Beyond Fundraising – Building a Stronger School Through Strategic Advancement w/ John Mihalyo What does it take to move your Catholic school from simply getting by to truly thriving? In this episode, Thomas talks with John Mihalyo of Elementary Advancement Solutions about why school advancement is about much more than fundraising events and annual appeals. John shares practical strategies for strengthening enrollment, retaining families, telling your school's story, and building lasting relationships with your community.  Through real examples of schools that have turned small successes into major accomplishments, they explore the importance of having a clear vision, communicating what makes your school unique, and creating momentum through intentional action. Whether your school is struggling to meet its budget or dreaming about its next big opportunity, this conversation challenges leaders to think about where they want their school to be in five years—and what they can do in the next 90 days to start making it happen. If you need help putting a plan together, please schedule a time to talk with us today. https://bit.ly/Build-IT-Better-Together To receive a copy of the Catholic School Excellence Toolkit - A Reflective Workbook for Visionary Catholic School Leaders,  click here. It is the companion to the podcast: In Search of Catholic School Excellence. John Mihalyo is the founder and CEO of Elementary Advancement Solutions, a consulting firm dedicated to helping Catholic and faith-based schools grow in enrollment, strengthen their leadership, and build thriving communities rooted in mission. With more than 20 years in school administration—including 15 years as a Catholic school principal—John brings a deep, practical understanding of what school leaders face every day. Since launching Elementary Advancement Solutions, John has partnered with schools in 18 states and across 3 countries. His clients have seen an average enrollment increase of 19.6% and more than $1 million in new advancement revenue. His work centers on simple, sustainable systems that move schools forward—without overwhelming their teams. https://elementaryadvancement.com/ The In Search of Catholic School Excellence Podcast is brought to you by I Love My Tech Team.  When technology doesn’t work, Catholic school leaders lose time, trust, and momentum. We partner with schools to restore reliable systems, empower teachers, and create the foundation for innovative learning centered on students. Lead Your School Into What’s Possible with I Love My Tech Team. Restoring What’s Broken. Advancing What’s Possible. Find out more at https://ilovemytechteam.com

Summary What happens when some of the best teachers in a district are invited to present at conferences across the country, but are never asked to share what they know in their own schools? In this solo episode, Gene Tavernetti reflects on the way classroom teachers with deep expertise in evidence-informed instruction can be sought out by educators elsewhere while their knowledge is overlooked or discouraged at home. Gene explores Tall Poppy Syndrome, the social cost of standing out, and why sending teachers to conferences with instructions to bring learning back is unlikely to produce meaningful schoolwide change without leadership and a culture that values internal expertise. He revisits the Starfish Story with a less comforting conclusion: if conference learning changes only one classroom, perhaps all we can say is, “It made a difference to that teacher.” Chapters 0:00 — The expertise schools overlook 2:00 — Tall Poppy Syndrome and the cost of standing out 5:00 — Why conference learning does not automatically spread 8:00 — The Starfish Story and a challenge for leaders Show Notes Gene Tavernetti reflects on teachers whose expertise is valued everywhere except at home. The episode asks school and district leaders whether they know where the expertise is in their own organization. A strong internal culture gives teachers meaningful opportunities to share and use what they know.

In this episode, Kelli shares her biggest takeaways from the 20th Anniversary M-Enabling Summit... from thought-provoking sessions on accessibility ethics, AI, and accessible procurement to the hallway conversations that ended up being the most memorable part of the conference. Join her as she reflects on meeting passionate advocates, educators, and innovators, discovering shared experiences with new friends like Mike and Logan from Ablr, and witnessing a conference that truly modeled inclusion in action. Along the way, we'll explore why accessibility is about much more than compliance... it's about people, relationships, and creating a world where everyone belongs. Transcript Resources: M-Enabling Summit Ablr CAST Lainey Feingold Karl Groves Aaron Page

Summary Grace Bastidas joins Reading Inspires to talk about the stories, books, and cultural traditions that shaped her as a reader—and how she is passing those gifts on to her own children. Grace is a journalist, speaker, parenting expert, and the former editor in chief of Parents. Drawing on her Colombian heritage and experience raising bilingual children in a multicultural home, Grace shares practical ways families can use books, language, and storytelling to build connection, curiosity, and a stronger sense of identity. Chapters 0:00 — Welcome and meeting Grace Bastidas 0:43 — Family stories, Colombian roots, and discovering books 2:31 — The reading medal Grace still treasures 3:09 — Passing culture and language on to the next generation 5:05 — Encouragement for parents raising bilingual children 8:30 — Making language learning consistent and joyful 12:00 — Books as a bridge to culture, identity, and belonging 17:30 — Grace’s advice for helping children become readers Show Notes Guest: Grace Bastidas — gbastidas.com Instagram: @brooklynwriter LinkedIn: Grace Bastidas Grace’s work has appeared on Today, Good Morning America, CBS Mornings, and NBC News Now, and in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and New York Magazine. Reading Inspires is a podcast from Reading Is Fundamental about the people and ideas helping children discover the joy and power of reading.

NCEA President Dr. Steve Cheeseman joins John Mihalyo to talk about what he's seeing in Catholic schools across the country, a new fellowship for future Catholic school leaders, and what leaders can do right now to get ready for the federal tax credit. After two years on the road, more than 30 dioceses, and well over 100 Catholic schools, Dr. Steve Cheeseman keeps coming back to the same word. Hope. In this conversation, the president of the National Catholic Educational Association shares why he sees it everywhere, from big-city schools to Native American reservations, and why roughly 40 percent of Catholic schools now have waiting lists. Steve and John talk about investing in people before programs, why Catholic schools don't need to chase public schools, and what it means to stay rooted in mission and the dignity of every child. Steve also walks through the NCEA's new framework and its three priorities: being the national voice for Catholic schools, forming teachers and leaders in both faith and operational vibrancy, and connecting schools across the country so no leader has to figure things out alone. He gives listeners an early look at the new De La Salle Fellowship, a program supported by the Christian Brothers that helps aspiring Catholic school administrators build the skills, mentors, and network they'll need before they ever step into the principal's office. Then the conversation turns to the federal tax credit. Steve explains where things stood at the time of recording, why this is about kids and not public versus private, how donors can still claim the credit even if their state doesn't opt in, and why advancement teams need to start thinking differently now. As he puts it, Starbucks makes its money one cup of coffee at a time. The episode closes with a preview of the NCEA convention in Indianapolis and a word of gratitude for everyone doing this work: it isn't easy work, but it is holy work. Federal tax credit details reflect what was known at the time of recording in September 2026. Watch the full video interview: youtube.com/@ElementaryAdvancement Learn more about the NCEA: ncea.org Work with John: elementaryadvancement.com Contact John: elementaryadvancement.com Contact Steve: scheeseman@ncea.org