Aspiring leaders being culled in archdiocesan schools

Developing future principals and vice principals in the Archdiocese of New Orleans was Office of Catholic Schools Superintendent Dr. Jan Lancaster’s intent when she invited current teachers to explore pursuing master’s degrees.

Lancaster was encouraged when more than 30 arrived Dec. 2 for an information session at the Catholic Schools office. She called the turnout “a wonderful surprise to everyone in the Office of Catholic Schools. We were hoping to get five to 10 people.”

Path to administration

Lancaster said the master’s degree in educational leadership comprises 12 courses (36 hours) that can be taken over two years (two courses per semester plus two summers).

To stress the importance of developing future leaders, the Office of Catholic Schools has set aside tuition assistance – $100 a course for a total of $1,200 per candidate enrolled in the program – and has partnered with Our Lady of Holy Cross College and Xavier University of Louisiana to offer discounted tuition to Catholic educators pursuing a master’s.

The assistance from the Catholic Schools office will apply to those already earning a master’s.

“We want to try to make Catholic education affordable,” Lancaster said. “We want our schools, no matter where they are, to continuously improve. Establishing a culture of ongoing professional development for principals and teachers is one way to meet that objective for all the schools.”

Already, Lancaster said she has reached her goal of 10 enrollments in the spring semester.

First-hand information

To ease possible concerns from teachers and get an honest view of the responsibilities principals have, Lancaster assembled current Catholic school principals to share their experiences and answer questions about how they managed school, home duties and the workload of master’s classes. They admitted  that it’s not easy, but they learned to find a balance by delegating duties and setting boundaries.

They advised teachers who choose to attain higher education to calm their frustrations along the way by having a goal in mind: being a servant leader and working for the betterment of children in their care.

Having chosen to further her own education years ago, Lancaster told attendees how she juggled completing the master’s program while raising a family. Her son was 1 and her daughter was 4 when she became a principal, but she said it was a positive experience overall for her family.

“They saw firsthand that what I did was a ministry, and how I lived my faith,” Lancaster said.

Principals’ faces lit up when asked: Why should those in the room consider being a Catholic school administrator?

“It’s fun,” Mary Queen of Peace’s principal Sybil Skansi said. “Listen to your heart. If you’re here, God is calling you to this vocation, and you get wonderful satisfaction.”

St. Joan of Arc’s principal Dionne Frost’s biggest joy is the children and families she serves.  Her biggest challenge in running a New Orleans inner-city school is money, since many families struggle to pay tuition.

Holy Cross’ Principal Dr. Joseph Murry, a 30-year educator in public and Catholic schools, mentioned how he enjoys molding a school, especially a Catholic school where there is an environment centered on Jesus and which offers a place where he and teachers can pray. “You see yourself as an architect, molding the faculty and the school curriculum,” Murry said. “Servant leadership is very important. You are serving not only the kids, but also your teachers. You have to pave the way for teachers to do their job.”

Dominican Father Charles Latour, principal of Archbishop Hannan High School, said he strives to create an environment that reflects a true Catholic school.

“How do we treat each other? How do students interact? How do we forgive? How do we reach out and live out the Gospel?” Father Latour asked. “Integrate the Gospel into the curriculum and give them a foundation. … If you don’t treat your students with respect and kindness and show them empathy, you are really not a Catholic school.”

Teachers signed up

Richard Hill, a middle school Latin and social studies teacher and disciplinarian at St. Catherine of Siena School in Metairie, plans to sign up.

“Besides the nuts and bolts of what college courses I need, I got insight from principals currently working and some guidance on what to expect,” Hill said. “It was reassuring to know that the Office of Catholic Schools has an interest in seeing us go through the process by offering discounts and putting the session together.”

Xavier Prep’s president/principal Joe Peychaud expressed satisfaction in seeing young faces at the session.

“I want you to pick up the torch and carry it forward,” Peychaud said. 

“It’s such a special gift to serve God’s children in this capacity of Catholic school administration,” Lancaster said. “We want to support you in this endeavor to make it work and ensure Catholic leadership in the future of our schools.”

Christine Bordelon can be reached at cbordelon@clarionherald.org.