The pandemic and political climate in our country not only have isolated us but also have divided us. Educators and administrators continue to teach in our schools each day – amidst the burdens of isolation and division – with passion toward something greater. They are light for the world and for students and families. Though vaccines are coming and we see end in sight, what is the counter-cultural antidote for support and encouragement of faculty and staff as we continue to re-build a sense of community in our schools while being exhausted by stress caused by unpredictability and trauma? Professional development is not enough these days. We need more . . . Dean Brackley, SJ, in The Call to Discernment in Troubled Times argues that the penguin is real. In unsettling times, we need community, prayer, contemplation, regular community worship, companionship, simplicity, physical exercise, regular rest and recreation, study, and a sense of humor. These succinct ideas helped us conclude a recent faculty and staff book club Zoom meeting, where we discussed The Call to Discernment in Troubled Times. Ironically, these ideas are what has also fueled last semester’s De Smet Jesuit Community Challenge – a series of planned programs designed as a staff & faculty competition to help heal adults and engage them as we rebuild our community. At our school, we advocate for a philosophy of cura personalis with students: a care for the whole person – paying special attention to each person’s various needs – academic, faith, spiritual, emotional, physical, and psychological. Likewise, the De Smet Jesuit Community Challenge for staff & faculty attempted to care for adults in ways that exceeded professional development opportunities for growth. It was the answer to the question: how can we help our staff & faculty through these difficult times? In addition to providing all staff and faculty with free professional counseling services this entire year, our Community Challenge began in October and lasted until the end of the semester. The Challenge offered opportunities and options for all staff and faculty to enter into experiences that allowed them to growth in their faith, heal through spiritual practice of meditation, exercise, be mindful of nutrition, and read, reflect and dialogue with one another – all set in the context of team competition and community. Here were our Challenge components for the semester: Teams & Leaders To counter a growing sense of isolation among adults in our building, we divided our entire faculty and staff into eight teams, with an equal number of individuals on each team – approximately 10-12 per team. While doing this, we created teams of people who would perhaps not ordinarily run into one another or who were perhaps not even friends. We kept in mind those working from home (4, at the time), and we created teams that were purposely diverse. We chose as leaders a combination of newer employees, staff members, middle leaders, and tenured faculty – responsible for rallying their teams each week through email and personal communication, reminding their teams about weekly events, and tracking individual and team points. For this Challenge, staff and faculty were encouraged to participate in any or all of the events as individuals, with friends, and with teammates. On Thursday of each week, captains checked in with their teams to collect and record points for the week. Finally, updates and pictures were posted in the faculty room – as visual signs of community and fun during the semester. This component focused on trying to eliminate a sense of isolation while improving a sense of community. Variety in Programming Based upon an early captain’s planning meeting in late September, we developed a series of programming pieces that staff & faculty could choose to enter into throughout the semester – both as individuals and as teams. We awarded individual and team points to those competing each week that contributed to their individual and team scores. The variety of programming aimed to meet a variety of needs: social, physical, spiritual, faith, community, nutritional, and intellectual. TGITs – Thank God It’s Thursday outside socials with individually-wrapped appetizers and beverages. Individuals were awarded points for attending and the team with the most attendees was awarded additional points. Though we discontinued these socials as the weather turned colder, we will likely resume TGITs in the spring. Attendance at these was high. With our regiment and routine that keep adults and students apart and relatively isolated, these were occasions for us all to come together at week’s end and just be with one another. Walktober – During the month of October, participants were encouraged to pick a regular time during the day throughout the week to walk around our track or the perimeter of our school’s property. For each lap and perimeter, walkers earned points. And, if participants had step trackers and tracked steps each day, they earned additional points. Walkers were encouraged to trudge individually, with friends, or in a group (with their team). The team with the most participants during Walktober were awarded additional team points. This programming piece was the most popular. It got participants up and moving, outside. Commit to the Sit Meditation – This was competitive meditation, of course. So, points were awarded for individuals and teams. Meditators – amateur and experienced – were encouraged to take time out of their crazy days, to be still. As such, they left the building, to enter into our Chapel on campus. For every 10-minute quiet sit, participants earned points. For every 20-minute quiet sit, they earned additional points. Sits could include quiet prayer, reading, journaling, and meditation. Sits did not include talking with anyone in the Chapel. A silent sit zone was strongly encouraged. Participants were also asked to sign the Commit to the Sit log upon exit. We tracked participation in this event. Supporting our Dionysian Players – To leave room for families to attend their sons’ play production in a safe, physically distance environment this past semester, faculty and staff were encouraged to continue to support our theater production by being awarded points for attending the play’s many dress rehearsals. The team with the most attendees were awarded additional team points. In addition, groups of faculty dined together safely and the school paid for those community meals. Staff & Faculty Formation Friday – In October, we planned and implemented a “mandatory fun” event for staff & faculty, called Formation Friday. Students were not in school on that day. Participants arrived on campus to join their teams for a “college-themed” competition and fellowship as we continued to physically distance and wear masks. Mass was offered at 8:00 that morning. And points were awarded for individual participation and team victories in events that included dressing in college attire, Pickle Ball, Jenga, Corn Hole, video games, ping pong, and a scavenger hunt throughout the school. Individually boxed breakfasts, snacks, and lunches were provided as participants enjoyed being with one another and relaxing – it was a much-needed retreat from the pandemic academic grind. Themed-Dress Days – Throughout the semester we encouraged faculty to participate in themed-dress days, as a simple way to promote community and encourage spirit. For each themed-dress day, we awarded individual and team points. Use it or Lose It Weight Challenge – November & December, we encouraged those interested to participate in a truncated Biggest Loser competition - to weigh-in every Thursday and anonymously record their weight loss for the week. For every pound lost each week, participants earned points toward their team total. Project-Based Learning: A Local Road Rally - After reading an article about Fr. De Smet and his companions arriving in St. Louis, participants and teams were encouraged to go out and discover the significant destinations identified in the article, take a photo of their team at the place, submit the photo, and earn individual and team points. Points were to be awarded for photographs which showed proof of locations identified in the article and submitted with team participants in the photo. Substitution - Our school does in-house substitutions, for classes and for lunch periods – when needed. During this Challenge, we tracked subs during this semester and awarded team and individual points to staff and faculty who took on this added responsibility. Book Club – Finally, in December, staff and faculty members participated in a one-hour Zoom book club meeting, after reading The Call to Discernment in Troubled Times. The school ordered and distributed books in October, and individual and team points were earned for those having read the book and participated in the Zoom conversation. This book club meeting and our reading was a significant end to our Community Challenge. Dean Brackley, SJ, provided us with wonderful words that led many in our Zoom meeting to feelings of great consolation - reminding us of the purpose of our Challenge and of the purpose of our vocations as Ignatian educators . . . that could serve as an apt guide and inspiration to us all as we continue to move forward during this difficult time:
Challenge Chatter: Awards & Trophies Each week, team captains submitted their team point totals and we tracked team winners, individual team winners, and an overall school MVP – that went to the participant who earned the most points for her or his team. The school MVP earned the honor of displaying the Challenge Trophy for the week in his or her classroom. Weekly team statistics and awards were communicated through Challenge Chatter emails that went out on Friday morning, each week. And the Winner Is . . . At the end of our Community Challenge, we declared a team winner – the team who earned the most individual and team points during the Challenge. That team celebrated with a pizza party! Conclusion The Community Challenge succeeded in offering staff and faculty a wide variety of programmatic options during a difficult semester in our school. We attempted to care for our staff and faculty by challenging them to engage in our community, beyond professional development.
1 Comment
Ken Luecke
12/24/2020 06:20:15 am
As always a thought out approach to educational best practices in an Ignatian way. What care for one another.
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Pete MussoAssistant Principal, Curriculum & Instruction Archives
May 2022
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