AUBURN - Even though Maura DelFavero teaches her daughter, Hannah, sixth-grade social studies, it feels like she's a mother to the other children in her class at St. Joseph Catholic School.
"I always tease the kids that they are my adopted children," she said. "You really become maternal with the kids."
DelFavero joined the school's staff two years ago.
As with any small school, she takes on several responsibilities: middle school social studies, religion and health.
DelFavero is part of a growing trend in Catholic education. The days of nuns and priests as teachers are all but gone - 95 percent of teachers at Catholic schools are laypersons, said Michael Guerra, president of the National Catholic Education Association.
It's becoming more difficult for some schools to adjust to a system where benefits and salaries are more common than providing room and board for nuns and priests.
"All we had to do was offer them a stipend," Guerra said.
But now Catholic schools are having a harder time recruiting - and keeping - good teachers. They are turning to recruiting unconventional teachers, college graduates desperate for that first classroom experience and former teachers transitioning into new careers.
DelFavero taught 10th grade in a public school in Pennsylvania before she and her family moved to Auburn. After having two children - sixth-grader Hannah and second-grader Sam - she struggled with whether she even wanted to come back to work.
But it was a conversation with Hannah that convinced her to come to St. Joseph two years ago.
"Hannah said the best thing was you can pray any time you want," Maura DelFavero said.
It's the religion - and sense of family - that reassures her about her decision to come back to the classroom.
"It really is a community, so different from public schools," she said.
"I've had people say to me why pay tuition when you pay taxes. But in my opinion, it's well worth it."
Staff writer Liz Hacken can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 267
or elizabeth.hacken@lee.net
DelFavero joined the school's staff two years ago.
As with any small school, she takes on several responsibilities: middle school social studies, religion and health.
DelFavero is part of a growing trend in Catholic education. The days of nuns and priests as teachers are all but gone - 95 percent of teachers at Catholic schools are laypersons, said Michael Guerra, president of the National Catholic Education Association.
It's becoming more difficult for some schools to adjust to a system where benefits and salaries are more common than providing room and board for nuns and priests.
"All we had to do was offer them a stipend," Guerra said.
But now Catholic schools are having a harder time recruiting - and keeping - good teachers. They are turning to recruiting unconventional teachers, college graduates desperate for that first classroom experience and former teachers transitioning into new careers.
DelFavero taught 10th grade in a public school in Pennsylvania before she and her family moved to Auburn. After having two children - sixth-grader Hannah and second-grader Sam - she struggled with whether she even wanted to come back to work.
But it was a conversation with Hannah that convinced her to come to St. Joseph two years ago.
"Hannah said the best thing was you can pray any time you want," Maura DelFavero said.
It's the religion - and sense of family - that reassures her about her decision to come back to the classroom.
"It really is a community, so different from public schools," she said.
"I've had people say to me why pay tuition when you pay taxes. But in my opinion, it's well worth it."
Staff writer Liz Hacken can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 267
or elizabeth.hacken@lee.net
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