That’s My Plan
It’s the end of the year and time for a little reflection and perhaps some “back patting”. Why the back patting? I think congratulations are in order because All Saints Academy continues to not only thrive during challenging economic times, but faces a long and bright future thanks to the hard work and commitment of our diocese, board, area parishes, staff and families we serve! What are the secrets for our success? Six come mind:
1. ASA develops positive Catholic identity. ASA has a culture and an identity that is distinctly religious, that is unlike any other. No one would argue that we are living in a world that is trying desperately to do without God. Yet pundits maintain that there is a desire in our society today to turn to the spiritual. The atmosphere at All Saints provides a sound spirituality for the students. It provides experiences and opportunities for youngsters to know that God is a very real presence in life. To experience a living spirituality is the experience of a great Catholic school.
2. ASA families want to pass on their tradition. Tradition means the handing on to the next generation. All families pass traditions from one generation to the next. These might be ethnic celebrations of life events or simply the way we celebrate holidays. All Saints works hand in hand with our spiritual advisors and board members, Father John O’Brien and Father Peter Andrews, to ensure that the Catholic tradition is passed on to children, who are the future Church.
3. ASA develops the whole person. The challenge to schools in an age of knowledge explosion can be met only by continuous improvement. ASA has changed a lot since its beginning thirty years ago as a result of the consolidation of area parish schools… Education is no longer a static entity with a contained set of facts. Catholic schools are continually improving to keep up with the times.
A walk into a classroom today often promises an exciting and perhaps mind-boggling experience for parents—and especially for grandparents. Although many of the Catholic signs are still there—the crucifix, a statue or two, a prayer corner, gold stars and charts— there might not be a chalkboard, but instead a large screen monitor used by the teacher to direct the energies of students seated at their own computer stations.
Reading shelves are there, but room has been made to house electronic discs and videos. Many times the teacher will not be found in the front of the class, but rather on the move, close to the children, sharing learning with them as well as guiding them along the paths of the knowledge-seeker.
How do we balance our need for solid academic and technical training with developing the whole person? It all comes down to the mix. The child is a whole being; a child’s mind cannot be separated from his or her soul. To integrate the spiritual with the secular makes the All Saints student a saintly scholar.
4. Children learn best in a well-disciplined setting. Academy students are taught to be responsible for their own actions. In a spirit of justice and charity, youngsters are encouraged to respect themselves and their neighbor. In simple terms, the children are taught to be kind. While there is no way to guarantee that unfortunate incidents will never occur, the ASA staff and administration assist students and families to work openly and honestly in helping to change problematic thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
5. A good business model makes ASA work! With the help of the diocese, the board and administration, All Saints has established a sound business model that is based on a budget that is in line with our needs. Sounds ridiculously simple doesn’t it? However many businesses (and we are in the business of providing a spiritual and educational service to the families in our school) fail because their expenses exceed their income. By close examination of practices in place over the years, ASA has been able to redesign its business model so that its sources of income (tuition, fundraising, grant writing, government funded services, and development) are in line with its operational expenses (personnel, programming, resource needs, rent, etc.)
6. All Saints Academy is an asset to Newport County. ASA contributes greatly to the well-being of our area. As the only regional diocesan school, we provide anchors to neighborhoods in surrounding cities, towns and suburbs. We encourage service to others. We help students assume a sense of civic responsibility; We encourage a thirst for justice and for peace. All Saints Academy responds to local needs by affording a means for families to live and practice the gospel message and to follow the social teachings of the Church.
So those are the “secrets” of ASA’s success. Come to think of it, maybe they aren’t really secrets, after all. They’re a practical and sensible approach to child development. Most important, they recognize that great Catholic schools, like All Saints Academy, exist not only to teach academics, but to help families educate the whole child: mind, body and spirit.
Have a great summer….see you in the fall…..that’s my plan!
Dr Finnegan
