Kellie+DeLeo+Capstone+Proposal

=Capstone Proposal =

Please submit your project proposal for approval to your project mentor with the following information:
 * Project Title
 * Project Description
 * Project Goals [1]
 * Audience Description
 * Projected Timeline
 * Technology To Be Utilized
 * Projected Budget
 * Do you need Departmental or Administrator approval? If yes, please indicate the steps you have taken.

Proposal Deadline: September 27, 2014 __Note__: Projects should be carried out in a two-month period, and completed by November 24, 2014.


 * Capstone Project – DDBC 2014 **
 * Kellie De Leo, September 23, 2014 **


 * Project Title:** Catechist Forum
 * Project Description:** Ultimately, as Director of Faith Formation for children, it is our job to ensure that our catechists have the tools needed to share our faith with those entrusted to us. We know that faith formation is not just having the children memorize and recite doctrine or accumulate information, but rather to help them grow as informed disciples; so that their faith is part of their everyday life.

In order for our catechists to accomplish this goal, they need to be aware of all the tools and resource available to them. However, to ensure they have these tools is becoming more difficult. As our society becomes ever more scheduled and busy, it is harder for our volunteer Catechist to gather together for training, share ideas and struggles as Catechists. As a Director of Faith Formation ensuring everyone is an informed Catechist and has all the required information to share with the children and families entrusted in their care can be extremely frustrating.

It is my hope that this Catechist Forum will close the gap of those catechists not being informed. The Catechist Forum has been designed to help the catechists at St. John Neumann, (Irvine, CA -[] ) share ideas and open a dialogue between one another. We will have a page for each grade level to be able share lesson plan ideas, classroom management, seasonal activities etc. In addition, as Director I will be able to communicate upcoming events and have catechist training online for those who cannot make it to our gatherings.

If the Catechist Forum is successful, as part of my long term goals, I would like to open the Forum to the parishes in our deanery for potential collaboration between the parish catechists.


 * Project Goals**:
 * Create a forum utilizing Wikispaces Classroom to grow a community of informed Catechists in our parish.
 * Invite Catechist to join and share lesson plans and ideas, questions.
 * Create a way to communicate catechist tips and suggestions, best practices and online resources.
 * Develop and share Catechist training videos for those who cannot attend live training sessions.


 * Audience Description:** This Catechist Forum will benefit the catechist of St. John Neumann Parish.


 * Project Timeline:**
 * Create forum – 7/2014 – 9/21/2014
 * Refine and adding online resources– 9/21/2014 - will be ongoing.
 * Training for catechists to use Wikispaces Classroom – 9/21/2014 – will be ongoing.
 * Invite catechist to join 9/21/2014 – 9/26/2014
 * Add training videos – 10/15/2014
 * Reminder to catechist to share lesson plans, ideas, questions 9/25/2014 – 11/30/2014


 * Technology to be Utilized:**
 * Wikispaces Classroom
 * PowerPoint
 * Video – Slide Share, YouTube, Vimeo
 * Email


 * Project Budget:** None is required.


 * Do You Need Approval:** Approval is not required as I am the Director of Faith Formation for Children. This will be benefiting the catechists of St. John Neumann Parish in the Faith Formation Program for children. The pastor will be advised when he returns from sabbatical at the end of the month. He will be asked to utilize the forum as he is one of my Catechists and his lesson plans are located there.

Kellie DeLeo's ESSAY Page

Kellie DeLeo's ARTICLE Page