MACSC Newsletter
Serving parish, diocesan, and independent Catholic schools in the (arch)dioceses of Baltimore, Washington, Arlington, Richmond, Wheeling-Charleston, and Wilmington.
- Baltimore-Catholic School Summer Fair July 23rd
- Washington -Majority of DC City Council Writes to Support Opportunity Scholarships.
- Arlington - Middle school students transform themselves through works of mercy.
- Richmond - Office of Catholic Schools award $800,000 for tuition assistance
- Wheeling-Charleston- Class of 2009 earned $14 Million in Scholarships.
- Wilmington -Teenage volunteers give service to Catholic Charities
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MACSC MissionTo make Catholic Schools the schools of choice for Catholic children and families, and all who may desire an education rooted in the Catholic Tradition and Gospel values.
Contact Us
Mid-Atlantic Catholic Schools Consortium
10 Francis Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone: 410-280-0142
Fax: 410-269-1790
We welcome your comments and feedback at: midatlanticcsc@gmail.com
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Read about the recent activities and projects of the Mid-Atlantic Catholic Schools Consortium staff and member dioceses:
Greetings from the Executive Director- Consortium Members and Staff at ACE Advocates for Parental Choice Symposium 2009
- Radio Show Discusses New Models of Catholic Schools
- We Need Your Help to Match a $20,000 Gift from Raskob Foundation
- Update on DC Opportunity Scholarship Program
- Master of Art in Teaching Scholarships at UMUC
- Verizon Velocity Gives Back
- A Prayer for Travelers
Dear Friends of the Consortium and Catholic Schools,
Happy Summer!
July is a busy month for our Consortium colleagues as we continue our work on behalf of Catholic schools. We are supporting the work of the Archdiocese of Washington and others to secure the reauthorization of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program (DCOSP). This program is a matter of social justice and educational access for the poorest children and families in Washington, DC. Updated information on the DCOSP is available at www.DCOpportunityScholarship.org.
I was honored to attend the ACE Summer Fellowship Forum at the University of Notre Dame this week-end. This was an extraordinary opportunity to come together with advocates and experts from across the country on behalf of parental school choice. Our week-end included expert presentations on the theory and practices of parental school choice and prayer and conversation with others who share our commitment to parental choice.
We are also spending our summer to prepare for the next cohort in our Pastor and Principal Institute, continue the analysis of the IDEA research study data, evaluate and strengthen our strategic procurement opportunities, and identify new cost saving strategies to benefit our Catholic schools. We are also collaborating with others on national and state parental school choice issues and working to improve the ways in which we communicate with all of our stakeholders. In addition, we are providing consultation services and professional development at the request of several of our dioceses.
You can help us now by making a donation to the Consortium. We have received a gift which requires that we obtain $20,000 in matching funds. Please consider a donation today and share this opportunity to support our work with your friends, colleagues and families. Thank you so much!
Summer is a time to renew and refresh and I wish you and your families a happy, safe and peaceful summer. May God continue to bless each of you and all of our efforts to ensure that our Catholic schools continue to teach as Jesus taught.
With best wishes,
Mary Ellen Hrutka, PhD
For all our news and programs, check out the MACSC website.
Consortium Members and Staff attend ACE Advocates for Parental Choice Symposium 2009
Representatives from the Mid-Atlantic Catholic Schools Consortium joined 17 others at the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Fellowship program, "Advocates for Parental Choice Symposium 2009" at the University of Notre Dame. This two week program includes one week at Notre Dame for workshops on parental choice led by premier researchers and policy makers in the area of parental choice and K-12 education reform. Week 2 is held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where participants work with grassroots organizations, families, Catholic schools, and elected officials for hands-on experience with Milwaukee's parental choice initiative.;Attending from the Mid-Atlantic area were Nanette Mack (MACSC Director of Research), Ellen Robertson (Associate Director of Education and Family Life, Maryland Catholic Conference), Ben Ketchum (Principal, Holy Redeemer School in Washington, DC) and Jane Turner (Religion Coordinator and Teacher, Holy Redeemer, Washington, DC).
In addition, Mary Ellen Hrutka, Consortium Executive Director, Annette Parsons, Chief Education Administrator, Diocese of Richmond, and Sister Bernadette McManigal, BVM, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Diocese of Arlington, joined the Symposium for the weekend "Summer Fellowship Forum" session. Ben Ketchum and Mary Ellen Hrutka made a presentation on the "Face of the parental choice movement."
The participants will gain new tools and resources to become stronger advocates for parental school choice initiatives in their own communities. In the Mid-Atlantic region, we will use the knowledge and skills and new relationships to continue to advance our work on behalf of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program, School Choice Virginia, the Maryland BOAST Tax Credit and other national and state initiatives. We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in this exceptional program. Radio Show Discusses New Models of Catholic Schools Around the Country
Dr. Patricia Weitzel-O'Neill, Superintendent of Schools, Archdiocese of Washington was a recent guest on American University Radio. The conversation with Radio Host Kojo Nnamdi looked at how rising costs, shrinking enrollment and demographic shifts are affecting local Catholic schools and explored innovative approaches to keeping the doors open.
Click here to listen to the July 1st broadcast.
We Need Your Help to Match a $20,000 Gift From Raskob Foundation
The Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities, Inc has generously donated $20,000 to the Consortium with the requirement that we obtain matching funds of $20,000. This money will be used to support the research inititiative and marketing projects of the Consortium as well as our efforts on behalf of parental school choice.
Please consider a donation now to help us match this gift and enable us to continue our work. We welcome donations of any size from individuals, companies, or other organizations. It is a way for you to support our work and ensure we have the research and data to support our schools and effectively share this information. Thank you so much for your consideration!
Click here for easy ways to donate.
Update on DC Opportunity Scholarship Program
The House and Senate Appropriations Committees voted against fully funding the Opportunity Scholarship Program for the 2010-11 school year and into the future, meaning no new students will be allowed to enter the program. Students currently in the program may be able to continue receiving scholarships through the 2010-11 school year, but their educational future is uncertain after that. They could be forced to leave their schools and return to DC public schools. For 86 percent of the children, whose average family income is just $24,000, that would be a school that is underperforming according to No Child Left Behind.
Read the full press release from the Archdiocese of Washington.Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, up to $12,500 a year is available for the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Scholarship at UMUC. The scholarship covers tuition, fees, and textbooks.
For more information and the application,visit the UMUC MAT Scholarship website page.
You can support the Mid-Atlantic Catholic Schools Consortium when you order qualifying new residential service with Verizon in MD, DC, VA, and WV. The Consortium can earn $10-$65 per order! Check out our flyer for details and pass on to friends.
The Verizon Velocity program is available to 501(c) non-profit organizations in several participating states. Get more information about this fund-raising program for your own school or organization at www.verizon.com/velocity. A Prayer for TravelersAs we travel to be with friends and family and enjoy the gifts of summer, we offer this prayer for travelers.
Prayer for Travelers
From Catholic Online