Center for Catholic Education at UD

By Victoria Schoen

Our first blog series of the year is all about the Lalanne Program at the CCE. Lalanne is a post-graduate teacher service program that specializes in supporting beginning Catholic school educators by combining service and teaching. Lalanne teachers make a two-year commitment to teach in Catholic grade schools or high schools, live together in a faith-based community, and pursue professional and spiritual/personal development. Catholic schools served by Lalanne teachers tend to be in urban or rural areas that struggle to attract young, faith-filled teachers. Service in Lalanne is a commitment to making a difference in the lives of children who face unique challenges in their school and community settings. Named in honor of Father Jean Baptiste Lalanne, the Lalanne program is an initiative of the Center for Catholic Education of the School of Education & Health Sciences at the University of Dayton.

This is my first time working with this program and really the best way that I came to understand Lalanne was through the interactions I’ve had with the teachers. I am currently working on campus at the CCE for the summer and the Lalanne teachers have been here as well. Every day when any of them come through our office it’s with a smile on their face even if they are coming to talk about a bad class or the stress that they are feeling. It is obvious that they are genuine people that have a great care for not only their profession but the people that they encounter in their everyday lives. These teachers who have just stepped into the real world straight out of college bring forth a presence of maturity and passion that shines forth in everything they do. What I have come to understand is that the teachers that are led here make the program what it is. God brought each of these people into this program because it is a part of His plan for them to live in these communities with one another as they fulfill His will for them in their classrooms.

For the 2015-2016 year, there are 25 Lalanne teachers in the program. The teachers are at UD over the summer taking classes and living on campus. Then, during the school year, they are split up into 5 communities in Cleveland, Dayton, and Cincinnati, OH; Indianapolis, IN; and Lansing MI. Those in the Cleveland community will be teaching in either Cleveland Central Catholic High School or Metro Catholic School. Those in the Dayton community will be teaching in St. Helen Catholic School, Bishop Leibold School, St. Patrick School, Springfield Catholic Central, or Our Lady of the Rosary. Those in the Cincinnati community will be teaching in Roger Bacon High School, Holy Family Catholic School, or St. Clement School. Those in the Indianapolis community will be teaching in Cardinal Ritter High School, Holy Cross Central School, or Scecina Memorial High School. Those in the Lansing community will be teaching in St. Thomas Aquinas School, St. Mary School, St. Gerard Catholic School, or St. Michael School.

Throughout the months of July and August, we are going to publish blog posts about each of our 25 teachers! Read the posts to find out their answers to interview questions and to read about what other Lalanne teachers as well as the Lalanne staff say about each of them.

We ask that you please keep our Lalanne teachers in your prayers – that they might receive strength and guidance from God as they transition into this program and continue in their ministry.

Written by: Victoria Schoen

Edited by: Susan Ferguson, Barbara Miller, Regina Lloyd, Jacinta Mergler, and Peggy Brun