October 7, 2026

Dear Pastors, Principals and EEC Directors,

There are days in school leadership when the challenges seem to demand more of our time, attention, and emotional energy than we feel we have to give. Difficult conversations, unexpected situations, and the responsibility we carry for so many people can weigh heavily on our hearts.

In those moments, remember that God never asks us to carry this work alone. Bring your worries, frustrations, and uncertainties to Him. Ask Him for wisdom when the answer is unclear, patience when the day is difficult, and the grace to see His presence in the midst of it all.

And perhaps most importantly, do not allow one difficult situation to overshadow the tremendous amount of good happening in your school or early education center each day. Look around! Children are learning. Teachers are sharing their gifts. Families are being welcomed. Prayers are being offered. Faith is growing. Young people are discovering that they are known, loved, and created by God for a purpose. You are helping to make all of that possible.

Please also remember that you are not alone in this ministry. We here at the Catholic School Office are always here to support you, encourage you, pray with and for you, and walk alongside you through both the joys and the challenges of leadership. Never hesitate to reach out when you need a listening ear, another perspective, or simply a little encouragement.

Thank you for the many ways you faithfully serve your communities. May you find joy in the good happening around you, strength in one another, and peace in knowing that Christ walks beside you in this beautiful vocation. Trust in His Sacred Heart and continue to Be His Heart in the World.



Blessings,



Karen

OCTOBER - CHARITY

"If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal." - 1 Corinthians 13:1

Reflective Goal: Cultivating a culture where every student, teacher, and family feels seen and valued. Demonstrating Christ-like love through patient listening, support for struggling staff, and gracious conflict resolution.

October 7: Pray specifically for the individuals in your school community who test your patience. Write the names of 1 to 3 individuals (a challenging student, a demanding parent, or a difficult staff member) on a private index card inside your planner or desk drawer. Offer a brief, intentional prayer for their well-being every morning before opening your email or leaving your desk

FIRST THINGS FIRST

News, updates & reminders

MOScholars: Please Share with Your Families

Principals and EEC Directors,

Please share the attached MOScholars/Bright Futures Fund information with your school and EEC families through your newsletters and other parent communications.

MOScholars continues to make Catholic education accessible to families throughout our Diocese, with more than 2,000 scholarships currently helping students attend our Catholic schools. The continued success of this important program depends upon Missouri taxpayers choosing to redirect a portion of their state income tax liability to MOScholars through the Bright Futures Fund.

Our goal for 2026 is $15 million, and our schools can play an important role by helping spread the word. Please encourage your families to review the attached information, consider participating, and share this opportunity with others who believe in the gift of Catholic education.

Thank you for helping us support our families, strengthen our schools, and make Catholic education available to more children.

MOScholars Letter for Families

MOScholars Case Statement

MOScholars Flyer

PRINCIPAL/DIRECTOR MEETING - OCTOBER 14, 2026

It's been too long and we have missed you!

We are so excited to see all of our Principals and Directors next Wednesday, October 14, 2026 in the Baum Room at the Chancery for our October Principal/Director Meeting. We will begin at 8:45 a.m. sharp.

Click below for the Principal/Director Meeting Agenda for next Wednesday, October 14, 2026.

Principal/Director Meeting Agenda

We look forward to seeing all of you!

FACTS DEMO LIVE - OCTOBER 27, 2026

REGISTER NOW TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT!

Save your seat for a live look at FACTS. The Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph is hosting a live demo on October 27, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. at 20 West 9th Street, in the Baum Room.

This is open to all Principals, Business Managers, and any Staff that will be utilizing FACTS within your school.

Click below to reserve your seat and see what this means for your school!

FACTS Demo Live Registration

JOIN OUR WORLD MISSION ROSARY

AND NATIONAL RETREAT

The Pontifical Mission Societies, USA has provided National Office Updates and information on Daily World Mission Rosary in October and the NPMS National Retreat and Meeting. Please click below for further information.

Daily World Mission Rosary and National Retreat

CSO WEBSITE UPDATES

Curriculum Standards Update:

The Diocesan Religion updated curriculum standards have been added for each grade level K - 12.

The Music, Physical Education, Visual Art and Technology updated curriculum standards have also been added and are located under the "Specials" tab under the "Diocesan Standards" on the website.

All updated curriculum standards for all subjects have been added to the CSO website.

Thank you for your patience as we drafted and finalized our newly updated Diocesan Curriculum Standards.

DIOCESAN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2026

Preparation and Guidelines for Diocesan Professional Development Day

The upcoming Diocesan Professional Development Day for our K–12 teachers and staff will focus on the Diocesan Curriculum Standards.



During last April's Principal and Director Meeting, leadership collaborated to develop targeted discussion questions for each grade level and subject area. To ensure our faculty and staff are fully prepared for these collaborative sessions, please share the following information and discussion prompts with your respective grade-level teams.



Kindergarten - 2nd grades Preparation Information

3rd - 5th grades Preparation Information

6th - 8th grades Preparation Information

9th -12th grades Preparation Information

Kindergarten -12th grades Specials Preparation Information

Please see the updated PD Day Principal/Director Assignment Schedule HERE. 

Please click the PD Schedule for the Day below that gives important information for you to relay to your faculty and staff in preparation for the day.

Diocesan PD Day Schedule & Information

ACRE TESTING UPDATE

With the change in who is administering the ACRE Assessment, getting the Diocesan Portal set up and ready for you to order your assessments is taking longer than expected. So - the November testing window will be moved to January - to give us time to get everything set up and training to take place for the teachers who will be administering the assessment.

More information about setting up your school account will be shared when the portal is ready!

LUMEN ACCREDITATION TASK #1

Dear Principals and Directors,

Thank you to everyone who has begun working on Lumen Accreditation Task #1. I understand how demanding this season is and how tight the timelines can feel. Your time and effort are greatly appreciated.

Because our overall progress feeds into the Diocesan Accreditation report, our final target is to have all three core tasks—the NSBECS Self-Reflection, Surveys, and Discernment—completed across all schools by the end of March 2027.

Please note that October 10th is a benchmark, not a hard cutoff.  If you cannot fully complete the first three standards by October 10th, that is completely fine. The goal is to make steady progress over the next six months so that everything is finalized by late March, allowing the Diocesan Team time to compile our collective report.

Regarding Artifacts & Evidence Uploads:

• Yes, evidence uploads are required.
• You do not need to start from scratch. You are encouraged to reuse documentation from your previous MNSAA accreditation visit. For example, if you uploaded your Mission Statement to your Google Folder for Standard 1 during the last cycle, you can upload that same file directly into Lumen.
• Gathering and uploading this evidence now will save your team significant time when preparing for your upcoming site visit.
• If you need me to re-share your previous accreditation folder, please let me know and I will be happy to assist.

As a reminder, this process is designed to be collaborative—please do not hesitate to delegate tasks to your school leadership team or committee members.

Thank you again for your dedication and leadership. If you need support along the way, please reach out to Karen Hopson.

BEGINNING TEACHER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

All new teachers should be enrolled in the Beginning Teacher Assistance Program (B-TAP) through DESE. This is needed to obtain their professional certification!

Click the link below for more information.

B-TAP

CONGRATULATIONS

ST. JOHN LALANDE CATHOLIC SCHOOL!

We are excited to congratulate St. John LaLande Catholic School on being recognized as a Newman Guide School! This recognition reflects the school community’s strong commitment to providing an authentically Catholic education rooted in faith, academic excellence, and the formation of students as disciples of Christ.

Congratulations to Father Sean McCaffery, Susan Martin, and the entire St. John LaLande faculty, staff, students, families, and parish community on this wonderful achievement. We are grateful for the many ways you continue to let your light shine and witness to the mission of Catholic education!

St. John LaLande Newman Guide Press Release

Schools interested in learning more about the Newman Guide recognition process or exploring the possibility of pursuing this designation are encouraged to reach out to the Catholic Schools Office. We would be happy to provide additional information and support as you discern whether this opportunity is a good fit for your school community.

BIST ADMINISTRATOR NETWORKING

BIST is offering virtual sessions on components of BIST that can assist your staff, students and families.

Click the link below for information and registration.

BIST Administrator Networking

FEDERAL FUNDING FRIDAYS

Catapult Learning is offering Federal Funding Fridays, a free virtual series designed specifically for religious school leaders. With just four sessions, each aligned with the federal funding calendar, these sessions will help school leaders better understand and navigate available federal programs and funding opportunities.

All sessions are free and held via Zoom, making it easy to participate from wherever you are!

Click below to learn more, explore the topics covered, and register for these valuable sessions.

Federal Funding Fridays - Catapult Learning

NONPUBLIC REGISTRATION OPENS OCTOBER 1, 2026

The nonpublic registration portal will open on October 1, 2026. To minimize errors and provide training, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will host two webinars on Thursday, October 1, and highly encourages your participation.

For more information and steps for the Nonpublic Registration Form, please click below.

Nonpublic Registration Form and Instructions

The Nonpublic Registration Form must be submitted no later than Monday, November 30, 2026 by 11:59 p.m.

Please contact Rebecka if you have any questions.

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH RESOURCES

Is your school ready to celebrate? The NCEA Sueños & Success Hispanic Heritage Month Marketing Kit was designed especially for Catholic school communities. It offers meaningful and easy-to-use resources that educators can incorporate into classroom lessons, prayer, school activities, newsletters, and social media throughout the month. Inside the kit, you’ll find posters, social media graphics, prayers, faith-based reflections, classroom activities, Marian devotions, printable resources, an English-Spanish glossary, a music playlist, and more. Join Catholic schools across the country as we honor the faith, traditions, stories and dreams that enrich our communities. Click on the link for more information!

Hispanic Heritage Month Resources

LUMEN ACCREDITATION DATES AND TASKS

FOR SCHOOLS 2026-2027

Please click the link below to refer to the assignments and due dates for Lumen Accreditation this school year.

Lumen Accreditation Dates and Tasks

Below is the Zoom Link that will be used for each Zoom meeting listed on the Dates and Tasks document above.

Lumen Accreditation Meeting Zoom Link

Meeting ID: 868 8074 6460             Passcode: 326180

Dear Leaders,

Your team is watching what you say, what you do, and what you allow.

👀Be visible and engaged.

🗣️Set the tone through your own behavior.

🤝Address conflict and gossip before they become part of the culture.

🚦Don’t ignore disruptive behavior because it feels easier in the

moment.

🙏Remember: what you tolerate, you teach.

A healthy workplace doesn’t mean everyone always agrees or that there are never difficult conversations. It means people know what is expected, feel respected, and trust their leader to address problems fairly and directly.

The HR takeaway: If you’re wondering, “Why is everyone acting this way?” you might first ask yourself, “What am I modeling, allowing, or overlooking?”

And remember: You don’t have to solve every problem yourself. You just need to recognize when it’s time to ask for help.

— Carol Anne

Your friendly Diocesan HR Director 😊