Dear Fellow Catholic Educators,

As the academic year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the journey we've shared together. This year has reinforced what we know to be true: distance cannot diminish the power of Catholic education when we work together with purpose and innovation.

Through challenges and triumphs alike, our community has demonstrated resilience, compassion, and unwavering dedication to Catholic education. Every improvement we’ve made—from expanding our course offerings to enhancing teacher development—has been designed to better serve your students and support your mission.

Celebrating Our Successes

I’m proud to share the meaningful impact we’ve made together in Catholic education. This year, Catholic Virtual welcomed 55 new school partners and served 2,520 Catholic students across the country, while our teachers delivered over 7,960 hours of online instruction that maintained the faith-centered excellence your school demands.

More importantly, we've witnessed spiritual growth throughout our community. More than a 1,800 Catholic School leaders have downloaded the white papers in our spiritual leadership professional learning series to deepen their faith-based leadership approach. They also downloaded and shared resources like our “Habemus Papam!” Celebration Kit, Saint Carlo Acutis Prayer Card, Stations of the Cross Prayer and Reflection Guide, and more from our blog.

Father Michael, our school chaplain, connected with our students and schools through his reflections shared on YouTube and our other social channels. Through technology, we've proven that distance is no barrier to building a vibrant Catholic community united in faith and purpose.

Learning from The Next Class 2.0 Podcast, Season 5

Another way we've strengthened our virtual Catholic education community this year is through meaningful conversations and shared learning experiences. The Next Class 2.0 has become a popular place for discussions in Catholic education. Season 5 provided particularly insightful discussions on the integration of faith and modern education.

5 Key Takeaways from The Next Class 2.0 Podcast, Season 5

1. The Importance of Relationships in Catholic Education
   Season 5 emphasized how building strong relationships between educators, students, and communities is fundamental to Catholic schools' success. The hosts and guests discussed how these relationships provide the foundation for academic achievement and personal growth, especially in challenging times.
   
   
2. Growth Mindset as a Transformative Educational Approach
   A major focus of the season is exploring Daniel Porterfield's (CEO of the Aspen Institute) book, Mindset Matters, and how growth mindsets empower students for lifelong learning. The discussions highlight five key mindsets: discovery, creation, collaboration, mentorship, and striving—all essential for students to thrive in today's rapidly changing world.
   
   On the podcast, as in his work, Porterfield emphasized the importance of educational institutions helping students develop critical mindsets. He explained that people with growth mindsets "have faith in self-improvement. They tend to be goal oriented and optimistic, confident that they can master new challenges because they've done so in the past."
   
   
3. The Impact of School Choice on Catholic Education
   This season also examined how universal school choice policies, particularly in places like Florida, are reshaping enrollment patterns and creating new opportunities for Catholic schools.
   
   The insightful episode with Dr. Jim Rigg and Fr. John Belmonte, superintendents from Miami and Venice, explored Florida's universal school choice and its benefits for Catholic education amid Miami's cultural diversity. Fr. Belmonte shared the diocese's rich history of supporting immigrant families and highlights scholarships that enhance access to quality private education for all families.
   
   And just this month, Ashling Kelly Preston, Associate Director of Government Relations for the USCCB spoke about the historic federal school choice legislation. This must-listen episode helps diocesan leaders and school administrators start to consider what this in-progress legislation and funding could mean for them.
   
   
4. Leadership Strategies for Educational Innovation
   Conversations with leaders like Ed Jennings (CEO of Quick Base) and Kelby Woodard (CEO of Cristo Rey Network) provide insights into effective leadership approaches. These discussions explore how leaders can balance high performance with team collaboration and adapt leadership styles for educational contexts.
   
   
5. The Evolving Role of Technology in Catholic Education
   The season addresses how Catholic schools are integrating technology, particularly AI, to enhance learning while maintaining their core values and mission. Our guests discussed the importance of embracing new innovations while thoughtfully integrating for the most meaningful impact.
   
   Perhaps the best episode to explore this further is Casey Carter and Dan O'Keefe’s conversation about the transformative potential of generative AI in education. They explore how AI can shift focus from memorization to critical thinking and address concerns about AI biases and risks.

It was hard to limit my reflection on the season to only five takeaways. I hope you’ll find time over the summer to listen to the experienced educators, innovative leaders, and experts my co-hosts, Dr. Erin Barisano and Kent Hickey, and I were able to connect with. You’ll leave with practical strategies that you can implement in the new school year. Check it out at https://www.catholicvirtual.com/resources/the-next-class-2-0-podcast/ or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Continual Improvements

Whether improving yourself through professional learning opportunities like The Next Class 2.0 or supporting your students in improving their study habits, growth is what we’re all trying to achieve. It is no different at Catholic Virtual. We're continually looking for ways we can improve our service to your school and students. This year, one of our key improvements was bringing on Diane Barnett as Vice President of Academic Services. Her leadership has already made a tremendous impact on our educational excellence.

Under Diane's guidance, we've implemented key improvements that directly benefit your students' learning experience. We now review all teacher live session recordings and track ungraded assignments, ensuring quality instruction and timely feedback. Enhanced monitoring of attendance and punctuality, along with expanded professional development requirements, strengthens our commitment to consistency and excellence.

We've also improved communication tracking to ensure timely responses to inquiries and streamlined administrative processes for better coordination. These improvements reflect our unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality Catholic education and supporting your school's mission.

Expanding Our Offerings

Beyond these improvements, we’re also expanding our curriculum. Many schools have asked for more flexible world language offerings for elementary and middle school. For the fall, we’re working on offering Spanish and French as an elective. We’ve also added a music course for each grade, K–8. For high school, we’ve added the following courses:

• AP® Precalculus
• AP® Psychology – Now updated to align to the new College Board standards.
• AP® U.S. Government – Now updated to align to the new College Board standards.
• Career Exploration
• Cybersecurity II
• Honors French IV
• Health Science Foundations
• Physical Science

We believe these initiatives will further strengthen our ability to provide an exceptional Catholic education in a virtual environment.

Gratitude

As we close this remarkable year, I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who makes Catholic Virtual’s mission possible.

To our dedicated faculty and staff: your commitment to excellence in online Catholic education has transformed countless students' lives. Your willingness to embrace new technologies, participate in professional development, and maintain the highest standards of instruction continues to set Catholic Virtual apart.

To our partner schools and diocesan leaders: thank you for trusting us with your students and for your ongoing collaboration. Your feedback and partnership help us continuously improve our services and better serve the broader Catholic education community.

To the students we've had the privilege to teach: you inspire us daily with your curiosity, faith, and determination to learn and grow.

Finally, I extend my appreciation to The Next Class 2.0 podcast team for their thought-provoking content that continues to inspire educational innovation throughout our Catholic education community.

May God bless you and your community with a restful, joyful summer. I look forward to welcoming everyone back for another year of growth, learning, and faith formation in the fall.

Together in Christ,

Rob Birdsell President, Catholic Virtual