Dear Parents and Guardians, Welcome back to another great year of learning! The start of the new academic year is always a moment of great anticipation and excitement. Whether your child is new to a Catholic Academy or Parish School, they are making a change, and this is going to be their first experience in a particular Catholic Academy or Parish School, or they are simply returning to their Catholic Academy or Parish School after a fun-filled summer, this is going to be a very special moment for them. For everyone, students, parents, and teachers alike, there is that wonderful sense of a new beginning and a fresh start. It is natural for students to have a bit of anxiety and maybe even a few questions – what will my teacher(s) be like, who will be in my class, etc. But the focus should always be on the new upcoming adventure of learning and growing. To make it all go smoothly, there are a number of things that we can as parents do to make this educational experience be as positive, productive, and worthwhile as possible. A key responsibility of ours as parents is to help our children embrace this moment and prepare them to get the most out of it as possible. What can you do? First and foremost, help create a climate of positive anticipation. This will be “their” school and we all want them to feel a pride and passion in being there. Share the joy in seeing them be there and all that they will be learning. For your child, encourage that sense of “can’t wait to get to school.” When school begins, take the time to engage in the Catholic Academy or Parish School. Meet the teachers and the school leaders. Introduce yourself. Appreci-ate the fact that they want to partner with you in helping to nurture and support your children. Believe me when I say that the great teachers we have in our Catholic Academies and Parish Schools can’t wait to work with your child (ren). Our teachers today are committed to making a difference in Catholic education within the Diocese of Brooklyn. They want to have an impact and have probably spent much of their summer doing professional development and thinking of ways to make this a great academic year. Enjoy the chance to know them as well. Great schools always come back to the relationship between the child and the teacher. Find ways to engage yourself in school life.

From the Superintendent

September 2019

Volume 2, Issue 1

Planning for Success

Inside this issue: From the Superintendent

1-3

Engaged Parent 4

TACHS Information 5-6

Essential Role 7

Back To School 8

Technology 9

Futures in Education 10-11

PDHP 12-13

Join a parent committee, attend parent meetings, get involved in volunteering and simply just be present as much as you can. Make the educational experience at your Catholic Academy or Parish School “a way of life,” not just the place where you “send” your children. Make it something special that you all share and benefit from together. Trust these great educators and value all that they will be doing for your child. Become involved in the life of the Parish as well. As Catholics, being part of the faith community is essential. Worship with your children on the weekends. Prepare for an adventure. Real adventures in today’s world can be rare, but this Catholic educational adventure is real and all about change, growth, and development. There is so much that is happening in our Catholic Academies and Parish Schools today. There is the creative use of technology. There is the focus on the development of “21st century learning” and all the opportunities to learn in new and exciting ways. Your child will learn to collaborate, communicate, think creatively and critically, and they clearly will develop a sense of character. All of those traits come from the Mission of the Catholic Academy and Parish School that your child will attend and all of them will only occur when school and home are working closely together. School today looks and feels differently than it did when you and I went to school. This is that tremendous sense of momentum that is evident in great Catholic Academies and Parish Schools today as we prepare our children for a world that is also changing rapidly. The skills that this educational adventure will produce will have an impact on how they learn and will ultimately be the key to their future success. And above all else, cherish these years for and with your child. Never lose sight of the fact that time moves quickly and the growth that you will see on a daily basis will seem to flash by you in no time. Appreciate the fact that never in their lives have they had so many adults looking out for their best interests. Home and school together make a tremendous partnership and the beneficiary of all of that love and care, challenge and support, nurturing and mentoring, is ultimately your child. Helping our children get a strong and vi-brant education is a gift – a priceless gift that will last a lifetime. Best wishes for a great academic year! May the Holy Spirit inspire us in all that we do every day! Sincerely, Thomas Chadzutko, Ed.D. Superintendent~Catholic School Support Services

From the Superintendent (Continued)

Page 3 Planning for Success

Tips for Back to School

Summer vacation is a time when children can dream, play, scheme, and goof off. School, on the other hand, is a time for hunkering down and focusing. How can parents help their children get back on track after those blissful weeks of relaxation and recreation? Here are six tips to get you started:

1.Talk about what’s ahead. Have conversations around the dinner table or at other times of the day where you ask your child to reflect on his hopes, fears, goals, and concerns for the coming academic year. Some reflections may revolve around very specific positive goals such as getting good grades, learning a lot about history, or playing sports on the school team. Other thoughts will have a more negative tone, perhaps dealing with anxiety about meeting new people, encountering bullies, or having a teacher who is hard or mean. Regardless of the specific topics discussed, talking about school will stimulate your child to begin focusing his mental energies on the new school year. Make sure to share your own memories about school.

2.Visualize it. If your child isn’t the talkative type, another way to provide a channel for ideas, opinions, and feelings about going back to school is to take a small picture of your child’s school and mount it on a large piece of cardboard with a pen or pencil handy. Then tell your child to write down any words that come to him/her (at any time during the day) regarding going back to school (you may need to place limits on the specific words she uses!).

3. Turn on a movie. Plan on watching some movies together as a family that focus on school life. Use these family viewing times as opportunities to discuss school-related issues that might come up during or after the show.

4. Make back to school prep feel positive. Create a festive occasion around going to the mall to buy school supplies or school clothes. Work in a special meal, a movie, or some other fun event so that the idea of ‘’back to school’’ is associated with positive feelings.

5. Practice some stress-relievers. Share stress reduc-tion techniques your child can use in school before tests and other anxiety-producing events. One of the simplest techniques is to take a deep breath, hold it for a count of five, exhale, and then repeat the process two or three more times. Another easy strategy is to make your limbs stiff like a robot for a count of five, then release and relax them like a rag doll. Finally, you might suggest that your child visualize the most positive relaxing scene she can as a way of easing the school jitters.

6. Hash out the homework routine. Take some time to discuss with your child the issue of homework, including establishing a good time of the day to study (some children are more attentive at the beginning of the day before school, others in the late afternoon, and still others in the evening), a suitable place in the house for doing homework (ideally a place that is free of distractions), and some good ways of maintaining focus while studying .

Some children look forward to school with joyful anticipation while others feel an encroaching sense of dread. Whatever your child’s attitude toward school, by taking some time to help them sort out their own

feelings and prepare for the rigors of the academic world, you’ll be easing them through the transition between the lazy days of summer and the more focused days of the new school year.

Interested in becoming an engaged parent, one involved with the education and formation of your child in a Catholic academy/parish school? Here are some tips for parents as we begin the new academic year:

1. Get to know you child’s principal and teacher.

2. Be sure to read and review the Parent/Student Handbook and return the page indicating that you have read the Handbook with your signature.

3. Be sure to have completed your Student/Parent Profile Information sheet indicating your email, address, phone number and the parish where you and your family are parishioners.

4. Retain a copy of the Academy/Parish School Calendar.

5. Participate in the Back-to-School Night at the Academy/Parish School.

6. Check the Academy/Parish School Website and note the Class/Teacher Pages.

7. Familiarize yourself with the requirements for each class.

8. Be sure to have your access code/password to the OptionC resource.

9. Learn about the Home Academy Association or the Home School Association and resolve to become a member.

10. Collaborate with your child’s teachers. Assume best intentions and work together to solve problems.

11. Help your child develop his or her interests and strengths. Discover what your child really loves to do outside of school.

12. Ask your child: “How was your day? Learn anything interesting? Get to spend time with friends?” instead of “How did you do on the math test?”

13. Encourage your child to participate in after-school activities.

Remember parents that research indicates a strong correlation between parental

participation in the education of the child and academic success.

Brother Ralph Darmento, F.S.C. Deputy Superintendent September 2019

Page 5 Planning for Success

Calling All Eighth Graders for the 2019 TACHS Exam

Submitted By: Mrs. Diane Phelan, Associate Superintendent

During the fall of 2019, eighth grade students in the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Archdiocese of New York will be taking the Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools (TACHS). The TACHS will test current eighth grade students who are interested in attending a Catholic High School beginning September 2020.

In order to be admitted into our Catholic high schools, an eighth grader who attends school within the Diocese of Brooklyn should take the TACHS admissions exam on Saturday, November 9, 2019. The test results from TACHS, along with school records, are then sent to the high school principals to assist them in making admission decisions. Each student’s information will be sent to three high schools of his/her choice. High schools release their admission notices to students via land mail, email or phone call beginning January 15, 2020. The registration fee for the 2019 TACHS exam is $65 per student. Registration is available beginning August 26th, either via the internet at: www.tachsinfo.com or by telephone at 1-866-61TACHS (1-866-618-2247). Registration for TACHS closes on October 21, 2019.

The TACHS exam is only offered to students currently attending eighth grade during the 2019-2020 academic year. Students who are interested in applying to a Catholic High School within the Diocese of Brooklyn in other grades should contact the high school admissions director regarding admissions.

The TACHS exam measures academic achievement in reading, written expression and mathematics, along with an ability section on general reasoning abilities. The TACHS exam is a norm-referenced standardized test. Scores are based on a national sample that compares the students’ scores to the scores of other eighth graders measured at the same time of year that the TACHS is administered. In addition, scores are compared to the scores of all students tested on the 2019 TACHS exam this fall.

The TACHS exam is a secure exam; therefore, students are encouraged to review the TACHS, Student Handbook for 2019 for information concerning this exam. One way to prepare for the TACHS exam is to answer the practice questions in the Student Handbook. This allows students to understand the types of questions that will appear on the test.

The 2019 TACHS Student Handbook is currently available on the TACHS web site and will be available at Catholic elementary schools, Catholic high schools and public schools with eighth grade classes in early September. This handbook contains important information regarding the TACHS Program including a calendar of events, registration information, Catholic High Schools’ open house schedule and Fair dates.

Page 6 Planning for Success

An eligibility form for students requesting extended testing time and detailed directions can be found on the web site or on page 4 of the TACHS Student Handbook. The deadline for receipt of the eligibility form for students needing extended testing time must arrive by October 11, 2019 at the diocesan address located on the form. The TACHS program does adhere to all deadlines as outlined in the TACHS Student Handbook and on the TACHS web site.

Scholarship and financial aid decisions are made by each individual high school. Questions regarding scholar-ships and financial aid should be directed to the high schools. There are two major Catholic High School Informational Expos or Fairs that parents and students may attend to speak directly with high school repre-sentatives.

The High School Information Expos or Fairs for the Diocese of Brooklyn are scheduled from 6 P.M.-8 P.M.:

Tuesday, September 17, 2019 at St. John’s University in the Taffner Field House

And

Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at St. Francis College, in the Genovesi Center

For more detailed information and deadlines regarding the 2019 TACHS exam and all our individual Catholic high schools’ open house dates, please visit our web site at: www.tachsinfo.com.

Volume 2, Issue 1 Page 7

Why a Parent’s Role Is Essential to Student Success Every student has unlimited potential. But there are contributing factors that can affect whether they eventually live up to that potential. Experts believe that a parent’s role in a child’s life has far-reaching impact. Parental involvement is extremely important for a child to do well in school. Some parents may think that it is the teachers’ role to teach, not theirs. But such a belief does both the parents and the children a disservice. Children don’t start and stop learning only during the school day. They are always attuned to learning, at home, with friends, and through other influences. Providing Necessary Guidance It is important for parents to be the steering wheel on the vehicle of learning, providing guidance and information along the entire journey, so that their children stay on course and are not distracted or dissuaded from reaching their academic potential. The importance of parental involvement has been well documented for some time. Studies continue to indicate that a parent’s role in children’s learning is critical to their academic achievement. Many of the studies further show that the most important time to get involved is when children are at the elementary level of schooling. These early years provide parents the most opportune time to explore the world with their children through a variety of fun and helpful learning activities. Exploring nature, reading books together, teaching children basic tasks such as gardening, cooking, building, and so on, are all meaningful activities that reinforce children’s desire to continue to learn new things. As children get older, parents should continue to be involved in their kids’ schoolwork and ensure that they are engaged in their education. Benefits of Parental Involvement There are many benefits that come from early parental involvement in a child’s learning behavior. These include the following: Parents and children enjoy a deeper interaction Children show improved self-esteem and self-worth, improved confidence and better behavior Children complete homework more easily and consistently Children receive better grades on tests and attendance Parents are more aware of what their children are learning and can pinpoint key areas or subjects that the

children may need additional help in A Parent’s Role in Education Part of being involved in your children’s lives includes ensuring they are engaged and challenged in their educational environment, as well as supporting their learning along the way. Look for more ways you can be involved in your child’s education, including reading to the younger children, helping them with their homework, and looking for ways to learn outside of the school day. It’s also important that children enjoy the learning process. Source: Learning Liftoff

Page 8 Planning for Success

Welcome Back to a wonderful new school year! The old Staples commercial used to play “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. As the weather changes from hot and humid to cool and crisp, there is an excitement in the air for new beginnings. Whether this is your first year in your Parish School or Academy, or your tenth, the newness of September happenings is tangible. New binders, and composition books, new pencils and book bags, all waiting to be filled with new knowledge that a next grade brings.

This year, your teachers and principals will be learning many new things, as well. There are new standards in Math and ELA and in Science that will be rolled out and continue to be learned this year. They will be in full effect in 2020, but this is a year of learning. There are Parish Schools and Academies that are going through the process of Accreditation through Cognia (AdvancEd) and that accrediting agency has recently had a name change. We encourage you to participate in the process, when your Parish School or Academy is undergoing that self-reflection and external review. There is a new observation process for teachers called the Marzano model. Lots of learning is happening at all levels.

Your principal and teacher may ask for your input and your participation in the life of the school and the events of the classroom. The Aquinas Program is one program where we would like to have more community involvement. Since we believe that all students have gifts and talents, we are asking Parish Schools and Academies to create innovative offerings of real-life, problem solving courses for any student to participate. We have grant funding available for this initiative. We want to reach all students with innovative opportunities. There may be a teacher who is gifted in art and writing. A six week course may be in writing and illustrating a children’s book to share with PreKindergarten students. That might be one offering in a sequence of six week courses such as Robotics, photography, dance, or coding. If you ( who are Virtus trained) would like to share your talent with a class on learning to speak Italian, or Spanish, or Creole and share recipes from your heritage, you are invited to approach your principal or teacher to volunteer your gifts and talents. We encourage everyone to use their talents to expand the learning in our schools.

We also would be grateful to you to volunteer in programs and in your child’s classroom wherever possible. Your children will benefit greatly from that sharing, as will the other students in the class. If you can’t be involved during the day, ask how else you might be involved. Perhaps with advanced planning, you may be able to chaperone for a class trip or event later in the year. You might be a presenter at a Career Day. The motivation and support from parents is key to a child’s success in school.

As September arrives, create a routine that you and your child may share with each other. Attending Mass as a family, saying Grace before meals or prayers at bedtime strengthens faith. Perhaps it is reading to each other taking turns for 20 minutes per day or as developmentally appropriate. A weekly routine of teaching your child to prepare a recipe at dinner time that was handed down from grandma may become a family routine or tradition. Real life, real math, real science tasks that happen each day in your home will support what your children are learning in school. Perhaps you will teach the class to prepare grandma’s recipe, or to help students to write and illustrate a cookbook with recipes from many grandmas in your child’s class during an Aquinas offering!

Become involved, look for the information that will be coming on the new standards, communicate with your child’s teachers and your principal and have a wonderful 2019-2020 year in Catholic education! Happy Back to School!

Dr Elizabeth Frangella

Page 9 Planning for Success

Back to School Technology Considerations

Welcome back to a new school year! As the days get a little cooler and your children begin their new grade in a new class with new friends, take note of a few things. What have they being doing this summer? Were they able to sit and play video games for hours on end? Did they create music, videos, graphics, or any other content? Did they consume hours of content? Did they hardly touch technology at all since school ended in June? Why does any of this matter?

Digital Citizenship

When the students return to school after summer break, they will likely have fallen into a routine that is different than it was for the previous 10 months. They may have also picked up habits and behaviors that fall outside of the acceptable use policies in place at their school/academy. Remind them about what is expected and what they can and can’t do with school/academy owned devices. Those devices are for educational use. Playing games, checking email and posting to social media should be reserved for personal devices on personal time. They should also be reminded of the appropriate use of social media and digital communications. Whether they are playing a game with friends or commenting on a post, remind them to always be respectful. Reiterate that writing harsh, inflammatory, vulgar or inappropriate comments, posts or messages is not ok and that they should think before they post. Once it is out on the internet, they can’t take it back.

Gaming

Many children get more game time in over the summer. When school starts, you can take the opportunity to

evaluate not only how much they are playing, but also what they are playing. Take some time to research the games they play to help you decide if they are really appropriate. Many of the “Free-to-Play” games available to download on PC and gaming consoles may not be appropriate for your child. For example, the most popular free game, Fortnite: Battle Royal, pits 100 players against each other in a winner take all death match. It is rated T for teen due to the cartoony graphics and lack of gore, but that doesn’t change the content. Unlike when they go to a store to buy a game, no one asks for their ID to download and play these games. I am not saying that letting your child play games like this is wrong, but being aware of what they are playing and informed about the content can help protect them from material you find objectionable and help them make good decisions when choosing what to play.

Content

So just like you, I am a parent. Much of what I share with you comes from not only research, but also my own experience. As I write this section on content and what our children are consuming, please know that I do so as someone who has been and still is where you are. I removed YouTube and YouTube Kids from the iPad my daughter uses. Why did I do this? Mainly because I saw what she was watching and it bothered me. Many of the videos on YouTube Kids are adults playing with toys. First, I did not like the idea of my daughter watching people play instead of playing herself. Second, to be honest, I found the videos of adults playing with toys a little strange. I also found some of the content to be inappropriate. So what

did my daughter do when I said no more YouTube Kids? She complained for a minute, and then she went and played with her own toys. She stopped sitting in front of the screen and started making up her own stories and games. She was consuming less and producing more. I am not saying to block all content, but I definitely suggest filtering what you can and encourage them to spend less time watching other people do things and start doing or creating things themselves.

It is not always easy keeping tabs on what our children do on their devices. One minute they are in ABC Mouse or Disney Channel and the next they are Netflix. Talking to them about what is acceptable and what is not is a huge step toward helping them make good decisions. Spot checks also keep them on track so they know you are not just letting them run amuck. For resources that may help in starting that conversation and to learn more about social media, games and your child’s usage, visit www.commonsensemedia.org. They have extensive articles and resources to assist you in navigating these topics with your child and becoming more informed about how they are interacting with technology through games, content and social media.

Michael Greiner Coordinator of Educational Technology and Data Office of the Superintendent~Catholic School Support Services

Page 10 Planning for Success

Please Save the Date for Futures in Education’s Annual Scholarship Fund Dinner. This year our Dinner will be held on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at Cipriani Wall Street. We raised over $2 million dollars in scholarships last year that directly benefit the students of your school/academy! For more information or to purchase tickets please follow this link: https://futuresineducation.org/events/2019scholarshipdinner/

Scholarships Welcome and best wishes for a wonderful 2019-20 academic year! Did you know that financial aid is available to our families attending Catholic academies and parish schools in Brooklyn and Queens? Visit www.futuresineducation.org and go to Scholarships and Apply Now for more information. Funding for 2019-20 is almost exhausted but remember that our applications open again in January 2020 for the 2020-21 academic year! We are pleased to share that over 4,500 students have received financial aid this year! Angel Families! Please make this a great year by submitting your angel documents in on time! Information and instructions will be sent directly to you; your Angel donor can’t wait to hear from you!

Page 11 Planning for Success

Catholic Alumni Partnership Update Are you or someone you know a graduate of a Catholic school in Brooklyn or Queens? Did you know that the Catholic Alumni Partnership (CAP) is a great way to keep in touch with your elementary school and to give back? Please email cap@futuresineducation.org for more information.

Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday is a global movement used to encourage people to give back on the Tues-day following Thanksgiving Day. Last year, CAP had its best Giving Tuesday results! Now is a great time to see if you or anyone you know would be interested in creating a chal-lenge donation to match what is raised at your school/academy on Giving Tuesday, Decem-ber 3, 2019. Let’s make this Giving Tuesday even better than last year!

Page 12 Planning for Success

Increasing Protective Factors For more than 40 years, the Program for the Development of Human Potential (PDHP) has provided educational presentations, short-term counseling, assessments, family therapy, parent workshops and crisis counseling at Diocese of Brooklyn schools. As families prepare for their children to return to an academy school, in less than thirty days, PDHP wanted to share with the community eleven tips to strengthen your child’s protective factors, which will lower the risk of problem behaviors from occurring.

Community Protective Factors

Opportunities for Prosocial Involvement

“When more opportunities in a community are available for youth to get actively involved, they are less likely to engage in substance use and other problem behaviors. Prosocial activities for youth are often structured and supervised by positive role models, but they always provide opportunities for youth to practice and build stronger social skills.”

Rewards for Prosocial Involvement

“Rewards for participation in prosocial activities help children and young adults bond to the community, thus lowering their risk for problem behaviors.”

Family Protective Factors

Family Opportunities for Prosocial Involvement

“Young people who are exposed to more opportunities to participate meaningfully in the responsibilities and activities of the family are less likely to engage in problem behaviors.”

Family Rewards for Prosocial Involvement

“When parents, siblings, and other family members praise, encourage, and attend to things done well by children, the children are less likely to engage in drug use and other problem behaviors.

Family Attachment

“Young people who feel close to their parents and feel they are a valued part of their family are less likely to engage in drug use and other problem behaviors.”

School Protective Factors

School Opportunities for Positive Involvement

“When young people are given more opportunities to participate meaningfully in important activities at school, such as extra-curricular activities or after school academic activities, they are less likely to engage in drug use and other problem behaviors.”

School Prosocial Involvement

“Students with greater participation in after-school activities such as music, sports, arts, academic related groups (e.g., French club, school newspaper, science clubs), community service clubs or other prosocial structured activities report decreased rates of alcohol and other substance abuse.”

School Rewards for Positive Involvement

“When young people are recognized and reinforced for their involvement and

contributions at school, they are less likely to be involved in substance use and other problem behaviors.”

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Peer-Individual Protective Factors

Religiosity

Young people who regularly attend religious services are less likely to engage in problem behaviors. Conversely, the research has shown that youth who do not attend church/religious services regularly are more likely to engage in substance use.

Belief in the Moral Order

Young people who have strong beliefs in what is “right” or “wrong” are less likely to use drugs.

Social Skills

Young people who are socially competent can engage in positive interpersonal relations with their peers are less likely to use drugs and engage in other problem behaviors.

Any member of the community seeking more information about protective and risk factors may call the PDHP Brooklyn field office at 718- 8871-7777 and ask to speak to Kathryn Riggs- Poy, LMSW or the Queens field office at 718-849-2200 and ask to speak to Salvatore Violo, LCSW.

We look forward to our children safely returning to school and working with our families throughout the year.