Make It Count

Governor Mike DeWine addressed the Catholic school offices from across the state of Ohio in early December. One of his messages to us centered on his time left in office, which at that point stood at about 390 days. He recounted that he has a countdown clock on his desk that displays how much time remains for him as governor of our state.

His point in conveying this idea to this group of educators was that he is trying to do as much good as he can in the time that he has remaining.

This concept resonated with me. It made me consider the urgency with which we need to act for the good of the students and families in our communities.

It made me realize that our countdown for each student is 720 days.

That number represents the maximum amount of time that we have to form students in our schools. The actual number of days a student who spends all four year in our organizations probably clocks in well below that figure once you account for absences, 1/2 days, and other ways that our annual academic calendars come in at under 180 instructional days.

720 days.

For our current 9th graders, that number has already dwindled to about 630. For the Classes of 2026, we have less than 90.

While change done well takes time, we must bring it about within our schools with a sense of compassionate and purposeful urgency. Not frenetic. Not chaotic or even hurried.

Compassionate and purposeful urgency. Methodical. Strategic. Inspirational.

Mission-aligned. Rooted in and stemming from our beliefs, values, charisms and/or pillars.

After all, 2026 is already down to 364 days. Well, actually 363. Sorry. 

As we begin a new year, let us act with a sense of determination to do as much good as we possibly can for each of the students in our care. The clock keeps ticking and its stock is limited. Waiting until next year, or next quarter, or next month, or even next week may not be good enough for all of our students.

Consider one way in which we can positively impact each of the four classes within our schools. How might we purposefully allow our seniors to more intentionally be impacted by our missions? How can we leverage the second semester for our juniors to set them up for 12th grade success? What can be done to shake sophomores out of a second semester slump? Even though we have the most time left with 9th graders, what programming could we implement to round out their first year in our schools?

The countdown continues.

Let's make it count.

The Outward Appearance Can Impact the Heart

Outward actions and appearances can change our inward dispositions. Fr. Joe Menkhaus emphasized this as the main point of his homily yesterday.

Using Gaudate Sunday's rose colored vestments and candle as inspiration (this is a special week in our Advent journey - we wait in joyful hope), Fr. Joe recounted his discomfort as a boy having to wear special clothes to church, especially clothing that was too tight and restrictive.

Yet, his parents clearly communicated the message about the importance of Sunday Mass and how you get dressed up for important things.

In a sense, this is why gameday uniforms are different than those worn for practices. Similarly, it is why we require different dress for our communities on mass days.

The outward appearance can impact the inward dispositions.

As we prepare for guests and gatherings over the upcoming Christmas season, we attend to small details: finding the perfect gifts, preparing the perfect menus, and decorating and cleaning for the perfect atmosphere.

As we prepare for big events in our ministries, we may don the glasses that help us feel wiser, sport the outfit that brings confidence, and/or carry sacramentals that reminds us of parts of our past - heroes, events, messages - that can propel us into the future.

Some might call these props, and rightly so. These items help to "prop" us up so that we stand taller and stronger and "act the part" even when we might not feel like it in our hearts.

Outward appearances can impact our inward dispositions.

From an organizational theory standpoint, this phenomenon rings true. Whereas the visible, audible, and tangible parts of our communities demonstrate that which we hold sacred in our hearts, the actions, words, and signs of our communities can influence what we value and believe (Schein, 2010; Hatch, 2018).

This speaks to the power of using the foundational statements of our schools - the mission, beliefs, values/pillars/charisms - as they can and will have an impact on the hearts of our community members.

This provides even greater importance for the ways that we do things - discipline, grading, greeting visitors, holding assemblies, providing feedback to teachers - as these actions and words can impact the deeply held beliefs of those within our schools.

This means that the signs, symbols, stories, and significant people, places, and performances of our schools matter immensely. All of these outward appearances provide fertile soil for us to plant the core concepts of our schools - faith, hope, love, excellence, Jesus - into the hearts of all of our members.

In the words of the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education (SCCE), "The Catholic school loses its purpose without constant reference to the Gospel and frequent encounter with Christ” (1977, para. 55).

Let us explicitly and specifically refer back to the Gospels in our ministries, "teaching (others) to observe all that (Jesus has) commanded (us)" (Matthew 28:20). Similarly, let every action, word spoken and written, sign, symbol, and story of our schools afford an opportunity for others to encounter Him. ​

Let us have the "courage to follow all the consequences of (our) uniqueness" as Catholic schools (SCCE, 1977, para. 66), ensuring that our outward appearances conform the hearts of our communities to the heart of Jesus.

The Clarity of Repetition

Repetition is the mother of all learning.

Repetition is the mother of all learning.

Repetition acts as the way to commit knowledge and skills to mind and muscle memories.

Repetition forms habits which significantly reduces the amount of mental capacity needed to complete tasks.

As I type this reflection, I’m reminded of my 7th grade computer teacher who drilled into my adolescent mind the location of letters and functions on a keyboard and increased my WAM (words a minute) and my accuracy.

Repetition also stands as an important component of our relationships. While I sometimes worry that I tell my wife and children that I love them too often, I know that the repetition of my declarations reinforce my love for them. Additionally, my words must be supported by actions that align, further entrenching my devotion and hopefully reminding and convincing my family of my love.

Considered from a deficit lens, imagine a house where spouses and children seldom hear the words, “I love you.” Similarly, a relationship where the actions of an individual misalign with the words spoken, weakens trust and leads to frequent disappointments.

Repetition reinforces. Alignment augments.

Let us do both as we lead our schools. Continue to provide clarity about our school’s mission statements, beliefs, and values/pillars/charisms. Use the words over and over and over and over again. When you feel as though others meet your constant use of these core messages of your schools with eye rolls and exasperation, use the words again. Lencioni (2012) exhorts leaders to create clarity, (over)communicate clarity, and reinforce clarity within their organizations. In Lencioni’s words, be the Chief Reminding Officer (CRO) of your school's missions, beliefs and values/pillars/charisms.

As you create, communicate, and reinforce clarity, you will more specifically identify what your school deems important, valuable and worthwhile. This will lead to greater alignment between words spoken and actions taken.

In turn, this will allow our schools to become who and what God created them to be.

As we near the midpoint of the academic year, double down on your efforts to repeat the mission, beliefs, and values/pillars/charisms of your schools.

I say it again, double and triple and quadruple down on your efforts to repeat the mission, beliefs, and values/pillars/charisms of your schools.

After all, repetition is the mother of all learning.

Set the World on Fire

"Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire."

-St. Catherine of Siena

Growing up, I wanted to be just like my older brother. As a young boy and adolescent, I would wait to see his choice of shirt before choosing my own so that I could try to match or come close. I yearned to be as good at sports as him. I admired his confidence and humor. I mirrored his tastes in music and hobbies. In short, I wanted to be just like him.

It wasn't until he left for college that I realized that even though my brother is worth emulating in many ways, I needed to become the best version of myself, not an inferior model of him. More than embracing the adage "you do you," I started to become who God created me to be.

I offer this peek into my teenage maturation to illustrate an important point for our schools: be who God meant your school to be, and we will set the world on fire.

Last week, principals from across the Diocese of Cleveland learned more about the innovative approaches of St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, NJ. Ever since I came across the 60 Minutes segment (linked here) about the school almost 10 years ago, I have been fascinated and inspired by their unique approaches to student leadership, community, experiential learning, and social-emotional supports.

While there are core philosophies within each of these categories that could apply to many schools, St. Benedict's Prep (SBP) has found great success - even though it closed in 1972 and reopened a year later in 1973 - because it has become who God created it to be. Other Catholic schools would not experience St. Benedict's success by merely adopting any or all of their programs, pulling SBP's strategies off the shelf and forcefully inserting them into our schools. It would be like putting a foosball table into the faculty lounge just because you heard that it improved teacher morale at another school. Whereas it could have a similar impact, if it doesn't stem from your school's unique identity and situation, it will feel contrived and fall flat.

Instead, we need to consider what can be adapted from SBP's and each others' successes so that it fits with our missions, beliefs, values/pillars/charisms. We can lean on similar sentiments - believe that the Lord is calling us to this work, love our students, listen to the community, and provide empowering and life-giving opportunities for community members - and consider the ways in which these approaches will get lived out in our schools.

Don't become the next imitation of your childhood hero or St. Benedict's Prep. 

Become who God meant you and our schools to be.

Unique in our gifts and identity. United in the one Holy Spirit.

Let's become who God meant us to be.

Let's set the world on fire.

Time to Advance the Mission

Growing up in the 80s, there was a commercial from Dunkin' Donuts featuring Fred the Baker in which his refrain was, "Time to make the donuts." Through fatigue, wind, and snow, this series of commercials saw Fred diligently rising to bake these tasty, albeit unhealthy, breakfast treats.

Fred's refrain can serve as a rallying cry for our efforts to be diligent: "Time to carry out our mission."

Time to write thank you notes. Time to be with the students in the hallways/lunchroom/after school. Time to do observations. Time to meet with teachers. Time to call a donor. Time to pray. Time to analyze the data. Time to eat lunch with a colleague. Time to check references. Time to ensure volunteers have background screenings and safe environment training.

Unlike Fred's singular pursuit of delivering delicious donuts, our work takes on many forms and tasks. But, our unrelenting pursuit to accomplish the mission of our schools should match the diligence of Fred the Baker.

Time to advance the mission.

This week, consider what you can do to more singularly pursue the most important aspect of your roles as Catholic school leaders: the mission of our schools. What do you need to do more of? What do you need to delegate to others? What do you need to dump altogether?

Similarly, how can you offer even greater clarity and shared understanding about what it means to advance your missions? Ask community members what it looks like to "serve" or "excel" or "strive" or "inspire life-long learners" or "lead with integrity" or any other words and phrases from your missions. Interrogate your handbooks and policies for areas in which what we do misaligns with who we say we are. Engage people in conversations about how you will know that the school has accomplished/advanced its mission. What data will you collect and/or construct? 

In other words, provide the directional clarity to your school communities to "make the donuts" as it pertains to your specific mission.

It's time. It's always time.

Go make the donuts.

Go advance your mission.

The Better is Yet to Come

In the book, Better, Dr. Atul Gawande (2007) proposes three essential components to get better in any endeavor that requires risk and responsibility: diligence, to do right, and ingenuity.

These three core concepts from Gawande work together and interconnect with each other.

First, using the practice of medicine as his canvas, Gawande (2007) paints the picture that leadership requires a diligent approach to the tasks we need to accomplish. Gawande (2007) offers the example of his father’s medical practice and the extreme lengths he would take to ensure his patients received the highest level of care possible. From wearing examination gloves to taking notes to washing hands, physicians must diligently execute these and other tasks associated with the medical profession in order to meet the high standards of excellence demanded by this important work. Gawande illustrates how taxing the faithful practice of these behaviors can become over time, leading to cutting corners and to the detriment of the patient’s care. Leaders - and in Gawande’s (2007) case, doctors - must remain diligent in the core practices of their professions.

This points to the second essential component of high performance in any endeavor that requires risk and responsibility: to do right. Being diligent in the many functions of one’s sector is the right thing to do. It is right for doctors to wash their hands prior to visiting patients in order to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases. Similarly, it is right for doctors to maintain atmospheres within examination rooms that prevent the appearance or actual occurrences of impropriety. In other words, doing the right things requires and demands diligence. Once again, cutting corners and taking shortcuts often leads to detrimental outcomes from huge lawsuits to revocations of licenses to abuses, destruction and even death.

This leads to Gawande’s (2007) third essential component to leading in situations that involve risk and responsibility: ingenuity. Gawande (2007) explains that even the most diligent practice of functions that are the right things to do can become stale, plateau, and/or even perpetuate less than ideal performances. In these circumstances leaders must be willing to deviate from current practices and innovate in order to do what is right.

For example, Gawande (2007) explains this three-pronged approach - diligence, doing what’s right, and ingenuity - allowed him to see that in most parts of the world, saving lives was most likely to take place by raising the performance of doctors, not in some sort of medicinal breakthrough. Instead of relying on the newest technology, Gawande (2007) argues that understanding the mundane, ordinary details that must go right in a particular situation is the key to finding solutions. Despite potentially having limited resources or power, Gawande (2007) proposes that enhancing one’s skills and collaborating with other people in complex situations can spark ingenuity and progress.

As Gawande (2007) remarked, in the face of seemingly insurmountable problems, better is possible through diligence, a commitment to doing what is right, and the willingness to embrace ingenuity.

Consider ways in which you can invite, guide, and challenge yourselves and your schools to get better: through diligently pursuing the procedures, checklists (sorry), and policies that ensure the safety and security of our communities, the mission alignment of our behaviors, the fiduciary soundness of our budgets, the pedagogically proficient teaching and learning in our classrooms, and the philanthropic moves of our advancement offices.

Similarly, may you lead your schools to do what is right - supervising students, communicating with families, having a plan to ensure efficiency, using research based teaching and assessment practices, showing gratitude, holding people (and ourselves) accountable through performance monitoring and review, and putting every decision through the rubric of "what would Christ do?"

Finally, improving performance and working with others - collaboration multiples our forces - can lead to ingenious innovations and enhancements to our efforts. Our communities and our commitment to our unifying missions are our greatest commodities. From third options to the synergistic effects of working with others, let us rally our efforts around our missions and pray for the intercession of the Holy Spirit to keep getting better.

Using this recipe: diligence, doing what's right, and ingenuity the best - or at least better - is always yet to come.

Reference:

Gawande, A. (2007). Better: A surgeon’s notes on performance. New York: Holt and Company.

Step by Step

St. Francis has a number of quotes misattributed to him. One such error includes: "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

As I researched the origin of this quote St. Francis never said, I came across these other axioms from other saints that resemble the former:

“With God’s grace, you have to tackle and carry out the impossible because anybody can do what is possible” (St. Josemaria Escriva)

“Blessed is he who loves and does not therefore desire to be loved. Blessed is he who fears and does not therefore desire to be feared. Blessed is he who serves and does not therefore desire to be served. Blessed is he who behaves well toward others and does not desire that others behave well toward him. Because these are great things, the foolish do not rise to them." (St. Giles)

While I appreciate the simplicity of the non-quote, I like the words actually spoken by these other saints even better.

Two takeaways:

1. Do the next right thing. Greatness doesn't necessarily come about through grand efforts and majestic accomplishments. You climb a mountain - "to the heights" - one step at a time. Send the email. Have the conversation. Pick up the piece of trash. Visit the classroom. Stop by the lunchroom. Go to the game/event. Enforce the dress code. Start with prayer. Provide the feedback. Perform the emergency drill. Change the clocks.
2. Realize that with God's grace, we can accomplish the impossible. Greatness can happen when we strive to accomplish things "far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20). Bring to life the God-sized dream He has planted into your heart. Be ambitious for God, asking Him what He wants you to accomplish in this ministry at His schools. Have an apostolic spirit to build the Kingdom of God anew in your schools, our diocese, and the world. From bringing the entire school to the HS Mass and Rally, to aligning your school operations to the school's mission, beliefs, values/pillars/charisms, to revamping the service requirements, to challenging the school's outdated traditions, dream big for our great God.

Do the small things.

And, put out into the deep and traverse "verso l'alto" to accomplish amazing things.

Step by step. Leap by leap.

For the greater glory of God.