Providence Alliance for Catholic Teachers (PACT)

Transcription

1 Providence Alliance for Catholic Teachers (PACT) Service Study Community Spirituality Providence College, Harkins Hall, Room 206, 1 Cunningham Square, Providence, RI Phone: (401) Fax: (401) pact@providence.edu Application Instructions PACT invites applications from recent single college graduates who are committed to Catholic education and who wish to contribute to the renewal and enrichment of Catholic elementary, middle or high schools in the New England States. Arts and Sciences majors: Applications are sought from Graduates in Arts and Sciences with a major of at least 30 credits in one or more of the following areas: Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, English, Theology, Spanish and possibly French and Italian. All candidates must have earned, or expect to receive, a bachelor s degree before admission into the program. Engineering graduates are invited to apply as they are usually well qualified to teach Math, Physics or Chemistry. We have had very successful engineering graduates in the past. If in doubt, contact Br. Carey. Education majors: Graduates in Education who have obtained, or can present a proof of eligibility and that they have applied for State teacher certification as an Elementary, (including Early Childhood), Middle School or Secondary teacher are also invited to apply. A copy of your license to teach from your State will be required by June 1. Education majors are eligible to apply for a Master s program in Literacy, School Administration, History, School Counseling and possibly, Special Education. The Special Education program is under review at present so interested applicants are asked to contact the Director for further information and to indicate an alternative program from those listed. All applicants should have previous experience of involvement in campus ministry (e.g., retreats) and service activities. Graduates with strong aptitudes in mathematics, natural sciences, foreign languages, or theology, as well as those of varying cultural and ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Men and women are equally welcome to apply. A completed PACT Application includes the following documentation: 1. PACT Application Form. 2. Four Letters of Recommendation 3. Current resumé 4. Essays: Three essays are required. (Explanations below) 5. Most recent Official Transcript from each college or university attended. 6. Proof of registration for the Miller Analogy and PRAXIS Content Knowledge test, as required. (See Explanations below) 7. Recent (passport size) photo of the applicant. 8. Application Fee - $55.00, not refundable. 9. Health and Wellness Form 10. Immunization Form PSC: Dpbox: Docs: Recruitment: Application Process 10/1/2015 Page 1 of 5

2 Presentation: 1. To assist with processing of your application please refrain from stapling pages together. 2. Wherever possible please type your responses. 3. At the bottom of each typed page please include a footer which contains your name, the title of the paper and page number as on this page. EXPLANATIONS: 1. PACT Application Form. This form is available on the PACT Website and should be downloaded and completed in full. 2. Letters of Recommendation: Recommendations are required from four people who have had recent contact with the candidate. These writers should comment especially on the personal qualities and experience that indicate the candidate s capability of assuming the responsibilities of classroom teaching in a Catholic school, living in a faith-based community and their openness to development of their spirituality. Applicants are expected to be physically and emotionally healthy. Recommendations should be written by: a. Campus Minister, College Chaplain, Spiritual Director or local clergy who has current knowledge of the candidate and their faith life in particular. b. Professor or academic supervisor who has had at least one year s knowledge of the applicant and can attest to the candidate s ability and capability for graduate coursework and full-time teaching internships. c. Residence hall director or an adult who can comment on your ability to live in a small faith based community of peers. d. Peer with whom the applicant has lived recently. 3. Current Resumé: A current resumé is required. Applicant should include any additional information or material that they feel would be of interest to the selection committee. 4. Essays: The PACT program is a service-teaching program in which the members serve as full-time teachers in Catholic schools while studying towards a Masters degree in Education at Providence College. PACT Teachers live in small intentional faith-based communities located near their schools and are open and willing to participate in personal spiritual growth as Catholic educators. In these essays reference should be made to significant events in your life experience and may include family background, religious motivation, volunteer experiences, work experience, personal experiences and academic achievements. Please note that these essays provide you with an opportunity to introduce yourself to the program and to indicate how you think you can contribute as a teacher and a member of a community of young teachers striving to contribute to the renewal of Catholic education in Catholic schools. The three questions listed below provide a framework for your essays. Please make sure that you include in the footer of each page of your essays your name, page number and essay title. Each essay should answer the question as fully as you can in a maximum of two pages. Essay 1: Teaching Explain your motivation and interest in applying to be a teacher in a Catholic school in the Providence Alliance for Catholic Teachers. Reflect on the experiences, qualities and aptitudes you have and the contributions you hope to make as a teacher to the education provided for the students in a Catholic school PSC: Dpbox: Docs: Recruitment: Application Process 10/1/2015 Page 2 of 5

3 Essay 2: Community Living and Spirituality Members of the PACT program live in intentional, faith based communities. Discuss your understanding of living in such a community, your willingness and ability to contribute to the life of such a PACT community and what you think you will gain personally from living in such a community. Essay 3: Spirituality and Spiritual Growth Include in this essay reflections about your spiritual growth and development and your vocational goals as a young adult, still be on a personal journey of faith, who aspires to become a teacher in the Catholic tradition of education. 5. Official transcripts: a. Up to date unofficial, transcripts which list your enrollments for your final semester must be included with your application. b. Applicants accepted into the program will be required to forward Official Final Transcripts, confirming conferral of a degree, to the PACT Office by June 30th, or as soon as possible after that date. This is required before enrollment can be finalized. 6. Recent passport size photo. Please include a recent passport size photo, attached to the PACT Application form in the section provided. 7. Test scores: Various tests are required for admission to the programs offered by PACT. The requirements for these tests are listed below. Applicant Group GRE Miller Analogy Praxis Content Arts and Science majors without teacher NO* NO YES certification Theology Majors NO* NO NO Education major with teacher certification applying for Literacy or NO YES NO School Administration Education major with teacher certification applying for MA in History. NO NO NO * Arts or Science majors, including Theology, with a GPA of 3.0 or greater are not required to take the GRE. Those with a GPA between are welcome to apply. Their admission will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of all aspects of their first summer program, including a GPA of 3.0. Those with a GPA below 2.75 cannot be considered. Arts and Sciences applicants (not Education majors) are required to take the following Praxis Content Knowledge test for their major. Details about the Praxis Test can be found on Subject Test Number Minimum Score Biology Chemistry English Mathematics Physics Social Studies Spanish Theology Not required Not required PSC: Dpbox: Docs: Recruitment: Application Process 10/1/2015 Page 3 of 5

4 Education Majors who are applying for the M Ed in Special Education, Literacy, School Administration, History or Math who have completed teacher certification are required the take tests as indicated in the table above. Scores from these tests are to be submitted with their application preferably or submitted to the PACT office by March 13. All Applicants should send a photocopy of their results as soon as they receive them and arrange for an official copy of their results to be sent to the PACT office at Providence College. Do not assume that the testing agency will forward your results in time for consideration for admission the program. 8. Background Check: Applicants are required to complete a criminal background check before placement in a school. PACT will make arrangements for these checks to be completed at the beginning of the Summer Program. Applicants are not required to complete a Federal Background check as part of their application. 9. Application Fee: A single not refundable application fee of $55.00 covers both the PACT and Graduate School applications. Make check payable to Providence College. 10. Health Insurance: PACT teachers obtain their health insurance preferably by remaining on their Parents plan. If this is not possible Health Insurance will be arranged by PACT through a Providence College program. PACT Schools do not provide health insurance for PACT teachers 11. Additional Information Any additional information or material that the candidate feels would be of interest or importance to the selection committee. These additional sheets of paper may be included if necessary (please do not staple). All of the above material should be submitted together as part of the complete application. Please note that the application must be typed and prepared as carefully as possible. Please- no staples! At a subsequent point, this information may be shared in full or in part with school officials responsible for your school placement. PSC: Dpbox: Docs: Recruitment: Application Process 10/1/2015 Page 4 of 5

5 ADMISSION PROCESS: There are two stages in the admission process. The first is a Selection Interview and the second is a Placement Interview. Acceptance into the program is confirmed after an applicant has attended a Placement Interview and has been assigned to a school. 1. Selection Interview: a) After written applications have been reviewed eligible applicants will be invited to a Selection Interview. These interviews will begin in late January and continue through February and early March. Applicants not invited to a selection interview will be advised accordingly. b) Normally Selection Interviews will be held in person at Providence College or via Skype. c) Dependent on the numbers of applicants from different regions in the country, initial Selection Interviews could be held in such centers as Washington, (DC) and/or Philadelphia, Chicago (Notre Dame, South Bend), New Orleans, San Francisco/San Jose/Los Angeles/San Diego or other major regional locations. Details about dates and specific locations for these interviews will be communicated directly to selected applicants. An alternative is to conduct these interviews by Skype. d) Following completion of all their Selection Interview, candidates will be advised of their status: Options are (a) invited to a Placement Interview for placement in a school; (b) placed on a wait list or (c) not accepted. e) Candidates who are selected for a Placement interview or wait-listed will be required to confirm their intention to continue in the PACT placement process and be available to attend Placement interviews in the near future. 2. Placement Interviews: a) PACT does not randomly assign candidates to schools, but involves each candidate directly in the placement process. Interviews for School Placements begin after a candidate accepts their invitation to join PACT. b) Candidates will/may be required to visit PACT schools for their Placement Interviews to meet Principals and other school administrators. For out of State applicants, accommodation will be provided in a PACT community and, as necessary, transport to interviews will be provided. Applicants arrange their own transport to PACT for these interviews. Placement interviews will be arranged as soon as possible after a candidate has indicated their acceptance of the invitation to continue the PACT placement process. These interviews begin in early March through April. c) After the Placement Interviews have been completed the Director of the PACT Program will confirm a candidate s placement in a school and, at the same time, their final acceptance into the PACT Program. Summer School: 1. Summer School for PACT 16 will begin at 6:00 pm on June 1, Members move onto campus during that day. (Precise details will be provided to selected candidates after acceptance into the program). The Summer Program will conclude on July 29, PSC: Dpbox: Docs: Recruitment: Application Process 10/1/2015 Page 5 of 5