Here’s a bold and innovative way to educate young Catholics in the 21st century, thanks to the modern media savvy of Burlington’s Bishop Christopher Coyne:
Leland Gazo goes to Rice Memorial High School in South Burlington and appreciates the Catholic school experience. “My two years at a public school compared to a Catholic institution like Rice, the one thing I noticed– the kids seem to be more connected,” said Gazo, a senior. Members of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington say they want to increase the number of students in Catholic school in Vermont, but Bishop Christopher Coyne says options for kids in rural areas can be slim. High school students would have to travel to either Rice in South Burlington or Mount Saint Joseph Academy in Rutland to attend Catholic high school. “Trying to be innovative through things like a digital school, online schools, digital Catholic high school, which is coming into play soon,” Coyne said. The state’s first online Catholic school is now in the works. Sister Laura DellaSanta, the superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Burlington, says the Archdiocese of Miami successfully started an online Catholic academy and Vermont’s will follow the same model. “We can get started with a combination of our own curriculum with our present high school faculty in Rice and MSJ,” DellaSanta said.
Read more and check out the videohere.
St. Therese Digital Academy is an online Catholic High School currently in development by the Diocese of Burlington. Dependent on our survey response, It is projected that the academy will be open for enrollment by September of 2016. Grounded in the firm foundation of our Catholic Faith, St. Therese Digital Academy will work with parents in their roles as primary educators by offering a full 4 year on-line Catholic High School with flexible options to assist in their child’s education, while also providing weekly opportunities for social and spiritual formation at locations to be determined. Our goal is to develop well-grounded disciples of Jesus Christ who possess 21st century skills that equip them to fulfill their roles as members of the Body of Christ within today’s society. The Diocese needs your valuable input in this new endeavor, and asks that you please complete our survey to help us best serve the Church and its future disciples within a digital culture.
Watch the video below for more details on how it will work.
Photo: WCAX-TV
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