Catholic school leaders review NCEA standards

By BETH DONZE
Clarion Herald

In their overarching mission to form young people into well-rounded, lifelong disciples of Christ, Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans are guided by standards set forth by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).

On July 28, 80 elementary and secondary Catholic school leaders from across the archdiocese gathered at Notre Dame Seminary to review the standards in advance of the 2021-22 academic year.

Here are some of the takeaways from their conversations on the NCEA’s four areas of focus:

Catholic mission and identity

The premise of Catholic education is that it does not “choose” between offering 21st-century academics and centering everything it does on the person of Jesus Christ; it must do both of these, and not only in religion class.

“Mission and Catholic identity are our lifeblood,” noted Deacon Michael Whitehouse, deputy superintendent of faith formation in the archdiocesan Department of Catholic Education and Faith Formation (DCEFF). “It is not makeup or perfume that we put on to look or sound Catholic, but it is who we are! It’s why we exist!”
Reflection questions tied to Catholic mission and identity included:

• What is your school known for? Is it more than just a building?

• How often do you renew your school’s mission? Is that mission the same as Christ’s mission?

• As the spiritual leader of your school, how will you image Jesus Christ to your students and teachers this year?

Dr. Cynthia Thomas, president of St. Mary’s Dominican High School in New Orleans, addressed the ever-present need for “well prepared religion teachers equipped to teach the richness of our Catholic faith,” but also said it was contingent upon teachers in all disciplines, not just religion, to help young people see the connections between their faith and academic studies.

“What are the opportunities in social studies and in literature to learn about Catholic social teaching?” she asked.

The leaders said their campus’ culture of prayer could be fostered by providing more regular retreats and service opportunities, followed by a reflection.

Academic excellence

In its education of the “whole child,” a Catholic school must always be seeking and refining programs that enrich its core offerings, the NCEA standards stress. The leaders shared ways they are striving to do that:

• To encourage more boys to take part in dance – an art form heavily slanted toward female participation – St. Joan of Arc Elementary School in New Orleans encourages both boys and girls to take part in the liturgical dance group and also offers a mime group that has become a major hit with the boys, said Deacon Lawrence Houston, principal.

• Christopher Collins, principal of St. Margaret Mary Elementary School in Slidell, said students who want to start a new club must first present a PowerPoint summary of their idea to a panel of adults. The approach offers the added benefits of cultivating students’ writing, technology and public speaking skills, he said.

• Creative ideas for engaging families in their children’s education include holding grade-level Masses and grandparents’ days; organizing “Donuts for Dads” and meet-the-teacher gatherings; and better harnessing the special talents of parent volunteers.

• A monthly “Literacy Lunch” at Stuart Hall School for Boys invites men to read to the students at lunchtime.

“Research shows that most of your examples of readers in your life as a child are women,” said Literacy Lunch founder Jessica Dwyer, current principal of St. Francis Xavier Elementary School in Metairie. “(Guest readers include) grandparents, dads, good friends, godparents – all male role models to show that reading is important to males as well,” Dwyer said. 

Governance and leadership

A smartphone poll revealed that all of the assembled school leaders had a solid leadership team in place to help them make collaborative decisions.

“This is beautiful to see, because we know that many minds and many seats at the table produce the best results and the most creative results,” said Dr. Mark Williams, the DCEFF’s associate superintendent of high schools.

Shanda Theriot, principal of St. Rita Elementary School in New Orleans, said she and her leadership team are continuously reviewing St. Rita’s mission statement to ensure that everything they do flows from it. She and her team have built a culture of accountability by conducting surveys and focus groups with students, faculty and parents, as well as end-of-year self-evaluations. Theriot also asks staff to grade her own leadership skills.

Richard Hill, principal of St. Philip Neri Elementary School in Metairie, spoke of the impact of simply walking the campus “every single day.”

“There’s almost nothing in the whole world that can’t wait if you schedule that 10 minutes to be there to see the kids,” Hill said. “You’re not going to get a sense of your community from your office.”

Operational vitality

The topic of Catholic schools’ operational vitality was a timely one. Archdiocese of New Orleans Catholic schools, which educated about 50,000 students before Hurricane Katrina, lost 11,376 students after the storm. The economic downturn of 2008, church scandals and the 2020 pandemic have exacerbated the downward trend, with enrollment in school year 2020-21 totaling 31,546.

In her presentation on fiscal responsibility, Salesian Sister Michelle Geiger, principal of Academy of Our Lady High School in Marrero, spoke of the importance of making sure that seemingly benign things don’t add up to real dollars in a school’s operating budget – everything from air-conditioning escaping from open doors, to spending money on endless copies of worksheets when “buying the book” might be less expensive over time.

Tony Bonura, principal of St. Matthew the Apostle Elementary School in River Ridge, shared why he believes his school has seen a 37% increase in enrollment since he came on board three years ago – after nine straight years of declining numbers. Bonura said when the successes of a parish’s school ministry are brought before parishioners and the wider community, “our baskets will overflow.”

“Schools are the largest ministry in the parish and the future of the parish,” said Bonura, who touts the enrollment numbers at Men’s Club meetings, parish gatherings and posts them above every copy machine and on a “Jerry Lewis Telethon”-style tote board in his office. The reminders keep the faculty invested in potential enrollees and encourage parents to use their valuable word of mouth to bring in new families, he said.

“We don’t refer to our parents as ‘customers,’” Bonura said. “They are our ministry partners.”

Although open houses remain an important tool to attract new students, Bonura has found them to be even more valuable in the retention of students – by bolstering school pride in families whose children are already enrolled.

Bonura said St. Matthew’s top recruitment tool has turned out to be school tours, but he offered a word of caution: if your school is going to host tours, plan ahead for each one and don't treat it as just another calendar item. For example, if the tour leader knows the prospective student is interested in the drama program, make sure the drama teacher is present to answer questions.

Bonura shared a final tip: he gives his private cell phone number to prospective school parents to let them know that the principal is always accessible to them.

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Below: Dr. RaeNell Houston (in red), superintendent of the archdiocesan Department of Catholic Education and Faith Formation, and members of her staff served lunch to Catholic school leaders at the July 28 convocation. (Photos by Beth Donze, Clarion Herald)