09-R098
2009 -- S 0789
Enacted 03/12/09
S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N
PROCLAIMING
MARCH 12TH, 2009 AS "CATHOLIC SCHOOLS DAY" IN THE STATE OF
Introduced By: Senators Connors, DaPonte, McBurney, Maselli, and DiPalma
Date Introduced: March 12, 2009
WHEREAS, Catholic
schools ensure a complete academic and values-based education
emphasizing
the moral, intellectual, physical and social development of young people
throughout
WHEREAS, Catholic
schools produce students who are strongly dedicated to their faith,
values,
families and communities, by providing a safe, disciplined, intellectually
stimulating
environment rich in spiritual character and moral development;
and
WHEREAS,
excellence. Their elementary school students consistently score
above the norm in the national
standardized tests in all subject areas, and their high school
graduation rate is nearly 100% and
almost 95% of those graduates go on to college; and
WHEREAS, There are currently 44 Catholic elementary schools with an
enrollment of
10,836, and nine secondary Catholic schools with an
enrollment of 5,380 students; and
WHEREAS, Rhode Island
Catholic schools teach a diverse group of students, and
provide more than $1 million in tuition assistance every year
to low-income families; and
WHEREAS, Educational
research demonstrates that Catholic schools, better than any
other type of school, successfully close the learning
achievement gap between high and low
socioeconomic groups; and
WHEREAS, Catholic
schools provide millions of dollars in education and construction
savings to the state and local communities in
WHEREAS, Catholic school
alumni, students and parents contribute to, are involved in,
and
are dedicated to the life of their parishes and communities well beyond their
numbers; and
WHEREAS, In the 1972 pastoral message concerning Catholic education,
the National
Conference of Catholic
Bishops stated, "Education is one of the most important ways by which
the church fulfills its commitment to the dignity of the
person and building of community.
Community is central to education ministry, both as a
necessary condition and an ardently desired
goal. The educational efforts of the Church, therefore,
must be directed to forming persons in
community; for the education of the individual Christian is
important not only to his solitary
destiny, but also the destinies of the many communities in
which he lives."; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED,
That this Senate of the State of
hereby proclaims March 12th of 2009 to be "Catholic
Schools Day" in the State of
and be it further
RESOLVED,
That we applaud the efforts, and support the goals of
“Catholic Schools
Day," an event sponsored by the Rhode Island Catholic Schools Parents
Federation. We furthermore congratulate the students, parents,
teachers and administrators for
their ongoing contributions to the education of
play in promoting and ensuring a brighter, stronger future
for the State of
further
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is
authorized and directed to
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the
Most Reverend Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of
of the Board of Directors for the Rhode Island Catholic Schools
Parents Federation.
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LC02173
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