The principal's first priority is to take care of himself or herself, next the teachers, then the entire school. Laughter and creativity are emphasized as important tools for principals to use in relieving the stress of their positions. Principals need to understand their jobs, that there are few ready made solutions and no magic formulas. They…

Three questions bearing on M. Janowitz's community-integration hypothesis were pursued in a study for which community ties and newspaper subscribing were the focal dimensions. The questions addressed were the following: (1) Are community-church ties positively associated with subscribing to a local church newspaper? (2) Are church ties positively…

This paper presents the stories of gay and lesbian Catholic elementary school teachers. Through interviews and dialogues at social gatherings, these teachers shared their fears, hopes, and strategies they used in order to be able to truly live in the context of the Catholic elementary school. All of the participants had taught only in Catholic…

Methods for integrating Christian values into social studies education in Catholic schools are examined. First, the four areas in which learning takes place are discussed: the psychomotor, the cognitive which includes interpretive and analytical skills, the intellectual, and the attitudinal. Next, the author presents four values which should be…

The Catholic Education Office of the Diocese of Parramatta in New South Wales (Australia) sponsored a large scale professional development program to help its secondary teachers deal with recent curriculum developments. Principals of the 24 diocesan secondary schools were allowed to choose whether their school would participate in the systemwide…

This study compares community service programs in nine Catholic high schools in Louisville (Kentucky). Information was gathered from a survey and follow-up interviews, and findings are organized into a chart essay. The following findings are included: (1) the schools represent a variety of governance and religious affiliation patterns; (2) all but…

Since 1973, the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association have removed homosexuality as an illness from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (1987). Most religions, however, continue to view homosexual behaviors as abnormal. Student personnel professionals can facilitate changes in religious…

A study explored the design and delivery of Chapter 1 instructional services for eligible non-public school students during the 1985-1986 school year--the first year following the Aguilar vs. Felton ruling. Compensatory education programs have been driven by numerous policies implemented to ensure compliance with regulations that have often…

The decline in academic achievements among public school students during the past two decades is discussed and several studies that support the evidence on the lack of educational excellence are cited. It is noted that the results of these studies offer a message about Catholic education, since many of the proposals offered to rectify this problem…

Offers an historical overview and analysis of Catholic women's colleges, including their faculty and curriculum, asserting that the distinctive history and mission of these colleges give them a unique capacity to bring future generations the finest Catholic higher education has to offer. (EV)

The second part of a two-part study, examined attitudes of faculty at Catholic colleges toward various aspects of their institutions, including hiring for mission, and compared them to what administrators had reported about hiring criteria. Found that with a few exceptions, administrators' mission-related hiring concerns are not related to faculty…

An ethnographic study examined the practice of rituals as the pervasive form of communication at St. Mary's (a pseudonym) Catholic elementary school. Four specific rituals illustrate this communication process: morning assembly, "Pass the Pen,""Sparkles," and "Yes please/No thank-you." Morning assembly begins each…

This document summarizes findings of a statewide evaluation of 11 pilot and 19 coaching-model schools participating in a Louisiana accelerated schools program. This 1995-96 evaluation aimed to determine whether the project met its stated objectives related to numbers of participants and types of services provided; ascertain the project's effects…

Clergymen are regarded by their congregations as having the authority to influence church members and clergymen are expected to exert influence. Three types of clerical authority have been identified: charismatic, traditional, and legal-rational. The common assumption that people select power strategies that are consistent with their perceptions…

Exploratory research suggests that denominational preferences, fundamentalism, and church attendance are related to an individual's position on political issues. A review of research reveals that religious beliefs are stable, developed early in life, and are central to an individual's other orientations. Research on religious orientation is…