May 26, 2012
Fresno Adopts “National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools”
by Richard E. Sexton
Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Diocese of Fresno
On Tuesday, May 1, 2012, the principals of the 20 Catholic elementary schools and the two Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Fresno, met and discussed the new “National Standards” document developed by Catholic educators across the nation, including scholars in Catholic institutions of higher education, superintendents, principals, bishops, and pastors.
After discussing the nine characteristics which define the Catholic Identity of a Catholic school, the principals shared in small and large groups how they could demonstrate these characteristics in the life of their schools. “It was wonderful to have a church document that states in clear and powerful language why we exist,” said Robert Peerson, principal of St. Helen’s School in Fresno.
These “characteristics” clearly articulate why Catholic schools exist. They focus on what should be included in each school’s mission. They are the foundation for the standards and benchmarks. The nine characteristics are:
CENTERED ON THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST: Catholic education is rooted in the conviction that Jesus Christ provides the most comprehensive and compelling example of the realization of full human potential.
CONTRIBUTES TO THE EVANGELIZING MISSION OF THE CHURCH: Catholic education participate directly and in a privileged way in the evangelizing mission of the Church.
DISTINGUISHED BY EXCELLENCE: Catholic schools are committed to excellence and this excellence in instruction and Catholic Identity needs to be objectively measured to ensure excellence in every aspect of its programs, life, and activities.
COMMITTED TO EDUCATE THE WHOLE CHILD: Catholic schools have a absolute conviction that human beings have a transcendent destiny and that the school must focus on the whole person. Catholic schools must, therefore, form the spiritual, intellectual, physical, psychological, social, moral, aesthetic, and religious capacity of its students.
STEEPED IN A CATHOLIC WORLDVIEW: All curriculum and instruction in a Catholic school should foster: the desire to seek wisdom and truth, the preference for social justice, the discipline to become self-learners, the capacity to recognize ethical and moral grounding for behavior, and the responsibility to transform the world with Gospel values.
SUSTAINED BY GOSPEL WITNESS: A Catholic school teacher is a role model for students and gives testimony by his or her life and commitment to the mission.
SHAPED BY COMMUNION AND COMMUNITY: Catholic school education places an emphasis on the school community—an educational community of persons who form a genuine community of faith.
ACCESSIBLE TO ALL STUDENTS: By reason of their evangelizing mission, Catholic schools should be available to all people who desire a Catholic school education for their children.
ESTABLISHED BY THE EXPRESSED AUTHORITY OF THE BISHOP: The Bishop of each diocese needs to proclaim the mission of Catholic schools, support and enhance the work of Catholic schools, and insure that these schools are based upon the principles of Catholic doctrine.
The principals then briefly reviewed the 13 standards that describe policies, programs, structures, and processes that should be present in mission-driven, program-effective, well-managed, and responsibly governed Catholic schools that operate in concert with these defining characteristics. With this introduction to the characteristics and national standards and benchmarks, the principals voted unanimously to spend the next school year working to review their mission statements and to identify how they must move beyond their current status to embrace these roadmaps to becoming a more effective Catholic school.
Donna Smith, principal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Bakersfield, said, “These standards clearly define how a Catholic school achieves excellence. They will help my faculty and school board to understand why we exist and how we can improve our ministry to youth.”