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It’s half an hour to first period and Little Rock’s Mount St. Mary Academy is slowly waking up. The halls are quiet, much quieter than they’ll be in a few minutes, but the sisterhood is up full blast on a row of lockers.

“You got this!” screams a yellow flyer, scrawled in the unmistakable font of teenage girls.

“You’re awesome!” pipes another as it flutters to passersby.

Just down the hall from this cacophonous chorus line of well-wishes, Sister Joan Pfauser, RSM, has similar affirmation on tap each day, every day. Starting this year, she’s focusing strictly on personal counseling, having offloaded the college prep portion of her job at the start of the school year. It’s just one sign of many of the increased emphasis her ministry to the emotional development of students has earned here.

“The whole idea of the self is different today,” she said. “In the past, (students) were kind of searching for themselves. They almost don’t have a sense of self. And not that they’re not looking for who they are, but they almost don’t have a clue. The search for the self is just harder for them.”

Part of that challenge is diminished personal connectivity brought about by digital communication.

“Face-to-face has become screen-to-screen. It makes things harder,” she said. “They’re also bombarded by input of who they are from other people. They’re always being judged on social media and when you’re constantly trying to externally or internally defend who you think you are, you really don’t get to who you are.”

Neither Sister Joan nor her cohort Amy Owens said it was particularly challenging to get students to visit the counseling office. The trick, they said, is cutting through to the real issue.

“You have to do some solution-focused brief counseling because we only have them for so many minutes,” Owens said. “Even though we have long class periods, we can’t keep them for an hour and a half. ‘What do we need to get through here before you go back and manage your day?’”

If you think sharing one’s feelings and struggles is strictly a function of an all-girls school, think again. Robert Pugh has been counselor at Subiaco Academy for nearly a decade and can attest to similar conditions within the all-male student body.

“The boys I see place a lot of pressure on themselves” he said. “Our boys love to compete; they compete academically, they compete athletically, and we celebrate those achievements.”

The presence of a full-timer like Pugh isn’t the only sign that counseling is valued around here. Next year, the school will roll out a parallel curriculum that addresses students’ emotional development to go along with subject matter. That, and Pugh’s already-consistent presence, is hoped to further break down social and cultural stigmas that sometimes keep students from seeking help.

“I’ve talked with boys from 16 different countries and in my experience, boys are boys, no matter where they’re from,” he said. “We see kids that are dealing with a lot of the same issues that are in the public schools — ADD, ADHD and a couple of other things.”

“We are constantly evolving and bettering our programs as a result, to really get the kids oriented to who they can reach out to if they are having this issue or that issue.”

One big part of a counselor’s effectiveness is the trust they engender not just to seek personal help but to refer a friend who’s struggling, also. Doing so is a difficult bridge for some students to cross, said Jennifer Roscoe, counselor at Sacred Heart School in Morrilton.

“We all know peer pressure and ‘I don’t want to be a snitch,’ and all those things,” she said. “I do feel like most of our students, if there is a legitimate concern, feel that they can come and talk to me or somebody else. Peer interaction can always be improved, though; I feel like you can never have enough eyes, never have enough ears.”

While not as prevalent as it once was, Roscoe said there’s still a residual attitude that kids in a parochial school are insulated or immune to problems faced by other kids.

“Depression, anxiety, relationship problems, all that, absolutely,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of it just today already.”

“(Students) are not sheltered just because they come here. There are real problems and we’ve got all kinds of kids coming through now, kids with issues we may not have been able to handle before because we weren’t equipped to.”

Being equipped means being tactical. Teri Breeding, high school counselor at St. Joseph School in Conway, said regular classroom time is one way she and her counterpart, elementary/middle school counselor Kristen Piraino, stay engaged with the student body. The duo present various classes, workshops and orientations to impart coping skills and also to build rapport and trust.

“I think the younger students, once they know who to reach out to, are more willing to open up,” Breeding said. “The older kids, it takes a little bit longer to trust you and open up to you.”

Breeding said once a student does work up the nerve to ask for help, it’s important for counselors to engage with them, even when their issue seems overblown. The perspective born of age and experience that helps separate irritation from full-on crisis is often in short supply among students.

“We listen to them and we demonstrate empathy,” she said. “Sometimes we say, ‘OK, I understand that this is really a big deal and this is really worrying you, but this is normal and this is what kids go through. So let’s talk about ways we can handle it together.’”

“They’re growing and experiencing things for the first time. I always try to put myself in their shoes back when I was that age. I’m glad they have resources here that they can go to because back in the day that wasn’t here. It was just, ‘Hey, that’s life. Get over it.’”

Brother Richard Sanker, CFP, has been a counselor at Catholic High School in Little Rock for 36 years. Over that time, he said, the challenges of growing up have become increasingly complicated, challenges which lead students to his door.

“Something that comes to mind is the structure of the home,” he said. “There’s so much more division in the home, so much more divorce in the home these days. Many times, I deal with students who are at their father’s house this week but the mother wants them at her house and there’s that back and forth. That’s definitely increased over the years and that is obviously the source of a lot of pressure.”  

Conversely, Brother Richard said there are elements of the job that are exactly the same as when he started. The kids who seemingly have everything going for them are still often the ones hiding the most pain. He still summons students to his office with subtlety to better preserve their privacy. And the very foundation of his counseling ministry is as clear and straightforward as it’s been for these many years.

“The underpinning is love, counseling out of love,” he said. “Each person has dignity; each person is important. That’s the basis for the whole thing.” 

Five Catholic principals and teachers are about to become the first class of Arkansas graduates in Catholic school leadership master’s degree program.

The new partnership with St. Louis University is also expanding to allow professors to teach in Little Rock and to start a new doctoral program.

“I think it’s a wonderful program. I think it really prepares our principals to be good principals in a Catholic setting,” said Theresa Hall, superintendent of Catholic schools.

The virtual classes were available twice a month on Saturdays at the diocese’s House of Formation in Little Rock. After one more course in June, the educators who will earn their degree include Mary Kay Jones, principal at Blessed Sacrament School in Jonesboro; Rebecca Kaelin, principal at St. Boniface School in Fort Smith; Jared Schluterman, a science teacher at Subiaco Academy; and Sarah Wendel, a fourth-grade teacher at Christ the King School in Little Rock. Alice Stautzenberger, principal at St. Vincent de Paul School in Rogers, attended classes on the St. Louis campus.

The educators were able to use the video equipment already set up at the House of Formation, where seminarians have used the technology for seminary studies.

The educators attended virtual classes with others from the dioceses of Oklahoma City and Dallas cohorts.

Dr. John James, program administrator at SLU, said instructors would travel to Dallas to teach because “our faith is incarnational,” adding that because Jesus “came to us in the flesh,” it’s imperative professors make that human connection.

“I think it’d be egregious to do a program and never have a physical presence with the students. That is a hallmark of our program … it’d be counter to our theology,” he said.  

The 33-hour program began in the fall of 2017 and included 11 three-hour courses. As a further incentive, the classes were offered at a discount, about $1,200 per three-hour course, $13,500 total for the program. 

Hall said the classes teach practical skills, including financial responsibilities principals face, like creating a budget, and laws surrounding Catholic education.

“They start with the mission of the Catholic school and where Catholic schools started, so you learn the whole history of Catholic education even before you get started in really taking the classes,” Hall said.

While Jones admitted balancing principal duties, homework, projects and travel time has been a challenge, the program has made a difference.
“I feel I am much more confident after these past two years. I feel very good about the ministry of being a principal, because it is a ministry, not a job,” she said.

All Catholic school principals are required to have a master’s degree in educational leadership or Catholic leadership. Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration. While still praying about applying for principal in 2017, she realized the master’s program was through SLU, her alma mater.

“So when I learned that I said, ‘Well that’s the Holy Spirit telling me I should go ahead and apply for this position.’ So my education has come full circle,” she said.

Jared Schluterman, who teaches AP statistics, world religions and biology courses at Subiaco Academy, is in his fifth year teaching. He earned a bachelor’s degree in fisheries and wildlife biology at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville. He said he’s grown in communication with his students, getting them more involved in the subject matter and offering constructive feedback.

“One big thing is it allows for me to understand the administration how they think and the reasoning behind things,” Schluterman said. “… Before I was just in my classroom, I would get an email, ‘OK, do what he asks,’” without delving into the reason behind changes.

Jones added, “It’s worth it … the benefits you receive personally, not just professionally, that’s what it’s all about; To be able to grow and deepen your own relationship with Christ in this program, which I have.”

While Schluterman had to drive 2½ hours from Fort Smith to Little Rock, being a part of the class virtually instead of strictly online was beneficial.

“This was a nice way to bridge the gap be able to interact with them regularly and see them face to face instead of all through emails,” he said.

Hall said in January, SLU professors were approved through the state Department of Education to come to Little Rock to teach. When the next cohort begins, a professor now could be in Little Rock and teach virtually to students in Missouri, Oklahoma or Texas.

It’s the first year the Diocese of Little Rock has worked with SLU. Previously, master’s degrees were offered through the University of Dallas, but that program is no longer available. SLU is in the process of registering more educators for a master’s and doctoral programs in the fall.

James said, “We’re building up the Kingdom of God even within our classroom and with students,” James said. “… We look forward to serving the Diocese of Little Rock long term. Clearly, this is not a money-making endeavor for us. We do it because we’re Church; it’s our mission and it’s the mission of the Diocese of Little Rock as well.”

FORT SMITH — On Palm Sunday evening, St. Scholastica Monastery’s former chapel became the setting for “Godspell Jr.,” an hour-long condensation of the long-running Broadway show about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, performed by Trinity Junior High School’s drama club.

The young actors played out Jesus’ baptism and parables, such as the widow and the judge, the unforgiving servant, the Good Samaritan and the prodigal son, combining humor with Gospel teachings, to an enthusiastic audience of family, friends and Benedictine sisters. During the passion and death of Jesus, the stage was bathed in light, first blue, then red, and the chapel became somber.

“Godspell Jr.,” would be the last time the former chapel would ever be used, ending 90 years of daily Mass and liturgy of the hours, hundreds of religious professions and funerals. The sisters moved into their new monastery earlier this year but haven’t announced their plans for their six-story former building.

After the resurrection and the final anthem, “Long Live God,” the somber mood lifted. The sisters now have a new monastery where daily Mass and prayer continue.

For drama teacher Jo Elsken, who directed Trinity’s drama club for five years after her retirement from Southside High School, the show was a loving farewell to a 50-year career. “I’m kind of emotionally checking out. When I left Southside I cried uncontrollably for the whole time. I am working to where I will be happy. It is a rough thing. I defined myself as a teacher, and when you leave it was like ‘Who am I?’”

Assisting Elsken in her first junior high school musical were college students Bryson Porter and Claire Hollenbeck, choir director Tia Marsh and choreographer Hunter Martin.

“Bryson likes music and is really energizing the singers, and he and Claire connect well with the kids,” Elsken said.

In a touching tribute to Elsken, Porter recognized her 50 years of teaching and thanked her for all he had learned from her. He said he and Hollenbeck “would love to help out and do ‘Godspell Jr.’ next year.” He hoped that Elsken would come at least once a week to provide her advice and support.

The young cast of seventh graders and two ninth graders was feted at a post-production reception hosted by their parents.

“This show was fun for the kids, and this being ridiculous and funny; they connected with it. Oved (Esperanza) was supposed to be a pig, and he grabbed a Razorback hat and got down on the floor,” Elsken said. “It was commedia-style acting. I hope if Trinity does it again next year all the actors should represent apostles and do research on their characters.”

Marsh, who coached the actors in ensemble and solo singing, said, “Working with these amazing students has been a fabulous experience. Their energy, creativity and willingness to give anything a try, theater-wise, are remarkable.”

Trinity principal Dr. Karen Hollenbeck is looking forward to more productions of Trinity’s drama club and expressed gratitude to Elsken for her five years’ directing the group.

“The very best thing about our drama club is that it gives some kids who may really find their talents lie in that area a place to perform, belong and shine and Ms. Elsken is so wonderful about pulling those talents out of kids who maybe didn’t know they had that expertise,” Hollenbeck said. “She can find them a role, a job to do and she’s just so good and such a blessing to us.”

As I watched the Notre Dame Cathedral fire with sadness, I was reminded of another longstanding institution that suffered a great loss, St. Edward Parish.

My relationship with St. Edward School began more than 34 years ago while praying before Mass in what some people call the other “cathedral” of Little Rock.

A tap on my shoulder and Sister Hermana Siebenmorgen, OSB, leaning over the pew behind me and in her not-so-quiet whisper said, “You need to come be my second-grade teacher next year” — a statement, not a question — from one of the longest-serving, revered principals in our diocese.

The following August began my 35-year (and counting) educational relationship with the community of St. Edward as the second-grade and later fourth-grade teacher.

After the retirement of Sister Hermana, Vernell Bowen joined the Catholic school system as principal of St. Edward School. She encouraged me to pursue a master’s degree in educational leadership, which later led to my role as principal of St. Edward.

Long-standing traditions of the St. Edward School became fond memories, such as tours of the museum and art center, and the recesses spent at MacArthur Park (and the occasional Sister Hermana authorized extra-long recess that was appreciated by the teachers as well as students). Cinnamon rolls that overfilled the largest compartment on our cafeteria trays, the annual Play Day, Oktoberfest, field trips and the annual, appropriately named fundraiser, It Takes a Village.

While the 2017-18 school year was a financial challenge for the St. Edward community, the 2018-19 school year was even more difficult. Among those committed to the help were a dedicated faculty, a caring parish, donors who included friends, alumni and other parishioners. Bishop Taylor also directed the Catholic Schools Office to lend oversight and assistance to the school yet it was not enough to secure the financial future of the school.   

The parish families, school parents and faculty all shared the common vision of fostering a culture of kindness, generosity and respect for individuality. I continue to meet numerous former students who have grown to become compassionate, independent thinkers.

I offer my gratitude and admiration to the outstanding teachers and staff who worked so hard, for the pastors, both former and current, for the friends, alumni and the caring parishioners.

St. Edward School remains a beacon of light that will shine through all those who walked through its doors and left with a memory.