One Saturday a month, Subiaco Academy headmaster Matt Stengel and St. Joseph School principal Julie Rochester in Paris take a break from their work of running their schools to, well, go to class.

But this is not an ordinary classroom. Stengel and Rochester settle in at 9 a.m. for the next eight hours to listen and interact with their professor and her students in a classroom 380 miles away at St. Louis University. The Diocese of Little Rock has formed a new partnership with the Jesuit university for distance learning, through an internet video feed program called Fuze, so that teachers can obtain Catholic higher education. The partnership offers master’s and doctorate degrees in educational leadership with licensure through the Missouri Department of Education.

For principals working in the Diocese of Little Rock who have a master’s degree, the program offers an opportunity to earn 18 hours in leadership to meet the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association standard for accrediting purposes.

“My thoughts were the need to provide Catholic leadership (training) in the Catholic schools,” said Vernell Bowen, superintendent of Catholic Schools in Arkansas. “Even though I think Matt and Julie are great leaders, it’s going to give them” more training to give back to their schools.

At one time, Bowen said the diocese had a similar partnership with the University of Dallas. When the professor retired and the program was discontinued, Bowen connected with John James, director of the Institute for Catholic Education and an associate professor at St. Louis University. He said the university has a long tradition of training educators and has educated about one-third of public school superintendents in Missouri and most of the Catholic school ones.

“It’s a combination of our growth and our mission,” James said of the partnership. “We need to be of service to the Church beyond just our own archdiocese.”

While the partnership will help current principals continue their education for professional growth and earn a degree in leadership, it’s also part of a contingency plan for developing future principals for Catholic schools, Bowen said.

“It’s two-fold — I had principals leaving and teachers that had master’s degrees in education but not educational leadership, and we were asking them to step up and take a principals’ job,” Bowen said. “Rather than 36 hours (of coursework) at the state schools, we can provide them with courses particularly in Catholic school leadership.”

When Bowen attended state schools, including the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and transitioned to Catholic education, there was a learning curve.

“It was great, but when I went into being a principal at a Catholic school, there were quite a few things I did not receive in the program,” including finances, philosophy and the Catholic mission, Bowen said. “The supervising part (of administration) transferred over real easily. It’s just who we are and what we are about and our philosophy is completely different than in public schools.”

Stengel, a 1999 graduate of Subiaco Academy, received his bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from the University of Arkansas and stayed on to earn his master’s in business administration. He became headmaster two years ago.

“It’s another place for principals in the diocese to have an opportunity for more education,” Stengel said of the program.

The class they’re taking now, which lasts from January to April, is School and Community Relations. At least one class a semester can be taken for the program.

“The class has been really good. It’s real world with people already in the industry. It’s taught by a lady who ran a school in St. Louis for many years. That’s always beneficial,” Stengel said.

Rochester, who is also Stengel’s aunt, said she has taught in Catholic and public schools for 37 years and has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music education. To be an effective principal for the school, which she took over two years ago, taking the course was a must.

“It’s not a lot of what I didn’t already know, but it certainly reinforced some things and I’ve learned new things,” Rochester said, particularly in public relations.

“That’s the part I’m weak on,” she said. “As far as how to recruit kids I didn’t really know quite what to do and how to do it, I’ve heard some information through others (in the class), in the textbook and through research on things I can do. I have created a little flyer and got some quotes from some of my students and teachers and mailed it out to all the local churches and to parishioners whose children don’t go to school here. I also mailed it out to anybody who called within the year” asking about the school.

While the education is there, the professor is not — in person at least. A large screen is displayed in the classroom at St. Louis with Stengel and Rochester seen front and center. The two also have a view of the professor and students and the ability to hear and interact with them. They also correspond through e-mail.

“I really do like it. I’m so old we did correspondence courses in high school,” Rochester, 63, said with a laugh. She took a Latin course through the University of Arkansas and “everything was mailed back and forth,” adding that using the video “is an excellent way to earn a degree; I am just for it.”  

James said the video feed versus online, along with Stengel and Rochester being there together, even has a religious angle to it.

“It’s an incarnational issue of our faith. God brought about salvation in the flesh, so there always needs to be a flesh component,” James said. “We are still in the flesh but virtual.”

The program costs around $1,000 for each student. Aside from the cost, Stengel and Rochester have to manage work, family life and homework.

“That’s always a challenge because along with a class is really just the obligations of running a school on a daily basis. I have four young children so that brings along some fun challenges too. I guess you just put your head down and keep going,” Stengel said.

Going forward, James said he’s “excited” about the long-term relationship with the diocese. For Catholic administrators like Stengel, it’s just another opportunity to build upon their skills. 

“Any position with any industry you’re going to need to continually learn about your role in the industry,” Stengel said. “I just really appreciate the diocese, the university and Vernell for putting the program together.”

In second grade, little Mary Belle decided she was going to be a teacher. 

“I always loved school and learning. As a teacher you can impart all those things on a child’s life,” said Mary Belle Tonos, 72, principal at St. Mary School in Lake Village. “You know they say you have a teacher who taught you everything you need to know? That was my second-grade teacher.”

And maybe the kindergarten through fifth-grade students might look back and think of Tonos that same way as she prepares for retirement at the end of this school year. Tonos, who also teaches fourth- and fifth-grade language arts and attends Our Lady of the Lake Church, has served as principal since 2011.

“No, no,” Tonos laughed at whether not she thought she’d ever be principal. “Father called me because they didn’t have a principal. I was retired and had not planned to come back. I was supposed to be the interim principal until they found someone else, and I’m still here.”

Though it wasn’t her goal, Tonos said the experience has strengthened her faith.

“I have loved being principal of this school; it’s been very rewarding for me to watch them grow and learn and become little individuals on their own,” Tonos said of the students. “I think that every day you have to realize you are an example of your faith for all people you come in contact with … when people rely on you to make the right decisions you realize you can’t make those decisions without God’s help.”

While growing up in Merigold, Miss., Tonos was not on the path to one day teach in a Catholic school. In fact, she was raised a Baptist and didn’t convert until she was 21.

“My husband (Joe) was a very devoted Catholic,” Tonos said. “I found what I had been looking for a long time” in the Catholic Church.

Tonos earned a bachelor’s degree in English and library science from Blue Mountain College in Mississippi. She worked as a librarian in Leland, Miss. She and her husband retired in the late 1990s in Little Rock. But instead of relaxing into retirement, St. Mary’s needed a religion teacher.

“All six of my children attended Catholic schools K through 12. My oldest son is a priest for the diocese in Jackson, Miss. When they needed someone here, I just felt like that was what God was calling me to do,” she said.

She taught religion for 10 years in all the grades at St. Mary.

“I liked really teaching them how to read the Bible stories and to dig into those with some depth and apply that to their lives,” Tonos said. “It opens their eyes to what we believe in the Catholic Church.”

As principal, Tonos is present with the students — in the classroom, at lunch, recess and just to lend a listening ear.

“If you show the children you love them and are patient with them, they respond to that,” Tonos said.

This kind of attitude has allowed Tonos to build a rapport with not only the students, but the faculty and parents.

“Being open to listening and trying to keep everything on an even keel and make the parents feel welcome in the school and making the children feel comfortable” is what she has strived to do, Tonos said.

While retired — again — Tonos said she and her husband will enjoy spending more time with their children and 13 grandchildren.

“My husband and I will have some time to spend together without me being totally focused on the school; it’s just time,” Tonus said. “We love gardening so we’ll be doing a lot of that. Just relax a little bit.”

Tonos said she wants every student to remember to put God first, that she loves them and she’ll cherish the memories.

“Every now and then there will be thank you notes on my desk that say, ‘You’ve made a difference in my life’ or … ‘I love you Mrs. Tonos.’ And all of those little things make all of this worthwhile,” she said.

The Catholic Schools Scholarship Appeal has gotten off to a slow start, raising only $33,525 in two years.

While the need for scholarships is great, Vernell Bowen, superintendent of schools, said 53 students have been able to be assisted so far.

The Catholic Schools Scholarship Appeal was created to fill in the gap between parents’ proven needs for scholarships and what the schools are able to provide. The gap for the 2014-2015 school year is more than $350,000.

In the fall of 2013 all parishioners received a letter in the mail for the first appeal. About $21,000 was donated from members at parishes with and without schools.

“There were equal donors and equal contributions from parishes without school as compared to parishes with school,” Bowen said. “This confirmed that there are many people who are interested and supportive of Catholic education even though they may not have a parish school.”

Bowen said the first appeal allowed the diocese to support 53 students with $300 to $400 each. The students came from eight schools that were determined to be the “most needy.”

The superintendent said the process of allocating the limited scholarship money was determined by the “calculated need” from a third-party company called Facts Tuition and Aid Management Company.

“This company assesses the calculated need based on the parents’ income,” Bowen said. “The Office of Catholic Schools in consultation with the principals assesses the information and determines who has the greatest need.”   

For the 2014-2015 school year, 20 of the 28 Catholic schools had parents apply through Facts.

“There was a variance of $352,563.00 between the calculated need and what the parishes and schools were able to offer in scholarship,” Bowen said. “Each school’s need was looked at individually and then the schools were prioritized by greatest need.”  

The schools assisted this school year were:

• Fort Smith: Immaculate Conception and Trinity Junior High
• North Little Rock: Immaculate Heart of Mary (Marche)
• Little Rock: Mount St. Mary Academy, Our Lady of the Holy Souls, St. Edward and St. Theresa
• Russellville: St. John

“The money received through the scholarship program helped some of our families remain in Catholic school,” St. John principal Mark Tyler said. “I encourage everyone to support this program.”

Dr. Jim Hattabaugh, principal of Trinity Junior High School, said his school received $4,400 to help 12 students. “The lack of scholarships or financial assistance for our students has a huge impact on our ability to meet the needs of our students and families,” he said.

“We continue to see the rise in need for financial assistance from our families each year yet have limited resources to meet this need.”

The second appeal was conducted in November. Flyers were sent to all parishes and were supposed to be inserted into the bulletins.

Bowen said $12,525 has been received to be disbursed for scholarships in the 2015-2016 school year. 

Anyone interested in donating to the Catholic Schools Scholarship Appeal can send a check to Catholic Schools, Diocese of Little Rock, P.O. Box 7565, Little Rock, AR 72217.

The word “chore” can create all types of emotional connotations for adults and children. I can remember as a child my mother saying, “When your chores are completed you may …” This meant I could choose my favorite pastimes.

Looking back on the chores assigned in my family of four siblings, such as picking up clothes, cleaning our rooms, feeding the animals on the farm, working in the garden and washing dishes, these tasks helped us to develop confidence in our ability to complete tasks. It helped me understand there are a lot of things you have to do that you might not want to do but that has to be done. This helps to develop the self-discipline that prepares us for the life skills we need to have success in the adult workforce. Self-discipline to complete chores that may be boring or not what you feel like doing transfers into having greater success with school work and even relationships.

There is disagreement on whether or not an allowance should be tied to completing chores. I don’t recall being compensated with pocket money (allowance) for completing my chores. It was more or less a delayed compensation of getting to do what I wanted to do at a later time. In today’s society where many expect immediate gratification, it is better not to tie a monetary reward to chores. Completing chores is more about contributing to something bigger, such as being a part of the family unit and helping the household to run smoothly. If there are siblings, it helps them to work together, to learn to compromise and teaches them to be more flexible. It is really forming community.

It is recommended that children receive an allowance, but this should not be tied to chores. Giving allowances is a good teaching tool for developing the skill of saving or what it takes to purchase items they really want. It is a way of teaching children financial management. We have to do a lot of things in life where we do not receive monetary rewards.

Assigning chores and following through is probably the most difficult for parents. Children will resist. Therefore, many parents find it easier to complete the tasks themselves or pay to have it done. Parents have to remember that young children and teens lack judgment in their ability to know how much work is involved in running a household. They are impulsive — wanting what they want when they want it. They are self-absorbed and mainly concerned about their own needs. It is helpful to hold a family meeting and to develop a list of chores that needs to be done on a weekly basis, assign specific chores, and give deadlines on completing the chores. All the school and afterschool activities need to be taken into account when developing timelines.

Here are some questions that may help develop a plan for assigning chores:

• What chores do you want completed?
• Are the chores already selected that best fit each of your children?
• Are there life skills a particular child needs to learn?
• Are you asking your children for input?

Research indicates that children who have a set of chores have higher self-esteem, are more responsible, are better able to deal with frustration and delayed gratification — all of which contribute to greater success in school. According to research by Mary Rossman, involving children in household tasks at an early age can have a positive impact later in life.

“The best predictor of young adults’ success in their mid-20s was that they participated in household tasks when they were 3 or 4.”

As an adult, I am very appreciative of the chores assigned by my mom when I was young. I am confident that I can complete tasks whether they are difficult or ones I really don’t want to do, but know it is my responsibility. This makes life easier for my family and my co-workers. Parents, if you have not already assigned chores to your children, remember this is a great way to help develop a sense of self reliance and building community.