Catholic Schools Week, Part 3

The Difference

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."

-Matthew 5:14-16

Dr. Steve Cheeseman, President of the National Catholic Educators Association (NCEA), visited the Diocese of Cleveland last week as a part of his Bright Lights Tour, starting his day as the keynote speaker at St. Ambrose Catholic School's Community Appreciation Breakfast.

His main point: Catholic schools make THE difference.

He doubled down on acknowledging that Catholic schools don't just make A difference, as if the impact our schools have compares to factors like nutrition, sleep, socio-economic status, or parental education levels.

Instead, Dr. Cheeseman reinforced the claim that Catholic schools make THE difference.

He noted that research validates this argument. Catholic school students scored higher than public and other private school peers on the NAEP, STAR, and iReady assessments, regardless of demographics.

Catholic school students were 27% less likely to report depression while also displaying fewer signs of depression than their peers from other educational institutions. Dr. Cheeseman acknowledged that part of the reason for this stemmed from Catholic school students reporting a higher number of caring adults in their lives than non-Catholic school peer groups.

As one more indicator of THE difference made by Catholic schools, Dr. Cheeseman noted that students who attended a Catholic elementary school were 29% more likely to attend Mass as adults than peers who did not go to a Catholic elementary school. Students who attend Catholic elementary and high school have a 34% higher likelihood of attending Mass regularly as adults than those who did not have the blessing of attending K-12 Catholic schools.

Furthermore, students from Catholic schools demonstrate higher percentages of considering and entering the priesthood or religious life.

In the end, Dr. Cheeseman, in describing the charism of Catholic schools, recognized that Jesus Christ stands as the common Core across all Catholic schools, where we believe - like Jesus does - that every student is made in the image and likeness of God. Using our Catholic faith as the marinade for the Catholic education offered at our schools, Catholic schools make THE difference in our world not replicated by any other group, program, or approach.

The light of our Catholic schools is bright. In the words of Lance Izumi, "While the education landscape in America is darkened with so much bad news, there is a bright spot when it comes to student achievement—the nation’s Catholic schools."

Don't hide this under a bushel basket. Set this truth high upon the hills of our schools so that the bright lights of our Catholic schools will shine before others, giving glory to God.

Catholic schools, let your lights shine. 

Let it shine. 

Let it shine.

Let it shine!

Catholic Schools Week 2026 - Part 2

In a prayer often misattributed to Archbishop Oscar Romero (actually penned by Bishop Ken Untener), one line in particular resonates with me and the work that God has called us to do as Catholic school leaders: 

"No statement says all that could be said."

The work of Catholic school leadership takes multiple iterations and constant reinforcement. As leaders, we should create clarity, overcommunicate clarity, and reinforce clarity. 

In this way, we recognize that our ministries consist of a series of reminders, follow-ups, reiterations, and repetitions. In this spirit, my previous post about the line-up of saints whose feasts we celebrate this week, failed to recognize a giant within the landscape of Catholic education whose feast we celebrate today: St. Angela Merici. 

No statement says all that could be said. 

And while even this message will leave something out and be incomplete, God calls us to say it anyway.

St. Angela Merici, founder of the Ursuline sisters, reminds us in this week dedicated to celebrating Catholic Schools of the enormous contribution of religious women in establishing, developing, and sustaining Catholic education in our country and across the world.

From St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, to St. Frances Cabrini, to St. Katharine Drexel, to St. Julie Billiart and beyond, religious women played a large part in creating the network of Catholic schools in America. At first, this started as the preservation of faith and culture while educating students to find success in our young country. This ministry of Catholic education has since evolved into serving and evangelizing students from all background while maintaining high standards of academic excellence.

Today, let us honor this amazing legacy of religious women, and find inspiration of the words of St. Angela Merici: 

“Act, move, believe, strive, hope, cry out to God with all your heart, for without doubt you will see marvelous things, if you direct everything to the praise and glory of God's majesty and the good of souls.”

Keep directing all that you do toward the mission of Catholic education and to God's glory.

Happy Catholic Schools Week 2026. 

St. Angela Merici, pray for us!

Catholic Schools Week 2026

As our country manages cold and snow and in doing so rearrange Catholic Schools Week activities, our Church celebrates four feast days that speak to the heart of our collective mission: 

• 1/25 - The Conversion of St. Paul
• 1/26 - Saints Timothy and Titus
• 1/28 - St. Thomas Aquinas
• 1/31 - St. John Bosco

First, St. Paul's conversion stands as the type of transformation possible within our schools - metanoia. Going beyond the mind that we have, Catholic education provides a set of lenses to students through which they view the world - the inherent dignity of all people, the sacramentality of every moment, the power of relationships, the call on their lives to make the world more loving, peaceful, and just. 

Second, Saints Timothy and Titus remind us of the important relationship between and among teachers, students, and families. In St. Paul's second letter to St. Timothy, Paul reminds his student of the gift of faith he has received from his grandmother Lois (think baptism) and through the imposition of Paul's hands (confirmation) along with Timothy's own responsibility to "stir into flame" this gift lest it dim and flicker out. This partnership between the home and school along with the active engagement of students can allow them to claim the "spirit of power and love and self-control" (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012626.cfm).

Third, St. Thomas Aquinas, remains one of the greatest scholars of all time. The patron saint of students, scholars, teachers, and Catholic schools, colleges, and universities, St. Thomas Aquinas can show the relationship between faith and reason while also bringing together science and religion. He profoundly demonstrates the attractive and convicting power of truth in both intellectual and spiritual ways, baptizing the work of Greek and Roman philosophers and helping to elucidate the tenants of our faith. 

Fourth and finally, St. John Bosco, the friend of the young and those impacted by poverty, inspires our work in contemporary and relevant ways. The founder of the Salesian order and network of schools across the world, the charism of this Catholic school educator focused on loving what students love so they will love what - and more importantly Who - we love as teachers. His Preventative System of reason, religion and loving kindness encourages educators to see students as disciples in need of formation instead of pupils in need of correction. In other words, to see our students as Christ does. 

May the interruptions of Catholic Schools Week 2026 - inconvenient for sure - allow us to extend the celebration of what makes our schools unique and wonderful beyond one week and a handful of activities into every facet of our ministries. 

Sts. Paul, Timothy, Titus, Thomas Aquinas, and John Bosco, pray for us!!!

On Purpose

"Rising very early before dawn, Jesus left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, 'Everyone is looking for you.'

Jesus told them, 'Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.' So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee."

-Mark 1:35-39

At times, we can do things without purpose. This isn't to say that what we're doing isn't worthwhile. Instead, because of the busyness of our roles, we can fall into the trap of doing tasks just to get them done. We can drift into auto-pilot to enhance our efficiency. We can hurry from one thing to another to another - and do these things really well - but without intentionality.

This can lead to the urgent infringing upon - and supplanting - the sacredness of the important.

Let's reclaim the purpose(s) for which we have been called to our various roles.

The new calendar year along with the new semester afford us with opportunities to reorient ourselves and our communities to these core purposes of our Catholic leadership positions and our schools.

As you consider your schedule and its many demands, put the big things in first. Short of an emergency - which you should define and clarify for yourselves and your community - note those big items you will hold sacred. These might include time for prayer, classroom observations and/or meeting with teachers, meetings with your leadership team(s), cultivation/stewardship activities, preparing a presentation for an event, and time with students and families.

Periodically put your to-do lists through the following rubric:

• Do
• Delegate
• Dump
• You could also add a fourth category, delay, though it should be used sparingly lest it become the default category.

Audit your and your school's practices for alignment to the mission, beliefs, values/pillars/charisms. What activities, programs, events, and tasks have veered away from these foundational parts of our schools? What aspects need some tightening through reminders, renewed administrative presence, and/or a (re)declaration of the purpose of these behaviors? What needs adjusted so that it can remain? What should you remove altogether because it no longer advances the mission of the school, doesn't align with the school's beliefs, and/or fails to stem from or make manifest the school's values/pillars/charisms?

Consider the profile of a Catholic school leader in the Diocese of Cleveland and focus on embodying and employing these traits: missionary, visionary, strategic, collaborative, analytical, professional. Purposefully think of ways in which each of these traits can apply to your leadership actions - how can you point people back to the mission, how can you inspire them and provide a sense of hope, how can you devise a solid plan, how can you include others, how can you analyze what's been done, how can you use it as a chance to model and elevate excellence?

Like Jesus, who reminded His disciples about His purpose, let us explicitly state and remind others why we do the things we do.

Finally, as we strive to lead and live on purpose, recognize that Jesus created you on purpose. Through our baptisms, He has set you apart and called you to this leadership role at this time in your respective schools on purpose. As we view our purposes through this lens of faith, we should consider this purpose holy - set apart by God for His purpose.

On purpose. For God.

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 high schools. The actual number of days a student who spends all four years 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.