Montessori Training 2013

Enriching the learning/teaching methods from the earliest years motivated this year's ongoing Montessori Training lead by Sr. Barbara Jean Ciszek, CSJ, Principal, Cardinal Bernardin Early Childhood Center and Jeanne Henry, Teacher, Holy Family Catholic Academy. Carol Fendt forwarded this eyewitness update:  when the electricity was turned on, Bee Jay showed pictures of the Montessori shelves in the Chicago schools where classrooms have so many materials to use for instruction. This training session included the preparing of the instructional materials, as well as practice using them effectively.  The training team learned the names of the fruit and vegetables that are here and tools for farming. Farm and domestic animals as well so that we can begin to make a content for teachers to teach (language cards/words). The participants also worked on geography and language materials.The trainers learned as much as the trainees.

Leadership Conference Successful

It was August 2006 when the commitments were made between the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Nigeria partnered with the Archdiocese of Chicago to establish a 21st Century Schools System under the auspices of the Diocese. Over 150 educators participated in this 2013 Leadership Conference. They heard the reports of the work done by the fall delegation to Chicago. Retelling the story of the partnership helped the participants in this new larger conference experience their own place in the dream.  On the final day the work was done in deanery groups. As the deaneries shared goals for the next 5 months of school, they included planting trees on school sites that lack shade and beauty during the upcoming  rainy season. They also will work to form education committees at the deanery level with representatives on the diocesan education committee in order to help train more teachers into the diocesan goals, vision, mission, motto statements.

Workshop Starts Monday

Esther S. Hicks, OCS Director of Catholic Identity and Mission and USA Project Coordinator, Sr. Barbara Jean Ciszek, CSJ, Principal, Cardinal Bernardin Early Childhood Center, Carol R. Fendt, PhD, Co-Director, PRAIRIE Group, University of Illinois at Chicago, Jeanne Henry, Teacher, Holy Family Catholic Academy have all reached Nsukka in time to finalize plans for the institute they are directing this week for 150 members of the Diocesan School System. Their visits to schools in various deaneries revealed the progress made since last summer's work. Today they noted that they have photos of the stakes that outline the first building in the Model School. Watch to see them posted soon.  Keep an eye out for updates while the Chicago delegation is in Nsukka, pray for the success of their interactions, and donate to the 2013 Dollars for Dreams Campaign to get this model school built!

Dollars for Dreams

During Lent each spring,
Students, Teachers, Schools
Participate in the annual
Dollars for Dreams Campaign
Find out more about this project here.
 ...........

Time to register for this year's 30th Anniversary Celebration of the the Africa Faith and Justice Network   to get a deeper understanding of the meaning of church in that area. The AFJN is a community of advocates for responsible U.S. relations with Africa. It stresses issues of peacebuilding, human rights and social justice that tie directly into Catholic social teaching.

Nsukka Personnel take responsibility to direct the Catholic Diocesan Catholic System. The Education Commission organization has earned the approval by the Bishop and has been published officially in the 2013 Nsukka Diocesan Directory.

Rev. Fr. Fidelis Ikpe	Education Director
Mr. Thaddeus Omeje	Assistant Education Director
Rev. Fr. Matthew Okwor	Supervisor Catholic Identity, Mission And Catechesis
Mrs. Grace N. Eze	Supervisor Academics
Mrs. Nelly Omeke	Supervisor Administration
Rev. Fr. Gilbert Ezeugwu	Supervisor Personnel
Mr. Innocent Ugwuoke	Assistant Supervisor Personnel
Rev. Fr. Denis Agbo	Supervisor Finance
Lazarus O. Ugwu	Education Secretary
Rev. Fr. Moses Ugwu	Consultant
Rev. Fr. Wilfred Odo	Partnership Director

Take time to congratulate these individuals on their new roles, and continue to support and encourage them as construction of The Model School begins this new year 2013. 

2012 Accomplishments Reported

This report is third in a series of reports submitted to Bishop Francis E. Okobo, Bishop of the Catholic  Diocese of Nsukka, Nigeria, Francis Cardinal George, OMI, Archbishop of Chicago, and Sr. Mary Paul McCaughey, OP, Superintendent of Schools, Archdiocese of Chicago. The goal of the report is to inform all the stakeholders of the planning and partnership development between the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Nigeria, and the Archdiocese of Chicago begun in 2006.  Find them all under Documents and Presentations here.