Abstract
More than ever, the challenges facing Catholic schools and Catholic school leaders require a “readiness to renew and adapt” (Vatican Council II, 1965). The skills and dispositions developed through applied action research—inquiry that is systematic, practitioner driven, and change oriented—are integral to the formation of teachers and leaders who will meet these challenges head on and strengthen Catholic schools for generations to come. The following action research project was conducted by a Catholic school leader who is a recent graduate of the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program at the University of Notre Dame. The article you will read is one product of the comprehensive, four-course action research sequence that is a hallmark of the Remick Leadership Program, and is discussed in greater detail in the focus section overview. As you read on, you will notice that action research is highly contextualized—responsive to the specific needs in a particular school community—but also reflective of the broader educational research literature, and the rich traditions and teachings of our Catholic faith. We hope this action research inquiry informs your own practice, and inspires you to pursue mission driven and data informed leadership practices to bring about positive change in your own school or community.Most Holy Trinity Catholic School in Phoenix, Arizona, has experienced a decrease in student enrollment over the last decade, resulting in a reduction to a single class per grade across the PreK-8 community. Recent concerns have surfaced regarding student and teacher isolation, marginalization, and their effects on the broader relationships within the school community. To address these issues, school leaders implemented a house system in an effort to foster stronger communal relationships. This action research project used a survey design to gather quantitative and qualitative data to examine changes in stakeholder perceptions of community and Catholic identity after implementing the intervention. Results indicated that the implementation of the house system led to significant positive changes in stakeholders’ perceptions of school community and Catholic identity.
Highlights
Witnessing firsthand the development of new relationships among students, teachers, and administration and the subsequent emergence of a stronger overall school community has given rise to three future areas in which to study the continued implementation of the house system at Most Holy Trinity Catholic School. These future action research studies would involve designing detailed methods targeted at the following questions: How can the house system play a role in impacting student achievement? How can the house system impact student behavior and discipline? And lastly, how can the house system impact student attitudes of accountability and personal responsibility to the greater community?
Both the spirit and ethos of a school emanate from its very heart and serve to generate the compressions responsible for its sustainability. It is within this potent concoction of our Catholic identity and the strength and character of our communities founded in Jesus Christ that our schools receive life but in turn share it with the greater Catholic community
The two are inseparable components to the continued success of all Catholic educational institutions and must be nourished and cared for so as to perpetuate the good news they spread
Summary
The goal of this research was not to remedy the school’s enrollment concerns, but rather to work with those students and classrooms that are present to determine if by implementing the house system a measurable growth in the spirit of community and the overall perception of the school’s Catholic identity will ensue
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