The Student Leader Academy for grades K-8 is a platform designed as a low-prep student leadership program that is centered on faith and the virtues taught in Micah 6:8. The framework for this program was built two years ago by a group of NDA students who wanted to bring their leadership program to the K-8 classroom. Within this program are three categories: Leadership Lessons for grades 6-8, Leadership Club, and Leadership Lessons for grades K-5 which are then taught by the students who are part of the Leadership Club.
Over the summer Mrs. Sheehy, was asked to join the initiative of this program to help complete the curriculum development, format the documents, and spread/recruit schools and teachers to pilot the program.
“In addition to all of our work this summer, we submitted a proposal to NCEA to present at the StudentLeader Academy in Pittsburgh this spring. The proposal process was in-depth and took a great deal of drafting and redrafting to get us to a product we felt comfortable sending in. The proposal consisted of a session description, audience, objectives, and descriptions of various ways our program aligns with the Catholic faith, integrates connections, commitments, and communities, the research behind the program, and many more pieces! All-in-all, the proposal took about a month to fine-tune until we were confident enough in our product. At that point, the waiting began to hear back from NCEA. (To be honest, we didn’t think we would make it in. There are thousands of applicants and only a few make it through.) Our proposal was submitted in August and in December we found out that we were accepted. My team consists of myself, Abbie Withbroe, and Mary Schaupp.”
The team will be presenting on all three components of the StuendLeader Academy while also providing attendees with the complete program. They are currently in the drafting stages of their presentation, but are hoping to give the attendees an insight into what the lessons look like by having them be the “students.”
Being the largest private-education association gathering in the nation, the NCEA Convention serves as a platform for collaboration and inspiration. These accomplished women will be leading two of nearly 150 informative and inspiring sessions. These presentations aim to foster connections, strengthen eductators’ commitment to their ministry, and promote a sense of community within Catholic schools across the country.
Holy Cross Catholic School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8). The school has open enrollment and is located on the Northeast side of Green Bay near the Town of Scott and is near the Red Smith neighborhood and Wequiock Falls.
Holy Cross provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually.
For more information about Holy Cross Catholic School, feel free to browse our website: https://holycrossfamily.org.
