Group+Results

November 10-12, 2011
Group Results from "Conversations and Sharing" Friday, November 11 10:45AM-12:00PM

Questions, comments, suggestions...

__**Employees and Formation to Mission**__ Three (3) questions to help 1. What is Formation to Mission

2. How do we find inclusive language? Everyone's voice is welcome and heard

3.

Best Practices: Have full time people on staff whose main goal i formation to missino for all community

Have training fo rnew faculty and staff

Have discussions and not just instruction

Ways to incoporate understanding of the Goals and Criteria

Finding ways to help faculty "buy in."

Asking questions about working with employees in Formation to Mission -Who in the schools are the Keepers? -How do we hire and incorporate the mission into that practice? -New teachers meeting monthly with Mentors 3-year process of Keepers -- work with Journey of the Heart to nuturre knowledge and growth

New employees given a "passport" and given monthly activities to work on and discuss.

Students come together on the first day -- Student leaders take others through Goasl and Criteria

Carrollton: mentoring booklet

Share stories of how you came to a Sacred Heart school? How do you stay?

Sacred Heart reflection time -- Prayer life (prayer card)

Formation to Mission needs an upfront seat in schools

Passive versus Active engagement with the mission

try not to fall into "rote" patterns Clarifying the non-negotiable items when hiring Keeping an active engagement -- tiering the approach and ground new hires in the first few years There needs to be a commitment to the spiritual dimension -- non-negotiable

Organization fo formationto mission is different at each school -maybe develop organizational charts and items that will help maintain consistency and growth throughout the Network

Discussed the formation of teacher as well as addiitonal staff members (facilities, groundskeepers, etc.)

Mission on Tap casual day What brought you to SH? What keeps you here? What nurtures youin SH?

Participate in Roots

Mentoring handbook for faculty and staff (ASH-St. Charles...taken from Carrollton, Rosary and VDOH)

VDOH emphasizes with all faculty and staff -- everyone in the community is a Keeper of the Flame emphasis)

Faculty and Staff Should not diminish importance of emphasizing Sacred Heart mission -- positive acceptance -- hiring should be explcit

FORMATION -- did not join because it offers a place to live, but that you believe in the spiritual commitment -- espceially as Sacred Heart becomes totally lay

Fundamentally SH would not exist without a spiritual foundation

The Formation to Mission is an adult focused challenge (informational piece) Goals and Criteria (1975) -- small book with alot said and alot to do - schools came together to identify what to do

Next version was adult centered to have adults model the characteristics of the mission

Latest version (present edition) incorporates all groups as responsible for this charism

Evaluate all ediitons as an exercise in learning and action

Unscientific research -- looking at all the school websites to locate the mission -- many interesting statements of mission -- some merely stated the Goals and Criteria -- some developed other statements about educating "young women in Christian life and leadership"

Not just Goals and Criteria but also living the spiritual life

What is our responsiblity to the mission (Cor Unum) -- to discover and reveal the love and the heart of Christ

Our mission and our spirituality is not MSB, RPD, JES, MAH...it is the heart of Jesus and the love of God

The "stories" of these "women" are inspiring...the life lived and the way we are with each other day in and day out...forming one another and ourselves THE LIFE LIVED

__**Formation to Mission Plans**__ Began discussion as "why chose the group of formation to misson plan"?

Each plan has to work independently and individually for each school...annual topics of discussion (history, traditions, governance, Goals and Criteria, etc.) with annual plans

Want to see everyone's plans and share ... maybe incorporate throughout the Network to offer soe consistency, yet afford individuality

Should Formation to Mission person beon the Leadership Team?

Create groups of experts on varying topics...use those people to educate others in the community.

Incorporate Goal Captains where persons chose which Goal they personally commit to and respond to

DropBox use -- schools should use that online filing system so we can all access this set of resources

SHCOG and school accreditation -- discussion of creating a plan -- must have an energy when groups sit down to develop a plan The discussion can sometimes be more valuable than the actual plan itself

Past and alum parents as well as current parents -- thirst for continuing the relationship Helps with fundraising
 * __Parents__**

Collaboration -- everyone's responsibility

Faculty can speak to parent groups about how they form children -- intentional language, communications, refer to Goals in curriculum/field trips/whatever we do with children Empower community in Formation to Mission

School reviewing report cards -- revise and create gradecards on Criteria (reinforcing Goals and Criteria

Kindergarten basis (stoplight behavior system) -- comments are written next to the colors -- with 5 icons identifying the Goals whereas students identify with each icon as to where they feel they are...take home and share with theri parents

SOFIE -- knowledge of resources for parents (also using the RSCJ website and other resources) -- currently is wide open for access to all resources Is there a parent section.....

Use quotes on school sites and refer to SOFIE on school publications

Monthly parent association meetings -- invite former parents to discuss aspects of experiences in Sacred Heart education and the impact -- Also invite students to come and discuss activities and their connections to the Goals and Criteria Trustees are the Keepers of the mission -- they are the head of this organization and critical -- Their choices are ket Orientation should include a packet of history, Life Lived, We Hold in Trust, etc. A Board Formation to Mission person who works at each board meeting nurturing this mission with the Board Good use of reflection time -- a true education focus
 * __Boards and Trustees__**

At each decision...connecting and assigning a Goal and Criteria

Cocktail party... New faculty and staff ESCJ --- EJME --- Explain functions and provide readings on each founding RSCJ -- return to group and meet in groups to discuss their "chosen" person to define and understand

Trustee Retreats -- 45 minutes of this activity -- divide up into readings, read in silence to digest materials -- discuss withthe group for understanding

1/2 day strategic planning/retreat -- theme for the year is a Goal -- invite Board and Trustees to any and all event and ask them to participate (Advent Retreat, etc.) -- required to choose one activity and participate.

Board formation committee founded to assist with the growth of the Board

Brought a Trustee to a Keepers conference and thus began a sub-committee on the Board -Formation of the Board -Choosing the next head and knowing the mission is critical -Meet monthly -Insure that this committee is dealing with the Board only (not into Operations) -- internal to the Board -Mass at first meeting -- planning retreats that incorporate Mission

Take 15 minutes at each Board meeting for a "Mission Minute"

Begin EVERY meeting with 15 minutes of Formation to Mission (all consituencies) -watch short video and discuss -Share a reading or quote to discuss

__**Working with Heads of School**__ Transiitoning from RSCJ to Lay Person as the Head of School Develop strong relationship with Formation to Mission and the Head of School

How can the Formation to Mission work with the Head (if new)? -have a standing appointment (1/2 hour or 20 minutes) per week just to even touch base