Leading with Faith

10/17/24 NYSED Elementary School AIS Claims Due

10/17/24 Government Services Update for Board Chairs, Chaplains, Pastors, & Principals

10/20/24 Deadline to Register for Albany RISE Conference to get Free Hotel Room

10/21/24 NCEA Updates/Corrections Due to our Office via Google Sheet

10/26/24 Last day to register to vote in NYS – Encourage all Families to Vote!

11/1/24 Title I Letters Sent to Each Public School District w/Poverty Students

11/15/24 BEDS Report Due to NYSED via Business Portal IRS-Data Exchange

12/1/24 Fire Safety Inspection Must be Completed; Report Due 12/9/2024

Government Services Quarterly Update via Microsoft Teams 10/17: The first quarterly Government Services Update for school board chairs, principals, business managers, chaplains, and pastors is on 10/17 at 3:15pm. We will discuss the following topics: Advocacy, Elementary Parish School Operating Principles and Regional Board Bylaws, Board Finance Committee reporting, Strategic Planning, and E-Rate Planning. Email invitations were sent on 10/7/24. Contact Chris Riso at criso@buffalodiocese.org if you did not receive your invitation and wish to attend.

Mandated Child Abuse Reporter Training; Updated Training Required: I just wanted to give you a reminder that NYS Education Law §100.2(hh) requires our teachers, administrators, teacher aides, and bus drivers to comply with Section (8) of Chapter 363 of the Laws of 2018; they must complete two hours of coursework or training regarding the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment and/or the new yearly “Child Abuse in an Educational Setting Training”. The training requirements, separated by personnel categories, can be found at Child Abuse Prevention Training | New York State Education Department (nysed.gov). We recommend that your staff do this training via the BOCES or other approved providers and then save the receipts for NPSE (Non Public Safety Equipment) reimbursement.

You have two options for the course which must be completed each year: “Child Abuse in an Educational Setting Training”: training provided by Erie 1 BOCES or training provided by the Capital Region BOCES.

1. Erie 1 BOCES online training - Erie 1 BOCES previously created a 30-minute pre-recorded PowerPoint training that meets the requirements of Education Law Article 23-B and the accompanying regulations requiring “ongoing training” of various school employees on child abuse occurring in an educational setting. For those who purchased and downloaded it, the training can be replayed as many times as you need and can even be used in future years to meet the yearly “Child Abuse in an Education Setting Training” requirement, either by showing it to a group or watched by individual staff members. Previously the cost of this training was a one-time fee of $200 per school; unfortunately, the author, Attorney Amanda Dermott, no longer works for Erie 1 BOCES. If you have any questions about your previous purchase of this program, please contact Ashley Sweeney at 716-821-7115 or asweeney@e1b.org.

2. Capital Region BOCES Online Training - NYSED continues its partnership with Capital Region BOCES and PowerSchool to offer an online version of the new trainings that will fulfill the requirements associated with the amendments to the reports of child abuse in an educational setting adopted by the Board of Regents at their October 2019 Board of Regents meeting. To learn more about the online course offerings, including how to easily register, complete, and access your completion certificate, please visit the website here. Each individual staff member will pay for the online course (which I think is still $10) and you would then reimburse each staff member for the cost of the course and retain all the documents (proof of attendance, payment receipts, canceled checks from the school for payment to each employee) to submit with your next NPSE reimbursement request and as proof that your staff met the training requirement. I believe there may be an option for you to pay for your staff directly; reach out to them and ask.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: If you have anyone who still needs to take the updated once-in-a-lifetime training regarding the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment (Mandated Reporter Training), you may want to instead have them take the free online course so you don’t have to pay another $10. This is a 2-hour web-based self-directed online training course. All certified teachers and administrators would have completed this course prior to becoming certified to teach in NYS, but both certified and uncertified teachers and administrators (and others - click here for the list) must complete the updated version before 4/1/2025. Principals should collect the individual completion certificates for inclusion in staff personnel files.

The Catholic School Teacher: Critical to Our Mission to Teach, Serve, and Evangelize: Catholic Identity

What is the purpose of Catholic education?

Catholic education aims to develop students who live like saints. This means nurturing both their academic and spiritual growth, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to become responsible citizens, lifelong learners, and faithful disciples of Christ.

What is the profile of a Catholic School Student?

The ideal Catholic school student is deeply rooted in their faith, demonstrating Christian values and a personal relationship with Christ. They excel academically, possess strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and are responsible citizens actively involved in their community. They are also Christian leaders who set positive examples and empower others.

What is the role of the Catholic School Teacher?

Catholic school teachers play a pivotal role in achieving our mission. They are not only educators but also faith models and catechists. They must create a learning environment that fosters spiritual growth, academic excellence, and a commitment to service.

On Friday, October 11, the principals, teachers, and staff will gather for a conference centered around our mission to teach, serve, and evangelize. This gathering will provide an opportunity to reflect on the progress made towards developing students who embody the values and qualities outlined in the Graduate Profile. By focusing on our mission, we can ensure that our students are well-prepared to make a positive impact on the world.

We are excited to welcome teachers, staff, and principals on October 11. Updated agenda below:

When: Friday, October 11

Where: St. Mary’s High School

142 Laverack Ave, Lancaster, NY 14086

Time: 8:00 AM-2:45 PM

Lunch will be provided.

Teach, Serve, Evangelize Conference Schedule

• Arrival and Hospitality: 8:00 AM

• Opening Prayer and Introduction: 8:30 AM

• Session 1: To Teach – A Profile of the Catholic School Student & Teacher (TEACH): 8:45 AM - 9:45 AM

• Session 2: To Serve - The Role of the Catechist (SERVE): 9:50 AM - 11:00 AM

• Mass with Bishop Michael Fisher: 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM

• Lunch Break: 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

• Session 3: To Evangelize – The Eucharistic Revival (EVANGELIZE): 1:40 PM-2:45 PM

• Conclusion: 2:45 PM

Weekly Virtual Principal Meetings

Meeting Details:

• Day and Time: Wednesdays, 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

• Platform: Microsoft Teams (link sent by Laurie)

Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Topics: October 11 breakout sessions with principals, Code of Conduct and Discipline

STUDENT ENRICHMENT, SUPPORT, AND SAFETY

A safe, orderly environment and student self-discipline are two important aspects of an effective school. The principal is responsible for developing and implementing a philosophy of discipline which supports and enforces the guidelines and expectations for student behaviors as depicted in the Profile of a Catholic Student, as well as establishing a code of conduct that outlines a graduated series of disciplinary actions for repeated misbehavior as well as infractions that could result in immediate dismissal. The code of conduct should be published, distributed and explained to all students and parents annually, with a signed acknowledgement. The code of conduct should also be incorporated into the Parent/Student Handbook for easy reference. Teachers are also responsible to follow the code of conduct guidelines, to implement disciplinary actions that are appropriate to the classroom, and to report infractions that cannot or should not be dealt with at the classroom level. As in all aspects of education, communication is the key: communication between teacher and student; between teacher and administration; between teacher/administration and parent; and - in cases of suspension or dismissal - between the administration and the pastor/chaplain and the Department of Catholic Schools. Records of infractions, disciplinary measures, dates, parent meetings, and any other related interactions must be kept. We recommend using eSchool as a ready resource for collecting behavioral data. For more information and details of approved disciplinary actions, reference Section 544 in your Diocesan School Procedures in your Policies & Procedures binder, or in the Principal Resources tab.

Whether an administrator or a teacher, who you are and how you lead will establish the culture of the school, and the standards for behavior and respect that assure a truly Christian environment, with safety for all.

Wishing a blessed week to all our readers!

Bowling

League invoices will be emailed today. As a reminder, please submit the names of your bowlers participating in the Champion Tournament to me by October 23rd. Classic Lanes is requesting the names of the bowlers in advance.

Spring Bowling 2025 -please let me know if your school has any interest in participating in a spring league. I’m in the process of working out dates with the alleys.

Catholic Schools Day with the BPO - Please Save the Date : Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Look for the registration form in next week’s Leading with Faith.