Finding It Hard to Concentrate

Has anyone else had a hard time concentrating since March 16th? I find it hard to concentrate on anything for more than maybe five to ten minutes. If I stay focused for a full ten minutes, I'm doing a great job. It is the craziest feeling. Actually, it is an uncomfortable feeling. Thank God I've had a series of guest bloggers or there would not have been a blog from me since March 29th. For me, since the middle of March, completing a task has been monumental. Writing this one paragraph has taken me about thirty minutes.

In the thirty minutes since starting this blog, I have stopped writing (blogging) to watch a little bit of Newcastle vs West Ham. I have it on but muted. The noise from the TV doesn't bother me. Listening to announcers state the obvious is annoying. I usually watch sporting events on mute. I have also made a bowl of fruit salad for breakfast. And, I counted the number of books I have on my nightstand I have started reading but have given up on. Someday, I'll finish those books. Just don't know when.

It is the strangest thing, I have started reading those six books but cannot concentrate long enough to even comprehend what I'm reading. Many times, I have to read the same paragraph two or three times just for comprehension purposes. It is frustrating. I love to read. Since March 16th, reading hasn't been much fun.

I do not know why this is happening. Just during this past Christmas break, I read five books. There was no problem with concentrating. And, there was no problem taking a break from work for mental and physical health purposes. We need those breaks. Right now, it is as if our brains aren't turning off. There is no mental health break. Maybe we can turn off our brains for a day trip to the lake. But, that's just one day. A weekend away from work hasn't happened since the middle of March.

I have to think through the situation to try to figure out the sudden changes. Don't think I'm suffering from Alzheimer's or some form of depression. Why has someone who loves to read and is constantly reading all of a sudden lost that desire to read? Why has someone who really enjoys going to work everyday had such a hard time concentrating? Why has someone who looks forward to the next challenge all of a sudden, having difficulty finishing a project before moving on to the next? This can be a little disconcerting. Actually, it is very disconcerting.

The way I see it, we have gone from a normal mode to a firefighter mode. Since March 16th, we have been putting out fires not on a daily basis but on an hourly basis. So many fires have been popping up that we cannot even finish putting out one fire when we have to start fighting another. The more fires you have to fight, the less of you there is to fight those fires. Don't feel as if I'm giving less of myself to fighting the fires. There are just too many fires to fight at one time.

One week the CDC and the health department tell us this is what needs to happen. The next week, the directives change. The next day, the politicians make everything a political battle and forget it is about the people and not political affiliation. In turn, we have no idea what needs to be done. Thank God the Catholic Schools have the task force to help guide us.

The way most of us work, we have short-term and long-term goals. Those long-term goals are usually part of a five-year plan. For now, the five-year plans have pretty much been set ablaze by the short-term goals. The longest short-term goal we are working on is getting ready for August 11th. That's the day we are scheduled to begin the 2020-21 school year.

We are working on a day-to-day basis. Work is tough. The situations we are facing are tough. Families are struggling. Children need to have a normal and healthy routine. Right now, a healthy routine is different for everybody. Some parents are scared to death about schools starting up. Some parents cannot wait for schools to get started. We all have tough decisions to make with super-mixed information coming our way. We hear this. We read that. This person advises this. That person advises that. Everyone's an expert yet no one knows anything.

The way I look at it, times have been tougher. Situations have been more severe. I'm going to keep putting out fires the best I can. I'm going to make the best decisions I can to educate my students while doing my best to keep them and the St. Ann staff as safe as possible. My job is to provide students and families with a Catholic Education. Along with a team of experts (Diocesan Transition Task Force), fellow Catholic School administrators, incredible staff members at St. Ann, and lots of prayer, we are working on the short-term goal of the first day of school. We are getting closer to seeing what that will look like. Yet, on the constant changing stream of information, the picture is still very blurry. It will become clear. We just have to remain patient and continue working hard to achieve the best possible outcome for everyone involved.

For now, I'm not going to worry too much about my inability to concentrate on reading a paragraph from a book I'm wanting to read. But, I will be more compassionate when one of my students has a hard time concentrating on a paragraph they are supposed to read. If anything, I have learned something through all of this.

God bless you,
Didier Aur, Principal
St. Ann Catholic School

The Holy Spirit Showed Up and Showed Out

Anthony Maranise

This is the fourth and final in a series of blogs where I asked St. Ann educators if they would be willing to write a blog on what it has been like teaching during this pandemic. Several of our educators took time to write down their thoughts. So, this is the final St. Ann educator reflection. Last but not least is our eighth grade Religion educator, Anthony Maranise.

Most of my learners at St. Ann (and some of my faculty-friends) know that I am learning not only along with and from them regularly, but also as I simultaneously work towards my doctorate as I teach. I mention this simply because much of my doctoral coursework is online already. When the coronavirus outbreak began, as so many of you now know well, teachers across the world were ‘forced’ online to instruct their learners remotely. As a rather extroverted person, I derive much of my passion for teaching from the genuine joy of being able to directly and meaningfully interact with my learners – whether that is through in-person instruction or even mere casual pleasantries as we pass one another in the hallways. Though the precautionary impacts of the pandemic deprived me, temporarily, of that joy, it did not, could not, and will not stifle my passion for education nor the good zeal I have for the learners entrusted to my care. What the pandemic did do for me, as an educator, is – somewhat ironically – teach me two lessons which I would like to briefly share with you.

St. John Baptist de La Salle

Lesson 1: Insofar as I had adjusted to online learning myself for my own studies, I quickly learned that there exists a vast chasm of difference between learning online and teaching online. The latter (that is, teaching online) is far more difficult, even though the content I am responsible for disseminating may be elementary to me. It is not and never is about us as educators when we are teaching; it is solely about and for the benefit of our learners. Moreover, I am a religious educator so it is not only integral to my mission, but part of my responsibility not just to academically form my learners, but to also – in the words of the Patron Saint of Educators, St. John Baptiste de La Salle – “touch hearts which [I] cannot possibly do without the help of the Holy Spirit.” That said, I had to quickly take content I would have presented a certain way in classes in-person and format it, as meaningfully as possible for online engagement, in a way that would compel my learners to demonstrate concept mastery to that rigorous level they have come to expect from me (and I from them), but also in a way that would “touch [their] hearts”. The Holy Spirit “showed up and showed out”, as the phrase resounds, in their submitted works because many of their responses, comments, questions, and engagements made clear that their hearts had been touched, but in the process, they touched my own – adding even greater passion to my already aflame love for educating at St. Ann.

Lesson 2: An additional precautionary action during the pandemic (apart from the temporary physical distancing from our schools) was that of a sort of ‘freeze’ to public worship, liturgical, and/or sacramental offerings. I know that I am but one among many of the faithful for whom this was difficult, but I found some comfort in the wisdom of a book written by a friend of mine (and to many). In Living the Sacraments, Fr. David Knight writes, “In a sense, everything in life becomes a prayer. Everything becomes an experience of oneness with Christ because we are united with Him – in desire and in fact – in everything we do” (p. 37). There it was! Though our sacramental and worship lives – along with nearly every other conceivable aspect – had been disrupted to some extent by this pandemic, it would be in and through my passion for teaching and engagement (even though digital) with my learners (all of whom truly and vibrantly bear and outwardly reflect “the image and likeness of God” [Gen. 1:27] as we all do) that I would remain spiritually-grounded! The renowned Christian apologist and English literary phenom, C.S. Lewis, adds further support to Fr. Knight’s wise counsel, noting, “There are no ‘ordinary’ people. You have never spoken to a mere mortal… Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses” (The Weight of Glory). We took the precautions that we did out of loving concern for these persons – our neighbors – who are holy bearers of God’s own image and likeness. But, even though we were made physically distant from them – particularly for us educators, from our learners and faculty-friends – so many of us found greater union with God not through being apart from them, but in the being apart, by coming to realize how important these persons are to us; indeed, how much they teach, form, and add value to our own lives – often even more so than we do to theirs.

With prayers for us all, and in hope of health & wholeness,

Anthony

More St. Ann Blogs:
Kristina Miller https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/06/currahee.html

Melanie Wall https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/we-never-did-it-that-way-before.html

Annmarie Ghio https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/an-educators-take-on-remote-teaching.html

Liz Wehmeyer https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/an-educators-take-on-remote-teaching.html

Kris Crews https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/re-opening-catholic-schools-this-fall.html

Joseph Gulino https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/just-keep-doing-what-you-are-doing_9.html

Laura Battle https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/04/dr-laura-battle-this-weeks-guest-blogger.html

Anthony Maranise https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/04/holy-week-and-easter-during-time-of.html

Christy Matlock https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/04/from-st-ann-to-new-jersey-nurses-story.html

Currahee!

This is the third in a series of blogs where I have asked St. Ann educators if they would be willing to write a blog on what it has been like teaching during this pandemic. Several of our educators took time to write down their thoughts. So, the next several blogs will feature St. Ann educators reflecting on teaching during the pandemic. Next up is our fourth grade educator, Kristina Miller.

Currahee Mountain

Currahee!

How I handled remote learning was like that of a soldier. I was raised in a military family and I am a big WWII buff. I am especially fond of the story of the Band of Bothers which was made into an HBO series. In the series it shows how a group of paratroopers bonded in basic training by having to run up and down the Currahee Mountain in Georgia before heading to the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.

Though I was not facing a war, I was facing a battle with Covid. A battle with isolation, a battle with a toilet paper shortage, and a battle in un-charted territory. First and for most, I was in a battle to protect my students and their families from undo stress, while still doing my utmost to provide them with a meaningful education. I also wanted to tend to their emotional needs as well.

Mrs. Miller & WW2 veteran on
the 75th anniversary on D-Day
in Normandy, France

Every day, I planned with my students’ families in mind. Can this work be done while mom is at work? Can this work be done with several kids at home? Is dad needing to use the computer as he works from home? Will the kids enjoy the day’s lesson? Am I too hard, too easy?

Finding balance during an unbalanced time was my greatest challenge. My nose to the grindstone, I didn’t look up until the mission was accomplished. And before you knew it, it was the last day of school and my class met on hangouts for a tear-filled farewell. After that, I gave in and cried the built-up tears of frustration, relief, and sadness. The sadness was that I couldn’t properly say goodbye to the children that I have had the honor of teaching for the past two years. I prayed that I have served them and their families well.

On Hangouts
with Students

I want to thank my parents for their support, for being great co-teachers, and cheerleaders! I couldn’t have done it without them- the foundation of successful remote learning relies heavily on the partnership of parents and the teacher.

It is through strong leadership, hard work, great support and a great love for each other that makes St. Ann a great school. While other schools gave up and shut down, we like the Band of Brothers, circled our troops and stormed the beaches of Covid, and we conquered remote learning with God’s help.

With deepest appreciation and love to all at St. Ann,

Kristina Miller

More Blogs on St. Ann:

Melanie Wall https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/we-never-did-it-that-way-before.html

Annmarie Ghio https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/an-educators-take-on-remote-teaching.html

Liz Wehmeyer https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/an-educators-take-on-remote-teaching.html

Kris Crews https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/re-opening-catholic-schools-this-fall.html

Joseph Gulino https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/just-keep-doing-what-you-are-doing_9.html

Laura Battle https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/04/dr-laura-battle-this-weeks-guest-blogger.html

Anthony Maranise https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/04/holy-week-and-easter-during-time-of.html

Christy Matlock https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/04/from-st-ann-to-new-jersey-nurses-story.html

We Never Did It That Way Before

This is the second in a series of blogs where I have asked St. Ann educators if they would be willing to write a blog on what it has been like teaching during this pandemic. Several of our educators took time to write down their thoughts. So, the next several blogs will feature St. Ann educators reflecting on teaching during the pandemic. Next up is our first grade educator, Melanie Wall.

This is my first year teaching at St. Ann. While I could take this opportunity to let everyone know about the incredibly warm welcome I received and how helpful and patient all the staff and families have been, I think I'd like to share about what I’ve witnessed at St. Ann over the past two months.

Let me give you a little background first. Many people don’t know that I come from a rather diverse employment background. One job I held while working on my undergraduate degree at the University of Memphis (Memphis State, at the time) was at my father's small medical practice. I was in charge of filing insurance claims. During my time there, the big shift was made from keeping medical records and insurance claims on paper to submitting all electronically. When it was announced that we'd no longer be using the more “traditional“ ways of record keeping, I was shocked at the reaction from some of his staff, especially those who had been with him the longest. They weren't happy at all, and were quick to grumble and argue about the changes taking place. My father patiently listened to their grievances but kept moving forward. I'll never forget walking into the office break room one day during this transition and seeing a sign he had posted. It read “ . . . the last words of a dying organization are ‘We never did it that way before.’” The office eventually successfully transitioned, but the grumbling remained for quite some time.

Christmas Party

Fast forward to Friday, March 13^th this year. Mr. Aur called an emergency faculty meeting to deal with the school closing due to COVID -19. As I walked into the library that day, I was nervous. What was the atmosphere going to be like? Would I see the same resistance to change that I’d seen in the past? While I knew the situations were very different, I felt in many ways that this change would be more frightening.

What I saw was amazing. In spite of the uncertainty of the situation, there was an incredible positive attitude. I heard about ideas based on how we were going to make distance learning work instead of complaints and negativity. The teachers immediately began sharing and offered to help each other as we entered this new realm of education.

Since that day in the library, there have been incredible virtual meetings and professional development sessions. Has it been perfect? No. While there have been a few tears of frustration and sadness, the teachers and administrators have continued to work together. Distance learning has been and is a work in progress and I, especially, have struggled. But the focus from the beginning of this journey has remained on solutions. I have not seen or heard any issues of “we've never done it that way before;” instead, the prevailing attitude has been “Let's do this!” That's one of the many reasons why I’m so proud and thrilled to call St. Ann home.

"I can hardly wait to see the precious St. Ann students and their families when school opens. I hope you all have a wonderful summer!

With much love,

Melanie Wall

More Blogs on St. Ann:

Annmarie Ghio https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/an-educators-take-on-remote-teaching.html

Liz Wehmeyer https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/an-educators-take-on-remote-teaching.html

Kris Crews https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/re-opening-catholic-schools-this-fall.html

Joseph Gulino https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/just-keep-doing-what-you-are-doing_9.html

Laura Battle https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/04/dr-laura-battle-this-weeks-guest-blogger.html

Anthony Maranise https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/04/holy-week-and-easter-during-time-of.html

Christy Matlock https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/04/from-st-ann-to-new-jersey-nurses-story.html

An Educator's Take on Remote Teaching

I have asked St. Ann educators if they would be willing to write a blog on what it has been like teaching during this pandemic. Several of our educators took time to write down their thoughts. So, the next several blogs will feature St. Ann educators reflecting on teaching during the pandemic. First up is our 3^rd grade educator, Annmarie Ghio.

Remote learning. Ugh! It’s not for every student. And remote teaching, it's not for every teacher. For me, it was heart-breaking, yet heart-warming.

It was heart-breaking, because I saw students and parents struggle. Home is not a school. We have a different mindset when we’re at home in comfy clothes surrounded by snacks, toys, and television, away from the structure of a classroom and the support of a teacher. I struggled as well, both professionally and personally when my dad died unexpectedly. I was disappointed as I cancelled field trips, projects, and other special events. But a strong faith, hope, surrounding myself with supportive people, and a new routine helped.

For me, I feed off of my students. I love to see my scholars every day, and I gauge how my lessons are going by how my students are reacting. Are they engaged? Are they smiling? Do they look like they’re falling asleep? I adjust immediately. To be a teacher is to be creative and flexible. But during this time, I doubted myself. Remote teaching challenged my capacity for being creative. It drained my energy as I planned and taught like never before. When I am remote teaching, even in Hangouts, it’s hard to get feedback from students. It’s sometimes difficult to see their faces, to assess their body language, or to have a good, honest back-and-forth conversation. And I miss the socialization as much as they do. I miss their high-fives and hugs. I miss their anecdotes and endless curiosity that challenges me to dive deeper into content or broaden my scope on a lesson. Then there’s the end of the year goodbyes. We really didn’t get a proper good-bye, did we?

However, we all know that life gives us challenges. They are inevitable. But how we faced this challenge was crucial, not just for us as educators, but for the expectations and example we set for our St. Ann students and their families. Remote teaching was not optional. It's not what we were trained to do or even what we wanted to do. It’s what we needed to do, and we needed to do it well. So we researched. We learned. We changed. We adjusted. And we learned some more. And adapted again. The cycle still continues as we look toward an uncertain future. I should be preparing for summer camps, but instead I'm measuring my classroom and deciding what stays and what goes as I rethink my teaching styles and strategies for the fall.

Despite the distance, my students and I discovered new ways to stay connected. That’s what family does! Thank goodness for Hangouts, home videos, Doceri, hand-written letters, and PicCollage. I also saw not only teachers do things they never thought they could, but I also saw students and parents discover new talents and strengths. It has been amazing to see our young learners shine in a new light! And our parents stepped up to partner with us. You are all amazing, too, and we will never forget how you helped us. So even though remote teaching had its heart-breaking moments, there were unexpected opportunities over the past 10 weeks that were heart-warming. And the end result of those outweighs the bad. Those memories of seeing our students make new discoveries are what teaching is all about. Those moments are permanent. Remote learning is temporary.

No one knows what the fall will look like, but I am 100% certain that the teachers and administration at St. Ann can and will meet any challenges head-on, prepared to lead our students into another safe, meaningful year of learning filled with faith, service, and love.

Have a safe, healthy, and fantastically fun summer. I love you, and I miss you...all.

Annmarie Ghio

A Previous Blog by a St. Ann Parent, Liz Wehmeyer: https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/why-st-ann-by-liz-wehmeyer.html

Re-Opening Catholic Schools This Fall

Kris, Michaela,
Alex, and Sophia

This week's guest blogger is Kristine Crews. She is a St. Ann parent, soccer mom, and researcher at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She directs a Residency in Clinical Pharmacogenomics at St. Jude and teaches student pharmacists at University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy. She serves on the Diocesan Transition Task Force. She has been asked to give us all an explanation of the work being performed by the Task Force regarding re-opening Catholic Schools this fall.

We are all in this together! As the 2019-20 school year comes to a close-- one we won’t forget anytime soon-- the Catholic Diocese of Memphis is looking ahead to what the return to campus in Fall 2020 will look like. As a St. Ann parent and a healthcare professional, I’ve been asked to serve on the Diocesan Transition Task Force, which is chaired by Teddi Niedzweidz, principal of St. Louis Catholic School. This task force will advise Catholic Schools on safe practices for reopening campuses in Fall 2020.

St. Ann is a school like no other. Jimmy and I send our daughter Sophia to St. Ann for the strong and nurturing community and for teachers who care for each child as a whole. I am a product of K-12 Catholic education in my hometown of Chalfont, PA. Without a doubt, my strong Catholic school education propelled me to my STEM career and formed me into a well-rounded adult. It’s the education Jimmy and I sought for our three children - Sophia, a rising 7^th grader at St. Ann; Michaela, a rising 10^th grader at St. Benedict; and Alex, a soon-to-be senior at Christian Brothers High School.

Kris and the empty halls
at St. Jude

As the diocesan task force make plans through the summer for the start of the new school year, we will keep in mind these important goals: educating our kids, continuing to provide a strong faith community in which they can grow, and keeping COVID-19 off the St. Ann campus.

No one can predict the future of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are all much smarter and more experienced, however, in safety measures in our own homes and in our community than we were 2 months ago. The pandemic came upon us in Shelby County and across the country so quickly this past March. We had to adapt instantly and change the way we taught our kids. We have more time to plan for the fall return to school. The task force recognizes that we essentially need 3 separate plans for return to school depending on the level of COVID-19 transmission in August:

1.    If there remains a high level of transmission in the community: start the school year with distance learning if schools need to remain closed.

2.    For a moderate level of transmission in the community: return to school with social distancing restrictions in place.

3.    For a minimum level of transmission in the community: schools will open; some precautions may need to stay in place.

Sophia on the 1st day of 6th grade

The task force is focusing on Situation 2 above and will advise on what plans need to be in place to return to school in the case of a moderate level of transmission in the community. Those of us who are essential workers and have physically gone to work over the past few weeks have seen our places of business morph into something nearly unrecognizable from how they operated in other times.

It’s likely that St. Ann will open for the 2020-21 school year looking and running very differently than it did last fall. Over the summer, Mr. Aur and his dedicated faculty and staff will be doing previously unheard-of activities, like measuring classrooms and common spaces throughout the school to know the occupancy limits of each space for social distancing requirements. St. Ann will set up a screening protocol for students as they enter school each morning in the fall. We’ll have a renewed focus on cleaning and disinfecting the school at night. We’ll plan for hand hygiene breaks throughout the school day. We’ll look at traffic patterns to limit mixing of students as they move through the school. And we’ll consider accommodations that will be needed for vulnerable students, faculty, and staff members so that the school environment is safe for all of us. Again, we don’t know yet what precautions will need to be in place but be assured we’ll work through the summer break to have our beloved school ready to teach these kids.

What can you do this summer? 

·      Keep informed by checking for updates to evidence-based guidance on the CDC and Shelby County websites. 

·      Experts recommend helping your child stay socially connected with friends digitally for the time being. Resist the urge to start back sleepovers and Jumping World parties just yet. What we do now to stem the transmission of the coronavirus in the community will help us be in good shape to open schools in the fall.

·      If someone at higher risk for COVID-19 will be providing childcare (an older adult, such as a grandparent or someone with a chronic medical condition), limit your children’s contact with other people.

·      If your children ride bikes or play outside with neighborhood friends, reinforce 6-foot distancing from anyone who is not in your own household and keep them playing outside.

Have a great summer and see you next year!

~Kris

I would like to thank Kris Crews for saying "Yes" to serving on the Diocesan Transition Task Force. Her work along with all the other members of the task force is crucial to the planning efforts of re-opening Catholic Schools this fall. This task force is giving all school leaders a roadmap on how best to prepare with student safety at the forefront. Thank you for giving of your time and talent to helping all the children, both in Catholic Schools and St. Jude. You are making a positive difference in the world.

God bless you,

Didier Aur, Principal

St. Ann Catholic School

Previous Blogs:

Dr. Joseph Gulino: https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/just-keep-doing-what-you-are-doing_9.html

Liz Wehmeyer: https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/why-st-ann-by-liz-wehmeyer.html

Just Keep Doing What You Are Doing

Dr. Joseph Gulino

This week's guest blogger is Dr. Joseph Gulino. Dr. Gulino has spent several weeks over the past two years working with the St. Ann educators with a focus on gifted students and learning. You can learn more about Dr. Gulino by visiting the Gulino Group website. https://www.thegulinogroup.org/  I'll let Dr. Gulino take over from here.

“Just keep doing what you are doing,” music to the ears of an educator who has just been observed by a supervisor. Also, music to the supervisor who loves to watch excellent educators at their craft. These were words I was fortunate to utter to educators at St. Ann Catholic School in October. I stated those words more times at St. Ann than at any other school I have had the opportunity to observe educators. I have been at St. Ann working with the faculty approximately three weeks, May and August of 2018, and October of 2019. The first two visits were to make presentations and identify resources re: ‘How to help all students achieve,’ ‘Resources to challenge all students think critically and creatively,’ and ‘What all educators need to know about trauma, their students, and education.’

I was asked by Mr. Aur on the third visit to observe each educator and give them feedback re: the implementation of resources they had chosen the previous year. I am the former Director of Education Clinical Experiences and Master Degree program at Central Methodist College, Fayette, MO 1994-99. Working with educators and helping them become better at their craft was my favorite position in my education career.

What I Observed working with the Educators

Important behaviors of great educators that are most important to me:

Educators were deeply committed to developing relationships with their students. I could feel it, see it in their demeanor, hear it in the works they used working with students, and observe it in the reactions of the students.

Words to describe further would be caring, kind, and most importantly patient as St. Ann is serving many students with special needs and life situations, and patience is a virtue needed greatly and observed often.

The way we feel sometimes
during this pandemic.

Logically what follows is their keen knowledge of their students: the needs for all (the group/class), and the particular needs of each student. This was observed watching them work with their classes, and more importantly hearing/seeing their conversations with peers re: particular students sharing strategies and getting feedback from each other in faculty room or private settings.

Being a former principal and college professor and now consultant, I was particularly impressed with their dedication to being educators, not just teachers.  Educators do not hold down a job and JUST go to work at 7:30, get off at 3:30, play with kids all day, and have their summers off. Educators are professional. They act like professionals and love what they do more than anything else. They are always on the lookout and desire to learn more about their craft, not having more time away from their students. Whole group discussions regarding my presentation material and then later one-on-one discussions with St. Ann educators were very impressive and showed me the desire to learn, and knowledge gained. I look forward to future visits to see how all grow even further.

Lastly, the time engaged in learning was outstanding.  There was little to no, down, “get started on homework,” or wasted, time. There are only so many minutes in a school day and every one of them is important, and these educators use as many minutes as possible for learning.

Being at St. Ann for so many days also gave me a great feel for the school as whole, and I feel I should share that with you as well.

Principles of
Fearless Leadership

St. Ann Catholic School

Important characteristics of a great school important to me, what I observed as a whole:

Great schools smell good. You can tell when you enter a building by what you smell and pass judgement mentally. The cleaning staff does an excellent job of preparing the school in this area. I always liked the cafeteria to be close to the front door, so the smell of good food could be experienced by all who entered.

St. Ann is a safe, civil, and healthy environment for students to learn. Walking the halls and popping into classrooms, it is very obvious that students feel respected and connected with the faculty and staff. 

There is a clear understanding that this is a Catholic School with strong common beliefs and values. That Catholicity is openly observable as well as shared with all who come into contact with the school, its staff, and communications that come from the school or its staff.

I observed that the educators I worked with believe that all students can learn and meet high standards. Students are challenged, and guided, to be the best they can be; and those who come to the school with special needs or life situations are given the resources and help they need.

Your principal, Mr. Aur, is an outstanding leader. He is a visionary, creative, and very proactive. He knows what is needed in many situations and is very open and asks others what is needed. He also knows how to get the help needed to obtain those needs. He brings in quality staff members and then turns them loose to be the best they can be for the students, parents, and St. Ann community of faith. Professional development of the staff is important to him and he sets it up properly with continued work with professional individuals over time to strengthen trust and relationships, not just one shot one-time in-service experiences.

Possibly the strongest area I noted in the St. Ann staff after their care for students is their high level of collaboration. I observed selfless teamwork across all grades and subject areas. Another big bonus to St. Ann is the high degree of parent and community member participation in the daily school operation.

In closing, I hope you take from these observations that this professional feels/knows that St. Ann School is a special school in a special time and should be appreciated, taken care of, supported, shared, and allowed to continue to grow. The children/students are in great hands and many will be achieving great things because of the foundation they are receiving here. I look very forward to my next visit to share more with the educators and grow myself though their reflections back to me.

God Bless,

Joseph Gulino

Support St. Ann Catholic School

Thank you Dr. Gulino for your insights. You have been a tremendous help to the educators and students at St. Ann. We greatly appreciate the time you have taken to make St. Ann and even better Catholic School. We hope to see you around in 2020-21.

God bless you,
Didier Aur, Principal
St. Ann Catholic School

Read our previous blog: https://didieraur.blogspot.com/2020/05/why-st-ann-by-liz-wehmeyer.html