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Renewing the Vision
St. John the Evangelist School
Strategic Planning for School Improvement
"Above all in our highly secularized society, the parish is a beacon that radiates the light of faith and meets the most profound and authentic desires of man's heart, giving meaning and hope to the lives of individuals and families,"
Pope Benedict XVI.
Dear Parishioners,
The Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools (MSCES) is pleased to announce that St. John the Evangelist School has been awarded accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The award was announced by Dr. Thomas L. Seidenberger, Chair of the Commission and Superintendent of Brick Township School District, NJ, following the Commission’s April 2007 meeting. St. John the Evangelist School was one of over 70 schools so honored by the Commission.
MSCES accreditation signifies that the educational community of St. John the Evangelist School has engaged in a process of developing self-knowledge; has hosted an evaluation team of independently-appointed educators; and has created an on-going Strategic Plan to guide school improvement for the next five to seven years. For nearly eighteen months our faculty and staff have been involved in this rigorous undertaking governed by a Steering Committee chaired by Mrs. Kristen Zorica, our Enrichment Teacher and Mrs. Molly LaChapelle, our Assistant Principal. Additional input was sought from parents, students, parish leaders, and members of the Severna Park community, constituents with vested interests in our school. All listened and reacted to reasons for challenge and celebration that focus on our children and youth, the raison d’etre of our school.
As an attachment to this letter, we proudly present our Strategic Plan, and ask for your prayerful support as we move the plan along. As one body, we can truly celebrate the gift of our parish school. As one body, we will meet the challenges that will strengthen the great legacy of Catholic Education in our parish.
Accreditation also signifies that St. John the Evangelist School has met the MSCES Standards for a quality school. These Standards reflect current research and best practices from throughout the education profession. During the term of accreditation the school community will engage in a Commission-directed series of reports and/or site visits to maintain the vigor of the accreditation process.
MSCES, which works with public and private schools from New York State to the District of Columbia, in the US Caribbean, and in various locations around the globe, is one of three accrediting Commissions of the over 100-year old Middle States Association. The Middle States Association is the second-oldest regional accreditor in the United States and, in addition to its elementary component, is also comprised of the Commission on Secondary Schools and the Commission on Higher Education.
Accreditation by MSCES is recognized around the world as an indication of trustworthiness, educational quality, and a commitment to on-ongoing school improvement. F. Laird Evans,ED.D, President of the Commission, offered his congratulations to the entire St. John the Evangelist School community, adding: “MSCES accreditation is both recognition of prior achievements and commitment to greater future accomplishments.”
Sincerely yours,
Sister Linda Larsen, SSJ
Principal
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools
Mission Statement St. John the Evangelist School
is a Roman Catholic, Kindergarten through Grade 8, parish school
under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
In a community of faith and with the Gospel values of Jesus Christ,
our faculty and staff work together to develop
each child to the best of her/his ability, spiritually,
academically, artistically, socially and physically
in a nurturing environment that promotes
living faith, academic excellence, leadership, and
service within the
Church, community and society.
Belief Statements/Philosophy
We believe:
Christ is present within each child.
A love of God’s word and a close relationship to Christ is developed through the Mass, reception of the sacraments, prayer, religion classes, Catholic traditions and service projects.
Service to others through prayer and acts of charity is an integral part of Catholic education. Our purpose is to teach, exemplify and nurture catholic faith values.
Faith and values can be nurtured and integrated through our curriculum and activities. Development of faith, respect and self-confidence in children are our responsibility in concert with parents.
Each child is capable of learning. Each child has the right to a safe learning environment of mutual respect fostered by appropriate behavior and actions.
Each child’s dignity is acknowledged by developing the whole child according to her/his unique needs.
Each child is guided to develop her/his personal talents in order to serve the church, the community and the world.
Each child is encouraged to be a creative thinker, leader, problem solver and effective communicator.
All students are equal regardless of their economic and /or social status.
Children must be taught to respect differences.
Participation in the arts is essential in the formation of the whole child. Contemporary technology and its application are essential in today’s classrooms.
In-school and after-school activities provide opportunities to develop children’s talents and interests.
We are called to educate our students to grow into young adults who have the ability/techniques to cope with life.
Ongoing professional development is integral to educating children for the future.
Parent volunteers have a valid place at our school.
St. John the Evangelist School Vision
School Environment: Culture, Community and Curriculum
St. John the Evangelist school is a community of learning where the views of all members are respected. It is a loving and faith-filled community that supports, through the traditions and beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church, all of its members in body, mind and spirit. The school is committed to nurturing the Divine image in its students and forming them as disciples of Jesus Christ. Priests and religious are visible and active throughout the school. Its students, faculty, parents, administrators and staff exhibit Christian behavior with genuine courtesy to and among all. Students learn to treat others and themselves with respect. St. John is a diverse school welcoming and valuing those with different religious, racial, ethnic and socio- economic backgrounds. Each student learns how to be more accepting of others. Through all that it does, St. John School has earned the reputation as a “Catholic Elementary School of Choice”.
St. John the Evangelist School embraces “community” in its broadest definition, including those within the walls of the school, faculty, students, administrators and staff, and those outside the walls of the school such as parents, parishioners and neighbors. It is a loving Catholic community where each is welcomed for the gifts that he or she brings to the attainment of the school’s mission. There is continuous and open dialog among the various constituencies. There is openness between the school and other parish ministries. It is a community where their shared visions, beliefs and values are one, and where the religious education of parish school children and public school children is collaborative. St. John School commits itself to parents by providing both an excellent faith-based education for their children and parenting classes where parents can support one another and share best practices. Parents commit to the school by volunteering for activities of the school and by serving as positive role models for their children at home. Parishioners and the larger Severna Park community support the school because of the richness the school brings them.
The curriculum of St. John the Evangelist School is rich and deep. The school focuses on excellence in the content areas of religion, reading, writing, language, mathematics, science, social studies, music, art and physical education, and excellence in the manner of delivery, e.g., small class sizes, phonics instruction, hands-on learning, individualized attention and on-line technology. The school distinguishes itself through a curriculum that acknowledges and addresses the learning differences, unique needs and learning style of each child. St. John School is noted for:
Interest-based thematic activities that involve the entire school
Scheduling that allows for optimal use of the Media Center
An integrated curriculum resulting from cooperative planning
Learning clusters of grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8 headed by experienced team leaders
Appropriate use of state-of- the –art technology, including some on-line textbooks
Emphasis on skills mastery with accountability
Community service as experiences of learning and outreach to others
Foreign language skills beginning in kindergarten
Human resources: Students, Faculty and Governance
The students of St. John the Evangelist School are unique, vibrant and filled with grace and intellectual curiosity. They are engaged in a high-quality learning experience which emphasizes fundamentals such as religion, reading, writing and mathematics. The children are respected as individuals with unique learning differences supported by a variety of instructional techniques utilizing appropriate materials. They are a courteous and polite group of well-disciplined girls and boys, who through their formation become Disciples of Christ preparing to take their rightful places in society. Upon graduation, they possess age-appropriate knowledge, values and skills to become articulate role models and servant leaders.
Administrators and faculty members of St. John School are highly qualified, dedicated and diverse educators. They pledge and live by the school’s Statement of Beliefs. These women and men work together with parents and parish leaders to provide leadership to the school and its mission. Faculty members serve as Team Leaders, one for each cluster of grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. Teachers are supported in their work by the Principal, Assistant Principal, Office Staff, Admissions Director, Campus Minister or Parish Director of Religious Education, Guidance Counselor, Instructional Assistants, a pool of qualified, well-coordinated substitutes and classroom parent volunteers.
Faculty members work full-time, are certified, take ownership of the curriculum and engage in ongoing professional development. Because of low turnover, the faculty brings an historical perspective that is not often found in today’s institutions.
St. John the Evangelist School is noted for open communication among all stakeholders and an effective, transparent governance structure. All governance is in accordance with the policies of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and grounded in the school’s Statements of Beliefs. Clear policies and procedures, uniformly applied, are in place to guide decisions. The School Board, Pastoral Council, Faculty Advisory Council and Parent/Teacher Partnership embrace a “shared vision” for St. John School. Each group’s input and collaboration are sought as decisions affecting the school are made. Communication is enhanced by the visibility of administrators throughout the school, an effective up-to-date website and e-mail communication to and among all constituents.
Finances and Facilities
St. John the Evangelist School is noted for its convenient location and state-of-the-art facilities. The physical plant houses rooms for core content learning, art, music, learning differences, computers, a library media center and conferences, as well as an auditorium, a gymnasium, a cafeteria and a faculty room. Learning is enhanced by the early introduction of technology through the use of laptops, the teaching of keyboarding, the replacement of some paper texts by on-line/CD electronic texts, and increased to computer labs.
St. John School, like many other Catholic schools, faces on-going financial challenges. However, its unique educational programs, focusing on learning differences and a strong commitment to Catholic beliefs and values, have encouraged parishioners of St. John and regional parishes to send their children to St. John School resulting in financial support through tuition and donations. The school also receives financial support from St. John the Evangelist Parish Development Office through grants and endowments and activities directed to alumni, corporations and community neighbors. As a result, St. John the Evangelist School is on a strong foundation and is able to attract, retain and develop quality faculty and administrators.
The Administration and Staff of St. John the Evangelist School recognize that in order for the Financial and Facilities portion of our Vision to come to fruition, our Pastor, Pastoral Council, School Board, parish members and school families must support this Vision in a very concrete way. The parish elementary school is a constitutive part of the mission of St. John the Evangelist parish. Since its establishment parishioners have chosen the parish elementary school to support them in their role as the primary teachers of their children in the Roman Catholic Tradition.
Concurrent to the development of the school’s strategic plan for reaccreditation by the Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools, St. John Parish has also undertaken the development of a strategic plan that encompasses the parish and the school. This coinciding effort allowed the parish to address the financial needs of the school. It is evidence of the support of the parish for the Finance and Facilities Vision for St. John the Evangelist School.
In the parish plan, St. John Elementary School is embraced as the “parish school” through coordinated efforts to secure the school’s financial future as well as to provide the necessary facilities to carry out the school program. The parish envisions a bright future for “our school” where future generations of St. John’s parishioners will train their children to take their rightful place in society as committed disciples of Jesus.
Strategic Initiative
- Identify and assess the knowledge, skills, values and behaviors related to the teachings and beliefs of Jesus Christ that students should possess upon completion of their studies; develop and implement programs with ongoing assessments to ensure their attainment.
- For reading, writing, and mathematics, define learning objectives and develop processes to assess them and to make instructional changes as appropriate.
- Ensure that an excellent and qualified faculty is recruited, hired, retained, and professionally developed, and that members fully understand and support the St. John’s Belief Statements/ Philosophy.
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