Anyone who has had the privilege of being taught in a Jesuit institution is likely familiar with a form of prayer known as the Examen. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, included this beautiful meditation as part of his Spiritual Exercises, to help us understand how the Holy Spirit is directing us. It has become a habit of Jesuits, as well as many other Christians, as an end-of-day reflection, and looks something like this:
Put yourself in the presence of God (find a quiet, comfortable space)
Look back on the day, bringing to mind people with whom you came in contact (picture them)
Review various events of the day – positive encounters as well as negative ones
Choose one interaction or event and pray about how it could have gone better
Commit to making an improvement tomorrow
Whether we are praying the Examen to improve our relationships, or we are seeking to enhance our personal or professional goals, the results will be better if we ask God to guide us in honest reflection.
Public and private schools in California (and surrounding states) also undergo an examination or reflection every six years through an accreditation process, which is commissioned by the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA), and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Following a thorough and comprehensive protocol, schools analyze their practices within 13 different standards, which fall into four different domains: Mission and Catholic Identify, Governance and Leadership, Academic Excellence, and Operational Vitality. Schools write a Self-Study and document evidence pertaining to each standard. Then, four goals are identified and an Action Plan is drafted, one for each of the domains. St. Michael’s School has completed its Self-Study, which includes the evidence and Action Plan, and has submitted this information to the Visiting Team, comprised of a Chair (a principal or superintendent from a Diocese outside San Diego), as well as five additional team members (a principal and teachers from within the Diocese of San Diego), who will verify that we have accurately identified our school’s strengths and areas for growth. Next week, February 19 – 21, is our school visit. The team members will tour our classrooms, observe our practices, and speak with staff, students, and parents. We are very excited to share with them our outstanding program, as well as where we hope to grow over the next six years.
If you would like to learn more about the accreditation process, please click below.
For information on the 13 standards, please click below.
Please keep us in your prayers as we welcome our Visiting Team next week.
In Mission, Kathy