Corpus Christi principal selected for National Mentor Program
December 10, 2019
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Eleven Catholic elementary school principals who demonstrate strong, transformational leadership were nominated by superintendents from all regions of the country to participate in a new National Catholic School Mentor Program. The program kicked off in August with a three-day Leadership Institute where the principals analyzed their current strategies for curriculum development, funding models and enrollment management to identify areas of improvement.
Dr. Mazie McCoy, principal at Corpus Christi Catholic School (CCCS) in Houston, was among the selected.
“I’m very grateful to have been selected to participate in this program,” McCoy said. “It’s afforded me the opportunity to collaborate with other Catholic school administrators throughout the nation. We are able to share ideas, problem solve and explore possibilities.”
McCoy said the group’s work is guided by national research conducted by the National Catholic Education Association and a national nonprofit focused on promoting Catholic philanthropy.
She said the work “gives us insight to the perceptions and expectations of parents regarding their children’s education. We have each set goals for our individual schools based on this valuable information.”
The National Catholic School Mentor Program was developed in correlation with the 2016 research on parental perceptions of Catholic schools, The Catholic School Choice: Understanding the Perspectives of Parents and Opportunities for More Engagement. The program intends to equip principals with the skills and resources needed to apply the research and positively impact enrollment and retention in their respective schools.
The program’s sponsors, FADICA, (Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities) and the National Catholic Educational Association selected the professional consultants at Meitler to lead the initiative.
As experts in Catholic school planning and operational strategy, Meitler coordinated the Leadership Institute and will continue to provide ongoing mentoring and coaching to the principals throughout the 2019-2020 school year. All of these benefits are provided at no cost to the participant or the diocese, due to the generous support of project donors.
Though national in reach, the program is locally focused, designed to to impact real change at the local level in each principal’s community and school like McCoy’s Corpus Christi. To alleviate the isolation that principals often experience, the program utilizes a cohort model offering regular opportunities throughout the school year for principals to engage and support each other.
At Corpus Christi, McCoy said her goals are to implement an enrollment management program and an ambassador program.
“Working with the Meitler team and the Catholic Schools Office of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Corpus’ School Board has created an Enrollment Management Team to work on specific tasks to increase both enrollment and retention,” McCoy Said. “I am also working with our Director of Admissions Susan Miller, current CCCS parents, and Corpus Christi parish staff to execute an ambassador program. The hope is that our ambassadors will help spread the word of all the good things taking place here at Corpus, which ultimately will have a positive impact on our enrollment.”
McCoy said she looks forward to sharing with other Catholic school leaders what she learns from the program, especially with Debra Haney, superintendent of Catholic Schools in Galveston-Houston.
“I hope to share this experience and gained knowledge with the other principals in the Archdiocese, so that all of our schools will benefit and see an increase in enrollment and retention, which will allow us all to continue to fulfill God’s purpose of forming disciples,” she said.