Vibrant Catholic Schools Newsletter: September 2025
Here's what's happening in Catholic Ed: September 2025
Here's what's happening in Catholic Education in September, plus helpful resources for leadership, Catholic culture, academic excellence, and school advancement.
This Month in Faith
September Resources
Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Guiding Light: Notes for School Leaders
Communication: The Most Important Factor in Retention and Donor Engagement
I am going to say something bold here which is that communication is the most important tool for school success and the tool schools most often overlook. Particularly in the Catholic elementary schools, the old take-home folder became an email blast with links to 15 flyers and forms from the nurse to the PTA, or it’s now a landing page on the website of disorganized links. OR, every department sends emails whenever they want to with no predictable pattern leading to a pile-up in the parent email inbox. Stop. It’s ugly.
For PARENT only communication, do this instead:
Parents need predictable (predictable day, predictable time) communication. Schools that are vibrant have stories to share; stories we want parents to repeat. They also need families to be informed about what is coming up with repeated reminders. Coordinate emails from all departments. Use a professional email platform with a branded look. If you need something inexpensive to get started, use the Smore platform ($99/year). It’s mobile friendly, and you can send the link to your newsletter through your SIS eblast system or use the platform itself to send the message.
Weekly Parent Update:
🔹Short, uplifting message to parents
🔹Important dates and upcoming events
🔹Bulleted lists of important information organized by department
🔹Repeat reminders so parents do not need to go back through all their emails to find “that form”
Monthly Newsletter
🔹Short, uplifting message to parents
🔹Tell a story about: an alumni, student, or family
🔹Academic and athletic achievements of students
🔹Message from the advancement office
🔹Parish Collaboration/Parish events (where applicable)
🔹Important dates and upcoming events
🔹Repeat reminders
Resources for Principals
Principal Transition Checklist for New Leaders
Key Tasks for Principals: Monthly Checklist
Administrator Quick Links Dashboard (Google Sheets)
Faculty Meeting Agenda/Note Taking Guide
Igniting Sparks: Resources for Teachers
Why Teaching Virtues Matters
Teaching virtues is not merely about encouraging good behavior, it is about forming the whole person in the image and likeness of God. In Catholic education, virtue formation is a response to the Gospel call to become holy, to love others, and to live a life of integrity and purpose. Virtues are not just habits of character; they are graces that shape how students think, choose, and act in relationship with God and others. By intentionally teaching virtues, we help students develop the moral compass needed to navigate life with wisdom and compassion. Virtue education empowers students to become not only successful scholars but also faithful disciples, responsible citizens, and joyful witnesses of Christ’s love in the world.
Did you know the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecelia have a free resource called Virtues in Practice? If your school is not using it, you could still easily incorporate Virtues in Practice in the Classroom. While the program is meant to be monthly with a three year cycle, you could also teach it weekly and move through all the virtues in one year.
Why Teaching Expectations and Routines Matters
Establishing and explicitly teaching clear expectations and routines is one of the most important investments a new teacher can make in building a successful classroom environment. Students thrive in settings where they know what is expected of them and how to succeed. Routines provide predictability, which fosters a sense of safety, reduces anxiety, and increases instructional time. But even the best routines require consistent reinforcement. When students do not comply with expectations, it is not necessarily defiance, it may reflect unclear teaching, developmental needs, or the normal testing of boundaries. Addressing non-compliance calmly and consistently helps protect the integrity of the learning environment and teaches students responsibility and self-control. By approaching behavioral guidance as a part of the formation process, not just correction, teachers cultivate classrooms rooted in respect, accountability, and growth.
FREE Behavioral Expectations Matrix (editable Google Doc)
Bright Headlines
Here's what's happening in Catholic Education and Youth in the Church
About the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA)
The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) is not just about private school tuition. It provides a federal income tax credit that will help parents with children in K-12 public and private schools and fund things like transportation, books, educational technology software, education supplies, home schooling curriculum materials and other qualified education expenses as well as tutoring and special needs services AND tuition. This is a new section in the Internal Revenue Code (§25F) and is permanent; there is no expiration date.
Evangelizing on social media more than just gaining followers, Leo XIV reminds influencers
Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday participated in the Mass celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica on the occasion of the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers, encouraging them to create encounters “between hearts” regardless of the number of followers they have.
Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati to be canonized together
The canonizations of the two young saints—one from the early twentieth century, the other the first twenty-first-century saint—have been greatly anticipated due to the great devotion among the faithful.
Pope Leo XIV to hold his first digital encounter with young US Catholics
Pope Leo XIV is expected to address the up to 15,000 registered young people ages 14-18 from Catholic youth movements across the United States during a 45-minute live dialogue. The event marks the Holy Father's first-ever digital encounter with young people at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), which will take place on Friday, November 21, 2025, at 10:15 AM Eastern Time.
Archdiocese of Miami Catholic Schools Anticipate Enrollment Surge as 37,000 Students Set to Return
The Archdiocese of Miami is opening its doors once again, as they prepare to welcome a surge of students for the new academic year. Today, nearly 37,000 students are expected to return to Catholic schools across South Florida, with enrollment figures showing an increase of approximately 800 students from the previous year.
A Classical Revival: How a New Jersey Catholic School Went From Almost Closed to Thriving
OLMC in Boonton almost became a statistic in 2014, when attendance in the K-8 school dipped to below 70 students and combining grades almost became a means for survival. Then came Father O’Mullane in 2015, who introduced the concept of classical Catholic education — and 10 years later, the school now has 350 students and has added a secondary school called the Lumen Gentium High School Academy.
Talking Catholic (Diocese of Camden): A Classical Catholic Curriculum (Podcast)
As the 2025–26 school year approaches, Catholic schools across the Diocese of Camden are preparing for another year of academic excellence—freshly cleaned classrooms, updated technology, and new beginnings. But at Holy Angels Catholic School in Woodbury, NJ, one change stands out above the rest: a bold transition to a classical Catholic curriculum. This week on Talking Catholic, cohosts Marianela Nunez and Mike Bress sit down with Father Joseph Byerley, pastor of Holy Angels Parish; Matthew Soldano, the school’s Director of Curriculum; and new principal William Hennessy to explore what this exciting shift means for students, teachers, and the broader school community.
What the Supreme Court’s Deadlock Means for Religious Schools—and How Philanthropy Can Help
The case of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond brought national attention to the question of whether religious institutions could operate publicly funded charter schools. Even as the charter question remains unresolved, philanthropy can play a vital role expanding access to religious education through private means.