The Catholic School Leaders Podcast

Host: John Mihalyo | Guest: Sloane Heffernan, Founder, Storymore Your school has an incredible story happening inside its four walls every single day. So why does almost nobody outside those walls know about any of it? Sloane Heffernan spent the majority of her career in broadcast news at NBC affiliates in Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina before the weight of the stories she was covering start...

Host: John Mihalyo | Guest: Deacon Dave Kerski, Former Catholic School Principal, Diocese of Raleigh What does it actually mean to be a Catholic school — not just in name, but in everything you do, every single day? Deacon Dave Kerski knows the difference. He spent ten years turning around a Catholic school in New Bern, North Carolina that was on the brink of closing. He earned his master's from N...

Host: John Mihalyo | Guest: Tom Conroy, Principal, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School, Verona, NJ Tom Conroy spent over 20 years as a public school principal before stepping into Catholic school leadership at Our Lady of the Lake in Verona, New Jersey. He will be the first to tell you that nothing fully prepared him for what he walked into — and that it has been the best chapter of his career. I...

Host: John Mihalyo  |  ~25 min You made it through another school year — and that is worth celebrating. Whether this year felt like a championship season or survival mode, you showed up every single day for your students, your families, and your mission. That matters. In this episode, John takes a few minutes to celebrate what you accomplished, have an honest conversation about where your enrollme...

Host: John Mihalyo Guest: Tara Nelson, Advancement & Enrollment Director, Parkersburg Catholic Schools The Catholic School Leaders Podcast Episode Overview Three years ago, Parkersburg Catholic Schools was facing declining enrollment, financial uncertainty, and rumors in the community that the school might not survive. Today, they are raising $500,000 for a campus consolidation project backed...

Host: John Mihalyo The Catholic School Leaders Podcast Episode Overview You left the NCEA fired up. Notebooks full of ideas. Texts to your team. Sessions you can't stop thinking about. And then Monday happened. In this episode, John shares a simple four-step framework for making sure the energy and ideas from a great conference actually make it off the shelf and into your school. Key Takeaways 1....

What does a Hollywood film set have to do with leading a Catholic school? More than you'd think. In this episode, John Mihalyo takes us back to 2010 — when he was a Catholic school principal in Weirton, West Virginia, and received a call that still stands out as one of the most unexpected of his career. Paramount Pictures was filming JJ Abrams' Super 8 in town, and they wanted local principals as...

Host: John Mihalyo The Catholic School Leaders Podcast Episode Overview What does Kenny Loggins have to do with Catholic schools? More than you might think. In this episode, John uses the example of Kenny Loggins—known for songs like Footloose and Danger Zone—to explore how institutions sometimes forget the people who helped build them. Catholic schools can fall into the same trap, losing touch wi...

Episode Title: Pastor + Principal Partnerships: One Mission, One Team Host: John Mihalyo Guests: Julie Capirchio (Principal) + Fr. Gregory Stowe (Pastor) Summary Julie and Fr. Stowe share what a healthy pastor–principal partnership really looks like: shared mission, constant communication, honest disagreement behind closed doors, and a united front in public. They explain how parish and school can...

The Catholic School Leaders Podcast Host: John Mihalyo Guest: Dr. Trevor Timmerberg, Assistant Superintendent, Archdiocese of Louisville Episode Overview Being a principal can be a lonely job. In this episode, John and Dr. Trevor Timmerberg unpack how a strong, healthy leadership team helps you lead with clarity, build trust, and move your school forward—without carrying everything on your own. Wh...

Episode Summary In this episode of the Catholic School Leaders Podcast , John uses the turnaround of Indiana University football to challenge Catholic school leaders to rethink what’s possible for their schools. Indiana went from an afterthought to a national champion because leadership refused to accept average. Catholic schools can experience the same kind of transformation—when culture, expecta...

The Catholic School Leaders Podcast Host: John Mihalyo Guest: Sarah Schneider, Associate Director of Enrollment, Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE) Episode Summary In this episode, John sits down with Sarah from the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence in Minnesota to discuss how collaboration, visibility, and intentional leadership are driving enrollment growth and strengthening Catho...

The Catholic School Leaders Podcast Host: John Mihalyo Title: From Chaos to Clarity: Creating an Advancement Strategy That Works Episode Summary In this episode, John continues his planning series by focusing on why Catholic schools need a clear advancement game plan —and why advancement is about far more than raising money. Without a plan, fundraising feels chaotic, rushed, and inconsistent. John...

Hope Is Not a Strategy: Building a Real Enrollment Game Plan Host: John Mihalyo Episode Summary In this episode, John explains why hope, tradition, and “we’ve always done it this way” are not strategies for enrollment growth. Schools that lack a clear game plan end up reacting, scrambling, and relying on luck instead of intentional, data-driven decisions. John kicks off a new series focused on bui...

As Catholic school leaders prepare for budgeting, tuition setting, and planning for the months ahead, many struggle with how to spend money wisely. In this episode, John explores two common extremes: fear-based spending that leads to cutting corners, and undisciplined spending that creates confusion and shortfalls. The answer lies in strategic, mission-driven investment that strengthens schools fo...

Title: New Workshop Coming December 11th! Host: John Mihalyo Episode Overview In this short episode, John introduces an upcoming free workshop for Catholic school leaders: “The Five Reasons Your School Is Consistently Missing Its Enrollment Goal.” The workshop will be held Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 12 PM EST and will break down the often-overlooked factors behind enrollment shortfalls—and ho...

Catholic School Leaders Podcast:What Black Friday Teaches Us About Recruitment in Catholic Schools Host: John Mihalyo As Black Friday ads start flooding inboxes and stores jump straight into holiday sales, John invites Catholic school leaders to look at what these shopping “mega-events” can teach us about enrollment. From excitement and anticipation to joy and commitment, the emotions shoppers exp...

Catholic School Leaders Podcast Host: John Mihalyo In this episode, John talks about an often–overlooked part of fundraising events: what happens after the gala, dinner, or major celebration ends. He walks advancement directors and school leaders through the importance of gathering your team soon after the event to reflect, celebrate, and identify opportunities for improvement. In This Episode Why...

Catholic School Leaders Podcast Host: John Mihalyo In this solo episode, John talks about something every Catholic school leader knows well—the joy and energy leading up to Christmas… followed by the dreaded return in early January. With enrollment season approaching and Catholic Schools Week right around the corner, John shares practical ways to keep your school community motivated, positive, and...

Episode Title: Building A.I. Literacy in Our Catholic Schools Host: John Mihalyo • Guest: Chelsea Lopez (The Social Institute) Overview: AI is here to stay—and your school can use it without losing the human touch. John and Chelsea unpack what AI really is, where it already shows up, and practical ways leaders can use it to save time, personalize learning, and strengthen culture. Key Takeaways: Si...

Episode Title: The Mastermind Advantage for Your School Leadership! In this short episode, John shares why Catholic school leaders don’t have to lead alone . Drawing on his own experience as a principal, he recalls the many times he wished for someone else to bounce ideas off of. That’s exactly why he created the Catholic School Mastermind cohorts at Elementary Advancement Solutions. In this episo...

Episode Title: Creating Memories Through Catholic School Traditions Show Notes: Welcome back to another short but impactful episode of the Catholic School Leaders Podcast . In this episode, John Mihalyo reflects on the power of school traditions and how they shape culture, community, and memories that last a lifetime. Drawing on his own story of working at an amphitheater—where fans always expecte...

Free Workshop: The Pillars of Enrollment Growth Episode Overview In this episode of the Catholic School Leaders Podcast , John shares an exciting announcement—our next free workshop is coming up on October 15, 2025, at 1:00 PM EST . Whether your school has hit its enrollment goal, built a waitlist, or fallen short this year, this session will give you the tools to grow. John will walk through the...

Episode Title: The Power of Personal Connections in Our Catholic Schools In this short episode of the Catholic School Leaders Podcast , John shares a simple but powerful lesson for Catholic school leaders—why personal connection matters more than ever. Drawing from his recent experience of switching insurance agents, John highlights the parallels between customer service in business and the way Ca...

Episode Title 📢 Free Workshop: The Five Pillars of a Successful Catholic School Advancement Program Host Hosted by John Mihalyo , Founder & CEO of Elementary Advancement Solutions Episode Introduction In this short episode of the Catholic School Leaders Podcast , John shares an exciting opportunity for Catholic school leaders and advancement professionals: a free, one-hour workshop designed t...