News of the Institute and Lasallian Family

Rome, July 17, 2007

USA - TWO U.S. DISTRICTS ANNOUNCE NEW COLLABORATION: “A WIN-WIN SITUATION”:  Close cooperation between the Districts of New Orleans-Santa Fe and San Francisco is not new. In recent years, shared activities between the New Orleans-Santa Fe District and the San Francisco District have steadily expanded. Lasallians in both Districts at every level – individuals, school communities, administrators, and District leadership – have been finding opportunities for mutual support and deepened association.

These have included mutual participation in the Lasallian Leadership Institute, the sharing of Brother personnel, the collaborative work at San Miguel High School (Tucson), and the sharing of various consulting services and training programs.  Students and faculty from schools of both Districts have participated in summer programs such as Lasallian Student Leaders and the Lasallian Youth Assembly. Recently, faculty from St. Paul’s School in Covington, Louisiana, and from J.K. Mullen High School in Denver joined San Francisco District faculty in a Religious Studies workshop at St. Joseph’s Camp on the Russian River in California.

Both Districts, in consultation with the U.S./Toronto Region and the Generalate of the Institute in Rome, have continued to explore ways of increasing their collaboration.

These steps are taken in view of the needs and interests of the schools in the New Orleans-Santa Fe District and the San Francisco District as part of an ongoing effort to ensure quality programs in the schools. Increasing cooperation between our Districts will be a win-win situation, with participants from both Districts making their distinctive contributions and all gaining a deepened association for the educational mission.

For more information: www.delasalle.org/districtcollaboration.shtml
^{(J.A. Gray -Director of Communication - District of San Francisco)}

ALFARO – SPAIN - LA SALLE ALFARO (LA RIOJA) THE ´SILVER Q´: The La Salle El Pilar College in Alfaro has been honoured by the Government of La Rioja Province with the highest decoration in the province, the Silver Q, for its management according to the model of excellence EFQM, which the autonomous Government is trying to promote among the entities in La Rioja.
This is the first year in which school centres have been evaluated: only two Silver medals were awarded and one of these was to our Lasallian establishment. At present 40 colleges in Rioja, both private and public , work with this Global system.
During the award ceremony, Mr.Pedro Sanz, President of the Government of La Rioja, handed out Certificates for Silver and Bronze. La Salle El Pilar, which is directed by Br. Carmelo Oteo, has been distinguished as the Pioneer Centre in La Rioja for using the EFQM system.
On May 17th last, in the presence of Madame Aranzazu Vallejo, Vice-President of the Government of La Rioja, Mr.Maximo Fraile, Sub-Director-General of Quality in the Government of La Rioja, Mr.Fernando Arnedo, Inspector in the Education Council, Br.José Roman Perez Conde, President of the Network of Lasallian Centres in the District of Bilbao, Tono Marin, City Councilor and Madame Charo Pascual Gomez, President of the AMPA, the college conducted an academic session showing the EFQM model of excellence and thanking those persons who had guided the steps taken up to obtaining this reward. The Coordinator of Quality in the College is Madame Marisa Revilla.
^{(www.lasalle.es)}

MONT ST-MICHEL - FRANCE - LASALLIANS WALK TO MONT ST-MICHEL: Over a number of years, the Lasallian network in Britanny has organized, at the end of the year, a family day of relaxation, meeting and prayer in common.
After an interruption last year, there were some hesitations about resuming this good custom. Who had the idea of Mont St-Michel? We cannot remember, but it was a good idea….

The walk
About a hundred Lasallians from Argentré-du Plessis, Auray,Brest, Guidel,Lorient, Questembert, Quimper, Rennes, Saint-Brieuc and Vannes met at Bec d´Andaine. First there was a good picnic and then the crossing of the bay on the strand as far as Mont St-Michel. It wasn´t raining but neither was it sunny but everyone - children, adults or retired persons - walked along in good humour, wonderstruck and happy.

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