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Journal of Catholic Education

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Providing Specialized Preparation For Counselors In Catholic Schools, Timothy J. Cook, Jan J. Powers, Jiwon Kim Jan 2024

Providing Specialized Preparation For Counselors In Catholic Schools, Timothy J. Cook, Jan J. Powers, Jiwon Kim

Journal of Catholic Education

School counselors are needed now more than ever. Providing Catholic school counselors the specialized formation they need to be effective in the Catholic school context is essential. This study addressed two research questions in this regard: (1) What competencies (e.g., understanding, incorporating) and topics do Catholic school principals and school counselors believe are important for school counselors to fully contribute to the educational and faith-based mission of Catholic schools; and (2) How might the research findings inform pre-service education and/or continuing education and formation of school counselors for the Catholic school context? Online surveys were developed using the “Defining Characteristics …


Increasing Parent Faith Engagement At A Parish School, Grace Mazza Urbanski Jan 2024

Increasing Parent Faith Engagement At A Parish School, Grace Mazza Urbanski

Journal of Catholic Education

Increasing faith engagement among Catholic school shareholders is a priority for school leaders. Catholic school communities can learn from this year-long project with a parish school. Sacred Heart Parish School serves approximately 300 K3-8th grade students. Like many parish schools, Sacred Heart sees a growing number of parents disengaged with the faith life of the parish and school, despite 98% of them being registered parishioners. The parent population enjoys robust and regular social activities, but report they are uncomfortable or uninterested in faith activities. The mission of Sacred Heart Parish School is to nurture “children’s growth in the Catholic faith,” …


A Call To Serve: Novice Urban Catholic School Teachers' Sense Of Purpose In Life, Compassion, Faith, And Justice, Ella Anghel, Kierstin M. Giunco, Audrey A. Friedman, Myra Rosen-Reynoso, Charles T. Cownie Iii, Cristina J. Hunter Jan 2024

A Call To Serve: Novice Urban Catholic School Teachers' Sense Of Purpose In Life, Compassion, Faith, And Justice, Ella Anghel, Kierstin M. Giunco, Audrey A. Friedman, Myra Rosen-Reynoso, Charles T. Cownie Iii, Cristina J. Hunter

Journal of Catholic Education

Educators are instrumental in nurturing students’ sense of purpose, particularly in urban schools. Consequently, these educators must not only have a strong sense of purpose but also possess other key virtues. This mixed-methods study explores these virtues among a group of 30 urban Catholic school teachers. They responded to scales measuring purpose, compassion, faith, moral development and agency, and completed a modified Youth Purpose Interview online. Scores were compared to those of the original samples upon which these scales were validated as they were also emerging adults. Participants scored significantly higher on almost all scales than the original samples. These …


Data At The Diocesan Level: Common Data Practices And Challenges Among U.S. Catholic School Superintendents, Julie W. Dallavis Apr 2023

Data At The Diocesan Level: Common Data Practices And Challenges Among U.S. Catholic School Superintendents, Julie W. Dallavis

Journal of Catholic Education

Accountability pressures in education have risen steadily over the last two decades and public schools and districts now track school- and student-level data in response to state and federal mandates. Catholic schools and dioceses have not faced the same level of regulation over this period, and less is known about data access and use in the Catholic sector. This descriptive and exploratory research draws on survey and interview data from a national sample of Catholic school superintendents to examine data practices in diocesan central offices as well as barriers faced in the use of data. Findings suggest that although considerable …


Assessing The Costs And Benefits Of Principal Time Usage And Ohio's Edchoice Scholarship, Adam J. Dufault Ed.D. Apr 2023

Assessing The Costs And Benefits Of Principal Time Usage And Ohio's Edchoice Scholarship, Adam J. Dufault Ed.D.

Journal of Catholic Education

This study explored the experience of Catholic school principals in Ohio whose schools have participated in the EdChoice Scholarship program. The researcher employed the lens of principal time usage to examine the experiences of Ohio Catholic school principals with EdChoice, with a focus on the direct experiences of principals participating in the program, the principal’s role in the supervisory aspects of operating the program at a school, and on the connections between workload and principal perceptions of the EdChoice program. The research questions were explored through semi-structured interviews with eight Catholic school principals and three administrative designees at those schools. …


Crisis Leadership: Voices From The Field, Corinne Brion Apr 2023

Crisis Leadership: Voices From The Field, Corinne Brion

Journal of Catholic Education

This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach and the Marianist characteristics as a conceptual framework to understand the experiences of six lay Marianist educational leaders during COVID-19. Findings indicated that during the pandemic leaders were faced with challenges pertaining to receiving an excess of information, inequity in technology, serving students with various learning needs, and the socioemotional health of students and teachers. Despite these difficulties, these leaders were able to uphold the Marianist characteristics of educating for adaptation and change, educating in family spirit, and for formation in faith. This study is significant because it provides the unique perspectives of …


Leading In Liminality: Implications On Individual And Collective Identity, And Knowledge Creation For School Leaders, David Sorkin, Melodie Wyttenbach, John Reyes, Michael Warner Jan 2023

Leading In Liminality: Implications On Individual And Collective Identity, And Knowledge Creation For School Leaders, David Sorkin, Melodie Wyttenbach, John Reyes, Michael Warner

Journal of Catholic Education

In the spring of 2020, schools of all sectors across all nations were forced to close their doors as COVID-19 rippled through communities. Drawing upon the concept of liminality, which refers to a stage, state, or period of transition (Soderlund & Borg, 2017), this study investigated the intersections of the experience of liminality during the pandemic and functioning for Catholic school leaders. Interviews with urban school leaders were analyzed to understand key characteristics of liminality as experienced by school leaders within organizations. Findings indicate that school leaders responded to the liminal experience by sharpening the focus of work, which simultaneously …


Moral Formation In A Culture Of Relativism: Correlates Of Universalism And Relativism In The Moral Outlooks Of Emerging Adults, Steven Crawford Hayward Jan 2023

Moral Formation In A Culture Of Relativism: Correlates Of Universalism And Relativism In The Moral Outlooks Of Emerging Adults, Steven Crawford Hayward

Journal of Catholic Education

This study explores some of the demographic, personal, and experiential factors of emerging adults that correlate to a spectrum of moral outlooks ranging from moral universalism to moral relativism. Data was gathered from 466 volunteer undergraduate students. Respondents’ demographic, experiential, and personal factors served as independent variables. The relativism index score form Forsyth’s Ethics Position Questionnaire (1980) served as the dependent variable. Results suggest several conclusions: First, adults in the life of youth are a significant factor in moral outlook, exerting influence in both universalistic and relativistic directions. Second, religious practice and involvement contribute to a universal moral outlook. Third, …


Becoming A Stem-Focused Catholic School: Insights Into Adopting A Curricular Specialization, Julie W. Dallavis Jan 2023

Becoming A Stem-Focused Catholic School: Insights Into Adopting A Curricular Specialization, Julie W. Dallavis

Journal of Catholic Education

School choice policies seek to increase access to educational opportunities and stimulate innovations in schooling. This study examines the early stages of one such innovation—school-wide curricular specialization—in three Catholic elementary schools adopting a STEM focus and uses interviews to consider how and why different levels of support exist for the shift and under what conditions private and religious schools are prepared to make significant changes in instructional practice. Findings suggest that school resources—material, human, and social along with professional development—play an important role in shaping engagement in the adoption of a school-wide curricular focus.


The Positive Impacts Of A Professional Learning Community Model On Student Achievement In Small Schools, Christina Mariani-Petroze Jan 2023

The Positive Impacts Of A Professional Learning Community Model On Student Achievement In Small Schools, Christina Mariani-Petroze

Journal of Catholic Education

This study explores the impact of professional learning communities on student achievement in a small school setting. Aaron Hansen’s book, How to Develop PLCs for Singletons and Small Schools, offered a guide for arranging vertical, grade-level teams with one teacher per grade level at one private, K-8 school. The faculty engaged in high quality, effective professional development using PLC objectives and norms to analyze NEWA MAP data. They adapted instructional practices and implemented formative assessments to influence student growth in math and reading scores. Results indicate that the PLC training that took place between the Fall and Winter MAP testing …


Streaming With Butterflies: A Whole School Stream Project, Carey L. Averill, Janet M. Herrelko Jan 2023

Streaming With Butterflies: A Whole School Stream Project, Carey L. Averill, Janet M. Herrelko

Journal of Catholic Education

This study explores the commitment of a school faculty to use the pedagogical practices needed to employ a project-based unit of Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STREAM). The unit of study concentrated on environmental sustainability of butterflies through project-based learning (PBL). Teacher interviews were analyzed to reveal the similarities and differences, strengths and weaknesses in the teachers’ reactions to implementing a cross-curricula content unit designed for a pre-kindergarten (PK) to eighth grade school. Analysis of teacher data and classroom artifacts provided evidence of: content mastery at the student levels; implementation of scaffolding for developmental levels; and the need …


Understanding Leadership For Adaptive Change In Catholic Schools: A Complexity Perspective, Andrew F. Miller, Anna Noble, Patrick Mcquillan Jun 2022

Understanding Leadership For Adaptive Change In Catholic Schools: A Complexity Perspective, Andrew F. Miller, Anna Noble, Patrick Mcquillan

Journal of Catholic Education

In an era of decline and crisis, Catholic school leaders have been encouraged to find innovative ways to enhance a school’s operational vitality. Yet to this point, most research on educational change in Catholic schools has focused on the technical tasks school principals can take to “save” individual schools. In this article, we apply a complexity perspective to educational change leadership in Catholic education: leadership for adaptive change. Based on a new empirical analysis of the professional experiences of two Catholic school principals working at four different parish schools, we demonstrate in this article how leadership for adaptive change can …


On The Catholic Identity Of Students And Schools: Value Propositions For Catholic Education, Daniel Lapsley, Katheryn Kelley Jun 2022

On The Catholic Identity Of Students And Schools: Value Propositions For Catholic Education, Daniel Lapsley, Katheryn Kelley

Journal of Catholic Education

The Catholic school sector is under significant stress with declining enrollments and schools closing in virtually every diocese in the United States. This paper examines two value propositions for Catholic education. One is its role in providing foundational support for the development of personal spiritual identity in emerging adulthood and across the lifecourse. The second is the contribution of Catholic education to moral-character formation. Both propositions are relatively underdeveloped. The question of students’ personal spiritual identity is overshadowed by the understandable concern with the Catholic identity of schools. The question of moral-character formation is subsumed by catechesis and liturgy but …


Effects Of Instructor Accent On Undergraduate Evaluations And Learning At A Catholic College, Aubrey Scheopner Torres, Kevin Doran, Chih-Chien Huang, Elizabeth Rickenbach Jun 2022

Effects Of Instructor Accent On Undergraduate Evaluations And Learning At A Catholic College, Aubrey Scheopner Torres, Kevin Doran, Chih-Chien Huang, Elizabeth Rickenbach

Journal of Catholic Education

Catholic institutions of higher education are called to form citizens who fight against injustice, including persistent racial oppression. To do this, Catholic, public, and other private institutions must provide students opportunities to learn about and confront racism (Johnston, 2014). It is important that these institutions confront these issues because they employ faculty and staff who may experience systemic racism and can provide cultural knowledge to aid deconstructing racist ideologies. Undergraduate student evaluations of instructors or faculty, however, indicate discrimination against those perceived as non-white and with non-native English accents. This study focuses on one form of racism at a Catholic …


The Potential Of Catholic Schools: Public Virtues Through Private Voucher, Joseph Prud'homme Jun 2022

The Potential Of Catholic Schools: Public Virtues Through Private Voucher, Joseph Prud'homme

Journal of Catholic Education

Recent US Supreme Court cases signal a likely increase in calls for K-12 school choice programs that include the option of enrolling in religious schools. In turn, criticism of religious school-inclusive school choice programming is likely to shift to policy and values-based critiques. This article addresses two allegations of Catholic primary and secondary school deficiencies in achieving objectives important to a pluralist society, allegations that would invalidate indirect state support of Catholic schools. By analyzing the aesthetics of Hans Georg Gadamer and Aristotelian moral theory in light of American Catholic schools’ potential, this paper rejects claims that Catholic education is …


Heterogeneity In Parental Priorities For What Children Should Learn In Schools And Potential Implications For The Future Of Catholic Schools, Quentin Wodon Jun 2022

Heterogeneity In Parental Priorities For What Children Should Learn In Schools And Potential Implications For The Future Of Catholic Schools, Quentin Wodon

Journal of Catholic Education

Do parental priorities for what children should learn in school differ depending on the type of school chosen by parents? Does this, in turn, have potential implications for the future of Catholic schools in the United States? This article considers these questions in the context of the long-term decline in enrollment in U.S. Catholic schools. Specifically, the article considers three questions: 1) What are the priorities of parents for what their children should learn in school in the overall population? 2) Do these priorities differ between different groups of parents, including parents with children in Catholic schools and parents willing …


A Phenomenology Of The Job-Related Experiences Of Early Career Catholic Elementary School Principals, Sarah K. Kerins, Lucinda Spaulding Jun 2022

A Phenomenology Of The Job-Related Experiences Of Early Career Catholic Elementary School Principals, Sarah K. Kerins, Lucinda Spaulding

Journal of Catholic Education

This qualitative phenomenology investigated the job-related experiences of early career Catholic elementary school principals (N = 13) in the Mideastern region of the United States. Data were collected from an introductory survey, semi-structured interviews, two focus groups, and a participant designed plan for professional development. The findings indicated that Catholic elementary principals in their early career are motivated by a calling to a vocation in Catholic school leadership as well as the ability to develop and implement a vision for their school. Principals reported being challenged by limited resources, balancing the demands of the position, and navigating relationships. Finally, principals …


Relationship Between Course Placement Criteria And Mathematics Achievement In An All-Boys Catholic School, Daniel J. Mccue Jun 2022

Relationship Between Course Placement Criteria And Mathematics Achievement In An All-Boys Catholic School, Daniel J. Mccue

Journal of Catholic Education

This study explored the mathematics course placement process for incoming students in an all-boys Catholic high school. The sequential nature of mathematics significantly impacts students’ opportunity to learn; moreover, the mathematics course taken by a student during ninth grade can have far-reaching effects. Previous studies have found that ninth-grade students enrolled in Geometry, rather than Algebra 1, have a greater chance of completing advanced mathematics courses and experiencing increased mathematics success. Thus, adequately prepared students should be placed in Geometry whenever possible. To aid this effort, this study investigated whether a relationship exists between course placement criteria and future mathematics …


Beyond Academic Performance And Faith Formation: A Focus Section On Values And The Future Of Catholic Schools In The United States, Quentin Wodon Jun 2022

Beyond Academic Performance And Faith Formation: A Focus Section On Values And The Future Of Catholic Schools In The United States, Quentin Wodon

Journal of Catholic Education

Readers of the JCE are likely familiar with the enrollment crisis in K–12 Catholic schools in the United States. In 1965, 5.2 million children were enrolled in close to 13,000 Catholic schools. Today, 1.7 million children are enrolled in fewer than 6,000 schools (National Catholic Educational Association, 2022). The future does not look particularly promising. The reduction in the number of students due to lower fertility rates (National Center for Education Statistics, 2022) and a decline in the share of the adult population who are religiously affiliated (Smith, 2021) are sources of concerns. What might be done to stem the …


Views Of Catholic Middle School Students On Handling Peer Aggression, Ishita Khemka, Linda Hickson, Lina Gilic Jun 2022

Views Of Catholic Middle School Students On Handling Peer Aggression, Ishita Khemka, Linda Hickson, Lina Gilic

Journal of Catholic Education

Peer aggression toward peers who are perceived as weaker or different is a widespread problem for middle-school students including those attending Catholic middle schools. Middle school students’ normative beliefs about the acceptability of various types of aggressive behavior influences their own potential involvement in bullying or as bystanders to bullying in school environments. This study examined decision-making preferences of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade girls and boys for how they thought a targeted peer (from a vulnerable group) should handle a situation of physical, verbal, or cyber aggression. Significant gender, grade and type of peer …


Cultivating Talent: Insights From The 2022 National Study Examining Pathways To Increase The Presence Of Hispanic Teachers And Leaders In Catholic Schools, Hosffman Ospino, Melodie Wyttenbach Jan 2022

Cultivating Talent: Insights From The 2022 National Study Examining Pathways To Increase The Presence Of Hispanic Teachers And Leaders In Catholic Schools, Hosffman Ospino, Melodie Wyttenbach

Journal of Catholic Education

This article draws extensively on data from Cultivating Talent: A National Study Examining Pathways to Increase the Presence of Hispanic Teachers and Leaders in Catholic Schools, conducted by Boston College researchers and released in January 2022. The report looks to understand and appreciate the various ways in which Hispanics educators are transforming the American Catholic school experience. Our findings clearly show that Catholic schools in the United States are and will be further enriched by the presence and contributions of Hispanic teachers and leaders. The report encourages stakeholders of Catholic education and pastoral leaders at all levels, across the nation, …


Practices, Perceptions, And Perspectives Of Hispanic Catholic School Diocesan Leaders, John Reyes, Veronica Alonzo, Melodie Wyttenbach Jan 2022

Practices, Perceptions, And Perspectives Of Hispanic Catholic School Diocesan Leaders, John Reyes, Veronica Alonzo, Melodie Wyttenbach

Journal of Catholic Education

Centering on (a) the pathways and beliefs that characterize the experiences of Hispanic Catholic school diocesan leaders and (b) the impact of ethnic and cultural heritage on their leadership practices and perceptions, this article articulates the key findings of a qualitative descriptive study involving eight Hispanic Catholic school diocesan leaders in the United States. Drawing upon the four frames of understanding used in Ospino and Wyttenbach’s (2022) broad study on the 14,000 Hispanic Catholic school educators in the United States and existing literature on Hispanic superintendent leadership, the authors detail three key thematic findings in the areas of motivation, mentoring …


Catholic Theological And Equity Framework To Champion Hispanic Representation In Catholic Schools, Jorge Pena, John Reyes, Michael T. O'Connor Jan 2022

Catholic Theological And Equity Framework To Champion Hispanic Representation In Catholic Schools, Jorge Pena, John Reyes, Michael T. O'Connor

Journal of Catholic Education

How do Catholic schools create inclusive, equitable environments that embrace the identities of their students, including their race, ethnicity, and culture? What does Catholic theological spirituality say about diversity, equity, and inclusion to address racism? What is the connection between Catholic theological spirituality and equitable school practices to bring about equity in Catholic schools? In response to increased diversity of students, educators, communities, and societal challenges, there is a need for a framework for Catholic schools with a culturally diverse student body, or with a student body and staff with different cultures. We synthesize Catholic theological spirituality and research about …


Strengthening And Sustaining Dual Language Education In Catholic Schools, Laura Hamman-Ortiz, Katy Lichon, Clare Roach, Patricia Salazar Harty Jan 2022

Strengthening And Sustaining Dual Language Education In Catholic Schools, Laura Hamman-Ortiz, Katy Lichon, Clare Roach, Patricia Salazar Harty

Journal of Catholic Education

The purpose of this article is two-fold. First, we seek to make a case for the promise of dual language programs to enhance Catholic schooling and enrich educational opportunities for Latinx students. Second, we offer insights into the current landscape of Catholic schools with dual language programs, drawing upon data from a national survey conducted by University of Notre Dame researchers in 2020. Through our presentation of the findings, we consider characteristics of current program models and identify areas of success, challenges, and opportunities for future growth. We conclude with a discussion of the possibilities for strengthening and sustaining dual …


Dual Language Catholic Schools: Innovation And Equity--Considerations For Making The Transition To Dual Language, Carrie Fuller, Elena Sada Jan 2022

Dual Language Catholic Schools: Innovation And Equity--Considerations For Making The Transition To Dual Language, Carrie Fuller, Elena Sada

Journal of Catholic Education

The multiple academic and social advantages of a dual language education are well known; yet there is little practical guidance for Catholic school leaders who are taking on this whole school change. This paper explores the necessary steps for Catholic school leaders to develop equitable dual language schools. Guided by the Gospel principles of love and justice and using the Community of Practice theoretical framework, the authors argue that taking thoughtful risks in transforming one’s school can lead to meaningful learning in service to culturally and linguistically diverse students. Seven main implementation areas for developing a dual language Catholic school …


Fortalecer Raíces Y Formar Alas: Empowerment, Advancement, And Retention Of Latinx Educators And Leaders In Catholic Schools, Kathryn Lichon, Itzxul Moreno, Angela Maria Villamizar, Kenna Arana Jan 2022

Fortalecer Raíces Y Formar Alas: Empowerment, Advancement, And Retention Of Latinx Educators And Leaders In Catholic Schools, Kathryn Lichon, Itzxul Moreno, Angela Maria Villamizar, Kenna Arana

Journal of Catholic Education

While Latinx children are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. school population, the majority of Latinx Catholic school children may never be instructed or led by a Latinx teacher, principal, or administrator. This is a lamentable gap given that a shared student and teacher identity (i.e., home language, ethnicity, background knowledge, lived experiences) can lead to improved academic outcomes (Dixon, 2017) and non-academic outcomes (Carver-Thomas, 2018), that Latinx educators have conveyed a more profound sense of dedication and belonging when their identity is recognized and valued (Flores et al., 2018), and that there are persistent challenges in the retention of …


Cultivating The Talent Of Educators For Learning And Belonging, Molly Mcmahon, Theresa Pileggi-Proud Jan 2022

Cultivating The Talent Of Educators For Learning And Belonging, Molly Mcmahon, Theresa Pileggi-Proud

Journal of Catholic Education

As schools endeavor to implement the recommendations of Cultivating Talent: A National Study Examining Pathways to Increase the Presence of Hispanic Teachers and Leaders in Catholic Schools (“Cultivating Talent”), this education in practice article presents research-informed recommendations that can be implemented immediately by Catholic schools in order to strengthen student-teacher relationships and create a positive school climate that increases all students’ learning and sense of belonging.


Catholic Education And The Idea Of Curriculum, Leonardo Franchi, Robert Davis Dec 2021

Catholic Education And The Idea Of Curriculum, Leonardo Franchi, Robert Davis

Journal of Catholic Education

Critical reflection on the curriculum offered in the Catholic school is a valuable addition to wider dialogue on the nature of education and schooling. It enables the Church’s educational agencies to offer a distinctive vision of education to the diverse range of students who freely participate in its educational ventures. In Catholic thinking, education is the study of humanity and its achievements. The curriculum of the Catholic school speaks to internal and external audiences and is a bridge uniting the Catholic worldview with other intellectual traditions.


Cultivating Catholic Classroom Communities During Remote Teaching, John L. Beltramo, Krizia Layam, Julia Lucas, John Schmitt Dec 2021

Cultivating Catholic Classroom Communities During Remote Teaching, John L. Beltramo, Krizia Layam, Julia Lucas, John Schmitt

Journal of Catholic Education

In this COVID-era study, Catholic school teachers report the challenges that they experienced in supporting classroom communities during remote instruction, as well as the strategies that they enacted to address such challenges and make robust relationships with and among remote students. While teachers engaged in remote teaching, they were also studying in a Catholic Master of Arts in Teaching program, where they participated in weekly Freirian culture circles – structured dialogues designed to help teachers identify problems of equity and collectively devise appropriate responses. The teachers found that classroom community was hindered by a lack of in-person affordances, socioemotional stressors …


As Catholic Schools Become More Diverse, How Should We Prepare New Catholic School Educators For Inclusive Schools? An Analysis Of Research On University And Diocesan Teacher Training, Rebekka J. Jez, Julie C. Cantillon, Lauren H. Ramers, Melissa M. Burgess Dec 2021

As Catholic Schools Become More Diverse, How Should We Prepare New Catholic School Educators For Inclusive Schools? An Analysis Of Research On University And Diocesan Teacher Training, Rebekka J. Jez, Julie C. Cantillon, Lauren H. Ramers, Melissa M. Burgess

Journal of Catholic Education

Educators can improve academic and socio-emotional wellbeing of their students if they are equipped with strategies and skills to support learners and families from a variety of diverse backgrounds and experiences, such as culturally and linguistically diverse students, students with differing abilities, and those who may experience trauma and/or socio-economic challenges. To learn more about this topic a Catholic university and local diocese examined the literature on the impact of Catholic teachers in under-resourced schools, practices for training Catholic educators with skills to meet the needs of all learners, and the structures needed to ensure that diocesan and university supervisors …