Life Long Learners

A few years ago, I earned my Ed. S. degree in School Leadership from Virginia Tech. Every semester, part of the first class period was spent engaged in a round robin, get-to-know-you session. After I shared my name and my school affiliation, I was always asked the same questions, “Why are you here?” or “Do you really need this class?”

At first I was a little offended, then I came to realize that PhD, college professors had no idea that Catholic school teachers follow the state standards of public school teachers. They didn’t know that our teachers here at St. Anne must have 40 hrs of professional development (even more if they teach religion) every year. Or that our teachers must earn 190 re-certification points every 5 years to maintain their Virginia licenses. That every summer many of our teachers are attending conferences, pursuing special training, or taking college classes. In fact, just like in public schools, many teachers have degrees beyond the minimum needed and at any time, we have teachers in the process of seeking additional licensure or endorsements.

Here at St. Anne Catholic School, we

we want our students to be life-long learners. What better way to teach this love of learning than for our faculty to actually be living it!