West/Northwest Catholic Schools

Catholic Schools WeekFaith Knowledge Discipline Morals Faith Knowledge Discipline Morals2

Catholic Schools Week is a yearly publication organized by the Specialty Publications Department of The Community Press/The Community Recorder.

Questions and comments can be sent to Editor Melissa Hayden c/o The Community Press/394 WardsCorner/Loveland, OH 45140 or e-mail [email protected]. Or call 248-7121.

For advertising call 923-3111.

Welcome letter . . . . . . . . . . . 2Roger Bacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Catholic schools expand . . 7Wellness part of mission . . 8Character-building . . . . . . . . 9St. Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Seton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Our Lady of Lourdes . . . . . 12Our Lady of Victory . . . . . . . . 14ESAP provides assistance 15

St. Aloysius in Bridgetown 16Saints Peter & Paul . . . . . . 14Nativity students relate . . 17McAuley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Mother of Mercy . . . . . . . . . . 19St. Antoninus . . . . . . . . . . . 20St. Michael . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Elder Spiritual Boosters . 22St. John Paul II . . . . . . . . . . 23St. Jude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

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West/Northwest

The National Catholic Education Association hasdeclared Jan. 31 through Feb. 6, 2010, Catholic SchoolsWeek.

This year the theme for the celebration is “CatholicSchools: Dividends for Life.” Each year the NationalCatholic Education Association has a week dedicatedto increasing the awareness of the contribution thatCatholic schools make to the neighborhoods in theUnited States.

Catholic schools are places where the presence ofGod is paramount, where life in its true meaning isexemplified; where excellence in learning is the normand where service to your neighbor and community isexpected.

The young people in your neighborhood whoattend Catholic schools are expected to be examples ofgood neighbors, to care about their community and toserve it to the best of their ability.

I invite you to visit the Catholic school/s in yourneighborhood and share the excitement that exists tosee youngsters carry out their faith commitment andto observe where they are taught to care for others.

Catholic schools are faith-filled environmentswhere students are expected to attain their academic

best and contribute positively to their community.The Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of

Cincinnati are proud to be listed among the top in thenation.

Again this year we have two schools that havereceived Blue Ribbon Awards; St. Veronica ElementarySchool in Mount Carmel and St. Michael ElementarySchool in Sharonville. During this week, we salute allof our Catholic schools and those who work withinthem.

This includes the parents, teachers, administratorsand staff of the Catholic schools, their pastors andmost of all the students who attend them. Join with usas we celebrate the freedom in this country that allowsand encourages parents to choose faith-based educa-tion for their children.

In Christ and Mary,

Brother Joseph Kamis, SMSuperintendent of Catholic Schools

Archdiocese of Cincinnati

Dear Neighbors,

3Faith Knowledge Discipline Morals Faith Knowledge Discipline MoralsJan. 31 - Feb. 6 2010

Roger Bacon creates a personalenvironment that allows youngmen and women to stand out byoffering them the relationships, dis-cipline and opportunities needed tosucceed in a changing world.

Roger Bacon students stand outacademically. Last year more than90 percent of our graduates contin-ued their education at colleges anduniversities around the country.

Additionally, 52 percent of theclass earned scholarships valued at$5.6 million. Over the last fouryears, 70 percent of AdvancedPlacement students passed the APtests, and the College Board named24 students as National MeritScholars.

Roger Bacon students stand outpersonally. Because of its size,Roger Bacon encourages its stu-dents to participate in multipleextra-curricular activities. Morethan 95 percent of the students par-

ticipate in one or more of 38 extra-curricular, co-curricular or athleticorganizations or teams.

From the world-renownedband to the one-of-a-kindunderwater hockeyteam, Roger Baconstudents are encour-aged to explore andexpand their hori-zons.

Roger Bacon stu-dents stand out per-sonally. Roger Baconoffers all students,opportunities to meet stu-dents from around the world.Exchange students from around theworld regularly attend RogerBacon.

In 2010 students from China andItaly will graduate from RogerBacon. Recently, groups of RogerBacon students spent a part of theirsummer holidays visiting England,

France and Italy.Finally, Roger Bacon students

stand out spiritually. Last year’ssenior class devoted 4,336

hours to community serv-ice, the foundation of

Roger Bacon’sFranciscan teachings.

Students enterhigh school asyoung boys andgirls and graduate

as young men andwomen with a com-

passionate globalvision.

Roger Bacon affords its stu-dents outstanding opportunities toachieve success in the traditionalcollege preparatory curriculum.However, it also offers studentsopportunities to experience andachieve outstanding levels of per-sonal development throughouttheir high school years.

Stand out at Roger Bacon

Roger Bacon students STAND OUT

academically.

CCrreeaattiivveeLivingCall 923-3111

Share what your school has to offer …

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Don’t miss theFebruary issue...



By Patricia A. Scheyer | Contributor

Certain Cincinnati Catholicschools are readjusting to bettermeet the needs of the communityand their parishioners.

St. James school in White Oakis currently in the process of con-structing a STEM lab, or Science,Technology, Engineering andMath lab. The lab will not be anew, freestanding edifice, butinstead transform 1700 squarefeet of existing classroom space.

“We are currently workingvery hard to raise the funds thatwill make this lab a reality,“ saidDoug Behr, Science DepartmentChair for St. James. “With thesupport of the parish and thefamilies of the students at theschool we feel we will be able toachieve our goal.”

The project is in the finaldesign approval, and has a fewmore steps before the job is shov-el ready, but the school has time.

They would like to begin workthe day after school dismisses forthe summer in June, and plan tohave it ready for use when thestudents come back in August.

To date, the committee hasraised $30,000, and has another$10,000 pledged.

They have a line on a GoodNeighbor Grant which will pro-vide an additional $15,000 if St.James raises another $15,0000.Behr said the school is planning awalk-a-thon in the spring calledthe Panther Prowl, to raise moremoney.

“We expect this lab to expandthe experience of the students inthe sixth, seventh, and eighthgrades especially, so they can bet-ter develop the skills for highschool and college,” explainedBehr. “In addition, the older stu-dents can work with the youngerstudents, which will benefit allthe age groups.”

In another part of the city, Our

Lady of Grace school isin their second year ofexistence, a regionalschool that originated toincorporate the talentsand resources of four otherparish schools which closed.

“St. Ann, Assumption, andLittle Flower schools closed afterthe 2008 school year, and St.Margaret Mary closed two yearsbefore the other three,” saidMichael Johnson, Principal ofOur Lady of Grace. “Everybodywho worked in all those schoolshad to reapply to work at thisregional school, so no one schoolhad an advantage.”

In looking around for where tolocate this school, St. Ann’s cam-pus on West Galbraith seemed tohave more space, so the oldschool was transformed, as wellas part of a friary, and a newwing that the church had added.

That first year, 718 studentsfrom kindergarten through

eighthgradestartedschool,

findingthat they

had not only anew facility, but

two outside modulars,one housing a music classroomand a music lab, and the otherhome to speech and language,the school psychologist, and theinstruction specialist.

“When we drew from all theother schools, we found we hadenough resources to create a real-ly nice music department, andadd to a lot of other depart-ments,” explained Johnson.“What we wanted to do in creat-ing Our Lady of Grace was to beproactive in offering students awell-rounded Catholic education.

The parish schools wanted toensure that they maintained their

Catholic schools expanding “What we wanted to do … was to be proactive in offering

students a well-roundedCatholic education.”

Expanding | Continued Page 10


By Neva Martin | Contributor

Wellness hasbeen an increas-ing concernfor schoolsin recentyears.

Problemsof obesity,abundanceof junk foodand lack ofexercise havebeen covered exten-sively in the news. A

school in Corryville hasbeen striving over

the past year torecognize the

importanceof studenthealth byformingaWellnessCouncil.

ShirleyGaede

Speakes, direc-tor of develop-

ment at Corryville

Catholic School, said acommittee of faculty, stu-dents, parents and com-munity members firstcompleted the SchoolHealth Index, which is aself-assessment and plan-ning guide developed bythe Centers for DiseaseControl.

“The School HealthIndex helped the WellnessCouncil take a broad viewof the entire school, toassess where Corryville iscurrently in regard to

health education, nutri-tion, physical activity,health and safety, andfamily and psychosocialsupports,” Speaks said.

The Wellness Councilwas formed last year dur-ing the initial phases of aresearch study, conductedwith Catherine Ramstetter,who is working on herPh.D. in health educationat the University ofCincinnati.

She walked by theschool every day during

the first year of her doc-toral course work at UC in2007 and felt drawn to it.

“There it sits, this beau-tiful old school, land-locked and surrounded byUC and urban activity,and I just wanted to goinside and see what Icould do to volunteerthere,” said Ramstetter.

“I had volunteered atmy kids' elementaryschool in the early ’90sand I missed elementarykids.”

She checked in withSister Marie Smith, CCSprincipal, initially to findout if the school neededanything related to healthand, ultimately, if it need-ed volunteers.

After passing a back-ground check, Ramstetterwas assigned to volunteerone day a week in theschool's library readingprogram.

“I simply fell in lovewith the students, theschool, the mission,”Ramstetter added.

In the spring of 2008,she approached the prin-cipal about her need to doa dissertation and shewanted to focus on schoolhealth.

“Sister Marie was, andcontinues to be, open,supportive and agreeableto my offering my assis-tance to the school's over-all mission, in the form ofbeing the champion forthe school health initia-tive.”

In October of 2008,Ramstetter proposed herParticipatory ActionResearch Study at the fac-ulty meeting, and theteachers unanimouslyagreed to embark on thestudy together.

Wellness - part of Corryville Catholic’s educational, spiritual mission

The Wellness Council was formed last year during the initial phases of aresearch study.

Wellness continued page 10


Collecting needed items forthe poor, leading by example,putting virtues into practice –these actions can all lead to char-acter building for students fromprekindergarten through highschool and pay dividends for life.

St. James School in White Oakhas an Eighth Grade LeadershipCouncil in which 26 studentshelp lead the school.

Jeff Fulmer, teacher and mar-keting coordinator, said theseeighth-graders applied or werenominated for the council for thisschool year. They gave up aweekend of their summer tospend a night at the schoolto learn about leader-ship.

“We talked aboutservant leader-ship… and theyset goals,” saidFulmer.

They holdmonthly collec-tions, bake salesand other fundrais-ers. They've sent morethan 300 pounds of candy totroops overseas and, duringAdvent, collected 2,900 toiletryitems for area families and awomen's shelter.

“They also held a coat driveand collected more than 1,150coats to donate to St. Vincent dePaul,” Fulmer added.

St. Vincent Ferrer's School inKenwood also collected cannedand boxed foods for needy fami-lies. For Advent, the school con-

ducted a toy drive, said PrincipalDouglas L. Alpiger.

“This year we had the largestcollection of toys the school hasseen,” said Alpiger. “We deliv-ered those toys, too.”

This year's school theme istaken from Mother Teresa: “Dosmall things for one another withgreat love.”

When a student is witnessedcarrying out this theme, teachersreward him or her with a cutoutof a heart with that student'sname, displaying it on theschool's Loving Heart Wall.

“For example, this morning, akindergartner came to

school a little bit lateand was crying in

the parking lotbecause she waslost,” Alpigersaid. “A fifth-grader took herhand and walked

her to her class.”Compassion can

be shown on a glob-al as well as local basis.

At Immaculate Heart ofMary School in AndersonTownship, students have helpeda graduate of that school, DannyBurridge, now a missionary in ElSalvador.

IHM Co-principal NancyGoebel explained that Burridgecame and talked to the IHM com-munity last August, explainingthe violence in the communityand his desire to lift up the stu-dents at one of the parishes he

serves. The school has sentmoney down to help with after-school programs.

“We strive to make our stu-dents lifelong learners, but moreimportantly, we want them to belifelong givers,” Goebel added.“Contributing to the efforts of amissionary like Danny helps tonurture the character of the giver.”

Giving is a big part of the old-est high school in Cincinnati. St.Xavier, founded in 1831, has heldan annual Canned Food Drive formore than 80 years.

This year they set a record forthe drive, conducted for six weeksbetween November and Christmas,said Matt Kemper, CommunityService director at St. X.

“We delivered 147,000 pounds(of food) to about 450 familiesand three Appalachian communi-ties,” said Kemper, adding,“About 20 social services agen-cies or food pantries come to St.X and we fill up their trucks withfood.”

He calls the drive “a greatopportunity” for St. X students tomeet people in need and under-stand they can help them. “Ithink they learn a great deal bycollecting food but also by enter-ing into relationship with peoplein need.”

St. Gertrude School in Madeiraalso has a tradition of reachingout. Celebrating its 75th anniver-sary, and helped by parents aswell as the presence ofDominican friars and sisters since1934, St. Gertrude developed aVirtue Education program. Itincorporates virtues of the saintsinto the children's daily lives.

This past summer, St. Gertruderevamped the program, renamingit “Virtues in Practice,” said SisterMary Sheila Maksim, principal,based on the theological virtuesof faith, hope and charity. Thisyear is the year of charity.

The principal explained it as“a Catholic version of the bully-prevention program that doesn'tlabel students as bullies” and ithas a parent guide. “It's a draftbut it gives them a list of thingsthey can do at home, by grade.”

A weekly Golden Cross isawarded to students and adultsthat practice a virtue.

Maksim explained that Virtuesin Practice means doing a gooddeed, practicing it over and overuntil it becomes a habit. “Most ofthe work behind it is the roleplays they're doing in class anddoing at home.”

Character-buildingprograms develop students, onegrade at a time


We strive to make our students lifelonglearners, but more

importantly... lifelonggivers.

Programs | Continued Page 14

St. Xavier students help with the school’s annual Canned Food Drive.


The Catholic educationstudents receive at St.Martin’s will surely reapdividends for their future.We provide a firm foun-dation in academics, faithformation, self-discipline,and morals.

Academics are verystrong at Saint MartinSchool. Their junior highstudents receive excellentpreparation for highschool in a very well-equipped science lab.Advanced math classes areprovided to students ingrades six, seven, andeight.

Spanish has been intro-duced in fourth and fifthgrades. In addition to theirhighly qualified and expe-rienced classroom teach-ers, physical educationand music teachers, theschool staff includes aspeech therapist, readingand math interventionspecialists, technologycoordinator, and coordina-tor of religious education.

Saint Martin of Tourshas been in the forefrontof integrating technologyinto elementary educa-tion. They were the firstschool on the west side toequip every classroomwith SMART boards, pro-jectors, laptops and

VCR/DVD players. SmartAirliner slates provide themobility for students andteachers to access theSMART board from anyplace in the classroom.They have a wireless net-work to allow Internetaccess from laptops any-where in the building,and a computer lab whichseats up to 33 students.

The TurningPoint audi-ence response clickersallow students to partici-pate more actively in classand give teachers immedi-ate feedback from the stu-dents during lessons.Several of their classes arebeginning to explore dis-tance learning by video-conferencing with class-rooms in other parts ofthe country via SKYPE.

The Edline homepageallows parents to viewtheir children's grades,keep in touch with teach-ers via email, and receivecommunications weeklyfrom the school office.Parents are able to sched-ule teacher conferencesonline using Pickatime.

The latest educationalsoftware is also integratedinto the educational pro-grams of the school.Special needs studentshave access to Kurzweil

assistive technology andDragonfly voice activatedtyping programs. TheAccelerated Reader pro-gram has been upgradedto provide online testingand access to the entireAR library. They subscribeto the netTrekker searchengine to provide stu-dents with access to safe,age appropriate researchmaterials.

Students learn earlywhat it means to sharetheir faith by participatingin many service projectsthroughout the year.

They hold a yearlyMission Fair to raisemoney for St. Julie Schoolin Uganda.

This year they alsopurchased books for St.Julie's through the gen-erosity of our students.Student Council is cur-rently involved in a proj-ect to collect soccer ballsfor children in Iraq. Thechildren in all grades sendcards and letters to parishshut-ins and visit nearbynursing homes.

For more information,contact St. Martin School,3729 Harding Ave. at 661-7609 or visit them athttps://www.edline.net/pages/St_Martin_of_Tours_Elementary.

St. Martin students reap dividendsrecord of excellence, andthe regional school posi-tioned them to do so. Wehave two science labs, amusic lab and classroom,a large library, and anexcellent art and physicaleducation department.”

One Juridical Pastortakes care of the school,and though Father BobGoebel from Little Flowerholds the title now, everyyear that title can move toanother pastor.

Bus service is providedfor all but St. MargaretMary parish, since Northcollege Hill is a commu-

nity school which doesnot provide bussing, andthe students come from alarge demographic area.

“We have wonderfulCatholic schools here inCincinnati, and our fami-lies have a variety ofoptions available tothem,” said Johnson.

“With the regionaliza-tion of our schools, somefamilies chose to leave,while at the same time wegained other studentsbecause of the commit-ment our covenantparishes have made toensuing quality Catholiceducation for our com-munities.”

From page 7

Expanding

“We began the studyin May 2009 with a ‘Callto Action,' inviting allparents, students, teach-ers, staff board membersand volunteers to partici-pate,” said Speaks.

More than 80 peopleresponded to the “Call”and, after they startedplanning meetings for thestudy last summer, theyofficially began callingthemselves a WellnessCouncil in August 2009.

Speaks said the studywill take place over onefull school year, but thework of the WellnessCouncil will continue asan ongoing project.

“We have also formeda Student WellnessCouncil composed of twostudents from each grade,fifth through eighth,”Speaks added.

“Junior high studentsnow take a yoga classonce a week as part ofthis approach to well-ness.”

The Student WellnessCouncil meets eachFriday during lunch toevaluate and make rec-ommendations forhealthy snack alternativesfor Corryville's CougarCredits. Students canearn Cougar Credits forgood behavior and/oracademic performance.

“While my dissertationwill be completed thisspring, 2010, our work,my involvement, mycommitment to CCS willremain,” Ramstetter said.

From page 8

Wellness


Explore the Seton story andyou'll be intrigued by everychapter! Strong characters, richhistory, exceptional setting andpowerful faith and values are thebackbone of Seton.

Enriched with exceptional aca-demics in a faith-based educa-tion, Seton's offerings include acollege-prep comprehensive cur-riculum with 15 advanced place-ment classes and volumes ofcourse electives.

This year, Seton is the onlyCatholic high school to be includ-ed in C-STEP, (Science,Technology, EngineeringProgram) funded by the NationalScience Foundation and based atthe University of Cincinnati.

A leader in Catholic educa-tion, Seton's incredible state-of-the-art campus offers studentseverything they need to learnand excel.

All freshmen, sophomores andjuniors have their own personalTablet PC. Students take notes on

their tablets, receive worksheetsand turn in assignments electron-ically, and have immediate accessto the best software which is inte-grated into the curriculum.

The wireless campus literallyoffers the world to students andthe possibilities are endless.

Combined with an experi-enced staff knowledgeable notonly in their field but in theworld of technology, curriculumis presented by incorporating thebest practices in education.

Seton has a renowned per-forming arts tradition. This yearthe Seton-Elder PerformanceSeries celebrates 40 years ofexceptional entertainment, unlikeany other program in the city.

The setting at Seton includesan on-campus 900 seat air-condi-tioned Performance Theatre thatwas renovated over the summer.

Seton is home to theCincinnati MetropolitanOrchestra and advanced orches-tral students have the opportuni-

ty to practice and perform withthe CMO.

Through the leadership of theSisters of Charity, Seton instructsand challenges their students tothrive in an environment thatpromotes exceptional growthacademically, spiritually and per-sonally, preparing young womenfor their future.

From the class of 2009, 99 per-cent are continuing with post-sec-ondary education.

All students participate incommunity service. With over 30co-curricular activities, 12 varsitysports and an exceptional finearts program, Seton offers some-thing for everyone.

The welcoming atmosphereand spirit at Seton is legendary,they even have a national schoolspirit title to prove it!

Once you begin your story atSeton, you'll see why it is a best-seller!

Considering Seton? A Novel Idea!

Seton’s facilities include five state-of-the-art science labs with lecture areas.


A Catholic education at OurLady of Lourdes prepares a childfor life.

The Catholic elementaryschool serves to lay the founda-tion of the basic beliefs and tradi-tions of the church and strives tobe a model of a christian commu-nity in today’s world.

They prepare their students tobecome productive members ofsociety and to assume theirresponsibilities of discipleship.

“We instill in our students agentle spirit,”said PrincipalAimeeEllmaker.“This isrevealedthrough thelittle thingsour studentsdo like smil-ing, sayinghello, holdingopen a door.”

The bigthings countfor somethingtoo.

Our Ladyof Lourdesparticipates in

a number of service projects thatare not only meaningfully buttruly get the students involved.The students are making a dailydifference in the community andworld.

“Our mission is to provideservice,” Ellmaker explained.“We embody that using it in ourdaily vocabulary, our actions andservice projects. We want toteach children to strengthen andshare their gifts with others.”

The faculty, staff, and alumnitogether with the parents andstudents make a daily effort tolive the gospel message in word,attitude, and action.

Our Lady of Lourdes Schoolstrives to educate the whole per-son by promoting the spiritual,moral, intellectual, emotional,and physical development ofeach student in a value-centeredenvironment of mutual respect.

“Everyone is here working for

the same purpose, the students,”Ellmaker said. “We invested withour time, energy and hearts.”

Academic excellence isachieved by a strong curriculumand development of students’individual talents.

SMART Board technology isavailable in every classroom andOur Lady of Lourdes has one ofthe largest tech classrooms in thearea and their own technologycoordinator.

With a fully automated libraryand two gymnasiums, studentshave an array of educational andextra curricular activities toexpand their dreams and helpthem grow.

“We have an awesome groupof educators,” Ellmaker said.

This is a group committed toquality Catholic education byproviding opportunities for spiri-tual, academic, and personalgrowth.

The curriculum of Our Ladyof Lourdes espouses Christianprinciples in all our endeavors.

This year Our Lady ofLourdes celebrates 83 years ofexcellence and openly invite yourfamily to join in a partnership forbetter education, better life – abetter world.

Our Lady of Lourdes will hostan open house 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Sunday, Jan. 31. For more visitwww.lourdes.org or call 347-2660.

Our Lady of Lourdes prepares students for life

“Our missionis to provideservice. Weembody thatusing it in our dailyvocabulary,our actionsand serviceprojects.”

Principal Aimee Ellmaker

St. Veronica School inMount Carmel has anoth-er character-developingprogram, EverybodyCounts.

Gina Code., St.Veronica principal,explains that theNovember programfocuses on a particulardisability at each gradelevel in the K-8 school.

Trained parent volun-teers present informationand the students partici-pate in activities that helpthem understand thetopic at their grade level.

A guest speaker visitsmost classrooms, addingadditional insight. Thefifth-graders then sponsora bake sale, with all pro-ceeds contributed to St.Joseph Children's Home.

“Our students (also)contribute to a monthlymission with our seventh-graders (as) mission lead-ers. The fourth-grade stu-dents adopt grandparentsin the community,” saidBecky Vontsolos, technol-ogy coordinator.

The Special FriendsProgram pairs students asbuddies from first andeighth grades to build

community and provideopportunities for growth.

The school also recog-nizes students eachmonth who demonstrategood character traits intheir actions and in writ-ing in their KindnessJournals, which theycarry with them through-out their school years.

“The students developa variety of strong charac-ter traits that will benefitthem personally and thepeople they come intocontact with at St.Veronica and throughouttheir lifetime,” saidVontsolos.

Our Lady of VictorySchool prepares studentsfor success by providingan education infused withtechnology.

OLV teachers and stu-dents utilize the latestlearning tools on theschool's wireless campus,including desktop com-puters, smart boards, lap-tops, wireless slates, digi-tal cameras, and iPods.

Students of all ages areinteracting with technolo-gy daily, using the laptops

to compose music andmanipulate digital pho-tography, SMART Boardsto transform instruction,and computers to analyzeresearch and plan multi-media presentations.

First-grade studentslook forward to musicclass as they use interac-tive notes and melodieson the SMART Boardwhile learning to playdulcimer.

Kindergarten studentssing along with theirSpanish teacher as theyuse the SMART Board tolearn Spanish vocabulary.

Eighth-grade studentswill be breaking in theirnew laptop computers asthey prepare for the histo-ry fair this spring.

The social studies andlanguage arts teachers arecollaborating to providethis opportunity for stu-dents to learn more aboutthe impact and change ofinnovations in history.

The laptop computerswill be a valuable tool forthe students as they refineresearch techniques andpresentation skills.

“Students are learningand developing criticalskills essential in today'sdigital age.

And, this is just thebeginning. In 2010, theschool is adding technolo-gy tools to the newly ren-ovated science lab,” statesPrincipal Kathy Kan.

Visit www.olv.org orcall 513-347-2072 to learnmore about the education-al opportunities availableto students at Our Lady ofVictory.


Our Lady of Victory:Technology in action

Students of all agesare interacting withtechnology daily

From page 9

Programs

In August, 2009, 47 scholar-ship winners of the EducationalScholarship Assistance Program,formerly the Elder ScholarsAssistance Program, were recog-nized at a reception at Elder HighSchool. Recipients were selectedbased on essays submitted.

The Educational ScholarshipAssistance Program or ESAP wasfounded in 2005 to provide schol-arships and financial aid to fami-lies at ten Catholic grade schoolswithin what was then the ElderHigh School district.

Today ESAP has grown toinclude 20 west-side gradeschools that feed into several areaCatholic high schools. Over thepast five years, ESAP has award-ed over $580,000 to 1500 students.

ESAP was started by George“Butch” Hubert, Jr., Elder alumof the class of 1959. Butch grewup in Fairmont and was the sonof a poor family with a strug-gling butcher supply company.From these humble beginnings,

Mr. Hubert began the legacy ofworking hard and giving back.The lessons he learned from hisfamily, the nuns at St. Leo's gradeschool, and the priests at Elderwere never far from his mind,nor was Elder's motto, “What Ihad I gave. What I saved I lost.”

ESAP began with a brief con-versation with a waitress atWhite Castle.

Elder was playing WintonWoods in the 2003 SkylineCrosstown Showdown when Mr.Hubert entered White Castle fora quick burger before the game.Seeing him in his Elder T-shirtthe waitress said, “Hey, my kidwants to go to your school!”

Knowing the value of aCatholic education, the waitresswas working three jobs to earnthe money necessary to send herchildren to Catholic schools, butit was still not enough. Her storystayed with Mr. Hubert. He triedto find her again to personallyaid her but could not. Her story

and her struggles, however, res-onated with him and his humblebeginnings.

How could he help her andothers like her, people who areworking hard and doing theirbest and trying to raise childrenwith values?

A plan began to form – the

creation a scholarship fund tohelp families afford Catholicschool tuition. The result was theestablishment of the ElderScholarship Assistance Program.

Until recently, Mr. Hubertremained the anonymous donor.


ESAP provides assistance to Catholic elementary school families

Butch Hubert (second from left) with ESAP Scholarship winner, JT Williams, and his parents, Sheri andBob Williams.

ESPA | Continued Page 16

Daughter, KathyHubert Smith, explains,“My dad did not wantattention drawn to him-self. He was just glad tobe helping others, but itwas brought to his atten-tion that if he announcedhimself, his examplecould spur more generosi-ty. His giving could be alight drawing others tofollow and give. And inthis light, it is our hopethat others will follow.”

In 2009, ESAP awardedclose to $140,000 to over350 families. Mrs. HubertSmith shared these finalthoughts with the scholar-ships recipients and theirfamilies, “You haveshown the ESAP spirit.You are the parent model-ing – you are the studentgiving freely. Rememberthis award and how itwas earned. Continue tobe an example of generos-ity and continue to makeour world a better andbrighter place.”

Applications for the2010 ESAP scholarshipsand financial aid areavailable at www.elderhs.org. Applications are dueMarch 1.


With math and reading scoresamong the top 10 percent in thenation, fully-integrated technolo-gy, multiple extra-curricularoptions, and Catholic valuesunderlying everything,it's not difficult to tounderstand whydozens of familiesdrive past otherschools so theirchildren canattend St.Aloysius Gonzagain Bridgetown.

The individual-ized student attention,challenging curriculum, dedi-cated teachers, and a cafeteriathat serves hot lunches daily are

among the things that attractfamilies to St. Al's. In addition,parents say it's the school's smallsize and family-friendly atmos-

phere that keep them there. “My children couldattend four, closer,

public or privateelementaryschools, yet I can'timagine sendingthem anywherebut St. Al's,” says

Jenny Rhein, whohas two children

enrolled. “St. Al'ssmall size means they

get individual attention andaren't lost in a crowd, while ourfamily feels comfortable and wel-

come in school and church. I'mthrilled our children are able topractice their faith every day.”

“I've heard people suggestthat a small school doesn't offeras many extra-curricular options,but because it's small, I think St.Al's students actually get to domore. My children take dancelessons, act in the school play,participate in the spelling bee,play on sports teams, traveled toColumbus for state ScienceOlympiad competition, and sangin the choir that recorded aChristmas CD. They have manyopportunities to discover andpursue new interests,” she says.

Jenny also knows firsthandhow well St. Al's prepared her

older daughter for life after gradeschool. “I don't think you canfind a school anywhere withteachers as knowledgeable anddevoted as the ones at St. Al's.My daughter was well-preparedacademically and socially forhigh school.”

Come see for yourself why St.Al's is the small school that offersyour child big possibilities. Anopen house is planned from 11:15a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, anda kindergarten information nightfor Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m.

Families are also welcome tocall the school at 574-4035 toschedule a personal tour, meetfaculty and staff, or visit a class-room.

Academics, extra-curriculars, welcoming atmosphere all set St. Al’s apart

...they get individualattention and aren’t lost in a crowd...

From page 15

ESPA



Students often wade througha sea of knowledge to learnabout people of other cultures. AtNativity School in PleasantRidge, students are buildingbridges of understanding withthe Muslim community, both inCincinnati and abroad, said BobHerring Nativity principal.

“We have Islamic visitors whocome here to work with thesixth-graders,” said Herring.“The fourth-graders connectthrough the Internet (withIslamic nations).”

The project to learn aboutother countries and cultures hastraditionally been known as theInternational Fair, said sixth-grade teacher Sue Daniel, now inher fourth year at Nativity.

“When I came to Nativity, weshifted the emphasis of a formersixth-grade activity to focus onnations with a significant Muslimpopulation,” said Daniel.

Starting in 2006, NativitySchool started working with theIslamic Center of Greater

Cincinnati to arrange for sixth-graders to meet immigrants or cit-izens from Muslim nations. Mary

Ann Buchino, Nativity Schoolpsychologist, acted as liaison.

“When it first started, theprincipal and I met with KarenDabdoub, who is coordinator forall the community activities forthe Muslim community,” saidBuchino. “She came out and gen-erated a list of people fromIslamic nations (living in theCincinnati area).”

Dabdoub, executive directorof the Cincinnati office for theCouncil on American-IslamicRelations, a nonprofit advocacygroup, said this area has about30,000 Muslims and ninemosques. She expressed delightabout the enthusiasm from theschool and the parents towardthe International Fair.

“I see this as broadening notonly the kids' horizons but alsothe parents',” said Dabdoub.

In light of disturbing eventsoccurring in the Middle East, as

Nativity School students can relate to Islamic communities

Nativity school | Continued Page 21

One of last year's presentations at the International Fair at Nativity featured a Parade of Nations in theattire of their respective countries. From left, Matthew Lewis, Darcy Murphy, Erin Magner, Caroline Cusickand Joe Krzeski.


One of the manyunique and advantageousprograms at McAuleyHigh School is theFamilyHomeroom.Studentscome frommore than60 differ-ent ele-mentaryschools, sothey oftenenter McAuleynot knowing any-one. Solution? TheFamily Homeroom pro-gram.

Traditional homeroomscomprise 25 or so stu-dents on the same grade

level, but FamilyHomerooms are

made up ofstudents

from everygrade level.This facili-tates allstudents

meeting anddeveloping

friendships withother students, often

girls with whom they arenot likely to share aca-demic classes. Senior

members of FamilyHomerooms, those withthe most McAuley experi-ence, share their McAuleywisdom and insights withthe younger girls, helpingthem avoid the pitfalls ofhigh school life, such aslearning to properly pre-pare for tests as wellwhich cafeteria lines areshortest and which side ofthe stairs to use.

Students change tradi-tional homerooms eachyear, but their families,like yours, never change.According to juniorKaylyn von Korff: “Rather

than just a community,we're now a true family.”

Homerooms wereinvited to create familynames, all Irish in keepingwith the Celtic ancestry ofCatherine McAuley,founder of the Sisters ofMercy.

Each homeroom thendesigned a T-shirt with afamily rest and motto tocreate unity among theirMcAuley “sisters.” These t-shirts are worn each timethe Family Homeroommeets, usually once a week.

Homerooms also createfamily prayers, special

words to communicatewith God and each otherin the family setting.Family prayers areenhanced by a family can-dle, decorated with sym-bols particular to eachfamily. These candles areused at school liturgies.

Like any family, their’stake photos of each otherand create cherishedmemories that will last alifetime, thanks to familyscrapbooks.

Every family is work-ing on a scrapbook of pic-tures, thoughts, andmementoes to pass on tothe next year. Thesepriceless albums will pro-vide enjoyable continuityfor McAuley students formany years.

As junior NikkiWilliams says: “FamilyHomeroom bringsMcAuley students togeth-er with a new bond and away to make lots of newfriends.”

Family activitiesthroughout the year, suchas family picnics and serv-ice projects, have come tobe new traditions at theschool.

In its second year, theFamily Homeroom pro-gram is yet another wayMcAuley High Schoolstrives to be both welcom-ing to its student popula-tion and innovative in itspractices.

McAuley family homeroom program

“Family Homeroombrings McAuley

students together...”

CCrreeaattiivveeLiving

Call 923-3111


Mercy’s long tradition ofexcellence in the education ofwomen makes it the ideal choicefor a young woman seeking notonly a school that will give hercherished memories, but one thatwill also give her the very bestpreparation for her future.

How does an investment inMercy bring your daughter thefuture she deserves?

• MMeerrccyy’’ss ffaaiitthh –– Our Catholicidentity is seamlessly woven intoevery school day, building foreach student an incredible foun-dation of strength for the chal-lenges she’ll face in her future;

• MMeerrccyy’’ss vvaalluueess –– Our stu-dents come to personify Mercy’sfounding values of faith, service,compassion, leadership andexcellence, giving our girls theconfidence needed to become allthat God intends for them;

• MMeerrccyy’’ss ffaaccuullttyy –– The teach-ers, staff and administration gen-uinely care about each student,encouraging her to strive higherwhile fully supporting her inreaching her goals;

•• MMeerrccyy’’ss ggiirrllss –– The studentpopulation at Mercy is of very

high quality demonstrating stel-lar academic performance, deter-mined work ethic, moralcourage and absolute kindness.

Our girls grow in this amaz-ingly, positive and energizedenvironment;

•• MMeerrccyy’’ss aaccaaddeemmiiccss –– With anintense college-prep curriculummodeled in the manner of highereducation with longer class timethrough block scheduling andintegrated, options-based technol-ogy, Mercy students have consis-tently arrived at college complete-ly and confidently ready to realize

their dreams. It is not at all by chance that

Mercy remains a leader inwomen’s education; it is only byour relentless commitment toserve Mercy’s students and theirfamilies with the unparallelededucational performancethey’ve come to expect anddeserve.

Academically, spiritually andmorally, there really is no betterpreparation for the youngwomen of Cincinnati thanMother of Mercy High School -it truly pays Dividends for Life.

Mother of Mercy High School – a Catholic school that definitely pays ‘Dividends for Life!’

To advertise in the2011 CatholicSchools Weekcall 248-7685.

In a time when manyparish schools are closing,St. Antoninus in GreenTownship is strengthen-ing.

With 468 students ingrades K through 8, it iscertainly competitive,with it’s Terra Novascores consistently in thetop ten percent in thecountry.

Last year St.Antoninus' eighth-gradersamassed $250,000 inscholarship offers to areaCatholic high schools.

While offers this yearhave not been completed,

the students have beennotified of $140,000 inscholarships so far.

“I attribute our successas a school to our parents,our students’ primaryeducators, who areunstinting in their partici-pation; to our faculty andstaff, who continue thehigh standards and strongmorals begun by the par-ents, and to the communi-ty, who supports uswholeheartedly,” said JackCorey, who is in his fourthyear as principal of theschool.

“It has always been a

collaborative effort, and itpays off. With St.Antoninus school beingthe biggest ministry of ourparish, the parishionersmake an incredible invest-ment in the religious for-mation and education ofthe next generation.”

The school is also see-ing the third generation offamilies come through itsdoors, and Corey says theparents like to see some ofthe teachers that taughtthem when they wereyoung.

The faculty is all lay,but the pastor, the Rev.

Christopher A.Armstrong, likes to leadthe morning prayersand teach a religionclass weekly. Thisallows the students tointeract and get to knowhim.

“Catholic schools defi-nitely make a difference ineducation,” Coreyexplained.

“We have the benefit ofour students coming fromsimilar moral back-grounds. In addition, myown daughter, who wasin public school until wemoved back to Cincinnati,

did not get the samesacramental instructiononce a week in CCD thatmy son gets during hisdaily preparation.

“I believe our childrenbecome like the peoplethey associate with. Ibring my own childrenhere so they can associatewith the students andfamilies of St. Antoninus.Our students are fantas-tic.”

Angie Heisel teachesseventh- and eighth-grademath, and eighth-gradereading, and she loves theage group she teaches,finding them well man-nered. Her own four chil-dren also attend theschool.

“I have been extremelypleased with the parish asa whole, and the school istop-notch,” she stated.

“The kids I teach are agreat group of adoles-cents, and they are hardworkers. But I find it ismore than just academics.

“The students at thisschool are very wellrounded; often they areservers at Mass, and theydo community service aswell. I can’t say enoughgood things about St.Antoninus.”


Parish supports St. Antoninus“I attribute our

success as a school to our parents, our students’ primary educators …”



“Excellence Begins with Me” –is the theme for the 2009-10school year at St. Michael School.Students, teachers, staff, parentsand parish family are all veryproud that the Department ofEducation has named St. MichaelSchool a 2009 Blue Ribbon Schoolof Excellence.

From academics, faith devel-opment, after-school programsand sports, excellence can beseen everywhere at St. Michael.

The children, under the faith-

ful guidance of the teachers, areencouraged to achieve to theirbest ability.

This is seen in all the activitiesin which the children participate.

The pride in accomplishmentcan be seen in their eyes whilethey are participating in Mass,academics, sports, band, studentcouncil, and many other after-school activities.

The children at St. Michael'slearn more than what is in abook; they learn respect for oth-

ers and how to be a caring andresponsible person.

The excellence demonstrateddaily at St. Michael is what aCatholic education and CatholicSchools Week is all about.

The elements of Faith,Knowledge, Discipline andMorals that are instilled in thestudents at St. Michael will carrywith them and pay “Dividendsfor Life.”

To learn more about what St.Michael School can offer your

child, please visit their openhouse on Feb. 4, 2010 from 6 p.m.to 8:30 p.m.

More information is also atwww.stmichaelsharonville.org.

St. Michael School - Excellence begins with me!… excellence can

be seen everywhere at St. Michael.

well as 9-11, there was alot of hesitation at first onthe part of the Islamiccommunity, Buchino said,so the first session includ-ed just three women fromcountries that includedSouth Africa and Iran.

They met with thesixth-graders in thelibrary's comfortableenvironment and thewomen brought a prayerrug to show as part oftheir Muslim faith.

“The kids were veryrespectful,” said Buchino.“They had researchedtheir (Muslim) countriesand they listened well.”

That first experienceleft the Islamic womenrelieved and the projecthas grown stronger eachyear, expanding to speak-ers who include doctors,teachers and other profes-sionals from countriessuch as Ethiopia,Morocco and Bosnia, saidDaniel.

Her students beginworking on theInternational Fair projecttoward the end of April.

“We assign the work-ing groups as soon as wecan get commitmentsfrom our partners in theMuslim community fortheir availability,” said

Daniel, adding that thevisitors come to theschool and meet with thestudents for about anhour or so.

They are encouragedto bring items the stu-dents can't find them-selves – favorite familyrecipes, nursery rhymes,children's games.

“The guests have beenfabulous,” said Daniel.“They've brought food,family heirlooms. Whathappens – I never expect-ed this – is a relationship.They educate in ways Icould never do.”

Nativity pupils in thefourth grade have foundstudents and adults fromother nations, includingMuslim countries, by wayof the Internet, said PattiBurwinkel, who teachestwo fourth-grade classes.

“Those countries arepart of the iEARN net-work and we belong to aprogram called ‘One Dayin the Life,’ ” saidBurwinkel. “It starts inJanuary and goes throughMay.”

Last year Burwinkel'sstudents followed fourth-grade life with aPakistani class, sharinghow they celebrate holi-days and what they havefor breakfast, amongother topics.

“It's different, yet thesame,” she added. “It's inthe words of fourth-graders. Last year weadded digital pictures …worth a thousandwords.”

The International Fairitself, attended by parentsand others, takes place ona Friday in May, whengroups of sixth-gradersmake a presentation ontheir selected country -bringing in food, doingmini-skits, making theirown caftans.

Emma Garry, now aneighth-grader, enjoyedlearning about Muslimdress.

“There was this scarfthat you wore on top ofyour head,” said Garry. “Iwore it for part of (thepresentation).”

Seventh-grader ElenaKyrkos said she enjoyedlearning about theBosnian culture and tra-ditions, the folk tales andgames they played aschildren.

“It was a great experi-ence,” said Kyrkos. “Wegot to go outside of our-selves and see what otherpeople do in their dailylives – how (people prac-tice other religionsbesides Catholic, and itcan help us practice oursbetter.”

From page 17

Nativity school




Boys and men are notwell-known for trying toget in touch with theirspiritual side. So RogerAuer, campus minister ofthe all-male Elder HighSchool, was open to sug-gestion when Tom Aug,class of Elder ‘67,approached him with theidea of forming a SpiritualBoosters group.

“He’s the one whocame to me and said ‘Wehave Band Boosters, GleeClub Boosters, AthleticBoosters, so why can’t wehave a Boosters that con-tributes to the spiritualwell-being of our boys?’ ”said Auer.

Now in its seventhyear, this group of Elderalumni and friends, focus-ing on the freshmen, inretreats and in readingbooks together, wanted toinclude the dads in theirsons’ spiritual growth.

“We came to the con-clusion that interactingwith the dads is mostadvantageous,” said Auer.“Males really experienceGod through the events oftheir lives,” adding that itwas important for dads to“be there” when the boysare experiencing not justsuccess, but failures andhumiliation.

Aug has three sonswho attended Elder andsaid that Elder’s14Spiritual Boosters recog-nize that during the teen-age years, “emotions areheightened – highs arevery high, lows are verylow.”

“This is the secondyear we’ve worked withthe fathers,” said Aug,“Men like to do things

and several service proj-ects have really resonatedwith the dads.”

Such projects haveincluded fathers and sonsvisiting nursing homestogether, collectingcanned food in theirneighborhoods and work-ing with the WesternWildlife Corridor on twodifferent Sundays to clearRapid Run Park of honey-suckle, an invasive plantthat can take over thepark’s green space if notcontrolled.

One especially popular

event involved makingThanksgiving dinners for25 needy families.

It was organized byDoug Jaeger, who cameup with the idea of get-ting boys and their dadsinvolved in a “manly”way: deep-frying turkeysoutdoors in a propanecooker.

Donated byBridgetown Finer Meats,the turkeys, “11-poundbirds, at 31⁄2 minutes perpound,” were the maincourse but one of the mensuggested using an oven

to make pumpkin pies,with several of the boysmixing the ingredients,said Jaeger, father ofChris, a senior, and Ben, afreshman.

For each of the 25 fami-lies, “We had a large, 24-ounce can of green beans,a can of cranberry sauce, acan of turkey gravy andtwo boxes of stuffing,”Jaeger added. “A womanfriend who’s a graphicartist made up a card thatwe signed, all the boysand their dads.”

These projects help to

form spiritual bondsbetween sons and fathers,Auer said. “It’s usuallythe mom who’s the spiri-tual leader. Getting thedad to take an active partin their son’s spiritualdevelopment, that’s some-thing.”

Jaeger agreed, addingthat such spiritual experi-ences are essential.

“We are in a terriblesocietal state where mendon’t walk the talk,” hesaid. “It’s a time to try toget men to step up to theplate.”

Elder’s Spiritual Boosters connectsons with dads and the community

As part of Elder High School’s Spiritual Booster program, students and their fathers prepared deep-fried turkey for 25 families this past Thanksgiving. From left are Eldercurriculum director Patrick Tucker, freshman Drew Conroy and his father, Dennis Conroy.


“We do fun things that makeus want to learn,” shared sev-enth-graders Ashley DeBurgerand Lindsey Ollier.

Engaged learning is bestteaching practice and prevalentin all classes at John Paul IICatholic School.

The teachers are passionateabout involving and challengingtheir students to learn.

Activities permeate the class-rooms as students collaborate,problem solve, and utilize tech-nology and the arts to enhancelearning.

Science Day is bustling witheighth-graders instructing pri-

mary students on concepts ofmotion, energy, and chemicalreactions.

Talk shows are common injunior high American Historyclasses. Abraham Lincoln andThomas Paine are among theAmerican heroes who appear tochallenge our students to debatehistorical facts and ethical issues.

Music is composed usinghandmade instruments. Hands-on extension activities such asgraphing, measuring, experi-menting, and creating ediblelandforms excite our younglearners. Student response units(ACTIVotes) enhance class dis-

cussions and activities. At any time, the

school transforms toa one roomschool house asthird-gradersexperience lifeas pioneers.

A land ofcastles aredesigned andconstructed bysixth-graders asthey travel to theMiddle Ages.

Seventh-grade architects buildearthquake proof structures andpassports are needed to visit dif-

ferent countries during ourInternational Folk Festival. Toxic

waste affords fourth-graders an opportunity

to work as teams to usecritical thinkingstrategies to solveenvironmentalissues.

John Paul IICatholic School pro-

vides a quality catholiceducation that prepares

students for the 21st centu-ry. Their commitment to a chal-

lenging and engaging learningexperience prepares our childrenfor a lifetime of success.

Students want to learn at St. John Paul

John Paul II provides a quality

catholic education thatprepares students for

the 21st century.

Don’t miss theFebruary issue...



When searching for a school,parents are looking for what'sbest for their children. They likefor the intimacy of a small school,but also the variety of programsa large school can provide. St.Jude strives to attain both.

“Class size was a big concernof mine,” said St. Jude mother,Marianne Dressman.

“I didn't want my first-graderin a class where there would beso many children he wouldn't getthe attention I wanted for him.St. Jude offers three homeroomsof not more than 20. That's aninviting size”

St. Jude Principal, Bob Huber,explains the St. Jude approach.“It's essential that the studentsget off to a good start in theirearly education. We've cappedour homerooms at 20 in gradesK-3 to give us the best chance ofachieving that goal.

“For example, our current firstgrade has three homerooms with

59 students. This gives us thebest of both worlds. Our primaryteachers have small classes wherethey can interact with the stu-dents, but they also have fellowteachers,” said Huber.

“Having colleagues in thesame grade allows for collabora-tion and sharing of ideas thatgreatly benefits our students,”he said.

“Class size wasn't the onlything we were looking for,” con-tinued Dressman.

“The types and varieties ofprograms was also a major factorin our decision. This last factor iswhy we chose St. Jude. Theirfacilities and programs are fan-tastic.”

“We've been systematicallyadding and expanding to ourprograms over the years,”explained Huber. “We openedour new Parish Center at thebeginning of the 2006-2007 schoolyear. This allowed us to both

improve and expand our pro-grams. The added space allowedus to open our kindergarten andextended day kindergarten pro-grams.

“Our half-day kindergartenprogram has been both popularand successful. The kids are off toa great start.

“The half-day program canalso be combined with the extendday program to accommodateour working parents who arelooking for a full day program.We also were able to improveand expand our art, music, com-puter, and library programs.”

“Over the next two years weinvested heavily in our students.Approximately $150,000 wasspent to update our classroompresentations. All classroomshave been equipped withSMART Boards. This allows theteachers to broaden their presen-tations and allow students betterinteraction.

“Also, the addition of ourfully equipped science lab hasallowed a greater opportunity forstudents to experience hands onscience activities. Both are expect-ed to return dividends in theform of increase student learningand performance.”

“The bottom line is 'How areour students doing?'” concludedHuber.

“Our parents are looking forus to provide their children witha superior education. It's our jobto take the students entrusted tous and take them to a higherlevel.

“Last year our eighth gradeachieved approximately $200,000in high school scholarships lastyear.

“This year our eighth-grademedian Terra Nova percentileswere in the upper 70s and intothe 80s. It's what our parents arelooking for and what we consis-tently deliver,” said Huber.

St. Jude School – A blend of both big and small

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