What is a Notre Dame ACE Academy?
Notre Dame ACE Academy (NDAA) schools are parish schools that have a special partnership with the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) and the University of Notre Dame. Beginning in Fall 2010, there will be three ND ACE Academy schools in Tucson: St. Ambrose, St. John the Evangelist, and Santa Cruz.
What is ACE?
The Alliance for Catholic Education is a program of the University of Notre Dame that strengthens and sustains Catholic schools. ACE began preparing teachers for Catholic schools in 1994 and has since grown to include more than a dozen other initiatives in service to Catholic schools.
What is the goal of ND ACE Academies?
The U.S. Bishops call on Catholic schools to provide parents with “the choice of an education that no other school can supply—excellent academics imparted in the context of Catholic teaching and practice.” Therefore, the goal of the NDAA partnership is to provide a Catholic education of the highest quality to as many children as possible.
How does NDAA work?
NDAA schools implement a unique model of Catholic schooling focused on the three pillars of ACE: academic achievement, community, and faith formation. NDAA supports that model through numerous benefits to schools in the areas of leadership, academics, management, and Catholic identity, including:
Leadership: NDAA schools are supported by a regional NDAA Board that includes the Bishop, the Superintendent, other diocesan leaders, pastors, school advisory board representatives , ACE faculty and staff, and Tucson community leaders. School principals participate in an on-going program of faith formation and professional development. ACE provides strategic planning support, and ACE faculty and staff support the pastor and principal.
Teaching and Learning: ACE provides an instructional coach and professional development program. Funding is available to upgrade instructional resources and for teachers to pursue professional development and research interests. ACE provides training in culturally responsive teaching practices, and teachers participate in professional development conferences at Notre Dame.
Management. The NDAA school board supports pastors and principals in overseeing school budgets. ACE provides a director of marketing and development to boost enrollment and raise scholarship funds. Schools use the Notre Dame and ACE brands to promote the school, and ACE fosters connections to Notre Dame and ACE alumni groups.
Catholic identity. ACE helps promote a school culture of high academic expectations, Christ-centered community, and faith formation in the Catholic tradition. Teachers and principals participate in professional development, community building, and faith formation opportunities at Notre Dame each summer.
Will the name of the school change? Is it still a parish school?
Each school will retain its unique identity, keeping its name, parish affiliation, and advisory board.
How long will our school be an NDAA school?
The initial agreement is for a five-year partnership. After five years, ACE, the Bishop, the Pastor, and the Superintendent will revisit the terms of the partnership to revise it as needed.
What will it cost the school to be an ND ACE Academy?
Schools are not expected to support the NDAA initiative financially. Notre Dame’s efforts in NDAA schools are funded through a generous grant from a national foundation.
Why was our school selected to be an NDAA school?
ACE selected the Catholic schools of South Tucson for several reasons. The partnership has strong support from local leaders, including Bishop Kicanas, Sister Rosa Maria Ruiz, the pastors and principals of St. Ambrose, St. John, and Santa Cruz, and others in the Tucson community. Additionally, ACE completed a feasibility study and concluded that each of these schools is well-positioned to provide extraordinary educational and faith formation opportunities to a growing community. The Arizona tax credit scholarship program creates opportunities to extend the Catholic school advantage to students who need it most. Finally, Notre Dame and ACE are leading a campaign, called The Catholic School Advantage, to double the percentage of Latino children in Catholic schools by 2020. Tucson is a perfect place to begin that work.
What is expected of our school as an ND ACE Academy?
Schools are expected to demonstrate commitment to the mission of the NDAA initiative: to provide a Catholic education of the highest quality to as many children as possible. Teachers and principals will be asked to help build and maintain a school culture focused on the three pillars of the NDAA model by providing an academically excellent education, building strong community, and forming young people in the Catholic tradition.
Why was our school selected to be an NDAA school?
ACE selected the Catholic schools of South Tucson, upon the invitation of Bishop Kicanas, for several reasons.
Parental choice programs enhance the capacity of Catholic schools to serve under-resourced communities, and so schools in places like Arizona, with its strong individual and corporate tax credit program, have greater opportunities to extend the Catholic school advantage to students who need it most.
Effective university-school partnerships require the strong support of local leaders, and Bishop Kicanas, Sister Rosa Maria Ruiz, the pastors and principals of St. Ambrose, St. John, and Santa Cruz, and others in the Tucson community have all indicated strong support for this partnership.
ACE Consulting completed a feasibility study to examine the capacity of each school to grow and serve more children, and concluded that each of these schools is well-positioned to provide extraordinary educational and faith formation opportunities to a growing community.
In December 2009, Notre Dame and ACE launched a campaign, called The Catholic School Advantage, to double the percentage of Latino children in Catholic schools by 2020. Tucson is a perfect place to begin that work.
Are there other ND ACE Academies elsewhere?
Not yet. The Diocese of Tucson was selected to host the first cluster of NDAA schools, though ACE hopes to expand the model to other dioceses in the near future.
How will success be measured?
Success will be measured in five ways:
Catholic identity, as measured by a Catholic identity inventory created by Notre Dame researchers and through surveys of students, parents, and teachers.
Educational achievement, as measured by growth in student test scores, high school graduation rates, and college attendance and graduation rates.
Participation, as measured by enrollment growth.
Financial stability, as measured by consistently balanced budgets, increases in tax credit scholarship support, and improved resources.
Teacher quality, as measured by student achievement gains, implementation of effective instructional practices, and a low rate of teacher turnover.
Where can I learn more?
More frequently asked questions can be found on-line at: http://ace.nd.edu/outreach/ndaa
Learn more about ACE at: http://ace.nd.edu
Learn about the Catholic School Advantage Campaign: http://catholicschooladvantage.nd.edu
