This document provides guidance for Catholic school leaders. It emphasizes that Catholic educators must be willing to continuously learn and adapt their methodologies to respond to a rapidly changing world. A successful school culture is built on dignity, love, and unity. Catholic schools must be bold and innovative to meet the needs of 21st century students, such as through technology integration and curriculum changes. Relationships are key, and leaders should reflect on their work daily in order to continuously improve.

1. Catholic School Leaders Today: ¡Animo!
Go and revolutionize education.
 Dr. Alberto Vazquez Matos
“…[Catholic] educators must be willing to learn and develop knowledge
and be open to the renewal and updating of methodologies, but open
also to and sharing. In the context of the present day, this is essential
for responding to the expectations that come from a constantly and
rapidly changing world in which it is increasingly difficult to educate.”
(Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education. 2007)

2. A Catholic School Leadership Journey
 Reflect on your leadership journey.
 What experiences have led you here?
 Know your story of leadership – understanding your
history and what has led you to this point will allow you
to more authentically lead.
 “A school of excellence is not about who we take/accept
into our schools, it is about who we give back to society.”

3. Dignity + Love + Unity=
Culture of Success

4. Dignity
 We must continually challenge our closely held
assumptions – what was right as recently as a decade ago
may not be so today
 Every child is called to be Holy
 We must be willing to beyond what makes us
comfortable, always having the best interest of our school
communities.
 This task is beyond just Catholic school educators: the
whole Church has to be involved in promoting Catholic
schools

5. Love
 In order to create long term growth and sustainability
schools need to have strong leaders who focus on
establishing clear Catholic identity (Faith), rigorous
academics (Excellence) and active stewardship.
 It should be our primary focus – effective leadership
eliminates minor problems and mitigates large ones.
 Love our Faith
 Core of all that we do
 Leaders Love to strive for excellence
 Rigor and laser focus on student learning measured by data
 Love of our community
 We are not owners but inheritors; obligation is to continuously improve for future
generations – return with increase

6. Unity
“Leaders breathe new life into organizations by insisting that
the people and the organization need to adapt to changes in
the outside environment. Given the speed and complexity of
external change today, leaders need to stimulate internal
change to keep up. The basic idea is that if your
organization is not changing and growing, it is dying.”
Blessings for Leaders, Dan Ebener (p. 82)

7. Be Bold and Brave
 Catholic schools need to adapt and innovate to meet the needs of the 21st
century family and student. The ways that have worked in the past will not in
the future so change is a requirement for growth.
 Technology Integration
 Curriculum Innovation
 Language immersion, CCSS, Blended learning, etc.
 We are limited only in our imaginations – tap into what you are passionate
about

8. Relationships
 Relationships drive everything
 Key in any leadership role but especially in Catholic schools
 Sophie story
 Empathy is a key leadership trait
 Understand what people are going through
 Active listening is important
 All relationships are important but don’t let adult issues
affect the students
 Presence establishes relationships
 Invest time in knowing names and histories of principals,
teachers, etc.

9. Confront the Brutal Facts
 In order to grow into greatness, you must face the brutal
facts of your current reality
 You should create a culture wherein people have a
tremendous opportunity to be heard and for the truth to
be heard – especially by the leader.

10. Reflect
 Mistakes will be made – know that from the outset
– but the only bad mistake is one that you don’t
learn from
 Good leaders are continually reflecting on their
work and they are continually trying to further
develop themselves professionally
 Carve out time at the end of each day to reflect on
what has happened – good and not so good – and
be honest about how you can improve moving
forward.
 How are your actions as a school leader effecting
social change.

11. Go Big: Depth v. Breadth
 Bishop Gordon Bennett: “You can’t control the
length of your life but you can control the depth of
your life.”
 Same for your leadership tenure – plan for each
year as if it is your last.
 Pray like everything is in God’s hands and work like
everything is in your hands (Ebener, p. 22)
 Always ask yourself is your school the best place to
teach and learn.
 Focus energy internally – don’t obsess over things
which are out of your control.

12. “Every day you may make progress. Every step may
be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an
ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving
path. You know you will never get to the end of the
journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds
to the joy and glory of the climb.”
Sir Winston Churchill