Sister Mary Foley, R.S.M., director of the Agency for Exceptional Children, is testing children in kindergartens this year for perceptual disabilities.

Perception is one of the prime psychological functions. It is the bridge between the human being and his environment. A perceptual inadequacy would cause a child to perceive his world in a distorted, unstable and unpredictable fashion. Academic learning would be difficult regardless of intellectual ability.

It is extremely important to discover a child’s perceptual disability as early as possible. The goal of the kindergarten testing program is to make this discovery, to prevent the school failure as well as the social and emotional maladjustment caused by visual perceptual difficulties.

A total of 127 children from three schools - Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of the Assumption, and St. Jude’s - have been tested so far. Only 18 children have been found who do not exhibit ANY perceptual deficit.

As a result of the testing, specific training methods have been offered to the school and home to aid the remaining 109 children in their specific area of deficit.

Where severe problems were uncovered, parents have been referred to competent professionals trained in sensory motor techniques.

Visual, speech, hearing, and physical problems have also been discovered and are referred to appropriate facilities.

This diagnostic and remedial program, which will be extended to other schools this semester, will enable these children to better meet the challenges and demands of future, academic, social and emotional life.

Financial Study

Dr. Kenneth Brown of the University of Notre Dame, who is the coordinator of the Financial Study to be undertaken this month in the archdiocese, has notified this office that the survey instrument to be used in the study has been developed at the University.

He explained the instrument to the Archdiocesan Board of Education at its Feb. 11 meeting, and then met with all pastors, board chairmen, and others who will be working with the study on Feb. 12 at the Catholic Center.

The purpose of the study is to find the exact cost of parochial and religious education to the various parishes of the archdiocese, and to project that cost over the next five years. The study will be completed by May of this year.

Accreditation

The mandate originating with the Archdiocesan Synod to accredit all elementary schools with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools by 1972 continues to be implemented.

Three schools were initially affiliated with the Southern Association in October of 1967. The remainder were affiliated with the association last year.

This year additional steps have been made. St. Thomas More and Christ the King Schools have completed the six steps leading to accreditation and have made application for accreditation for next year.

Mrs. Sarah Divine was appointed by the Southern Association as a representative from The Georgia State Department of Education to visit the remainder of our schools to determine their readiness for accreditation. So far this year she has visited St. Paul of the Cross, Sts. Peter and Paul, Sacred Heart, St. John the Evangelist, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Our Lady of the Assumption.

After visiting these schools, Mrs. Divine reported that almost all of them were close to meeting the association’s standards. She recommended that Sts. Peter and Paul, Sacred Heart, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Our Lady of the Assumption proceed immediately with step 5 of the process, which is to organize and conduct the self-study.

She suggested that St. Paul of the Cross begin a group project in some area to more fully determine their ability to work cooperatively as a group, then request another visit by her after several months. They have chosen their area of study and are currently engaged in the project.

She recommended that St. John’s determine decisively their intent and willingness to carry the necessary additions and requirements in the area of facilities before proceeding to step 5.

St. Joseph in Marietta has requested a visit from Mrs. Divine to be made early in the semester.

The remainder of our schools engaged in their self-improvement program and will ask for a visit from the State Department to determine their readiness as soon as it is possible for them to do so.

Mrs. Divine was encouraged by the caliber of work done at the schools, and has expressed optimism in the ability of all our schools to achieve accreditation.