DeSmet visit

Visit to DeSmet Jesuit High
Wednesday, September 17, 2008

I) Met with Tony Plein, Theology Department Chair.

A) Asked about “best things DeSmet does to form ‘men for others’
a) service program and advantage of doing project during junior year.
b) senior mentoring: Big Brothers and Senior Leaders
c) retreat program
d) Odyssey Days
e) homeroom teachers are with their guys all four years, including
on Odyssey Days. Tony mentioned Honor Code, signing agreement and the medal freshman receive.
f) Tony also spoke well about DeSmet Faculty Development Committee
g) Tony also talked about the Theology Department going through a self-evaluation. They invited SLU's Dan Finucane to come and talk to them about the process SLU's Theology Department went through to create their Foundations course. Tony said it was very worthwhile.

Click image for larger version

B) Asked about Theology curriculum
a) Tony gave me a handouts on Department Mission Statement,
Course Descriptions Theology Department Outcomes and texts.

C) Other topics
b) gave me a copy of “DeSmet’s Profile of the Ignatian Educator.” Tony
thought

II) Met with Michael Callahan, Theology Teacher and Pastoral Department

A) We talked about DeSmet's retreat program, Mike wanting to hear about Freshman retreat and me wanting information about DeSmet sophomore Retreat. Mike gave me a lot of information about the Manresa Retreat.

B) He talked about the DeSmet emphasis on Cura Personalis during the last few years. He aslo talked about the beginning of the year faculty overnight retreat as valuable.

III) Talked briefly to Fr. Wally Sydney, President of Desmet. He suggested I contact at Jerry Hayes at Loyola-Los Angeles, who was working to tie Ignatian Spirituality more into the Kairos Retreat.

IV) Talked briefly to Greg Densberger, Principal of DeSmet. He gave me information about the incoming freshman Odyssey Program in the form of two booklets: Odyssey I and Odyssey II.. Greg also gave me a poster of DeSmet’s Honor Code and a medal that freshmen are given during Odyssey Days when they sign their Honor Code Contract. Also talked very briefly to Pete Musso about Ignatian formation of faculty at DeSmet; I received additional information about this from Tony Plein.

E-mail addresses
Tony Plein
Mike Callahan
Pete Musso
Greg Densberger
Wally Sidney, S.J.
Fr. Jerry Hayes, S.J.

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws