This virtual program for new school administrators and board chairs offers training and discussion on topics critical to leaders of Mercy Catholic schools.
For questions and registration information, please contact Susan Smith, Associate Director.
2026-2027 Cycle
In Catherine's Boots: Living the Mercy Legacy Today - Erin DaCosta and Theresa Gannon
Presentation Dates:
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 11 am ET
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 6 pm ET
As Catholic Mercy educators, we are blessed to stand on Catherine McAuley’s shoulders and carry the torch of Mercy forward. While each of us comes to this mission with different experiences, we are united by a shared commitment to living and sharing the Mercy charism.
The presenters will share about their recent pilgrimage through Dublin to the places where Catherine’s mission began. Catherine’s story is not simply part of our history—it is part of our calling. This presentation will invite all to reflect on what Catherine’s legacy means for us today and how we continue to pass it on through our work, our relationships, and our witness to our students.
Mission-Centered Communication Before, During and After a Crisis - Lauren Albright
Presentation Dates:
Thursday, December 3, 11 am ET
Thursday, December 3, 6 pm ET
Strong crisis communication begins long before a crisis occurs. This session will explore how school leaders can build communication plans that reflect their school’s mission and values and provide a framework for responding when challenges arise. Topics will include crisis preparedness, stakeholder communications, message development, and considerations for keeping the Mercy mission at the center of every message.
Steward Leadership in Mercy Education: Advancing Catholic School Mission in an Era of Lay Leadership - Dr. Anne Knapke
Presentation Dates:
Thursday, January 28, 2027, 11 am ET
Thursday, January 28, 2027, 6 pm ET
Catholic schools continue to face significant challenges as they transition from religious to lay leadership, especially in preserving mission integrity, Catholic identity, and long-term sustainability. Insights from Mercy schools and Mercy Education will illustrate how first-generation lay leaders embody Mercy charism, practice relational and participatory leadership, and align strategic and financial decisions with mission values. Steward leadership emerges as a framework that advances both tradition and innovation, embedding mission in governance, promoting ethical decision-making, and strengthening school culture. Leadership formation and mission-driven planning will play a vital role in sustaining Catholic schools for generations to come.
Ethical Decision Making - Pat Talone, RSM
Presentation Dates:
Tuesday, February 23, 11 am ET
Wednesday, February 24, 6 pm ET
The presentation explores the WHY of making ethical decisions – aligning what we do with who we say we are. It provides a model of and clear steps for making key ethical decisions, particularly in an educational setting. Furthermore, it shows how Catholic teaching and Mercy values assist in what can often be a challenging process. Participants are encouraged to reflect before the meeting and come with at least one experience of ethical import from their own professional lives.
Mercy Catholic Education is Transformational Education - Dr. Mario Brunetta
Presentation Dates:
Wednesday, April 14, 2027, 11 am ET
Wednesday, April 14, 2027, 6 pm ET
We will explore how a Mercy Education is not merely transactional, but transformational for the students we teach and form. Using the notion of Catholic “sensibilities,” we consider the key elements of the rich tradition of Catholic Social Teaching through the lens of the charism and leadership direction of the Sisters of Mercy and how these impact leadership in our schools.
2025-2026 Cycle
Download full program here.
Strategic Planning – Your School’s Bridge from Mission to Vision - Mary J. Foley
Date/Time: Thursday, October 23, 2025, 11 am or 6 pm ET
“Strategic planning isn’t important; strategic planning is.”
Your school’s strategic planning process can result in a succinct and powerful guide for growth, improvement, decision making, resource development and accountability. Or, it can be endless hours of meetings and an enormous document that sits on a shelf. This informative and engaging webinar will describe a process that maximizes impact without undo wear and tear on the participants. Practical steps, with options for each element of the process, will be presented to allow you to select the best approach for your school so that you can move quickly from planning to action.
It’s What You Don’t Know That You Don’t Know About Human Resources - Donna A. Tschoepe
Date/Time: Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 11 am or 6 pm
One always thinks anyone can mange HR but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, anyone can hire, or can they? Benefits are a snap…but finding the most cost-efficient ones for both the school and the employee is the challenge. But the biggest challenge is employee relations, or keeping the school out of litigation. Too many settlements are made without an HR person at the table. This presentation will help schools understand how having an HR person not only saves money for the school but keeps employees happy and satisfied, keeps turnover low and keeps schools out of litigation. HR people keep up with Employment law and court rulings that shade the letter of the law. Donna will share best practices of the Human Resources profession to help many better understand its value.
“WWCD” – What Would Catherine Do?” A Conversation on Best Practices for Board Leadership - Jeff Filcik
Date/Time: Thursday, March 5, 2026, 6 pm ET
Identifying and applying best practices for a Board of Directors is a laudable, and lofty, goal. But what are best practices anyway? This session will provide a discussion grounded in the presenter’s personal experience as both a Board Chair and Board member. What worked well and what did not? How can Board members apply, and live out, the Mercy charism in a practical sense? How is the relationship between the Board Chair and the Head of School best fostered? What are effective ways for a Board to evaluate the Head of School? What does authentic Board support of students, faculty, and administration look like in practice? What are the polestars a Board should look to for direction? What can be learned from Catherine McAuley’s ideas on leadership? While there may be no single “right” answers to these questions, some practices may prove more effective than others in achieving desired goals. This session will invite participants into a thoughtful exchange of experiences and insights.