Answer the call by God to serve as a strong Catholic leaders in the Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend.

At some point, most teachers felt the call to be a teacher. Perhaps a family member or a former teacher said to you, “have you ever thought about being a teacher? You would make a good one.” Perhaps God planted the seed in your heart to consider the vocation of teaching. Hopefully, you have found joy ministering amongst the children amongst whom our Lord himself loved to be near.

If you notice in the scriptural passage above, Andrew and Peter had jobs. They were busy working as fisherman. Then our Lord came to them in the midst of their daily work and invited them to follow him and to be fishers of men.

The calling to be a Catholic school leader is not unlike the call of Peter and Andrew. It is a call within a call. There is a call to be a Catholic school teacher, and an additional call to serve as a Catholic school leader. Indeed, the vocation of every Christian is to aspire to answer the call to follow him.

The Aspiring Catholic Leaders program, formerly the prospective principals program, is for teachers who aspire to answer the call by God to serve as a strong Catholic leaders in the Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend. The goal of the program is to develop school principals that have a strong foundation in the National Benchmarks and Standards for an Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary School.

A Catholic school leader has three basic roles; as the spiritual leader, educational leader, and as a manager. The principal provides leadership designed to maximize the spiritual, educational, social, and personal development of each individual student and every member of the school community. The program provides the necessary training, professional development, and faith formation for those three basic roles of a Catholic school leader.

The Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend has partnered with the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) Regional Principal Institute to provide professional development in Mission and Catholic Identity, Governance and Leadership, Academic Excellence, and Operational Vitality in addition to the Diocesan training.

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”At once they left their nets and followed him.

Matthew 4:18-20

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Aspiring Catholic Leaders Program?

The purpose of the Aspiring Catholic Leaders Program is the development of Catholic school principals. The Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend is committed to developing strong Catholic leaders for our schools. The Diocese has partnered with the National Catholic Education Association to create a program to help develop strong Catholic leaders.

What are the commitments required as part of the program?

Professional development and other trainings are required as part of the program. A participant will be required to attend New Principal Induction meetings, the four NCEA Regional Principal Professional Development workshops, and additional faith formation days. Participants will also be required to shadow a Catholic school administrator one day at a time with a total of four days per semester.

What are the requirements for the program?

The candidate must be Catholic, have 5 years of teaching experience, willing to pay 1/3rd of tuition cost, have a recommendation from their current principal or pastor, have good evaluations, and provide an essay/philosophy of Catholic school leadership. A letter of acceptance to an approved educational leadership program is required. Candidates must apply to administrator openings in Diocese.

What educational leadership programs accepted to be part of the Aspiring Catholic Leadership Program?

See approved program list

How do I apply?

Complete the Aspiring Catholic Leaders Program application below. You will need to upload a brief resume, a letter of recommendation from a current principal or pastor, a letter of acceptance into an educational leadership program from an approved college or university, an essay on your philosophy of Catholic school leadership, and the principal signature page from your current principal. Applications are due to the Catholic Schools Office by July 15.

What is the application process?

Applications as part of the 2020-2021 cohort are due by July 15, 2020. Notification of acceptance into the program is sent out on July 27, 2020

Is there tuition assistance covered by the Diocese for the educational leadership programs?

The Diocese provides tuition assistance through the educational assistance plan.

What is the educational assistance plan?

The educational assistance plan furnishes educational assistance to employees of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. The plan covers a portion of the tuition fees. The plan does not cover the cost of books, supplies, or meals, lodging, and travel. Contact the Catholic Schools Office for more details.