As reported here, the MCCS System has been running a 30 second TV and radio spot in an effort to boost enrollment. One line in that ad boasts of the "cutting edge technology" that parents will find in our Catholic schools.
Well, in some, perhaps, but apparently not in St. Pius X. At least not yet.
Yesterday's Channel 13 announcement of a $100K anonymous donation to St. Pius X and a follow-up story in today's D&C both report that a significant amount of that donation will go towards technology upgrades.
The D&C, for example, says,
Anne Sabo, a 20-year teacher at St. Pius, said teachers and schools need to rise to the technological level of the their students.
"Our kids are digital natives and very technologically savvy, and we need to engage them using the technology that they use outside of school," said Sabo, educational technology coordinator.
If technology levels in our Catholic schools are already at the "cutting edge" as the MCCS claims in its ad, why is the St. Pius X educational technology coordinator talking about the need to raise them?
And if this is the case at St. Pius X, is it the case at other Catholic schools as well?
The new MCCS superintendent has been quoted as saying that "it's important to restore confidence in Catholic schools and the Rochester Diocese."
Claiming to be what you are not does nothing to restore confidence.
3 comments:
I wonder where the true disconnect is - at the MCCS level or with the diocese. I can't imagine that any commercial was aired without approval from the superintendant's office. Of course, the PR people will say what they have to to put the schools in their best positive light. However it's the superintendant's job to make sure that everything is accurate. A recent ad in the Courier announced that the DOR was thrilled that tuition would not be raised next year for any of its students. Well, that's not true eiher. It's my understanding that the schools outside Monroe County are implementing modest tuition hikes in order to keep pace with rising insurance and maintenance costs. You know, making sure that their bills are paid and that the schools stay solvent. How do those schools handle this media nightmare? How do those families feel after they read that ad? Pretty angry and betrayed is what I'm guessing.
I don't know if this is any consolation, but two of my children attend St. Agnes in Avon whereI can verify that they enjoy a great tech-filled education.
Beginning as early as third grade the students are creating elaborate powerpoint presentations to compliment their oral reports and cultural studies. My fourth grader just completed a powerpoint presentation for his Spanish class.
While St. Agnes doesn't have the funding for gagets like smart boards or luxuries like wireless internet, each student is receiving an education which gives them a head start in life.
Sounds like another school closure is on the way for Elmira: http://www.catholiccourier.com/tmp1.cfm?nid=78&articleid=105200
~Dr. K
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