a supplement to the catholic star herald...

By Peter G. Sánchez

Watch out, J.K. Rowling and StephenKing. Students at St. Joseph RegionalSchool in Somers Point might somedayknock your books off the bestseller list.

Recentl 15 students in grades 3-6 anda school alumna released “We Are, St.Joseph’s School, the School by theSea,” which they created, wrote, illus-trated and self-published.

The book is “about who we are as aschool, what makes our school special,

and what it means to have a Catholiceducation,” said Sylvia MaryMcFadden, thrid grade teacher andmentor for the school’s summerwriter’s workshop, where the idea forthe publication was first conceived.

Students in the writer’s workshopformed another club, Students forSocial Responsibility, and began workon the book.

A book launch was held during theschool’s Secret Santa sale in December,and 100 percent of the profits have

gone to charity, consistent with the stu-dents’ desire to “give back to theschool, and to a local hospital.”

Fifty percent of the profits go to St.Joseph’s Annual Fund, while the otherhalf goes to Shore Memorial Hospital’sCancer Center.

In addition to building “confidenceand (achieving) authorship” amongstudents, the project demonstrated the“process of going from blank page topublished book, and the importanceof social responsibility, and how we

can make a difference,” McFaddensaid.

As an eduational project with bothreligious and charitable components,it’s a good example of this year’s themefor Catholic Schools Week:Communities of Faith, Knowledge andService.

The book is available at St. JosephSchool, in Shore Memorial Hospital’sGift Shop, or by e-mailing McFadden [email protected]. The costis $25 hardcover, $15 softcover.

A SUPPLEMENT TO THE CATHOLIC STAR HERALD JANUARY 23, 2015

Photo by Alan M. Dumoff

Christopher Catona and Domenic Kenny, St. Joseph School students, with “We Are, St. Joseph’s School, the School by the Sea,” the book they co-created with fellow students.

Writing the book on Catholic education

S2 — CATHOLIC STAR HERALD JANUARY 23, 2015CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

By Joanna Gardner

When Bishop Dennis Sullivan took the stage,singing with artists Phil Coulter and Andy Cooneyduring last December’s Celtic Twilight Christmas con-cert at the TD Bank Arts Centre in Sewell, it was formore than the sheer enjoyment of the art.

The concert, the first of its kind, was held to benefitthe South Jersey Scholarship Fund (SJSF), dedicatedto helping children attend the diocese’s 24 elementaryand six high schools.

The fund has existed since 2001, but has been with-out a significant funding source in recent years, untillast December and the Christmas benefit concert drew1,800 people — and raised $158,000.

“The concert showed us that creating entertainmentopportunities that appeal to Catholics and merging thatwith the need for financial aid for students is a reallygood package. We hope to be able to do that again asopposed to other ways of fundraising,” said GeorgeLynn, president of the SJSF Board of Directors.

“The need for financial assistance in our schools isgreat, and I think that cause resonates with a lot ofCatholics. A lot of us were educated in Catholicschools and we value that education,” Lynn said.

The fund is one piece of the diocese’s three-partresponse to financial need in its schools, says directorof Development Jim Lanahan.

The diocese recommends that 10 percent of everyschool’s operating budget be dedicated to financialaid, and those dollars are distributed locally. That 10percent, however, is a hardship for many schools. Fewhave been able to make the goal.

The other large chunk of diocesan assistance comesfrom a variety of trusts — gifts made or bequeathed tothe diocese with the restriction that the dollars be usedto support Catholic education, either across the dio-cese or in a particular city or school.

Last year, these diocesan endowments, a total of 10,distributed $261,000 in tuition assistance, a numberthat fluctuates each year depending on the market andinterest rates.

Still, the assistance just scratches the surface of thetotal estimated need of students across the 30 schools,which was estimated last year at $8.6 million.

That number does not include the need of theCatholic Partnership schools, a group of six Catholicelementary schools concentrated in and around thecity of Camden, which have their own fundingprocesses supported by the diocese to help prevent the

closures of schools in the poverty-stricken region.Many schools offer significant financial aid to fill

that gap through independent fundraising and privatedonors and alumni, particularly diocesan high schools,that depend almost exclusively on private fundraisingto offer tuition assistance to their students.

In 2014 the total tuition assistance given to studentsacross the diocese, including all diocesan assistanceand local-given tuition assistance, amounted to $2.5million. In the face of the great need facing studentsand their families who choose Catholic education,Lanahan is encouraged by the recent success and revi-talization of the South Jersey Scholarship Fund, whathe calls the future of diocesan tuition assistance.

“The fund has the ability to raise unrestricted fundsfor Catholic education that get distributed throughoutall of our schools,” Lanahan said.

“Catholic education helps young people establish aset of values that they can use for their whole lives,”Lynn said. “Most of what I learned in school I forgot.But you don’t forget your teachers, your faith. Thosewere the things, for me, that set our Catholic schoolsapart.”

To make a contribution to the South JerseyScholarship Fund, visit http://bit.ly/SJSFund.

By Dr. William A. Watson

Students across the Camden Diocese are rolling uptheir sleeves and working together to solve problems,learn complex procedures, think deeply, and debateideas – about math. These new classroom experiencesare part of a multi-year initiative involving all Catholicelementary and secondary schools in the diocese toincrease student understanding of and engagementwith math.

The initiative began in June 2013 when 50 teachersrepresenting every school across the diocese met for thefirst of two intensive summer institutes to revamp themath curriculum. The group is led by teacher leadersBarbara Feketics, Stephanie Callahan, Esther Mancinelliand Diana Holland. The leaders were trained as part of anational cadre of teacher leaders by the University ofNotre Dame Alliance for Catholic Education as part ofits Collaborative for Academic Excellence. Through thecollaboration with Notre Dame, teachers used a processfor developing curriculum that balances high standardsfor all schools with respect for the principle of subsidiar-ity and principals' and teachers' expertise in developingcurriculum, instruction, and assessment that meet theneeds of their students.

The curriculum took a year to write and is beingused for the first time during the 2014-2015 schoolyear. Principals and teachers are already seeing bene-fits.

According to Tom McGuire, principal of BishopMcHugh Regional Catholic School in Cape MayCourt House, “The math curriculum has trulyenhanced our instruction, allowing it to be broader anddeeper than traditional learning. Rather than simplycovering the material, the new curriculum approachencourages students to ask and answer the essentialquestions, which promotes enduring understanding aswell as real world application.”

The new curriculum is structured differently from tra-ditional math curriculum. Previous versions of the cur-riculum provided lists of skills to master and knowledgeto acquire. The new curriculum puts those elements intoa logical sequence and context and sets learning goalsthat help teachers to push students to tie it all together.The new structure also allows teachers to personalizetheir instruction to their students' needs and to empha-size the beauty of math as part of God's creation.

Students are rising to the challenge of the new cur-riculum. “My students know that it is OK not to under-stand immediately, but once they struggle throughlearning, they feel so accomplished,” says GinaMorreale, middle school math teacher at Our Lady ofHope Regional School in Blackwood. “The new cur-riculum allows students to continually build on priorskills and connect what they learn to the real worldaround them.”

The roll-out of the curriculum included profes-sional development for teachers to maximize its

effectiveness. Principals from every K-8 school inthe diocese collaborated to provide funds and lead-ership for a four-session mini-course for all teachersof grades 3-5. The course is delivered by the PennLiteracy Network of the University of Pennsylvaniaand focuses on using flexible strategies to help stu-dents understand not just procedures, but how andwhy those procedures work. The initiative alsoincludes professional development to use a planningtemplate so that teachers across the diocese canshare and spread effective units and lessons moreeasily.

After this year, teacher leaders and principals, incollaboration with the Office of Catholic Schools,will use feedback from teachers who are implement-ing the curriculum to refine it and make improve-ments for next year. Principals will use feedbackfrom teachers and student performance data to deter-mine continued professional development approach-es for next year, and the Office of Catholic Schools isdeveloping an infrastructure to help teachers sharelessons and units across the schools. The goal is con-stant improvement of what we offer, so that we cancontinue to help our students meet and exceed ourhigh standards.

Dr. William A. Watson, Ed.D., is director of curricu-lum and assessment for Catholic Schools, Diocese ofCamden.

A multi-year initiative to increase math skills

Tuition assistance for Catholic education in the Diocese of Camden

School business and enrollment management specialistThe Diocese of Camden’s

Catholic Schools Office hashired Rosemary Schamp asschool business and enroll-ment management specialist.

In her position, she willwork with the superintendentof schools and the BudgetOffice to communicate andreview all budgets and other

fiscal reporting requirements established by the Officeof Finance and the Schools Office, and collect andanalyze enrollment data and fundraising activities.

Schamp, a Pine Hill resident and parishioner of St.Simon Stock in Berlin, was most recently Dean ofCommunications and Enrollment Development atCamden County College, a position she held since2000.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in education fromDouglass Residential College, Rutgers University,

New Brunswick, and a master’s in businessadministration from Drexel University,Pennsylvania. She also has certifications as a NewJersey teacher, and as a school business adminis-trator.

Schamp is an adjunct public speaking professor atCamden County College, and is a member of theGloucester Township/Pine Hill Rotary Club, whereshe is a past foundation president, and past club presi-dent.

ROSEMARYSCHAMP


Every other week, St. Augustine Prepstudents gather together at the school toengage in a fabled, worldwide practice:sports debate.

The current professional sports land-scape may indicate the worst of times(“I’m a big basketball and 76ers fan,which means there’s not much to talkabout now in that regard,” said co-pres-ident Gregory Battschinger), but thatdoesn’t stop the 30 passionate mem-bers from following in the footsteps ofChris Berman, Angelo Cataldi andalmost any red-blooded American.Recent debate has included the collegefootball playoffs, and the NFL play-offs.

Discussion is “healthy and lively,”says club moderator Michael Boody,who is also an English teacher andassistant football coach at the Richlandschool.

St. Augustine Prep’s sports debateclub is just one of many school groupsaround the Diocese of Camden whichveer away from the more well-known,common subjects such as art, drama ormusic.

While the Prep students are talkingsports, students at other schools may bemeeting to crochet, learn karate or playthe ukelele.

At Wildwood Catholic High School,it’s the Power Kite Club.

“It’s really relaxing, once you learnthe motions,” says Wildwood Catholicsenior Amanda Rossi. “It’s a really dif-ferent thing,” she says.

In about two months, WildwoodCatholic students will be back on thebeach, as the Power Kite Club contin-ues.

Sitting in karts, and using their feetfor steering, students will use theirhands to control parachute-like kites,which range in size from 1-19 meters.

Harnessing the wind’s power, theywill ride along the five-mile stretch ofWildwood’s shores, at speeds of up to40 miles per hour.

It’s a workout. “Your arms are hurt-ing at the end,” says moderator andschool board member, Joe Catanoso,adding that it usually takes studentsseveral weeks to learn proper hand-eyecoordination, and how to control thekite.

The three-year old club meets after-school, or during weekends, whenweather permits.

“If it’s 45-50 degrees outside, and thewinds are blowing the right way, I’llsend the students a text message,”Catanoso says.

Meanwhile, at St. Peter School inMerchantville, advancement directorKathy O’Callaghan is teaching schoolstudents the art of karate, once a week.

“Students love it; it’s very differentfrom what (they are used to learning),”she says. “It’s a combination of physi-cal and mental fitness,” she says.

O’Callaghan, a first degree black beltin Taekwondo (she is currently workingon her second degree), began the pro-gram for students in grades 3-8 in the fall

of 2013 and today leads three differentsessions, once a week. She is aided byher children, also black belts, sixth grad-er Mary Kate and fourth grader Ryan.

At the end of their training, she takesthem to the dojang where she practices,the Arts and Leadership Academy inCherry Hill, for a session and gradua-tion, complete with presentation oftheir white belts.

From the dojang to the Poconos, theSki Club of Absecon’s Holy Spirit HighSchool has been gliding down snowyslopes for almost 50 years.

Deb Phillips, co-moderator and liter-ature teacher at the school, remembersbeing a member of the club when shewas a student in 1968.

With approximately 80 active stu-dents currently taking weekend trips tothe Poconos or New York State, withtheir own or rented skis and snow-boards, “it’s a great time,” she says.

The trips usually begin in earlyDecember, and go until February orMarch. Phillips also moderates theschool’s Surfing Club which, as part ofthe National Scholastic SurfingAssociation, competes against otherteams.

The clubs all are the result of studentinterest and supervisor expertise, andprovide more than recreation.

The sports debate club at St.Augustine began five years ago at theRichland school as student demand foran official forum to discuss currentsports issues and events. The group hasstructured, civil meetings, words thatmight seem alien to listeners of some oftoday’s sports television and radio com-mentators.

Students ask the club’s leadership ifthey can debate a certain team or topic;if the leadership agrees, they allow himto hold the group baseball, which givesthe student the sole opportunity tospeak. After the student states his opin-ion, the ball is then passed to anotherstudent to make a counter-opinion, andto the leadership to make a statement onthe team or topic.

Students “listen to one anotherexpress an opinion with which all mightnot agree, but with which all will hearout quietly,” he says.

“It is not unusual to find a freshmanexposing his fandom for the New Yorkfootball Giants through his opinions,while multiple fanatical senior support-ers of the Eagles frown, yet listen withrespect, as he talks.”

JANUARY 23, 2015 CATHOLIC STAR HERALD — S3COMMUNITIES OF FAITH, KNOWLEDGE AND SERVICE

Photos above and below left by Alan M. Dumoff, http://ccdphotolibrary.smugmug.com

Students work intently on a computer at a Jan. 9 meeting of the FutureEngineers Robotics Club at St. Peter School, Merchantville. In addition, theschool also has art, computer, jump rope, karate and Marian clubs.Assumption School in Galloway offers clubs in crocheting (below left) andwoodworking, while Wildwood Catholic High School students can join thePower Kite Club and hit the beach.

Clubbing students have fun developing skills

St. John Paul II Regional School,Stratford, honored Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr. with a school-wide serviceproject Jan. 19. While the school wasclosed for the Dr. Martin Luther KingDay, families came to school to join in

making sandwiches for CathedralKitchen, Camden. Over 500 sandwich-es were made by students, parents,teachers and administration.

“I felt this was a perfect opportunityfor St. John Paul II school families to

live our school mission by showinghow each of us can make a commitmentto a better society. I was pleased to seethe number of families who gave theirtime on a day off from work and schoolto serve others, and it says so much

about the community we have here atour school. All families generouslydonated lunchmeat, Arnold Bakerydonated bread, and Rite Aid, Stratforddonated sandwich bags.” said HelenPersing, principal.

Stratford school honors Dr. Martin Luther King with service project

On Monday, March 23, CatholicPartnership Schools will host its thirdannual education summit at BurlingtonCounty College, focusing on “ThePromise of Education.” The event willbring together teachers, administrators,academics, social workers and parentsfor presentations and dialogue.

The all-day event, at the Mount Laurelcampus’ Enterprise Center, will touch on

important topics integral to education,and attempt to answer questions:

— “Why are some kids learning somuch and others so little?”

— “What do we need to under-stand?”

— “What do we need to do?”Four internationally-recognized

experts will share their experiences andengage participants in conversation:

Amanda Ripley, Baruti Kefele, PedroNoguera, Ph.D., and LaurenceSteinberg, Ph.D.

— Ripley is an investigative jour-nalist for “Time,” “The Atlantic” andother magazines, and the author of“The Smartest Kids in the World —and How They Got That Way.” At thesummit, she will explore her researchinto learning in other cultures, andaddress such questions as “How doother countries create ‘smarter’ kids”and “What is it like to be a child inthe world’s new education superpow-ers?”

— Kafele, an internationally-renowned education speaker, workswith hundreds of schools and districtsto assist them in addressing and clos-ing the “attitude gap,” between thosestudents who have the will to strivefor academic excellence, and thosewho do not. His work focuses onmotivating black males to achieve inschool and in life, and transformingthe attitudes of at-risk student popula-tions.

— Steinberg is one of the world’sleading experts on adolescence and

brain plasticity, and in his latest book,“Age of Opportunity,” he argues thatthe brain remains “plastic,” or change-able, well into one’s early 20s. The ado-lescent period of brain development,from the ages of 12-25, is a second, andlast, chance, and indicates a period ofopportunity that educators and parentscan tap into and nurture.

— Noguera has been a strong voicefor public urban education in the UnitedStates, and has looked at ways in whichthe academic performance of studentsin urban areas is linked to social andeconomic factors.

Catholic Partnership Schools, thesponsor for the conference, helps edu-cate and manage more than 1,000children in five K-8 schools: St.Cecilia in Pennsauken and HolyName, Sacred Heart, St. Anthony ofPadua and St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral,all in Camden.

The full-day conference is $100 aperson, with discounts for groups of 3or more, and students. For more infor-mation, go to www.catholicpartnership-schools.org/summit, or call Keith A.Lampman at 856-338-0966.


Bishop Schad Regional

School922 E. Landis Ave.

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856-691-4490

new.bsrschool.org

St. Peter in Merchantville is amongthe schools to receive a SchoolAdvancement Grant for Excellencefrom The Healey EducationFoundation.

Schools in the Archdiocese ofPhiladelphia and the Diocese ofAllentown also received commenda-tions for outstanding work in advancingtheir schools’ missions, includingachievement in enrollment manage-ment and fundraising.

St. Peter was awarded a grant of$5,000 for “highest increase in actualnumber of students — elementaryschool and highest percentage growthin enrollment — elementary school.”St. Peter enrolled 41 new students, a15.8 percent growth, for the 2013-14year.

The honors were presented at the sec-ond Celebration of Achievement hostedby the Healey Education Foundation onNov. 20, 2014 at the Hyatt at theBellevue, Philadelphia.

Father Timothy R. Scully, CSC, co-founder of Notre Dame’s Alliance forCatholic Education (ACE) and HackettFamily Director of the Institute forEducational Initiatives (IEI), spoke atthe event.

“America’s Catholic schools mattermore now than they ever have,” he saidin describing the benefits of Catholiceducation and a turnaround throughnationwide work for Catholic schoolsustainability. “Catholic schools aresacred places serving important civic

purposes…. Our story is not an obitu-ary; it’s a renaissance.”

As a strategic partner to dioceses and

schools, Healey Education Foundationprovides seed grants and coaching andtraining services through a staff of

experts focused on helping schools helpthemselves. See www.healeyeducation-foundation.org for more information.

Healey Education Foundation honors St. Peter School

St. Peter School, Merchantville, was awarded a School Advancement Grant for Excellence at a Celebration of Achievementevent hosted by the Healey Education Foundation on Nov. 20, 2014 at the Hyatt at the Bellevue, Philadelphia. Pictured fromleft are Karen Fisher, board vice chair; Sister Rosa Maria Ojeda, St. Peter principal; Robert T. Healey, founder and chairman,Healey Charitable Trust; Kathy O’Callaghan, St. Peter advancement director and Barbara Roccia, board member.

Summit on ‘The Promise of Education’ March 23


Well into its sixth year, Catholic Partnership Schools (The Partnership) is

stronger than ever. With sustained enrollment and robust programming, The Partnership

continues to impact the City of Camden with its replicable model of Catholic urban

education, envisioned within our Diocese of Camden. The Partnership’s five schools —

Holy Name, Sacred Heart, Saint Anthony of Padua, Saint Cecilia and Saint Joseph

Pro-Cathedral — collectively educate 1,000 of Camden’s young,

promising students. Each student benefits from a high-quality education

that is academically rigorous, deeply rooted in the teachings of the Catholic faith, and exposes them to a variety of educational

opportunities including athletics, orchestra, choir, robotics and aviation.

The Partnership’s goal is to continue the sustainability of

all five of its schools, helping the children of Camden to break the cycle of poverty and

violence. Help us give our students the chance every child deserves. Catholic Partnership Schools is a separate, 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. Your financial support

will ensure that The Partnership can continue to serve the children of Camden for generations to come.

Catholic Partnership Schools Strong

Catholic Partnership Schools celebrates Catholic Schools Week. We are CPS Strong!

Please give today! You may send a check or make a

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808 Market StreetCamden, NJ 08102

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Twelve-year-old Andrew Zappley,West Deptford resident and seventhgrader at Holy Trinity Regional Schoolin Westville Grove, is still competingon the Fox Network’s “MasterChefJunior” cooking competition, whichpits the best young chefs in Americaagainst each other.

The past two weeks have been star-tlingly different for the aspiring chef andrestaurateur (the name of his own restau-rant he wants to start? Holy Crepe).

After almost being sent home in theshow’s second episode, after a pairscompetition saw judges GordonRamsay, Graham Elliott and JoeBastianich react unfavorably to he andfellow contestant Cory’s chorizo andpork sausage with spinach and spaetzle,Andrew redeemed himself in the nextepisode.

The opening competition on Jan. 20saw the contestants make a dish fromthe contents of a mystery box, with atheme of getting better with age: dryaged New York strip steak, two-yearaged Iberico ham, smoked salmon,black garlic, preserved lemon, five-month-aged bleu cheese and a 12-year-aged balsamic vinegar.

Andrew’s marinated grilled steakwith cheese and prosciutto mashed

potatoes, and a fennel salad, waspicked as the best, and the judges gavehim an advantage: he moved on to thenext week, and could pick from threedeadly animals the contestants had tocook in the elimination round: alliga-tor, rattlesnake or snapping turtle.

He chose the alligator, and spent therest of the episode munching on tomatopie while watching his fellow contest-ants sweat it out.

One of the final 10 contestants,Andrew will continue to keep the suc-cess going this Jan. 26 on the next“MasterChef Junior,” from 8-9 p.m. onthe Fox Network.


Surviving to cook another day

ANDREW ZAPPLEY

to Learn... to Serve... to Lead and Succeed!

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Monday 226th PPrayer SService Tuesday 227th FFranklin IInstitute DDemonstration Wednesday 228th RReligious FFairr aand OOpen HHouse 99am tto 111 aam Thursday 229th Art && MMusic SShowcase...6 tto 88 ppm Friday 330th SStudent FFaculty VVolleyball ggame

- -

CATHOLIC SSCHOOLS WWEEK Come ccelebrate wwith uus!

January 225th January 331st, 22015

Saint MMargaret RRegionnal SSchool 773 TThird SStreet

Woodbury HHeights, NNew JJersey 0080977 Excellence iin EEducation iin tthe FFranciscan TTradition


Celebrating Catholic Schools WeekJanuary 25 – January 31

EXPECT MOREB I S H O P E U S T A C E

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Admissions Office

5552 Route 70

Pennsauken, NJ 08109

(856) 662-2160, ext. 240

[email protected]

www.eustace.org

@BishopEustace

www.facebook.com/

BishopEustace

CCelebraratiingg

B I S H O P E U S T

T A C E

gCCaththolic SchoJanuary 25 – January 31

FOR MORRE INFO

Admiisssionns OfOffiffic

5552 Routete 70

oolls WeekWeWe

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Pennsauken, NJJ

(856) 662-2160,

admissions@eu

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eextt. 240

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For more information or to schedule a school tour,

Please call: (856) 848-6826 Or Email: [email protected]

Check us out on facebook or visit www.holytrinityregionalschool.com

WE ARE NOT JUST A SCHOOL WE ARE A FAMILY WHERE CARING MAKES A DIFFERENCE

� Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4 as well as Kindergarten through 8th Grade

� Middle States Accreditation & Recognition� Smaller class size encourages creativity releasing

hidden student talents� Zero Tolerance for Bullying� School Technology: Classroom Smart Boards,

Computer Lab, WiFi, and TV Studio� Before and After School Programs sensitive to working

parent needs� Extracurricular programs: Music, Drama Club, Arts &

Crafts, Student Government, News Broadcast Team, award-winning SeaPerch Team/Engineering Club

� Sport & Fitness Programs: Volleyball, Basketball, Track, Cheerleading & more


GIVE YOUR CHILD

THE EDGE!…choose

St. Mary SchoolA St. Mary School education gives your child THE EDGE to achieveacademic success in a Catholic or public high school.In the past 5 years, St. Mary’s has had FIVE valedictorians, ONE salutatorian and many others graduate in the top 10% of their class atAtlantic, Gloucester and Cumberland county high schools. Give your child THE EDGE and they too will receive the solid St. MarySchool foundation they deserve!

✓ Rigorous Academics ✓ Tuition Transfer Grants✓ Tuition Assistance✓ Sports, Fine Arts✓ World Language

✓ iPads, Chromebooks✓ 1:1 5th-8th Digital Device Program✓ Buena, Millville & Vineland Busing✓ All Faiths Welcome

OPEN HOUSE - FEBRUARY 23, 2015

(856) 692-8537www.smrschool.org

735 Union Road, Vineland, NJ 08360

Come and Visit OLMC During Catholic Schools Week See What Makes Our Students So Excited

Now enrolling for 2015 Open House - Thursday, January 29th 6:30-7:30PM

www.olmc-school.org

Call Melissa at 856-767-1751 and schedule your tour now


St. Michael the Archangel Regional School

We provide a faith-centered curriculum steeped in strong Catholic values with emphasis on simplicity, prayer, and service. Our school offers a dynamic middle school elective program and full day kindergarten.

51 West North Street, Clayton, NJ 08312(856) 881-0067www.saintmichaelsonline.com

A premier Catholic grade school in the heart of Gloucester County that educates students Pre-K through 8th grade.

856.939.0333 wwww.stteresaschool.org

Full && HHalf dday PPre- Forming Minds & Hearts for Leadership & Service

with

Come visit our Open House January 25th from 10 to 12 pm

or call 856-939-1207 to schedule your personal tour or shadow day.

St. Peter School is a vibrant community of faith and learning for students in Pre-School through 8th Grade. We believe in the formation of the whole

child and strive to develop each student’s:• Spirituality • Academic strengths • Social development

Celebrating 87 Years of Excellent Catholic Education51 W. Maple Avenue | Merchantville, NJ 08109

We welcome you to visit ourschool and see first-hand allthe great things happening at St. Peter's!

For more information call, 662-4387 or [email protected]

www.stpeterschool.org

WINTER OPEN HOUSESunday, January 25th

from 10:30 until 12:30.


Visit us at our NEW Cherry Hill location.

Garden State Pavilions Next to ShopRite

2240 W. Marlton PikeCherry Hill, NJ 08002

(856) 931-8838

www.flynnohara.com1.800.441.4122

901 Hopkins Road • Haddonfield, NJ856.858.4900 • www.pvihs.org

freedom

responsibility

excellence

PAUL VI HIGH SCHOOLis proud to be a part of

Catholic Schools Week 2015Catholic Schools: Communities of

Faith, Knowledge and Service

CAMDEN CATHOLICHIGH SCHOOL cherry hill, nj

Honoring Catholic values and traditions.


By Joanna Gardner

Most high school students don’t lookto the IRS to help them fulfill theirservice hour requirement. But if you’rea junior or senior at Bishop EustacePreparatory School in Pennsauken andit’s tax season, you can spend thosehours preparing people’s tax returns.

For the third consecutive year,through a partnership with CatholicCharities, juniors and seniors at theprep school have the opportunity tobecome trained, IRS-certified volunteertax preparers and travel into Camdenevery Saturday during tax season tohelp low-income individuals file theirtaxes.

Catholic Charities is an authorizedsite for the IRS’ Volunteer Income TaxAssistance (VITA) program. It allowsindividuals and families who make lessthan $53,000 a year to e-file their taxesfor free with the help of certified volun-teer filers.

“They’re amazing kids,” said AndyZmuda, Catholic Charities’ director ofasset development programs who runsthe agency’s VITA services. “This is ahighly technical and specialized kind ofservice and there’s a lot of training andpreparation that goes into it. There’s ahigh degree of responsibility and trust.”

Volunteers go through several hoursof online training in addition to in-per-son training sessions staffed by the IRSand held both at Catholic Charities andBishop Eustace. Catholic Charities’program makes training available tovolunteers from the school, CatholicCharities staff and other interestedcommunity members.

The tax preparation clinic operatesfor four hours every Saturday begin-ning the first week of February andending mid-April. On those Saturdays,

the majority of volunteers staffing theclinic are school students. Seniors makea commitment to be at the clinic for allfour hours every week.

Senior John Brown, who is presidentof the Bishop Eustace student body,began volunteering through the pro-gram last year as a junior, even thoughhe had already completed his servicehour requirement, as a way to giveback.

“When you think of filing taxes youthink about numbers and dealing withmathematical stuff. But it’s actually alot of interaction with people,” Johnsaid. “It’s very personal; the first thingwe do is a one-on-one interview. It’srewarding to have that kind of interac-tion.”

The experience came up during col-lege interviews, John said, andimpressed his interviewers.

“There are not a lot of high schoolstudents who can say they know how tofile taxes,” Zmuda said. “I think youngmen and women can do difficult thingsand have a great capacity to bestretched. They really do rise to theoccasion.”

In the program’s first year, volunteersfiled 35 returns. Last year that numberjumped to 130 and this year the hope isto exceed 300 returns. CatholicCharities plans to add evening clinichours in addition to the Saturdays andanother site in one of the other countiesserved by the diocese.

Individuals pay between $150 and$250 to have their tax returns filed in theprivate sector. In addition to theseimmediate savings, the program helpslow-income individuals avoid unscrupu-lous preparers or those who might try totake advantage of them through taxrefund loans, which are associated withhigh fees and interest rates.

“Some people who come in don’thave a bank account. When we see that,we ask if they’re interested in opening asavings account. We can get them intouch with someone from one of ourbanking partners and then rescheduletheir tax session,” Zmuda said.

“We have information available dur-ing the tax sessions that advertise someof our other services, like our matchedsavings program,” Zmuda said. “Thegoal of all of these services is to help

people have a sense of competence andconfidence around their ability to man-age and grow their family’s financiallegacy,” Zmuda said.

Student volunteers said it gave theman insight into poverty in the region.

Senior Emily Quinn is volunteeringthis tax season for the second year andhas been promoted to the role of sitemanager because of her exceptionalwork last year.

“You get to see how other peoplelive. It’s an eye opening opportunity.You see someone who comes in withthree W2’s and you realize they’reworking three part-time jobs. It’s niceto know you’re helping as much as youcan,” Emily said.

Bishop Eustace’s service programuses an intentional approach that gradu-ally increases students’ requirementsand involvement over their four yearsof secondary school. Patricia Arnold,who heads the school’s campus min-istry department, said opportunities likethis one are a way for students to dis-cover their potential.

“It’s an opportunity for them to growin whatever ways they need to: meetingwith the public, becoming aware of theneeds of people, using their talents,”Arnold said.

“The more seeds we plant in them,the more they grow. They’re amazed bythe people they meet.”

VITA tax preparation servicesthrough Catholic Charities are byappointment only. To schedule, call 211or visitwww.CamdenAssetNetwork.com.Request Catholic Charities, Diocese ofCamden as the filing site. For moreinformation about the program and onbecoming an IRS-certified tax preparervolunteer, contact [email protected].

Students help people with an unpleasant certainty of life

Photos by Maria D'Antonio

On Dec. 18, Bishop Sullivan visited Bishop Eustace PreparatorySchool to officiate the blessing of the new organ, which was donatedto the St. Vincent Pallotti Chapel by the Pallottine Fathers and Brothersof the Immaculate Conception Province.

Bishop visits Bishop Eustace

Students become trained, IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers and travel into

Camden every Saturday during tax season to help low-income

individuals file their taxes.

Shortly before Christmas the childrenof Resurection School in Cherry Hillwere given a 30-question multiplechoice quiz on a subject they encoun-tered every day: Pat Naddeo, the schoolsecretary.

The most astute of the students knewthat she prefers Wendy’s to McDonalds,likes the music of the Supremes, stillconsiders the Sony and Cher ComedyHour, which aired in the early 1970, herfavorite TV show, and that she actuallylikes liver and onions.

And the really sharp ones knew thather favorite Atlantic City casino is theBorgata.

Dec. 19, 2014 was Naddeo’s last dayof work at the school, and the studentsassembled to sing a few songs, wish herwell and see Cherry Hill Mayor ChuckCahn, present her with a proclamation.They also presented her with a jar ofher favorite candy. (York PeppermindPatties, of course.)

Naddeo worked at the Cherry Hillschool for 33 years. She started at whatwas then St. Peter Celestine School inSeptember 1981 in the Learning Center.She soon became the secretary, whereshe continued as the school transitionedto become Resurrection Catholic in2008.

Any principal will tell you that agood secretary is essential to thesmooth operation of a school.Secretaries often serve as the voice ofthe school, beginning with parents whoare considering enrolling their child inkindergarten through those who havequestions about eighth grade gradua-tion. They are the first impression, thevoice on the phone and on the intercom,the presence near the front door and onthe school yard.

And then there work most peopledon’t see: getting the copier fixed,ordering supplies, filling out paper-work.

Naddeo, in her more than threedecades, helped several new pastors,principals, teachers, students, and par-ents adjust to the school. Some of theparents who now send their childrento the Resurrection, and even a cou-ple of teachers, remember Naddeofrom the days when they were stu-dents.

As a longtime presence, she helpedthe school adjust to all kinds ofchanges, from new school uniforms, tothe new identity that came from school

consolidation, to fully entering thecomputer age.

“But the kids and the parents don’tchange,” Naddeo said. The strength ofResurrection, and other Catholicschools, she said, is the strong feelingof family that exists there. Wheneverthere was a problem — for example, ahouse fire or illness — the response ofthe school community was a unifieddesire to help. “That is a wonderfulatmosphere to work in,” she said.

“I think Catholic schools will contin-ue to flourish,” she said. “I think theyare a wonderful way to raise children.”

“What can one say about a womanwho has been part of the fiber of a

school for 33 years? She will bemissed, she has done it all, knows all,has trained in several administrators, allwith an easy smile and pleasant voice,”said the school’s current principal,Franciscan Sister Lydia Etter.

“She could tell tales of past adminis-trators, but kept them mostly to herself,as a good secretary would,” SisterLydia said. “We wish Pat the best. Mayshe enjoy sleeping in. May she miss thecopier jams, the ringing phones andbuzzing doorbells, the countlessreports for the diocese and state, etc.,etc.”

(The students’ Pat Naddeo TriviaGame gave three choices for her

favorite boss: Sister Lydia, Sister Lydiaand Sister Lydia.)

Naddeo, who will soon turn 69,attended Catholic schools herself, St.Bernard’s and St. Hubert’s High Schoolin Philadelphia, and brought her owntwo sons to the school where she madeher living.

Over the years, she’s seen many chil-dren come and go, so its not unusual forher to run into some of them when she’sout. She may not know who they are atfirst — most people look different a fewyears after their grade school gradua-tion — but they know her.

“It’s nice to be recognized and greet-ed so warmly,” Naddeo said.


Gov. Chris Christie recently signed aproclamation designating the week ofJan. 25-31 as Catholic Schools' Weekin New Jersey and acknowledging thecontributions of Catholic schools tothe public welfare of all NewJerseyans.

Dr. George V. Corwell, director of theOffice of Education for the New JerseyCatholic Conference, noted that theGovernor’s proclamation continues thetradition of recognition affordedCatholic schools in New Jersey by theexecutive branch of state government.

“The Catholic schools of New Jerseyrepresent an investment in NewJersey’s future, and the sacrifices madeby Catholic school parents save thestate's overburdened public school sys-tem (and local tax payers) over $1.3 bil-lion annually,” stated Dr. Corwell. “We

hope that all residents of New Jerseyrecognize the dedicated efforts ofCatholic school teachers which con-tribute to the overall success of ourschools. Truly, Catholic schools repre-sent a significant opportunity forparental choice in education.”

After 33 years, a school secretary retires

Photo by Alan M. Dumoff, more photos http://ccdphotolibrary.smugmug.com

Pat Naddeo accepts a proclamation from Cherry Hill Mayor Chuck Cahn on Dec. 19, 2014, her last day as secretary ofResurrection School. She worked at the Cherry Hill school for 33 years.

Governor’s proclamation acknowledges contributions of Catholic schools


Photo by Alan M. Dumoff, more photos http://ccdphotolibrary.smugmug.com

Current and former players and coaches of the Camden Catholic High School boys basketball team surround Msgr. Robert McDermott on the Cherry Hillschool’s basketball court prior to the season opener against Shawnee on Dec. 19, 2014. The priest was honored for his more than 40 years of service tothe team, first as a head coach in the 1970s, then as an assistant coach from 1975 until 2013. Msgr. McDermott is a 1960 graduate of CCHS and recent-ly retired from St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral Parish, East Camden, where he had served as pastor since 1985.

Msgr. McDermott honored

By Joanna Gardner

Father Perry Cherubini plays a dualrole for the Catholic community in andaround Absecon. He is both pastor ofSt. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish andpresident of Holy Spirit High School,located about a mile and a half fromeach other in the seaside town.

In the summer of 2014, he saw anopportunity to merge the two roles.While not all of his parishioners hadconnections to the high school or itsfeeder elementary school, AssumptionRegional School, he saw that manyplaced tremendous value in Catholiceducation.

“We’d been successful getting ourHoly Spirit High School constituencyto support the school. But by going intothe parishes, we could take it further,beyond that constituency and into thepews to people who want to make acommitment to the success of ourCatholic elementary and secondaryschools,” Father Cherubini said.

“One of the things we found is thatthere are people who are going toFather’s Masses who have a commit-ment and a love for Catholic educationwho may not have a student here. This

gave them a wonderful opportunity tosupport it,” said Sue Werner, director ofinstitutional advancement for HolySpirit.

In September, the priest rolled out theprogram at all of the parish Masses, andwas met with a tremendous response ofpledges. Students from the schoolhelped mount a cookie sale fundraiserat the parish in December that raised$8,000 and was matched by a parish-ioner.

To date, the program has raised$50,000 in tuition assistance forCatholic school students at the highschool and elementary school. One fifth

of those dollars will go to AssumptionRegional School students; the rest toHoly Spirit High School students.

When he began the program, FatherCherubini could not have known thatby year’s end nearby Atlantic Citywould shed a total of 9,900 jobs whenfour of its 12 casinos shut their doors.The ripple effects of the layoffs havefar-reaching effects on all of the busi-nesses in the region.

“During this difficult economic time,students are able to have a Catholichigh school education because [oursupporters] understand the tremendousvalue of it,” Werner said. “The growing

support is a great reflection of how peo-ple value Catholic education in ourcommunity.”

Twenty-five percent of students at thehigh school currently receive tuitionassistance.

This school year, the high school’sAbsecon campus is celebrating its 50thanniversary. The school was founded inAtlantic City in 1922, but soon outgrewthe original building. The new campusin Absecon opened in 1964.

“A lot of things are coming togetherfor us during this golden jubilee year.Our recent initiatives have not just stabi-lized us financially, but really projectedus well into the future. There’s a lot ofmomentum, excitement, and good thingshappening, despite what’s going onaround us and the ancillary effects of thecasino industry,” Father Cherubini said.

Similar support a student campaignswere rolled out in September at theother two parishes sending children toAssumption Regional School: Our Ladyof Perpetual Help Parish in Galloway,and St. Thomas the Apsotle Church inBrigantine. They follow the same for-mat as Father Cherubini’s appeal andsupport both primary and secondaryCatholic schools in the region.

‘Support a Student’ at Holy Spirit raises $50,000“The growing support is a greatreflection of how people value

Catholic education in our community.”

— Sue Werner, Holy Spirit High School

Before the LadyRams’ basket-ball game Jan.17, GloucesterCatholic HighSchool honoredits girls’ basket-ball state cham-pionship teamsof 1980-83.Guided by sev-eral formercoaches (JeffCohen duringthe 1980-81season and Tony Ettore, above, from1981-83), the team won three con-secutive state crowns, 1981-83, andhad an unbeaten streak of 82 gamesover several years. Players from thatera, such as current Rams’ coachLisa Angelotti Gedaka, were alsopresent for the ceremony. At right,members of the championship teamsgather in the school gym.

By Joseph KennyCatholic News Service

ST. LOUIS — Bryan Kasten, anEnglish and practical arts teacher atRosati-Kain High School, warmlygreeted former student Maya Warren,winner of “The Amazing Race” realityTV show.

“So cool to see a celebrity,” Kastentold her as she arrived Jan. 5 at theCatholic school for girls for a talk andquestion-and-answer with students andfaculty.

Warren smiled as she disagreed withhis depiction of her, shaking her headand saying, “Oh, Mr. Kasten, I’m stillMaya.”

Warren and race partner AmyDeJong, a fellow food scientist andUniversity of Wisconsin-Madisondoctoral student, officially won theevent with the televised finale Dec.12, though the actual competitionended six months earlier. Racers leftthe United States May 31 andreturned June 22, undertaking a seriesof challenges in nine countries onfour continents and covering 26,000miles.

The winners collected $1 million, buttheir entry wasn’t about money, “get-ting airtime (or) about always getting tothe finish-line first — we only got thereonce,” Warren said with a laugh aboutthe last of 12 episodes.

The reason was altruistic.“It was about being strong women

representing the field of food science,representing our homes, our familiesand friends,” she said. “We were tryingto make an impact and inspire.”

Warren and DeJong, the third femaleteam to win in the show’s 25 seasons,encouraged and helped the other rac-ers, sharing a cab or giving them direc-tions.

“Why would you put people down soyou can beat them?” Warren asked.“Winning is awesome, but what we’remost proud of is staying true to who weare and showing that you can run a hardrace and compete without putting peo-ple down. You don’t have to be nasty,dirty or mean. In life, you can prosperby simply being who you are. Nicenessdoes pay off.”

Warren, 29, enjoyed the other com-petitors, and she gained “friends for alifetime,” part of “The Amazing Race”family of competitors. She even hadnice words for a team who lied to thescientists to throw them off course.

A 2003 graduate, Warren creditedRosati-Kain with teaching her the valueof education and how to be a strongleader and a woman who does not giveup. The student council president hersenior year, she is a founding memberof the student-led Kairos retreat pro-gram, ran track and cross country andwas a cheerleader.

“I always knew that no matter what ...I always was accepted,” she said.“Rosati-Kain is a place of acceptance ofunique individuals; it doesn’t matterwhere you come from or who you are,you always have something to bring tothe table, and that is always valued.”

At Carleton College in Northfield,Minnesota, where she received herundergraduate degree, the differencesin Warren’s approach were valued aswell. “So, Rosati-Kain taught me howto be a woman who can go into a placethat’s brand new and take charge,” shesaid.

It was Warren’s idea to audition for“The Amazing Race,” convincingDeJong, 24, to be her partner on thearound-the-world adventure. “Neverunderestimating who I am and alwaysvaluing who I am definitely came intoplay,” Warren said.

The duo wrote a skit for the one-minute audition, believing that theyoffered something unique as womenwho are scientists researching icecream and candy.

Though she just wanted to experiencelife, have fun and inspire people,Warren said she could see God by herside during the race. A Baptist, her par-ents instilled that belief in her, andRosati-Kain reinforced it.

In her presentation, Warren told stu-dents that she chose to forego a careerin medicine to pursue a field in whichshe found her passion. Accepting arequest at the end of her talk she did a“victory lap” around the gym much asshe did on the show. Self-described assuper-energetic, she added, “I literallylove life.”


‘The Amazing Race’ winners’ aim was to inspire others

CNS photo/Robert Voets, courtesy CBS

TV show host Phil Keoghan poses with Amy DeJong and Maya Warren at thefinish line at Point Vincente Lighthouse in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., afterwinning the grand prize of $1 million on the season finale of “The AmazingRace” reality TV program. Warren is a graduate of Rosati-Kain High School,an all-girls Catholic school in St. Louis.

Champions honored

Photos by Alan M. Dumoff, http://ccdphotolibrary.smugmug.com

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