Schools are holy ground, says Carr

Superintendent urges administrators to dream new dreams

- WCR photo by Ramon Gonzalez Superintendent Joan Carr leads principals and other administrators from Edmonton Catholic Schools in prayer Aug. 24.

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

School administrators must not only work hard, but also live a balanced life, says the new superintendent of the Edmonton Catholic School District.

"Your personal well-being is crucial to the success of our mission this year," Joan Carr told school principals at a meeting to open the school year.

"You have to find some time and space for yourselves, time to balance your giving with relaxation and renewal," Carr said to about 300 principals, assistant principals and directors who attended the Aug. 24 meeting at St. Basil's Cultural Centre.

She suggested several wellness possibilities administrators could adopt, including taking a holy hour every day, taking time to think and celebrating the blessings in their lives.

"Laugh and have fun; life is a celebration," she said.

Take off your shoes

Carr chose the biblical theme Take Off Your Shoes . . . You are on Holy Ground to initiate the 2006-07 school year. It is the story of Moses encountering God in a burning bush (Exodus 3:1-5).

"Why do I want to begin this school year with this story that tells of the birth of a prophet, Moses, one of the towering figures of the Old Testament?

"It is my hope that in relating to this incident we may be enabled to see ourselves on holy ground each and every day and be enabled to change the lens of our awareness so that we may see all that is familiar in what we do in a new and transformative way," Carr told the school administrators.

We may not encounter God in a burning bush as Moses did but "we know that God is present in other people," she said.

"In this school year, we will encounter the Lord in one another. God calls us to from the students, parents and staff with whom we interact. His quiet voice speaks our name and in faith we respond, 'Here I am.'

"I suggest that if we believe this, then we can say that our schools, offices and places of work are holy ground."

Carr shared her goals and vision for the future of Edmonton Catholic and invited school administrators to dream, reminding them that Martin Luther King didn't say, "I have a strategic plan" but "I have a dream."

"(Having a dream or a vision of the future) provides us with inspiration and a sense of direction," she said. "I hope we are all courageous enough to dream in our lives and in the work we do with Edmonton Catholic Schools."

Dreams can come true

Carr's own dreams include having a district where students love going to school, where the staff is happy to be at work and where parents and the community recognize that Catholic schools are the best schools.

"I plan to keep these dreams before me and review them each day so that they will become affirmations of what is to be," she said.

"Perhaps this sounds very idealistic. . . . That's okay. Remember it's my dream; but dreams can come true. A vision reaches beyond what is into the conception of what can be."

The superintendent said the uniqueness of Catholic schools is expressed in all its activities, which is evident both within the district and to the larger community.

"We are an example of what a school district should be - recognized for academic excellence and our commitment to Catholic beliefs and values," she said. "An awareness of social justice permeates all our endeavours."

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