Monday, August 30, 2010

Montgomery Catholic Athletes are Trained to be S.A.C.R.E.D.

At the beginning of each school year, the Montgomery Catholic Athletics Department holds a one-day Character Education Seminar, "SACRED", for all student-athletes and their parents. SACRED is an acronym for the virtues of the athletic program: Sportsmanship, Accountability, Courage and Competitiveness, Responsibility, Enthusiasm, and Discipline. A member of the athletic staff presents a short presentation on each virtue.

The SACRED Program culminates with a special guest speaker who discusses how the SACRED virtues have effected his or her life, both personally and professionally.

This year, Montgomery Catholic was honored to have Mr. Chet Moeller to make this year's keynote address. Mr. Moeller is a member of the 2010 class of the National Football Hall of Fame. Moeller was an All-America Defensive Back at the United States Naval Academy in 1975. Moeller discussed each SACRED virtue and their influence on his life, both on and off the playing field. Over 350 student-athletes and their parents filled the room for this year's presentation.

Pictured: Mr. Chet Moeller and Montgomery Catholic senior Brian Saunders at Montgomery Catholic's SACRED Character Education Day.

Montgomery Catholic is "Mapping" the Future

In its third year, teachers at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School are using Curriculum Mapping for vertical alignment in curriculum, which provides a clear picture in all areas from kindergarten through twelfth grade. This vertical alignment rids the curriculum of multiple redundancies, fills the gaps of state and national standards unmet, and promotes dialogue. Montgomery Catholic teachers meet as departments to collaborate on curriculum maps, share teaching techniques, and discuss ways to enhance state and national educational standards.

A "Curriculum Map" creates a framework for teachers, administrators, and school systems to focus on the balance between what is planned, the "lesson plan", and what is actually taking place within each classroom, academic discipline, and grade level, the "curriculum map". The curriculum map framework outlines the state standards, classroom activities, and assessments actually used in each class, grade, and subject area.

Curriculum mapping concentrates on three areas: communication, curricular dialogue, and coherency. Communication in curriculum mapping provides a venue for teachers and administrators to actively evaluate what is happening in the classroom, the planned and actual curricula, both within each grade/academic discipline and track these activities from year to year. The maps also help teachers and administrators to plan, execute, and identify gaps and teaching overlap both horizontally among grade levels and vertically for all grades, kindergarten through twelfth grade. The curricular dialogue provides an avenue for teachers to meet as departments where they make data-based decisions about grade-level, cross-grade level, within disciplinary and cross-disciplinary curricular and instructional practice decisions. This collaboration leads to curricular coherency.

Montgomery Catholic has a Curriculum Mapping Committee consisting of a faculty member from each campus: Mrs. Melynda Keating from St. Bede, Mrs. Kerri Moore from the Middle School, and Dr. Joe Profio from the High School. Dr. Profio, committee chairman, attended the Curriculum Mapping Institute XVI in Saratoga Springs, NY this summer. In addition to supporting curriculum mapping as a means for improving student learning, the conference challenged the attendees to think in 21st century terms about how schools are organized, what is taught, and how it is taught. The institute explored new ideas in scheduling, re-organization of courses to reflect inter-connected and global themes, and using 21st century technology to advance how teachers model learning and how students develop learning.

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's Curriculum Mapping Committee Chairman Dr. Joe Profio is pictured with "Habits of Minds" expert Bena Kallick and Giselle Martin-Kniep, founder of Communities for Learning.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Join us for "It's NOT Just Joking Around" an Anti-Bullying Presentation on August 24th at 6:30 pm

Montgomery Catholic welcomes Jodee Blanco, author of the New York Times best-selling memoir "Please Stop Laughing at Me...One Woman's Inspirational Story" and it's award winning sequel, "Please Stop Laughing at Us . . . One Survivor's Extraordinary Quest to Prevent School Bullying", as she presents her acclaimed anti-bullying program, It's NOT Just Joking Around!TM on Tuesday, August 24th at 6:30 PM in the Dolly Barranco Activity Center on our Middle/High School Campus. This presentation is for all parents of school-aged children.

This event is free and open to the public.

This presentation is made possible by the generous support of Partners in Catholic Education (PICE).

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Montgomery Catholic Welcomes Alex Johnson as Director of Bands

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory is pleased to welcome Alex Johnson as Director of Bands. Johnson received his Bachelor of Music Education from Troy University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. While attending Troy, he was a member and section leader of Troy University's Sound of the South Marching Band, Symphony Band, Jazz Ensemble, Collegiate Singers, and Concert Chorale. Johnson is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, Alabama Bandmasters Association, National Education Association, Alabama Education Association, and is Certified as a Highly Qualified Instrumental Music Educator in the state of Alabama.

"I am honored and excited to be a part of the Montgomery Catholic family. I look forward to working with the outstanding students, faculty, and parents of Montgomery Catholic in creating a bright future for our band program," said Johnson.

Johnson began his duties as Director of Bands in July. The Marching Knights will take the field at half-time on August 27 as the Knights host St. Jude Educational Institute in the football season opener.

Eucharistic Adoration in our Middle/High School Chapel until 3 p.m.

We are pleased to offer Eucharistic Adoration in our Middle/High School Chapel today until 3 p.m. Father Carucci will offer Benediction at 3 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend.

The Eucharist will be exposed in a Monstrance blessed by Pope John Paul II for the specific intention of an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

We are the 101st site to host this Monstrance in North America. Following the Benediction, it will travel to the next site in Birmingham, AL.

Eucharistic Adoration refers in the Catholic faith to the worship of the Eucharist (what appears to be just ordinary bread to the eyes, is believed, by faith, to be really, truly, and substantively the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ).

We invite and encourage you to join us.