LCA Lighting the Way - November 2022

Lighting the Way is a monthly newsletter showcasing how the Lumen Christi Academies mission is taking root across our network of schools.

Table of Contents

On the front cover St. Paul School Students huddle up in community during recess time.

On the right St. Anthony School students take advantage of Lunch Recess to practice their basketball skills now that the CYO season is underway.

Executive Director Message

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

We Give Thanks during this season of gratitude, we pause and reflect on the blessings and gifts we have received and offer our thanks to God, the bearer of all that is good in our lives.

We Give Thanks as we pray for the souls of our departed sisters and brothers in Christ. May they share in the joy and blessing of the Resurrection. Eternal rest, grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in Peace. Amen.

We Give Thanks for the incredible ways our students, parents/guardians, principals, teachers and staff, pastors, parishioners, and community partners are uniting in mission to make God known, loved and served. Your collaborative spirit in shared ministry is bearing great fruit across throughout the Diocese of Oakland. Providence is truly moving as we walk together in this transformational endeavor that is Catholic education.

May this Thanksgiving Holiday provide your families a wonderful respite as you celebrate the many ways God is making all things new in your lives.

In Solidarity, In Solidarity, Rodney Pierre Antoine Executive Director, Lumen Christi Academies

Academic Excellence: LMU’s iDEAL Institute

As Thanksgiving draws closer, iDEAL would like to take the opportunity to thank all the wonderful LCA teachers, leaders, and schools for our ongoing partnership. Our joined work to bring blended learning and research-based teaching practices to students continues to showcase extended growth and engagement. With this year’s focus on personalization and advancing teacher knowledge and implementation of blending learning, schools have been busy taking their understanding to the next level. Three workshops so far this year on planning for blended environments, student personalization, and integrating blended learning beyond the station rotation model have allowed teachers to actively revisit best practices and reflect on the next steps for their own personal development. Individualized coaching, walkthroughs at each site, meetings with principals, and data from workshops have likewise allowed for some targeted iDEAL support. We are excited to continue this work going forward with a focus this spring semester on digging deeper into how assessment and data play a part in personalizing student learning in a blended learning classroom.

"An education in the fullness of humanity should be the defining feature of Catholic schools."

- Pope Francis

STEM Enrichment Class, St. Catherine of Siena School

Mission & Catholic Identity: Corporal Works of Mercy

November has been a busy month, and the students at Queen of All Saints School had hearts full of gratitude as they lived out the Corporal Works of Mercy. For Veterans Day, they honored the men and women of our community who have served in various branches of the military. They were welcomed to QAS for a prayer service, thank you gifts, snacks and fellowship with student government officers. In faith families, students from TK through 8th grade worked together to make blankets, which were donated by families and dropped off at the VA hospital in Martinez. In the spirit of Clothing the Naked, they held a shoe drive put on by the student government and a coat drive, which was decided upon by their Principal of the Day auction winner. Many coats were collected and given to those in need in their local community. The school community wrapped up this season of giving thanks with a beautiful prayer service put on by their Second Grade class.

Mission & Catholic Identity: Showing Gratitude by Giving Back

Many of our school communities partnered with their local parishes to coordinate Holiday Food Drives. St. Catherine of Siena partnered with St. Vincent De Paul for their annual food drive for Thanksgiving Baskets. Their Student Leadership Team organize the donations collected by the school and boxed them alongside the parish St. Vincent de Paul ministry team. The school focused on gratitude and giving thanks through class activities, their faith family projects, and in buddies. St. Paul School collected non perishable items for The San Pablo St. Vincent de Paul Conference to help those in need. Each class collected a different item, including flour, rice, beans, pasta, pasta sauce, gravy, cranberry sauce, and other items. St. Peter Martyr School packed Thanksgiving Food Baskets for St. Ignatius Parish. The school community filled 90 boxes of non-perishable items, the boxes will be blessed during St. Ignatius liturgies and later distributed through the St. Vincent de Paul Society for the needy in their surrounding community.

“Unity is strength... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.”

- Mattie Stepanek

Mural Project, St. Peter Martyr School

Mission & Catholic Identity: Dia De Los

Muertos

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living. Our school communities remembered the lives of dearly departed loved ones on All Souls’ Day, throughout the month of November, and forever in our hearts.

St. Anthony School, students brought in photos of their loved ones to add to their school ofrenda (offering). They shared what it was like losing family members and shared stories about them. Students were also encouraged to talk with their families to learn more about loved ones who have passed away. Second graders at St. Elizabeth created ofrendas with their families and presented them in class. Students had the opportunity to learn more about their family members and the significance of Dia de Los Muertos. They also welcomed the rest of the school to visit their ofrendas. St. Paul School students gathered together in Faith Families on All Souls Day to work on a Dia de los Muertos activity. The students dressed up in cultural dress or as Katrina’s for the day. Students at St. Peter Martyr also created ofrendas as special way to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos.

2121 Harrison Street, Suite 100 Oakland, CA 94612

Rodney Pierre-Antoine