The Catholic School Leaders Podcast

NCEA President Dr. Steve Cheeseman joins John Mihalyo to talk about what he's seeing in Catholic schools across the country, a new fellowship for future Catholic school leaders, and what leaders can do right now to get ready for the federal tax credit.

After two years on the road, more than 30 dioceses, and well over 100 Catholic schools, Dr. Steve Cheeseman keeps coming back to the same word. Hope. In this conversation, the president of the National Catholic Educational Association shares why he sees it everywhere, from big-city schools to Native American reservations, and why roughly 40 percent of Catholic schools now have waiting lists. Steve and John talk about investing in people before programs, why Catholic schools don't need to chase public schools, and what it means to stay rooted in mission and the dignity of every child.

Steve also walks through the NCEA's new framework and its three priorities: being the national voice for Catholic schools, forming teachers and leaders in both faith and operational vibrancy, and connecting schools across the country so no leader has to figure things out alone. He gives listeners an early look at the new De La Salle Fellowship, a program supported by the Christian Brothers that helps aspiring Catholic school administrators build the skills, mentors, and network they'll need before they ever step into the principal's office.

Then the conversation turns to the federal tax credit. Steve explains where things stood at the time of recording, why this is about kids and not public versus private, how donors can still claim the credit even if their state doesn't opt in, and why advancement teams need to start thinking differently now. As he puts it, Starbucks makes its money one cup of coffee at a time. The episode closes with a preview of the NCEA convention in Indianapolis and a word of gratitude for everyone doing this work: it isn't easy work, but it is holy work.

Federal tax credit details reflect what was known at the time of recording in September 2026.

Watch the full video interview: youtube.com/@ElementaryAdvancement

Learn more about the NCEA: ncea.org

Work with John: elementaryadvancement.com
Contact John: elementaryadvancement.com
Contact Steve: [email protected]

Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

History teacher Jon Kendrick has led twelve international trips with high school students, from Rome to New Zealand. He joins the show to talk about how he built a safe, affordable travel program and why walking where history happened changes kids for good.

Show notes
Jon Kendrick still remembers standing in St. Peter's Square as a teenager, watching Pope John Paul II carry the cross on Good Friday. That moment planted a bug in him that never went away, and fifteen years later, as a history and government teacher, he's passed it on to hundreds of his own students.

In this episode, Jon talks about the travel program he's built from scratch, twelve trips and counting to places like Italy, China, Dubai, Australia, and soon Scotland and Ireland. We cover the questions every school leader has before saying yes to something like this: keeping kids safe far from home, what it costs and how families make it work, and a couple of stories that stuck with us, including watching the pope up close and a passport that went missing in one country and turned up before dinner.

If you've ever wondered whether a program like this could work at your school, this one's worth the listen.

Topics covered
What sparked Jon's own love of travel. Building the program and where the group has been. Safety and how EF Tours keeps large groups protected. The lost passport story. Making trips affordable on a monthly plan. Culture shock moments abroad. Running trips through the school versus independently. Chaperone ratios and packing advice.

Guest bio
Jon Kendrick teaches AP US History, AP Government and Politics, and Government Politics Honors at Cornerstone Classical in Jacksonville, Florida. For fifteen years he's led international travel programs for high schoolers, from Italy and China to Australia and New Zealand. Reach him at [email protected].

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Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

The Keys to a Successful Catholic School

Host: John Mihalyo

You can walk into a Catholic school and know within thirty seconds whether it's thriving or just getting by, before you've seen a test score, an enrollment sheet, or the trophy case.

In this episode, John breaks down the six keys he's identified after twenty years in Catholic school leadership and years of working with schools across the country: Catholic Culture and Identity, Community Engagement, Faculty and Workforce, Individual Student Growth, Operational Vitality, and Leadership. Each one is drawn from his free resource, The Keys to a Successful Catholic School, and John walks through what each key actually looks like in a thriving school and the question every leader should be asking about it.

This isn't a fix-it-in-fifteen-minutes guide, and John says so directly. It's a framework built around the right questions, the kind meant to be brought to your teachers' meetings, your advisory committee, and conversations with your pastor and leadership team, so your school can figure out where its focus needs to be right now, not where anyone else's does. John leaves you with one challenge: pick the key that made you a little uncomfortable, and bring it to your next leadership meeting.

LINKS AND RESOURCES

Connect with John Mihalyo! Grab the free resource, The Keys to a Successful Catholic School, at elementaryadvancement.com

If this episode was helpful, share it with another Catholic school leader who could use it.

Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

It's the first week of school, the handbook says doors open at 8:00, and a mom is standing outside a locked door at 8:04 wondering if your school means what it prints. In this episode, John talks about the side of integrity that never makes it onto a banner in the front hallway: doing exactly what you said, exactly when you said you'd do it.

From faculty meetings that actually start at 3:30 to fundraising dollars that go where you promised they'd go, John walks through why the small, unglamorous promises you keep, or don't, are quietly building or breaking trust with your parents, teachers, and donors. He's upfront that integrity shows up in the big, costly decisions too, that's not in question, but this episode is about the promises nobody's watching for.

John also flips the conversation around. Starting on time only earns you the right to be worth showing up for. He shares what it looks like to run a faculty meeting your staff actually wants to attend, not just tolerate, and why that's the same muscle as keeping your word.

LINKS AND RESOURCES

Work with John If you want help building the kind of trust that grows enrollment and advancement in your school, reach out at elementaryadvancement.com

If this episode was helpful, subscribe and share it with another Catholic school leader in your network. Thank you for the integrity you bring to your building every day, especially in the moments nobody's watching.

Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

Six Brands Every Catholic School Leader Should Study

Host: John Mihalyo 

Every day, families walk through your doors already trained by six companies to expect something incredible, and they don't even realize it.

In this episode, John looks at Apple, Amazon, Nike, Southwest, Disney, and Chick-fil-A, six brands that have earned a level of trust and loyalty most organizations only dream of, and asks the question every Catholic school leader should be asking: what would it look like if we did the same thing our way, rooted in our mission and our faith?

From Apple's gift for building anticipation to Amazon's obsession with removing friction, from Nike's unmistakable identity to Southwest's 47 years of profitability built on culture, from Disney's intentional design of every single detail to Chick-fil-A's hospitality that never apologizes for what it stands for, each company has something to teach us. John breaks down what each one does well and what the Catholic school version of that could actually look like in your building this year.

The bigger point, though, is that recruitment and culture were never just one person's job. Your front desk, your cleaning team, your teachers at pickup, all of them are shaping the experience a family remembers. John leaves you with one challenge: pick the thing from this episode that made you a little uncomfortable, and change it this month.

LINKS AND RESOURCES

Connect with John Mihalyo!
If you want help turning any of these ideas into something real for your school, reach out at elementaryadvancement.com

If this episode got you thinking, send it to another Catholic school leader who could use a fresh way of looking at their building this week.

Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

Host: John Mihalyo | Guest: Sloane Heffernan, Founder, Storymore

Your school has an incredible story happening inside its four walls every single day. So why does almost nobody outside those walls know about any of it?

Sloane Heffernan spent the majority of her career in broadcast news at NBC affiliates in Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina before the weight of the stories she was covering started eating away at her. She left the newsroom and founded Storymore, where she now helps organizations, including Catholic schools across the country, find and share their stories through video and clear messaging. She's also sent all three of her own kids through Catholic school, so this conversation is personal for her too.

In this episode, Sloane and John dig into why so many Catholic schools are sitting on one of the best kept secrets in education, and what it actually takes to stop keeping it. They talk about the real difference between putting information out there and telling a story people feel, why the school leader usually isn't the right person to be the face of that story, and how any school, regardless of budget, can start capturing what is already happening in their classrooms today.

Here is some of what they get into:

• Why storytelling beats "drill and kill" messaging, and the difference between noise and sound
• How to find your one target person and talk directly to them instead of a crowd
• Why parents and teachers make better storytellers than principals
• The two most common excuses schools give for not telling their story, and how to move past them
• Why you do not need a big budget or a film crew, just a phone and the willingness to hit record
• How to "story mine" your own school to uncover what actually sets you apart
• Why that old COVID era welcome video still sitting on your homepage might be quietly costing you trust
• A two week summer challenge to keep your families connected before the fall

If you have ever looked around your school and thought, "we are doing amazing things and nobody knows it," this one is going to give you a lot to think about and a lot to go do.

Connect with John If you want to talk about your school's story, enrollment, or advancement strategy, head over to www.elementaryadvancement.com and let's set up a time to connect.

Learn more about Story-more here!

If this episode was helpful, subscribe and share it with another Catholic school leader who needs to hear this. Thank you for everything you do for your students, your families, and the mission of Catholic education.

Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

Host: John Mihalyo | Guest: Deacon Dave Kerski, Former Catholic School Principal, Diocese of Raleigh

What does it actually mean to be a Catholic school — not just in name, but in everything you do, every single day?

Deacon Dave Kerski knows the difference. He spent ten years turning around a Catholic school in New Bern, North Carolina that was on the brink of closing. He earned his master's from Notre Dame's ACE program, served as a deacon, and built the kind of school culture that students, families, and teachers genuinely wanted to be a part of. Not by accident — by being relentlessly intentional about it.

In this episode, Deacon Dave and John have a real conversation about what authentic Catholic identity actually looks like in a school building. Not the surface stuff. The deep stuff. The kind of culture that changes how kids grow up, how teachers show up, and how families understand what they are signing up for.

Here is some of what they get into:

Why Catholic identity is an anthropological question, not just a checklist of Catholic stuff you do 
How to build a school playbook that ties everything — from morning drop-off to the awards you give out — back to your root beliefs and core values 
What to do when a fourth grader asks you something you have no idea how to answer 
Why your eighth graders may have been at a Catholic school their whole life and still have a malformed conscience — and what to do about it The difference between Catholic culture and Catholic identity, and why getting that wrong will cost you 
How to build teacher formation that actually prepares your staff for the hard conversations kids are already having 
Why it is better to be a year too early than a minute too late when it comes to forming your students in the faith 
What AI in the classroom has to do with Catholic pedagogy — and why Catholic schools may have the upper hand if they take it seriously 
The one thing every Catholic school principal has to have in place before they can lead anyone else

If you are a principal, pastor, superintendent, or school leader who has ever looked around and wondered whether your school is actually Catholic or just kind of Catholic — this one is going to give you a lot to think about and a lot to go do.

Connect with John If you want to talk about your school — enrollment, advancement, culture, or whatever is keeping you up at night — head over to elementaryadvancement.com and let's set up a time to connect.

If this episode was helpful, subscribe and share it with another Catholic school leader who needs to hear this. Thank you for everything you do for your students, your families, and the mission of Catholic education.

Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

Host: John Mihalyo | Guest: Tom Conroy, Principal, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School, Verona, NJ

Tom Conroy spent over 20 years as a public school principal before stepping into Catholic school leadership at Our Lady of the Lake in Verona, New Jersey. He will be the first to tell you that nothing fully prepared him for what he walked into — and that it has been the best chapter of his career.

In this episode, Tom and John get honest about what that transition really looks like. The surprises, the myths, and the mindset shifts that nobody hands you in a manual on day one. From the financial realities that catch almost every new Catholic school leader off guard, to leading with your faith out front for the first time, to figuring out why recruitment and advancement are so much more than you expected — this conversation covers a lot of ground.

Tom also talks about burnout, why asking for help is not a weakness, and what it actually feels like to be part of a Catholic school community after years of wondering what all the fuss was about.

If you are heading into your first year leading a Catholic school, just survived your first year, or are thinking about making the jump from public school — this one is for you.

LINKS AND RESOURCES

Work with John elementaryadvancement.com

Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

Host: John Mihalyo  |  ~25 min

You made it through another school year — and that is worth celebrating. Whether this year felt like a championship season or survival mode, you showed up every single day for your students, your families, and your mission. That matters.

In this episode, John takes a few minutes to celebrate what you accomplished, have an honest conversation about where your enrollment stands heading into summer, and send you off with five practical action items to make sure the next few months are intentional — not accidental.

Because here's the thing — summer is not a break from enrollment. Families are making decisions right now, and the schools that stay visible and proactive are the ones that win in the fall. If you're not where you wanted to be this year, John talks about why your message may not be landing and what to do about it.

And yes — rest is on the list too. You cannot lead well on empty. So before you dive into summer planning mode, give yourself permission to actually recharge. The mission needs you healthy.

LINKS AND RESOURCES

Free Summer Workshop

"Ten Things Every Catholic School Leader Should Do This Summer" — free at elementaryadvancement.com

Work with John
If your enrollment isn't where you want it to be, reach out at elementaryadvancement.com

If this episode was helpful, subscribe and share it with another Catholic school leader who could use some encouragement heading into summer. Thank you for everything you do for your students, your families, and the mission of Catholic education.

Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

Host: John Mihalyo
Guest: Tara Nelson, Advancement & Enrollment Director, Parkersburg Catholic Schools

The Catholic School Leaders Podcast Episode Overview

Three years ago, Parkersburg Catholic Schools was facing declining enrollment, financial uncertainty, and rumors in the community that the school might not survive. Today, they are raising $500,000 for a campus consolidation project backed by a 3-to-1 diocesan match of $1.5 million and they are ahead of schedule.

In this episode, John sits down with Tara Nelson, the advancement and enrollment director who has been at the center of this transformation, to talk about how they rebuilt trust, grew their community, and created a culture where dreaming bigger became the expectation not the exception.

Key Takeaways

1. Trust has to be rebuilt before dollars will follow. Families and donors won't invest in a school they aren't sure will still be open. Parkersburg Catholic started small — fixing the ice machine, securing new front doors and showed their community that when they said something would happen, it happened.

2. Parish partnerships have to be a two-way street. The school shows up at all five of their parishes every single month. Not just to ask for support but to give it. That intentional relationship is a big reason their community showed up when it mattered most.

3. Word of mouth marketing is free and it is powerful. A simple end-of-year video from their elementary principal went into the tens of thousands of views and helped grow their Facebook following from 1,200 to nearly 3,500. You don't need a big budget. You need an authentic story worth telling.

4. Intentionality is everything. Nothing happening at Parkersburg Catholic is accidental. From who speaks at Sunday Mass to when posts go out on social media to how faculty are appreciated, there is a system and a purpose behind all of it.

5. When you dream bigger, your community shows up bigger. Nobody blinked when the $500,000 goal was announced. That confidence didn't come from nowhere — it came from two years of doing exactly what they said they would do.

Challenge for This Week

Think about one promise your school has made to your community, big or small, that hasn't been followed through on yet. What would it take to close that loop this week and start rebuilding that trust?

Connect with Parkersburg Catholic Schools

Follow their campaign and campus project updates: 🌐 parkersburgcatholic.com 📘 Facebook: Parkersburg Catholic Schools

Learn More

John Mihalyo works with Catholic schools across the country through Elementary Advancement Solutions, helping leaders strengthen enrollment, advancement, and long-term sustainability.

Learn more at www.elementaryadvancement.com

Schedule a time to meet with John here!

Learn more about today's sponsor, Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.