PROVIDENCE — Thirty-six Catholic schools in the state of Rhode Island mold the minds and hearts of students from preschool through high school. Modern technology and even COVID-19 have changed education and teaching methods. As a new school year begins, the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) in the Diocese of Providence works to keep up with these changes and move into the future, focusing always on bringing the light of Christ to younger generations of Catholics.
William Klements, M.Ed., currently serves as associate superintendent while the diocese searches for a new superintendent. A Providence College graduate, he began working for the diocese last June, bringing more than 20 years of education to the table as a former high school English teacher and principal in Massachusetts.
“The most important part is to just be present and to be available, being at schools an in schools as much as possible,” Klements said in terms of his job.
In his opinion, this means supporting the principals during hard times, building relationships with them so these men and women know they have an ally in the CSO, as well as being a part of the joyful times.
“But it’s also about moving the needle forward in education, but especially now in 2024, it’s about looking at ways that we can take our schools – which are doing very well – but looking at what we can do to make them better,” he stated, “with a focus on catholicity, a focus on living the faith authentically, as well as moving the needle with curriculum, sound pedagogy, and constantly working to drive up and improve enrollment and making our schools a spot where our parents want to be sending their children.”
Part of this focus on catholicity comes through the Lumen Accreditation beginning this year, offered through the Catholic University of America. Klements reported that 13 schools will be accredited that way this year.
A school accreditation demonstrates that a school meets certain standards of education and is completed by external, non-profit organizations. Without this, schools could not receive government funding. The Lumen Accreditation was developed through the Institute for the Transformation of Catholic Education (ITCE) at the Catholic University of America and provides a unique option for choosing a Catholic-based accreditation program.
“It’s an opportunity to continue the work of accrediting our schools, but doing this is even more authentically Catholic, doing so in a way that is consistent with the specifics to our mission, to our vision, and allowing us … to have a greater role in working with and assisting one another,” Klements said.
Klements explained how, in the future, the diocese is working toward “visiting and accrediting one another’s schools as well, which I think will be more meaningful.” Accreditation visits are set to begin next school year, after undergoing “heavy self-assessment.”
The main benefit to the Lumen Accreditation is that, unlike other accreditation boards, “this is truly through the lens of our Catholic identity first and foremost,” he noted.
Living and passing on the Catholic faith certainly remains the foremost purpose of Catholic schools.
Klements said, “There’s nothing bigger in terms of what we are doing, and every lesson, every day, every focus should be on living our faith authentically and creating disciples of Jesus Christ.”
That also includes expanding special education programs, “to offer a Catholic education to students with different learning differences,” he continues. For example, this year, St. Joseph in West Warwick will begin their E.A.G.L.E. (Educating all-abilities in a God-centered learning environment) Program for students with learning impairments. And Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick continues to grow their Brother Thomas R. Leto Options program.
“We are very proud of that work,” Klements remarked.
Forward motion begins from the top down, at the principal level. As the CSO welcomes three new principals this year, it emphasizes formation and support for these new hires.
Klements explained how a new principal academy “that meets periodically throughout the course of the school year” began this month. Additionally, each new principal is assigned an experienced principal mentor; someone who balances their strengths and weaknesses. All principals receive additional development throughout the year as well.
Likewise, teachers also benefit from professional development during the school year.
In August, Klements led a workshop for new teachers and even Archbishop-elect Richard G. Henning has become involved in the education process, speaking to theology teachers about living the faith in the classroom.
This past spring, the CSO hosted a workshop for theology teachers and administrators on the compatibility of science and faith, a topic addressed in every school, particularly at the middle and high school level, a time when students begin to question “how their faith interacts with the world around them.”
Church teaching on the connection between science and reason “is something that is woven through every lesson, through every class — finding ways to talk about God’s existence in math class or how science actually proves the existence of God’s love for us, as opposed to the societal idea of faith vs. reason.”
While the CSO umbrella covers all diocesan schools, each one is unique in their concentration and approach to education, mental health, reading skills, STEM and more.
“The blessing is that we have such a strong group of educators throughout the diocese that our principals are empowered and supported to also take a look at the needs of their individual faculties and see the direction that they want to go and that they need to go,” Klements said.
