CCSCC embraces schools, children with love

By Kim Roberts 
Clarion Herald

For 80 years, the Council of Catholic School Co-operative Clubs (CCSCC), one of the oldest archdiocesan parent clubs in the nation, has been the organization to which all Catholic parent clubs in the Archdiocese of New Orleans turn for guidance and leadership. 

The group is an extension of the Department of Catholic Education and Faith Formation and works closely with the archdiocese, superintendent Dr. RaeNell Houston and deputy superintendent Martha Mundine. 

The council’s mission is to combine efforts and pool resources among the various parent clubs in the interest and cause of Catholic education focusing on four main areas; family, love of God, education and activities.

Catholic values

“The CCSCC is the parent organization over other parent clubs within the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and we work with our parent clubs to foster and promote Catholic values through activities, family and service,” said Roxanne Valenti, immediate past president. “We provide a venue for our parent clubs to meet and collaborate with other schools in order to achieve the goals of each parent club. Most importantly, we are here to help our schools’ parent clubs grow, learn and develop best practices in promoting our Catholic faith through leadership.”

There’s also a little fun in competition. The CCSCC oversees a Club of the Year award that Valenti said can be used “as a tool” to help parent club members learn about what other successful parent clubs are doing so they can implement similar practices. 

Currently, the CCSCC has 22 member schools and 24 individual members from around the archdiocese, but schools may still join throughout the school year if interested. The dues are $65 for parent clubs and $15 for individual members.

Current CCSCC president Kim Heller encourages schools to join because of networking opportunities and the chance to learn ways to promote their schools and their activities.

The CCSCC annually sponsors a Clothe-A-Child shopping day, Keep Christ in Christmas billboards and school contest, the Regina Matrum (Mother of the Year) award, a morning of reflection, a May crowning Mass and a new president’s tea.

The organization also holds an informational workshop at the beginning of the academic year to provide members with publicity tips and tutorials on parliamentary procedures, and it also hosts a Christmas luncheon to honor high-achieving clubs.

Meeting club’s needs

Over the years, the CCSCC has had to evolve to meet the needs of its member schools, especially because in many families both parents work and have little spare time. 

“We understand that families today have many activities and commitments, especially after school,” said Heller.  “We have scaled down to having four meetings over the school year to accommodate members’ schedules. We have also started using social media as a tool to reach 
our members and promote our schools more efficiently.”

Valenti said the CCSCC has had conversations with member schools to assess and understand their current needs and how the organization could better support the parent clubs.

“When we noticed that attendance at our meetings was dwindling, we reached out to our schools and asked them what obstacles were preventing them from attending,” Valenti said. 
“Through our polling, it was determined that the majority of families shifted from a one-parent working family to a two-parent working family. With that shift, it made it difficult for parents to attend our daytime meetings. So, we modified our meeting schedule and moved all but the May meeting to the evenings. Just that one change allowed more schools to attend.” 

Heller said her favorite CCSCC event is the Clothe-A-Child program with Catholic Charities. The parent clubs donate money to shop for children from a list provided by Catholic Charities.

“Each child on the list is allotted a sum of money, and we purchase them a nice Christmas outfit and shoes,” Heller said. “If there are still funds remaining, we get pajamas or additional clothing. Walmart has been phenomenal to work with over the years. This year we collected close to $13,000 and shopped for 275 children. If there are enough funds left over, we hold a similar Clothe-A-Child program at Easter. If there are not enough funds left for an Easter event, diapers and wipes are purchased for the Access Pregnancy Center. The schools have members do the shopping and gift wrapping.” 

Valenti said she knows first-hand the good that the parent clubs do within the Catholic schools.

“They foster the love of God and the love of family through different activities,” she said. “We live in a very challenging time. The truth of the matter is that our parent clubs have time. The truth of the matter is that our parent clubs have the ability to make a difference in a child’s day and improve their experience at a Catholic school. That difference in that child’s day can have a snowball effect. Down the road, that child may end up volunteering for their child’s parent club because they remembered how special that parent club made them feel, and it made them proud to be a Catholic.”

Heller cited the women who previously led the CCSCC as being inspiring role models for her. Those women carried the torch for Catholic education, she said.

“The women who have been past presidents have all served as presidents of their respective parent clubs,” Heller said. “There is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from these ladies. The presidents and representatives who come from the member schools have an opportunity to get guidance from these women, and they keep us informed on current events and trends in our schools. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement. The CCSCC has given me a chance to work with some amazing women that I am happy to call good friends now.”

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