Catholic school leaders gather to launch 26-27 academic year
Each year, leaders from Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of Newark assemble prior to the start of the academic year. The School Leaders Administrative Conference, hosted by the archdiocesan Office of Catholic Schools, is a day-long gathering centered on prayer, reflection, and fellowship. It also provides principals and administrators with valuable information about the latest resources available to support their schools.
Around 70 leaders attended the 2026 conference, held at the John Paul II Retreat Center in Kearny, NJ on Aug. 25.
The day began with Mass in the center’s Sacred Heart Chapel, celebrated by Father Stephen J. Fichter, Episcopal Vicar of Education, who said that the Eucharistic celebration was “the best possible way for us as educators to begin a new academic year.”
Among his many responsibilities, Fr. Fichter serves as pastor of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Wyckoff. In his homily, he said that he always reminds students at St. Elizabeth School that while it is admirable to want to become a basketball star, ballerina, or president, “the universal calling is the call to holiness.”
Striving to become saints
“For each and every one of us, from the youngest to the oldest, holiness is our ultimate goal,” Fr. Fichter said. “If we fail in that, then we could be the best leader in the school, the best vicar of education, the best superintendent, but if we’re not living holy lives, we have failed in the end.”
Drawing upon the example of Saint Louis, whose feast was observed that day, Fr. Fichter reminded those gathered that every follower of Christ is imperfect.
“A saint is a sinner who keeps on trying, who gets up once again, who apologizes for their lack of civility, for their lack of patience, or for whatever their faults or failings may be,” he said. “If we could show to our faculty, our families, and our children through our behavior that we are truly striving to be holy, that we are really striving to be the best Christians we can be, that would make a huge difference and have a ripple effect on the whole community.”
“Your role as the leader of your community is to make sure that the children under your care also have that same desire to be saints,” he concluded.
New staff and leaders
After the opening liturgy, the leaders proceeded to the center’s gymnasium, where they were greeted by Superintendent of Catholic Schools Barbara Dolan. She gave a brief overview of the archdiocese’s 64 Catholic Schools, which include 42 parish elementary schools, 1 private elementary school, 17 secondary schools (including 7 private schools), and four schools that serve children from kindergarten through grade 12.
After welcoming several new principals and administrators, Dolan also introduced her team, including two new employees — Jennifer Passuth, who will serve as School Program Coordinator, and Dr. Lucille Verina, the new Director of Student Support.
Dr. Verina, whose role is newly created, spoke to the gathering about her background in education and what she hopes to achieve as “a resource, a partner, and an advocate for our school leaders and ultimately for our students.”
“As Director of Student Support, I am here to walk alongside all of you as you navigate the increasingly complex needs of our students and the families that you serve,” she said. Those needs include social, emotional, and academic challenges that are often “deeply interconnected.”
Responding to an increase in needs and challenges
Dr. Verina said that her role was created in response to the many challenges facing schools and students which include the continuing impact of disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, rising levels of anxiety and depression, and an increase in student needs across the developmental spectrum in all grade levels. These challenges and others require specialized intervention, which has made assisting students an increasingly complex task.
“When a student is struggling emotionally, it can affect learning. When a student is experiencing academic difficulties, it can affect confidence and behavior. And when behavior changes, we all know there is a story underneath it to understand,” Dr. Verina said.
Her role is intended to serve as “a bridge connecting our school leaders with the resources, the expertise, and support they need to respond effectively to the challenges our students face,” she explained.
“Our goal is not simply to respond when a crisis occurs, but to build a capacity within our schools so that we can identify problems early, be preventative, respond thoughtfully and consistently, and continue to create environments where students can develop their skill set with resilience and with the support systems that they need to thrive.”
Education Freedom Tax Credit
There followed a presentation on the status of the new Education Freedom Tax Credit scheduled to take effect in January 2027. Mary McElroy, Associate Vice President of Public Policy for the National Catholic Educational Association, broke down how the credit could benefit parents, students, and schools in the Archdiocese of Newark, calling it “a real opportunity to bring meaningful school choice to New Jersey.”
As McElroy explained, the $1,700 education tax credit will be available to individual taxpayers for donations made to scholarship granting organizations starting in 2027. However, for taxpayers in New Jersey to benefit from the program, Governor Mikie Sherrill must first “opt in” to the program by December 31, 2026.
More information about the program can be found at NJScholarshipCredit.org, which also provides educational resources, answers to frequently asked questions, and updates on the status of the program in the State of New Jersey.
Later, two representatives from the pastoral offices of the archdiocese also addressed school leaders. Elizabeth DeMott, Director of Strategic Projects, presented a new communications tool to the conference members, while Marta Nieves, Regional Safe Environment Coordinator from the Department for the Protection of the Faithful, reviewed procedures that all schools must follow to ensure safe environments for students, faculty, and families.
The day ended in prayer, with school leaders asking to be granted a spirit of gratitude and cooperation, and to be gifted with joy, patience, and enthusiasm as their schools embark on a new year of learning and service.
Featured image: On Aug. 25, around 70 attended the 2026 School Leaders Administrative Conference sponsored by the Archdiocese of Newark’s Office of Catholic Schools at the John Paul II Retreat Center in Kearny, NJ. (Photos by John Touhey / Archdiocese of Newark)
