing at 614-221-4633.

3.    Weekly Religion Ideas Resources for a New School Year:

        For Teachers- A good resource for all teachers/catechists is Handbook for Today's Catholic from Liguori Publications, $3.95; 1-800-325-9521 or Fax 800-325-9526 or www.liguroi.org.  There is also a Handbook for Today's Teen also from Liguori, $3.95.  Sometimes we just need to know what the words or doctrines mean.  Here are two resources:  The New Catechist Glossary, from Pflaum Publishing Group,
1-800-572-0788 or www.twentythirdpublications.com.  This is $5.18 now until September 30.

        For the Classroom- Ideas connecting the Sunday Eucharistic Liturgy and the readings with students and their families are in Religion Teacher's Journal, September '04, pp. 7-8.  Ideas on sharing the Sunday Gospels are on p. 19.  Also there is an article on "10 Ways to Communicate with Families, pp. 12-13.  Besides teaching students, you are also teaching families.  Regarding the problem of bullying, ideas to try to stop any of that kind of behavior before it begins are on pp. 14-15.  Both the Religion Teacher's Journal and Catechist have "Planning Guides" with calendars and feast days.  There are prayer services for the month in Religion Teacher's Journal and reflections on the Sunday Readings for the year in Catechist.  Use the Liturgical Year in your lessons and especially the Sunday Readings.  Students need to be prepared to be open to hearing the message.  Both the following magazines are excellent for teachers and catechists.  Catechist Magazine is published monthly during the school year with combined issues Nov/Dec and Apr/May for $23.95 per year by Peter Li, Inc., 2621 Dryden Road, Suite 300, Dayton, OH    45439.   (1-800-558-2292, ext. 128)  Religion Teacher's Journal is published monthly during the school year with combined issues in Nov/Dec and Apr/May for $21.95 per year by Twenty-Third Publications, PO Box 180, 185 Willow Street, Mystic, CT   06355-0180.  (1-800-321-0411)  Fax 800-572-0788.

        Resources - Catechetical Sunday is September 19.  This can be celebrated anytime that is convenient for your parish or school.  The kit is from the United States Conference of Bishops, 3211 Fourth Street, NE, Washington, DC   20017-1194; 1-800-235-8722 or www.usccb.org, Order no. 1051; Cost $12.95.  The theme this year is "Stewart of God's Gifts."  There is also a "Catechetical Sunday Commissioning Service" in Catechist Magazine, September, 2004, pp. 67-69.  A "Book Blessing to Begin the Year" is on pp 77-79.  this year's series of articles is on "Jesus Today" and the first article is "Jesus Storyteller and Teacher of His Time and Ours."  Having the teachers/catechists read these articles each month and discuss them would be a good way to earn some methods credits.  Contact your consultant about this or contact www.catechist.com and click on "Catechist Formation Program."  The Catholic Catechist Website:  http://members.aol.com/ruthjoec/index.html. Click on "opening day activities" from the home page.

4.    New Global Resource:  Talk to US is a project that can bring the voices of people around the world into your class through short video clips.  American actions affect people everywhere, yet there are few channels for non-Americans to make their voices heard.  Talk to US is changing that.  There are currently 60 videos from 15 different countries available at http://www.talktoUS.org, for use in your classroom.  Your global issues segment could include the video of Brian, a teenager from Uganda, living with AIDS.  When teaching about China, let your class actually hear the voices of three different people living there today.  For more information, contact info@talktoUS.org.

5.    Teacher Open House:  Wexner Center for the Arts, Sept. 23,  5-9 pm, the Belmont Building, 330 West Spring Street.  K-12 teachers, school administrators, and arts education students are invited to view the Wexner Center's fall exhibition, Work Ethic, and learn about Wexner Center programs for educators at this free open house.  The evening begins with dinner and a preview of 2004-05 school and teacher programs from 5 to 6 pm.  Following the preview, you are invited to join the members' celebration of the exhibition with a special guided tour at 7 pm by Helen Molesworth, the Wexner Center's chief curator of exhibitions and the curator for Work Ethic.  Call 614-292-6493 or e-mail edweb@wexarts.org to reserve your dinner by September 20.

6.    Project Learning Tree-Ohio:  This Pre-K - 8 workshop will be held on September 21 in Newark.  For time, cost, location and/or to register, contact Marti Kolb at 740-349-6699 or mkolb@ci.newark.oh.us.

7.    Building Blocks:  Help your kindergarteners get the best start they can on the road to literacy.  Discover how you can apply the acclaimed "Building Blocks" framework in your kindergarten classroom.  This workshop will be held in Columbus on October 8 at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, 4900 Sinclair Road.  Register on-line at www.SDE.com/REGISTER.
        Principals can attend for free with the paid attendance of any staff member.  CEU or college credit is available.

8.    IPDP:   All teachers new to the Diocese and all teachers who renewed a license over the summer must submit an Individual Professional Development Plan to the Diocesan LPDC which meets on October 7.  Send your plan to the Diocesan Department of Education Personnel Office, 197 East Gay Street, Columbus, OH    43202.   (IPDPs must be signed by the principal before submission).

Comments to office@cdeducation.org

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