Congratulations to Saint Brigid of Kildare School for being selected as the grand prize winner of the 2019 Innovations in Catholic Education Award in the category promoting Catholic identity.
The Innovations in Catholic Education Award, created by Today’s Catholic Teacher, honors Catholic schools that have led the way nationally by implementing exemplary innovative programs to improve the teaching and learning of their students, faculty, and staff. The 2019 award was offered in four categories: promoting Catholic identity, curriculum and instruction, technology integration, and total community involvement.
On April 24, at an awards event during the NCEA (National Catholic Education Association) Convention in Chicago, one grand-prize winner was announced in each category, and those four winning schools each took home a $1,000 prize. Winning schools will be featured in a special section in the fall issue of Today’s Catholic Teacher in addition to being honored at the awards presentation banquet during the NCEA Convention.
Saint Brigid of Kildare School won this award for our discipleship model. With the goal of increasing students’ understanding of their personal call to discipleship, St. Brigid has implemented many methods of teaching and reminding students what it means to be a modern-day disciple. Teachers provided visuals to help students learn that disciples are kind, respectful, responsible, and ready to learn. A Student Discipleship Rubric was created to allow students and teachers to assess progress with each tenant. The code of conduct and even cafeteria rules were rewritten so that the expectation is clear: Student disciples will be kind, respectful, responsible, and ready to learn in all places and at all times. This discipleship project has taught students how to measure their own daily actions with the understanding of how Jesus calls us to live.
To learn more and see the finalists in each category, visit www.catholicteacher.com.
Photo: Kathy O’Reilly (left), Principal Saint Brigid of Kildare School, and Cindy Lombardo (right), Vice Principal Saint Brigid of Kildare School, with Mark Sumers from sponsor Catholic Textbook Project at the Innovations in Catholic Education 2019 banquet. Photo credit: Lisa Julia Photography/Bayard Inc.
