ACE Leadership Conference

Ann is the oldest of eight children in a close-knit Catholic family from St. Louis, Missouri. From a very early age, Ann displayed an unnatural attraction to writing with chalk. Some of her earliest memories involve constructing elaborate lesson plans and schedules for an attic academy that her siblings refused to attend. By the age of twelve, she was designing weeklong retreat experiences…. that her siblings also refused to attend.

Forced to ply her trade outside the home, Ann joined the ranks of Catholic school educators in 1991. After four years teaching middle school and high school on the Pacific island of Guam, she pursued her Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry in Preaching at Aquinas Institute of Theology. Ann joined the Institute’s faculty in 2000.

Over the past two and a half decades she has taught a range of courses in pastoral theology, homiletics, and catechetics while also serving in a variety of administrative positions including Director of Field Education, Director of Distance Learning, Director of the Aquinas Ministry Integration Project, Director of the Doctorate of Ministry program, and Director of the Masters in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. 

Ann’s ongoing reflection on her experience as an educator and administrator has led to a number of publications and speaking engagements. She is the author of ten books, as well as numerous essays and articles. She has visited all 50 states and 20 countries, having spoken at over 300 diocesan, educational, health care, ministry, and business gatherings including:

• National Catholic Education Association
• Olin Executive Education at Washington University
• The Church Network
• Archdiocese of Chicago
• National Pastoral Musicians
• Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities
• National Association of Catholic Chaplains
• Association of Theological Schools
• Catholic Relief Services
• Boston College
• National Association of Church Personnel Administrators
• Catholic Health Association
• Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese
• University of Notre Dame
• LA Religious Education Congress
• The Wexner Foundation
• Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers' Association

In 2013, Ann affiliated with Triad Consulting Group, a global corporate education and communications consulting firm founded by two members of the Harvard Negotiation Project. Ann has a passion for bringing the best research and practice around healthy communication and conflict management from the business world into the church world.

Ann is a frequent flier on Delta Airlines, spending about 60% of her time on the road while regularly checking in at home in Atlanta, GA to make sure her husband is still alive and eating enough vegetables. She unfortunately has developed an extreme aversion to chalk. Something to do with a preference for wearing black. She continues to love her siblings and pesters them as often as she can.

Fostering Hope and Resilience: The Principal's Role in Forming Disciples Through Catholic Social Teachings

Molly Cinnamon, Ed.D., Program Manager, Catholic Future Leader Program, DePaul University, College of Education; Dr. Donna Kiehl, Instructional Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership, Language and Curriculum, DePaul University, College of Education

In this ever-changing landscape, Catholic schools must be lighthouses of faith while building resilient communities. Together in this session, we will explore the role of the principal as faith leader, guided by the Catholic Social Teachings, to build hope-centered schools that prioritize our Catholic faith while nurturing strong communities and growing disciples of compassionate care. Conference participants will explore how to leverage this work in their school settings through case study examination, small and large group discussions and engage in strategic planning while gaining a deeper understanding of our Catholic social teachings.  

This presentation addresses the conference theme "Anchored in Hope: Forming Resilient Disciples and Strong Communities" by demonstrating how Catholic school principals, guided by Catholic Social Teachings, can cultivate hope-filled environments that nurture resilient disciples and strengthen school communities. 

More Than Manifesting: Cultivating the Catholic Mindset of Hope

Judy Madden, Care and Wellness Consultant, Alliance for Catholic Education, University of Notre Dame; Faculty, Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program, University of Notre Dame; Sarah Currier, Associate Superintendent for School Systems and Culture, Archdiocese of San Francisco

Since their inception, Catholic schools have nimbly responded to the needs of their communities. Catholic schooling is, in the words of Blessed Basil Moreau, “the art of helping young people to completeness” and is animated by the conviction that each child possesses inherent God-given dignity. Students' ability to succeed academically and personally is strongly correlated with their emotional and social intelligence, and their ability to manage these domains is strongly informed by their teacher's skills. In this session, we examine ways to strengthen teachers' and leaders' resiliency skills through an intentional Catholic lens. Grounded in Gospel narratives and Visio Divina, this session will examine ways to support student flourishing in the classroom by strengthening teachers’ and leaders’ cognitive agility and addressing effective SEL strategies. This session will outline how to embody and model resilience skills and SEL tools in the classroom, and in doing so, empower everyone in the classroom to take concrete steps toward fulfilling their potential, enlivening them further to be the person God created them to be.

Let the Children Come to Me: Fostering Inclusive Christ-Centered Learning within Catholic Schools/Systems

Katie Kervi, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Diocese of Palm Beach; Gabriel A. Cambert, Associate Superintendent for Government Programs in the Office of Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Miami

"Let the Children Come to Me: Fostering Inclusive Christ-Centered Learning within Catholic Schools/Systems” offers system and school leaders a comprehensive exploration of how to cultivate inclusive, supportive classrooms for students with  exceptional needs. As Catholics, we are called to ensure that our schools are truly open to students from all backgrounds and abilities. 

This session will guide participants through the essential components of the newly developed Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Handbooks for the Archdiocese of Miami and the Diocese of Palm Beach, equipping them with practical strategies and a solid framework to implement in their schools/classrooms. 

Based on the Catholic principle of universality, the session emphasizes the importance of promoting an inclusive environment where all students, regardless of their learning needs, can thrive. Leaders will gain insight into identifying and supporting exceptional students, integrating accommodations, and promoting collaboration between leaders, general education teachers, ESE specialists, and parents. 

Catholic School Athletic Programs: An Essential Place for Mission Alignment and Faith Formation

Max T. Engel, Associate Professor, Departments of Education and Theology, Creighton University

Catholic school sports can be a compelling opportunity for athletes to develop spiritual depth, sacramental awareness, and religious faith; however, this opportunity is often unrecognized or under-developed. Benchmark 2.6 of the revised National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools (NSBECS) states: “Catholic culture and faith are expressed in the school through multiple and diverse forms of visual and performing arts, music and architecture, as well as all extra-curricular and co-curricular activities” [emphasis added]. Further, Standard 3 affirms, in part, that “an excellent Catholic school adhering to mission provides opportunities both within and outside the classroom for Christ-centered student faith formation.” This interactive session, designed for athletic directors, coaches, and school leaders responsible for faculty and staff formation, will present the theological and philosophical premises for a Catholic approach to sports and demonstrate how these Catholic principles can be incorporated into your school’s athletic program. It will offer examples and concrete practices to help athletic directors and coaches align their programs with the Catholic identity and mission of your school and explicitly cultivate spiritual awareness and religious faith among coaches, athletes, and parents. 

Forming Body & Soul: From Athletic Identity to Encounter, Community, & Meaning

Drew Vilinsky, Director of Sports & Arts Chaplaincy Program and Theology Teacher at St. Ignatius High School, Cleveland, OH; Augie Pacetti, Director of Mission, St. Ignatius High School, Cleveland, OH

As religious affiliation declines, one thing is clear - youth, and their families, are finding meaning, identity, and community in sports and the performing arts.  

A sports and arts chaplaincy program is a tactical way to carry out Pope Francis' call to "take the risk of novelty" so as to meet the needs of the world today.  It creates an environment wherein lay people authentically accompany athletes and performers.  By meeting students where their hearts are and speaking to their experiences through the lens of faith, chaplains enact multiple modes of ministry including pastoral care, faith formation, service, justice work, and evangelization.  

For over a decade, Drew Vilinsky has slowly built the Sports and Arts Chaplaincy Program at St. Ignatius High School (Cleveland, OH).  The data he has collected evidences that this form of ministry has a positive faith and cultural impact not only on students, but also on coaches/directors, parents, and the chaplains themselves.

What steps can be taken to begin a sustainable sports and arts chaplaincy program?  What are best practices to enact and pitfalls to avoid?  Leaning on the experience of an already established program, and those this workshop will address those questions, illuminate the possibilities present in sports and arts ministry, and provide attendees with the tools to create sports and arts chaplaincy programs that fit the unique character of their institutions.

Mission Mentor: A Call to Leadership and Service in Catholic Elementary Schools 

Carol Murray, 7th & 8th Grade Math and Religion Teacher, Saint Petronille School; Nicole Janninck, Parent and School Board Member, St. Petronille Catholic School

Participants will devote their time to reimagining the role of service in the Catholic elementary school, which provide a unique setting to foster hearts for mission developing leadership skills and community partnerships inspired by the lives of Saints and aligned with the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. We will spend our session re-evaluating existing service programs, setting specific goals to streamline the student’s service journey throughout their educational journey, and developing mission focused curricular suggestions that can be used in the classroom planning and preparation.  A school-wide mission focused program presents the opportunity for students to act as leaders within their school and parish, to learn about the challenges and needs of their brothers and sisters living near and far, and to increase intentional prayer, all with the goal of helping students interiorize their Catholic Identity by giving them a mission. The year-long projects will root students’ efforts in prayer and reflection and build connections to the Universal Church, allowing them to take ownership of their service thereby reducing the “check off the box” tendency of scattered and disjointed service projects in favor of cultivating a prayerful and empowering culture of Catholic mission.

Charisms are Caught AND Taught

Kathryn Krueger, Director of the St. Jane de Chantal Salesian Center at Georgetown Visitation

This session is primarily focused for schools that are currently or used to be sponsored by a religious order. For a long time, we have been told that a charism is "caught, not taught," but that osmosis works better when a religious order has every evening and weekend together to continue the teachers' formation time. Now that our schools are being lead and taught almost entirely by laity who generally don't have years of religious formation nor time beyond their job responsibilities to sit at the feet of great mentors in the faith each evening, how do you help your school community learn and live the charism that it was founded to share?

Champions of Faith: Faith Formation, Service, and Athletics as Pathways to Mission

Patrick Visconti, Assistant Principal, Mission & Ministry, Santa Margarita Catholic High School; Donald Green, Assistant Director of Campus Ministry, Christian Service, Santa Margarita Catholic High School

This presentation will outline a comprehensive approach to deepening our school’s Catholic mission by engaging faculty, staff, and students in intentional faith formation.

1. Mission and Charism Onboarding:
We will introduce a structured onboarding program to immerse new faculty and staff in the school’s Catholic culture and mission. This initiative will ensure all members of our community understand and embrace the foundational values that guide our work with students.

2. Integrated Christian Service Learning:
A school-wide Christian Service-Learning program will engage all students—freshmen through seniors—in meaningful service experiences that reflect Catholic social teaching. This initiative will provide structured service opportunities tailored to different grade levels, fostering a lifelong commitment to faith-driven service. Faculty and staff will also be invited to participate, strengthening a culture of service and leadership across the school community.

3. Athletics as a Mission Partner:
Athletics provides a dynamic platform to instill faith-based values. Through Team Faith Formation sessions, we will equip coaches and student-athletes with faith-centered development opportunities. Additionally, a Team Chaplaincy Program will embed faculty and staff members into athletic teams as spiritual mentors, connecting students’ faith journeys with their athletic experiences.

This presentation will provide actionable strategies to integrate faith, service, and athletics, strengthening our school’s Catholic identity.

Promoting Your School: The prospective student and family on campus experience

Aaron Parr, President, St. Pius X Catholic High School; Molly Wack, Assistant to Enrollment Director, St. Pius X Catholic High School

Enrollment management is arguably the most critical part of school viability. Catholic schools are competing for mission fit students and families in a highly competitive market with independent schools, public schools, charter schools, and hybrid schools. In this market, getting a prospective family on campus is the most important on-boarding step of the enrollment funnel. In this interactive session, learn some tools to make every touchpoint with families meaningful, from the time the family pulls into campus until they leave. 

Operational Vitality of Catholic Microschools

Jill Wierzbicki, Ed.D., President/CEO, West Catholic High School

What do effective microschool principals have in common? How does a principal's faith shine in ways that allow success to be longstanding and forward-thinking? This session shares the findings of the 2025 study of effective Catholic microschool leadership. The presenter is the co-author and author of two publications on microschools, and has new research to share. What set out to be an explanation of effective operational vitality turned into a complex web of the strengths of faithful role models and strategic planning in our smallest and strongest Catholic schools. The findings shed new light on the existing work of the sustainability of Catholic schools whose enrollment sizes are fewer than 150 students. The interdisciplinary leadership of the Catholic school principal is one to celebrate and replicate in places with limited student populations.

Governance as a Means to Synodality

Christopher Mominey, Former COO and Sec. of Education - Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Is school governance a burden or a blessing for you?  If you’re seeking ways to improve how your boards operate, respond to you, and can turn into more of blessing, you will want to join us for this session!  This workshop will be an interactive opportunity for participants to learn from one another and from the presenter about how to animate synodality through governance and leadership.

Simply put:  schools have been practicing synodality long before the term became popular in our Church! Effective boards join with impactful leaders to create a culture of accompaniment, collaboration, and listening so as to build strategic plans that bring forth the best in mission, academics, governance, leadership, and operational vitality. Without an intentional focus on creating a cohesive mission, vision, and set of core values, schools are likely to fail in their desire to create communities of teaching and learning.

Participants will leave this session with three tangible documents that can be used in most schools:
A Sample Board Matrix that assesses the talent, demographics, and balance of the board membership
A Sample Board Self-Assessment Tool that can be used for the board to reflect on its own work
A Guideline / Framework for Strategic Planning that aligns with the National Standards and Benchmarks

Staying Power: Retention

Alison Mueller, MBA, Director of Marketing, Enrollment, and Development, Diocese of Manchester Catholic Schools Office

As Catholic school leaders, we’re stewards of the decades of history and tradition entrusted to us. Our role, among many, is to establish a school’s staying power- or relevance over time, so that future generations can experience the joy of a Catholic education. This workshop will focus on identifying what makes the participant’s Catholic school special, and how schools can harness their uniqueness to add value for families. We will spend time working with schools to recognize their special attributes, and how those attributes impact perceived value and the approach to positioning your school. Additionally, we will talk about improving the quality of what a school offers, and how that is tied to value. Finally, we will discuss how quality and value impacts retention and recruitment of both staff and students. Through group discussion, participants will gain tools to identify what makes their school special and unique, be empowered to better identify their school’s value proposition, learn the importance of value and quality and how they might work to address gaps in their own schools, and understand that Retention and Recruitment are critical to ensure a schools staying power and are whole-school responsibilities. 

Board Governance Committees: Mission-Critical Stewards of Hope

Todd R. Sweda, Ed.D., Institute for the Transformation of Catholic Education, Catholic University of America

The following roles—capacity-builder, trainer, monitor, formator, recruiter, educator, mediator, evaluator—speak to the major responsibilities of an ideal Catholic school board governance committee, responsibilities which can be applicable to the many models of boards: governing, advisory, limited jurisdiction, consultative, parish, and independent. A school’s governance committee leads and stewards essential board functions for achieving mission-effectiveness grounded in the charism of Hope. This session will take a deep dive into the spiritual underpinnings of this committee’s work of recruiting board prospects, orienting and transitioning new members for success, and forming them as disciples through an intentional program of continuing education. The session will address how board, school, parish, and committee leadership intersect with a governance committee and how the board’s work is framed for strategic and generative outcomes. Finally, reviewing this committee’s process for school leader and board evaluation will reveal how to cultivate hope and to point the board in the direction of the only Hope found in the Cross.

Building a Successful Admissions Program with Limited Resources

Ann Alokolaro, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Mangament, Seattle Prep; Kesslie Hollingshead, Director of Enrollment Management, St. Joseph School

In this session, attendees will explore innovative strategies for developing a comprehensive recruitment plan that spans from infancy to high school, covering the entire admissions pipeline. With a focus on cost-effective marketing, discover creative methods for recruitment and retention by harnessing the power of a strong parent/guardian community and current students. Learn how to effectively coordinate with key internal departments such as Advancement, Communications, Marketing, and Admissions to build a vibrant school community, foster school culture, and enhance both recruitment and retention efforts.

The presentation will also dive into the importance of distinctive program design. By incorporating your school’s charism into your programs, you can set your institution apart from competitors and better resonate with prospective families.

Kesslie (serving infants through grade 8) and Ann (serving grades 9-12) have successfully navigated the competitive admissions landscape in Seattle with small teams of just one or two staff members. This session will showcase how even with minimal staffing and budget, Catholic schools can create dynamic admissions programs that not only fill seats but also build a community of students and families who align with the school’s mission and culture. This is an opportunity to learn how small teams can achieve big results and make a lasting impact in the admissions process.

The Power of Partners and Relationships: Mentorship and Growth Across Career Stages  

Erin Luby, E.D., President, Saint Monica Preparatory; Rebecca Bostic, Principal, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy; Denise Jones, President/CEO of Leadership by Design

Catholic educational leaders often lead in isolation. In this session, three Catholic school   leaders at different points on the leadership journey share common challenges encountered at each stage and the power and answers found from colleagues, advisors, and professional networks. 

Participants will acquire tools to sidestep common pitfalls at every stage of leadership. Presenters will outline key learnings and trends to prompt reflection for emerging, mid-career, and veteran school leaders. Explore real life case studies where leaders overcame challenges by leaning into self-reflection and seeking counsel from trusted mentors and advisors, resulting in mission-based decisions. Participants will leave with practical strategies and tools applicable to the continuum of stages of their leadership journeys. 

The session will be led by a team of three women who bring years of practical Catholic school leadership experience from a variety of roles and contexts. Through their combined experience as administrators, coaches, teachers, and lifelong learners, they will offer “voices from the field” — emphasizing the importance of self-reflection, trusted mentors, and networks for their professional and personal growth and leadership efficacy. 

Cultivating Hope:  Creating an Environment of Accountability and Redemption

Matt Wallenhorst, Dean of Student Life and Culture at St. Edward High School; Dr. Harvey A. Tolley, Dean of Student Life and Culture St. Edward High School

St. Edward High School's culture card system is a way through which teachers and students build stronger relationships through restorative practice when there are violations of school culture and standards.  This process is a collaboration of acknowledging the exceeding of standards, repair when students fall short of expectations and allowing for growth of the whole student.  The repair of relationships is a key connection to our Catholic values and mission and provides a framework where every student can learn from mistakes, find psychological safety and evolve into their authentic selves during the formative years of high school.  Attendees will learn elements of a repair conversation, the process of building adult capacity for this framework at a macro and micro level and giving students ownership of their decisions.   

Rethinking the Formation of the "Whole Child" - The Campus Life Model

Dave Brunetti, Vice Principal - Mission & Ministry, Juan Diego Catholic High School; Michelle Moynihan, Director of Campus Life - Juan Diego Catholic High School

In an era marked by disconnection, anxiety, and identity confusion, Catholic schools are uniquely positioned to offer students more than academic excellence—they can offer wholeness. This session introduces the Campus Life Model, a transformative framework that reimagines how we form the “whole child” by integrating spiritual, emotional, and social development into the daily rhythm of school life.

Developed at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Salt Lake City, the Campus Life Model emerged in response to a growing need for depth over checkbox-style programming. Its approach is gutsy and honest—rooted in real-life experiences and conversations that challenge students to confront their fears, name their struggles, and step courageously into the fullness of who they are. The intended result is not just a more engaged student, but a more grounded, resilient young adult—better prepared to face the complex challenges of life after high school.

By unifying student leadership, Christian service, peer ministry, liturgical life, and school rituals, the model fosters authentic formation and lasting transformation. This session will unpack the philosophical foundation of why the model works—especially why now in today’s cultural context—while also offering practical guidance to help school leaders begin or transition to a Campus Life approach. Whether you're building from the ground up or seeking renewal, this session offers both vision and a roadmap.

The Why: Supporting God's Plan for our Students by Creating a Culture of Learning

John Harrington, Principal, Saint Patrick High School; 

Catholic schools exist to help students become who God created them to be—unique, purposeful individuals called to reflect His vision. This mission demands more than maintaining the status quo; it requires building a culture of learning that nurtures each student’s gifts, interests, and potential. Our role as Catholic educators is to identify those God-given traits and guide students accordingly, preparing them not just for college, but for meaningful lives and careers.
Not every student is called to the same path. Designing education solely around one post-secondary destination is limiting and outdated. Instead, Catholic schools must cultivate flexible learning environments that allow students to move fluidly between academic and career pathways. By doing so, we ensure that graduates leave with marketable skills and a sense of purpose, ready to contribute to the world and thrive in industries where talent is needed most.
Rigid tracking systems that lack opportunities for upward movement or personalized direction do a disservice to students and their futures. Our responsibility is to walk with them as they discover their vocations, empowering them to answer God’s call and fulfill the unique role He has designed for each of them.
Participants will leave with:
Practical strategies for:
 Fostering a culture of accountability, expertise, and vision.
 Strengthening teacher leadership and student success.
 Integrating Catholic identity into leadership and instructional practices.
 Improving College Preparedness.
 Developing a Career Pathway focus in your programming
 Reimagining how you can serve all learners to reach rigorous opportunities.

Transforming Catholic School Culture: Strengthening Faith and Community Through Intentional Practices

Kristina Heidkamp-Reyes, Head of School The Academy at St. Joan of Arc; Lisa Tomassetti, Director of Operations, the Academy of St. Joan of Arc

This session will explore the transformative journey of cultivating a vibrant Catholic school culture using the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools (NSBECS) as a guiding framework. Participants will learn practical, mission-driven strategies for deepening Catholic identity through intentional practices centered on prayer, faculty formation, service learning, and professional development.
Using The Academy at St. Joan of Arc—an independent Catholic school in Evanston, Illinois—as a case study, this session will highlight how a faith-centered approach can renew school culture and community life. Attendees will discover how integrating daily prayer and expanding student-led prayer services empowered students to take active ownership of their spiritual formation. These efforts fostered a deeper sense of belonging and community, resulting in over 35 students and parents returning to or entering the Catholic faith through sacraments such as Baptism and Confirmation.
The presentation will also detail the development of reflective faculty retreats, a robust service learning initiative that connects faith with action, and Scripture-based professional development that equips educators to weave Catholic teachings into both curriculum and classroom culture.

Building a Resilient School Culture: Aligning Values, Families, Students, and Staff

Rachel Cavello, Principal,  St. Bernadette Catholic School; Betsy Loy, 2nd Grade teacher, PLC Lead, St. Bernadette Catholic School; Robin Sanders, Fourth Grade Teacher and PLC Leader, St. Bernadette School

A strong school culture doesn’t happen by accident—it is intentionally shaped through mission-driven leadership, engaged staff, and meaningful traditions. But how do we ensure our culture meets the needs of today’s students and families? In this session, we’ll explore practical strategies to strengthen school identity, increase family engagement, and build a resilient, mission-driven community. Through interactive discussions, reflection activities, and strategy-sharing, participants will leave with concrete action steps to implement in their own schools.

The Crisis of Male Disconnection: Breaking the Cycle and Fostering a Community of Vulnerability, Resiliency and Compassion

Fr. Brian Zumbrum, OSFS, LMSW, Director of Activities/School-Based Social Worker, Salesianum; Molly Ontiveros, LPCMH, Director of Wellness, Salesianum School; Patrick Dever, Community Counselor, Salesianum School

As a society, we are facing a crisis of male disconnection.  Our young men are increasingly isolated, disconnected from their peers and their schools, and struggling with ever-increasing levels of anxiety, anger and apathy.  How do we teach, form and support our young men that are within our school communities to counter these societal trends?  This interactive session will highlight the structures, interventions and cultural elements that are working to transform the boys that enter our school into compassionate, resilient, vulnerable and relational young men that are well-equipped to enter the world.  Drawing on the richness of our Catholic tradition, our Salesian charism, and the lived experience of members of our wellness team, this session will provide participants with the opportunity to wrestle with these complex problems, while also walking away with concrete steps that can assist in forging connections with the young men that we encounter in our schools.

Cultivating High-Impact Instructional Practices in Catholic Schools

Dr. Terra A. Caputo, Director of the Center for Ignatian Pedagogy at Saint Ignatius High School

The single greatest predictor of student learning is the competence and quality of the teacher in the room. Empowering teachers to embrace and become experts in high-impact strategies is a powerful pathway for academic success. Further, the recently updated National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools highlights the importance of incorporating research-based strategies in our shared mission of achieving academic excellence for all students. Cutting-edge research in mind, brain, and education science provides compelling tools to achieve this goal. Despite its promise, bridging the research-practice gap in ways that feel accessible, relevant, and meaningful to teachers remains a challenge.

This session focuses on strategies for igniting a culture shift toward research-informed, high-impact instruction. Participants will learn more about key findings from mind, brain, education science and its implications for classroom instruction. The session will also afford opportunities for participants to dialogue with colleagues to identify central instructional "problems of practice" faced by teaching faculty, develop a list of high-impact, research-based solutions to implement, and reflect on strategies for empowering teachers to embrace implementation while maintaining autonomy and accountability. Session attendees will leave with context-specific, concrete strategies for elevating the quality of instruction in their home institution.

Answering the Call: Serving Students with Special Needs in Catholic Education

Megan Cerbins, Director of Special Education and English as a New Language Students

We will explore the importance of including students with special needs in Catholic schools, and how such inclusion aligns with the values of Catholic Social Teachings. The session will provide a practical roadmap for educators, administrators, and diocesan leaders, offering possible next steps. I will share personal experiences and lessons learned from my own journey in fostering inclusion of students with special needs. I will share both the challenges faced and the successful strategies implemented in the school I was a Principal at, as well as the Seton Catholic School's network. This presentation aims to inspire and equip attendees to embrace and enhance inclusive practices within their own communities, ensuring that all students are welcomed, supported, and able to thrive in faith-based environments.

Coaching in the Classroom

Therese Craig, Deputy Superintendent for Academics; Archdiocese of Chicago

We will explore effective strategies for coaching teachers to enhance their instructional practices using data-driven feedback. The presentation will focus on a structured approach to individualized professional development that leads to informed changes for teachers and classroom instruction.

Participants will learn how to set clear, achievable goals with teachers and use various data sources, such as student performance metrics, classroom observations, and self-assessments, to provide targeted feedback.

The session will highlight practical techniques for analyzing data to identify areas for improvement and celebrate successes. Attendees will gain insights into creating actionable feedback that is specific, measurable, and aligned with teachers' professional growth plans. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with the tools and knowledge to foster a culture of continuous improvement and data-informed decision-making in their schools.

Outcomes

1. Participants will prioritize times in their schedules for regular classroom observations
2. Participants will learn how to set clear, achievable goals with teachers
3. Participants will learn practical techniques for analyzing data to identify successes and areas for improvement

AI, Ethics, and Justice in Catholic Education: A Faith-Based Framework for Responsible AI Integration

Dr. Fatima Nicdao, Principal, St. Francis Xavier School

AI, Ethics, and Justice in Catholic Education explores how Catholic schools can thoughtfully integrate artificial intelligence through a lens of faith, ethics, and social justice. This framework aligns emerging technologies with core Catholic values—human dignity, the common good, and moral responsibility—offering practical tools for responsible AI use in teaching, learning, and leadership.

Building Data-Driven Systems to Increase Teacher Efficacy and Student Instructional Outcomes.

Sarah Currier, Associate Superintendent for School Systems and Culture, Archdiocese of San Francisco; Morgan Sweeney, Assistant Principal and Director of C.A.S.T.E.L. Resource Program at Ecole Notre Dame des Victoires 

In this engaging session, TK-8 educators will explore how to build and implement data-driven systems that directly support teacher effectiveness and improve student learning outcomes. Participants will learn practical strategies for collecting, analyzing, and applying instructional data to inform teaching practices, personalize learning, and close achievement gaps. We'll focus on how to create sustainable systems that empower educators to make informed decisions, track student progress in real time, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Whether participants are new to data or looking to refine existing practices, this session will offer tools, templates, and examples tailored to the unique needs of elementary and middle grade classrooms. Come ready to collaborate, reflect, and leave with actionable steps to elevate both teaching and learning.

Developing System-Wide Instructional Leaders 

Dr. Megan Stanton-Anderson, Principal, DePaul College Prep

This session is designed for Catholic school system leaders, principals, and assistant principals and teacher leaders committed to building Christ-centered, academically rigorous, and inclusive high school learning environments. As Catholic education continues to evolve to meet the needs of a range of learners, school-level instructional leaders play a vital role in creating a strong alignment with both educational best practices and the mission and vision of a school.

Participants will explore strategies for cultivating collaborative leadership structures that honor the school’s mission while advancing instructional excellence and equity. The session will highlight how instructional teacher leaders—such as department chairs, instructional coaches, counselors and intervention specialists —can work in tandem with school administrators to create learning environments where every student is known, valued, and challenged to grow in mind, body, and spirit.

Participants will examine how to foster aligned leadership practices that prioritize student-centered learning, data-informed decision-making, and instructional excellence for all learners. The session will highlight structures and strategies that empower instructional leaders to effectively partner with school administrators—promoting a culture of shared leadership, professional learning, and continuous improvement. Emphasis will be placed on addressing the needs of a wide range of learners, including students with disabilities, and those historically underserved.
Attendees will leave with actionable frameworks and tools for developing cross-role leadership teams, supporting school improvement efforts, and ensuring that every student has access to a rigorous and supportive learning environment. 

Empowered to Read: Leading Transformational Independent Reading Practices

Amy Black, Second Grade Teacher, St. Joseph Grade School; Rachel Campbell, Kindergarten Teacher, St. Joseph Grade School; Rachel Schroeder, Assistant Principal, St. Joseph Grade School

Independent reading is one of the most powerful, yet often underutilized, opportunities in literacy instruction. In this session, Amy Black, a passionate local elementary educator, shares her experiences implementing structured independent reading as a teacher leader in two schools with diverse student populations. Drawing from both classroom experience and research-based practices, Amy and her colleagues will address the popular misconceptions about independent reading while demonstrating how to create authentic and purposeful literacy experiences. 

Participants will explore practical strategies for scaffolded text selection, varied accountability systems, and meaningful teacher-student reading conferences. This session highlights the power of student choice and authentic texts to create joyful yet rigorous reading experiences that meet students where they are.

Whether you're looking to build independent reading routines or refine existing ones, this session will equip you with simple, actionable tools to take back to your school and lead with confidence. Ideal for K–5 teachers, literacy specialists, and administrators committed to fostering a culture of enthusiastic, independent readers, this session will help you to transform independent reading from a passive activity into an active, purposeful component of literacy instruction.