Diocese of Fall River
The Anchor
F riday , August 29, 2008
REBOOT CAMP — This scene in Bishop Stang High School’s computer lab will be replaying itself across the diocese each class day, as diocesan schools get back into the full swing of academic life. Many diocesan schools offer students the opportunity to stay in touch with the computer age, preparing them for college and beyond.
Diocesan schools well prepared to offer students quality academics and catechesis Religious Education testing in diocesan schools helps fine-tune curriculum
Curriculum mapping seen as catalyst for continued academic advances
By Michael Pare Anchor Staff
FALL RIVER — While not as immediately obvious as a newly waxed floor or a freshly painted wall, the 5,000 Catholic elementary and middle school students returning to classrooms throughout the diocese this fall will find their teachers more prepared than ever to educate them. The blueprint for that preparation is found in implementing a standardized curriculum. Dr. George A. Milot, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Fall River, said during the summer months administrators, faculty, and staff members continued to work on fostering the
academic progress of diocesan schools. For the elementary schools, he said, that meant a concerted effort to move forward with curriculum mapping. “This is the contemporary way of ensuring that our curriculum is standardized throughout the diocese,” said Milot. “It is based on Massachusetts state standards and national standards for every subject area. But also, these standards are mission driven. That is, the mission of our Catholic faith is incorporated at all levels.” The move toward curriculum mapping started last year, said Milot. “Mapping allows you to continually upgrade your curriculum,” he said. Turn to page 18
By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff
FALL RIVER — Just as the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests in public schools were created to gauge students’ level of comprehension and to make necessary adjustments in curriculum, a similar Religious Education exam has been devised by the Diocese of Fall River’s Catholic Education Center to assess annually Catholic school students’ mastery of catechism and doctrine. First administered five years ago, the test is given each year to students throughout the diocese from preschool through grade eight, and has become a vital tool in helping to fine-tune and stan-
dardize the Religious Education curriculum, according to Dr. Donna Boyle, assistant superintendent of Curriculum for the diocese. “Our curriculum is mission-driven, standard-based, learner-centric and accessible,” Boyle said. “To do that, we have to come up with standards. Our philosophy is to integrate faith into learning, to proclaim the Gospel values, to give students opportunities to worship, to build community, and to educate for service and for justice. That’s the basic philosophy in every Catholic school in the diocese. Each school has its own vision as to how that’s going to be implemented, and each mission statement is going to be different.” Turn to page 11
Ballot question to challenge ‘1913’ marriage law repeal
By Gail Besse Anchor Correspondent
BOSTON — Pro-family advocates are challenging Beacon Hill’s quick maneuver to export same-sex “marriage” across the country. Papers were filed
August 13 for a binding referendum petition to force a statewide vote on the Massachusetts Legislature’s recent repeal of the “1913 law.” That statute had protected the sovereignty of other states’
marriage laws by prohibiting out-of-state couples from marrying here if they weren’t eligible to wed in their home state. The ballot petition was filed by the Waltham-based famTurn to page 18