When we have alternatives, we compromise...
instead of commit!
One of my favorite commentators is Seth Godin. He recently had an extremely timely post. What alternatives do we have as educators for our marginalized children? There are so many excuses...no Chromebooks, no internet access, parents forced to work in this crisis, tuition...et cetera, et cetera.
Are we to abandon ship? Have we abandoned our own children, of course not!
Bishop Pilla, retired Bishop of Cleveland, when dedicating our first wing of our new school building at Saint Martin told the audience pointing to our students, "These are all of our children!" Now, more than ever, those words ring so true. Bishop Gries has asked to be our chaplain for our new grade school project.
Last week I sent an email to 91 people with whom I have talked about this venture. I asked if they didn't want to get these updates, just send me an email. No one asked to be removed from the list! In fact, I got several very positive responses, many thoughtful questions, and even a donation!
Push for re-enrollment, new enrollment, hiring, and the final push to $3,000,000 goal!
You may see a masked man (me!) driving around eastside neighborhoods this week planting lawn signs promoting admissions at these schools! Re-enrollment at both these schools is hovering around 90% right now which is a tremendous sign in the faith parents have in Catholic schools. New websites: St. Thomas Aquinas Grade School and Archbishop Lyke Grade School.Our Assistant Superintendent, Christian Dallavis, is working with School Choice Ohio obtaining emails, phone numbers, and addresses of families in the areas around our two schools. A blitz will occur shortly. The New York office has built a back end platform to gather the data. He is also spearheading the effort to hire a new principal at St. Thomas Aquinas. If you know of anyone who might be interested or know people who might be interested please let me know ASAP.
We are 80% of our goal of $3M. A few foundations have really stepped up to help us. We have received a few very large personal gifts as well. Most of these gifts come from national foundations and out of towners who have a great belief in our mission. My hope is that Cleveland will step up to finish this drive. These gifts can be over two years, but, of course, the first year is going to be the costliest! If you want to discuss a gift with me, please call 216-409-7018 or email at richardfclark@gmail.com. All gifts are tax-deductible. Stock and wire transfers can be accepted. Checks payable to Partnership Schools with CLEVELAND in the memo section.
We are also enlisting Ambassadors consisting of parents whose children are presently enrolled to contact people they may know with grade school-aged children. The process for admissions has been greatly simplified. One click on the website and some basic information will generate a phone call within 48 hours (most often much sooner).
What will school look like in the fall?
Isn't that the million-dollar question for much of our life? Some schools and networks are feverishly developing plans for next year while putting online learning in place right now. You know the old saw about fixing the plane while flying...well that is what is going on!
Partnership Schools hit the ground running. I have included four links here. The first one is our philosophy for dealing with this now and then three examples in different learning areas. The key to all of this is building on the loving and caring relationships already established when school was in session before the pandemic. Jean Baptiste De la Salle would tell his young teachers, "First win the heart, then win the brain!" Without those relationships, a school will be starting with a big disadvantage.
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| See this video in Math at a Distance |
This is what is happening right now! The Partnership staff is working on keeping this going as long as needed and then working in brick and mortar instruction when it is allowed.
Remember CMSD (different problems for sure) is still in the "task force" mode and a recent article from LA talked about 30,000 (25%) students who have not checked in online at all! The blessing of the expansion of the Partnership model and expertise to Cleveland NOW is more and more apparent each day.
Finally, a reflection on today's Gospel reading...a universal truth is revealed!
This is from one of my favorite theologians, Dominic Crossan, reflecting on the story of Jesus meeting up with two people walking to Emmaus:
A first clue that Luke 24:13-33 was meant as a parable and not history is that when Jesus joins the couple on the road, they do not recognize him. He is, as it were, traveling incognito. A second one is that even when he explains in detail how the biblical scriptures pointed to Jesus as the Messiah, they still do not recognize him. But the third and definitive clue to the story’s purpose is in the climax and it demands full quotation:
As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” (24:28-32)
That is parable, not history. The Christian liturgy involves Scripture and Eucharist—but they are not equal. The Scripture—even interpreted by Jesus himself—will do no more than create “burning hearts,” that is, hearts ready but to do what? The Eucharist invites the stranger in to share one’s meal and find that the stranger is Jesus. You will notice that the key verbs, “took, blessed, broke, gave,” in the Emmaus story’s climax were also used in the Last Supper’s Passover meal before Jesus’ execution (Mark 14:22)
So the universal truth is: invite the stranger to your table to share food and you will meet the divine!
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