‘A’ Game | Continued from page 34
peaceful ambitions Continued from page 37
Fromuth talks with students from Bethlehem Catholic High School.
he faced the decision to close St. Mary’s School, a venerable institution in Reading. A proud, passionate parish, he points out, it could no longer support only 70 students. Last year, Fromuth was an integral part of a diocesan initiative to start a program to help diocese schools survive and thrive. Composed mostly of lay people, these boards of limited jurisdiction are charged with improving enrollment, finances and community outreach. “It’s very important to have a local buy-in,” says Fromuth. “We have to make everyone feel as if it’s their school.” Fromuth sharpened his own admini strative skills as a charter student in Alvernia’s doctoral program in leadership. Dr. Tufan Tiglioglu, Ph.D., program director, says Fromuth’s work ethic and dedication were particularly impressive. “Through Dr. Fromuth’s work in our program, he showed how willing he was to put in the time and effort needed to promote social justice and social responsibility as a visionary leader in our contemporary and diverse society,” said Tiglioglu. He was inspired by his dissertation subject, Monsignor George Bornemann (1838-1924), a Berks County shepherd. Bornemann co-founded a hospital, united ethnic Catholic churches and empowered Catholic parishes in a highly Protestant region. He “was a simple man, but a man who got things done,” says Fromuth, “a man of his times and a man who changed his times.” Fromuth is helping to change his times
with a new diocesan academy that trains prospective principals, assistant principals, department heads, head teachers and other educators to be better leaders. The father of two college-age children is also encouraging leaders to groom younger leaders. One of his favorite exchanges took place during a transition meeting for the 2011 merger of two Reading high schools, Holy Name and Central Catholic — which happened to be Fromuth’s alma mater. At one point students and adults debated whether seniors should wear the uniforms of their old schools or the uniform of their new school, Berks Catholic. John Foster, an incoming senior, proposed a merger of traditions. Seniors should wear the new uniform, he said, to live the school’s motto, “Unum in Christo,” or “One in Christ.” Foster’s suggestion was accepted at Berks Catholic, which has nearly 20 more students than the combined enrollments of Holy Name and Central Catholic. According to Fromuth, the increase is rare among merged Catholic schools in America. Fromuth’s goals for the Allentown Diocese range from increasing enrollment by 2 percent in 2013-2014 to ministering to the growing and thriving Hispanic communities throughout the diocese. For him, there is no finer example of servant leadership than Jesus washing his apostles’ feet during the Last Supper. “Our purpose is to work with people to serve Jesus Christ,” he says. “I’m not sure how effective leaders can be if they’re not servants.”
Center for Community Engagement. There she fell under the spell of an elementary school student with a hemi-powered personality. “Jonathan was beyond energetic,” Roesch recalls. “He was a spunky, fun kid who was always making me laugh.” Roesch helped Jonathan with his homework, classroom confidence and maturity. “He was still crazy little Jonathan,” she says. “The difference was, he would stop and think before making a decision. It’s just a good example of the good that can happen when one person takes the time to say hello to a kid, or play a game or just sit and talk.” At times, Roesch has felt like a kid in Uganda. She admits it’s a bit daunting teaching students close to her age how to teach students close to Jonathan’s age. What makes it trickier are the stares and comments she receives as a rare white person in an overwhelmingly black society. She’d be happy if she never heard “mzungu,” which translates politely as “foreigner” and less politely as “aimless wandering person.” Good-natured kidding has made Roesch feel less like an outsider. She’s been ribbed for her skinny American diet (apparently, Ugandans eat heartier meals than spaghetti with garlic bread) and for her cooking misadventures on a cranky charcoal stove. “Oh man, that sigiri,” she says with a sigh and a laugh. “Let’s just say we made peace.” Let’s also say that she’s glad she has a gas stove. Roesch’s American care packages include stimulating, soothing emails from Kathy McCord, an assistant professor of education at Alvernia and a mentor. These “reality checks” reinforce lessons she learned in such key McCord courses as Assessment and Evaluation. After her Peace Corps hitch ends in 2015, Roesch doesn’t want to be a typical elementary school teacher. “It would just be too boring after teaching here,” she says. While she is considering teaching English at a Franciscan Sisters’ school in the Dominican Republic, she admits, “Whatever happens will be God’s decision. I know He has a plan for me.” Alvernia University Magazine
53