The Meitler team has been actively helping schools, dioceses, and parishes think differently during the pandemic. Dr. Jackie Lichter offers ten action steps for your organization to adapt and survive.
Schools
The Serenity Prayer and School Planning
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)
After working in Catholic education for more than 30 years, running a large, Catholic high school for 9 of those years, I came to Meitler thinking I knew a lot. What I didn’t know much about, however, was change. Being exposed to Catholic schools throughout the United States while working as a Meitler consultant, I soon experienced a wide variety of approaches to education at both the elementary and secondary level. I quickly became an advocate for change, or at least questioning the status quo. I encouraged school administrators and teachers to attend regional and national conferences to expose themselves to different ideas. Like my Meitler colleagues, I suggested to client schools that they introduce new, innovative techniques in response to issues that surfaced during our data search. But often there was resistance to change. Perhaps the administrator did not have the vision or the desire to implement new procedures or pedagogies. Other times, the administrator was eager to try new ideas, but the faculty was hesitant to embrace a “foreign” idea. I remember speaking to a teacher at a school that had recently introduced a one-to-one laptop program. I asked how he was utilizing the laptops and he said he told the students to put them away upon entering the classroom. “They are just a distraction” he said.
COVID-19
The word “change,” however, is a relative term. Minor changes occur practically every year as we update our school handbooks. And then COVID-19 happened! Whether we wanted it or not, whether we were ready for it or not and regardless of what parents, teachers or students thought about it, major change was thrust upon us. Here is where some serenity to accept something we cannot change comes in handy. I’m thinking there is a silver lining here, though. I spoke with Joe Azzolino, the Head of School at Immaculate Conception High School in Lodi, New Jersey this morning. His school moved from virtual instruction last year to in-person classes this year. Last year’s change to virtual was monumental. Moving back to in-person instruction was also monumental, requiring more changes to methodology (especially to accommodate those few choosing to remain virtual), re-envisioning assemblies, food service, and on and on. People at his school were stressed but worked together to move through the various iterations of the crisis. This week, the city unexpectedly announced that in a few days they needed to do some major work near the school which would totally disrupt instruction. Without any hesitation, Mr. Azzolino moved all instruction for that day to 100% virtual. The students stayed home, the teachers logged in and school went on without any issues. That would not have been the case a few years ago. School would have been cancelled and the day(s) forfeited or added on to the school calendar at the end of the semester. The pandemic is a change to our lives that we cannot control. We have to accept the fact that normal routines are altered or eliminated. The question becomes, what in this worldwide crisis can we control? What changes can we embrace? One thought is that the COVID-19 experience added a new option to a school’s ability to confront external complications. I suspect Immaculate Conception, and many other schools in the northern climate, will no longer deal with snow days. COVID-19 changed our sense of normal, but it also rewarded us will new options to deal with dilemmas.
Sometimes, substantial change is not brought upon us externally, but is lurking within our seemingly normal day-to-day. It is not uncommon for us at Meitler to conduct the data research portion of our work with a school, which includes numerous interviews with a variety of constituents, and discover the proverbial elephant in the room. An issue, or issues, so large and daunting that a common reaction from school administrators is to ignore it. This is when we need the courage to make necessary changes. Here are some examples of administrators having the wisdom and the courage to change fundamental elements of a school to solve a problem that seemed unmanageable.
St. Terese Academy, Archdiocese of New Orleans
Holy Rosary School was a PK to 12 school in the Archdiocese of New Orleans which focused on students with mild to moderate learning differences who desired a Catholic education. Meitler was asked to evaluate the school and make a recommendation for the sustainability of this school’s important mission. The school had been losing enrollment for the past 5 years and had tried a variety of approaches to turn those numbers around. Based on market research and data compilation, Meitler determined that there were some major and fundamental problems that the school needed to face in order to stabilize and grow. Without going into the reasons for these issues, they included the need to change the school’s name, change the school location and change the school’s curricular methodology. Many of the people we interviewed understood all or most of these issues, but they were issues that were overwhelming and would require change beyond what the school felt it could handle.
With Meitler’s assistance, and the courage of Superintendent RaeNell Houston, the school changed its name to St. Terese Academy, moved to Metairie, an inner ring suburb of New Orleans, and implemented a personalized educational platform for these students with exceptional needs and learning differences. Enrollment has increased to the point of creating wait lists for some grade levels.
Mother Terese Academy, Diocese of Erie
Holy Family School was a parish elementary school in the Diocese of Erie, serving students from the poorest neighborhood of Erie, Pennsylvania. The parish had limited resources and the principal, a local Sister who was a tireless and irreplaceable fundraiser and school cheerleader, was about to retire. Financially, the school seemed out of options. As part of a diocesan-wide strategic plan for schools, Meitler recommended that the diocese close Holy Family School as a parish school, move the school to a better facility, change the name, recreate the school as a separately incorporated diocesan school, run by a board of directors with limited jurisdiction and encourage donors in the community to support this important mission in the city. Today, Mother Teresa Academy is a 100% philanthropic-based mission school with a very healthy enrollment. While the cost per pupil is $5000, 90% of the students are eligible for free or reduced lunch and pay between $250 and $500 a year per family. Without the courage of Bishop Persico, Vicar for Education Fr. Rouch and key community leaders, low income families in Erie might have lost their access to a Catholic education.
Bishop Kelley High School, Diocese of Tulsa
Bishop Kelly High School is a coeducational diocesan high school in the Lasallian tradition in the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 2019, the school administration asked Meitler to assist them implementing the section of their new strategic plan that addressed academics. At the time, Bishop Kelly High School had a traditional curriculum and employed a teacher-focused methodology. Academic departments were mostly siloed and focused on maintaining the status quo, which had worked very well for many years. The strategic plan, however, called for change. The faculty of this large, successful high school understandably was reluctant to abandon activities and approaches that had worked for many years for the school. Teachers found it difficult to believe in and jump into developing instructional measurement tools to enhance academic excellence. Meitler worked with school president Fr. Kastl and principal Jim Franz to develop a gradual approach to assessing the current curriculum, reviewing methodologies and involving faculty members in designing a modern, effective approach to academics. Creating Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and establishing an Instructional Leadership Team (IRL) were essential to start moving Bishop Kelly High School gently into a more effective approach to teaching and learning.
Not all problems can be fixed by making changes and not all change is good, or even necessary. Some change, however, is unavoidable and necessary. Sometimes change is so difficult to imagine that one is afraid to approach it. Meitler’s role in school planning is to remind administrators of Niebuhr’s prayer, to use quantitative and qualitative data to identify those problems that can’t be changed, to summon up the courage to change those things that need to change and to work with those schools to implement that necessary, and sometimes substantial, change.
Meitler Announces Strategic Alliance
For over 40 years, Ruotolo Associates Inc. (RA) and Meitler have independently served clients across the country as mission-driven, impact-oriented partners. We share an unwavering commitment to the people, purpose, and promise of the institutions we are trusted to serve.
In recent years, since becoming partner companies within Collegium, we have introduced the opportunity for clients from one firm to work with the other, crafting seamless transitions from Meitler's planning to Ruotolo Associates’ philanthropic counsel to amplify and accelerate their progress and impact. Now, in the spirit of innovation and inspired by the potential of generative partnership – a Collegium core value – we’re ready to offer our clients even more.
We are pleased to introduce a strategic alliance between Ruotolo Associates and Meitler, providing clients with a single source for comprehensive counsel from planning to fulfillment.
Organizations that partner with us will find the data-driven innovation of Meitler’s planning paired with RA’s comprehensive philanthropic counsel and search services. This partnership will enhance and enrich our service offerings, providing expanded opportunities within all market segments.
Led by the newly appointed Chief Operating Officer of Ruotolo Associates, Steve Michalek, and the recently named Managing Director of Meitler, Angela Gunderson, our joint offerings – from counsel to speaking engagements, webinars, and white papers – will include the nationally recognized expertise of both firms.
This generative partnership brings together all the experience of our history with the vision and innovation to lead nonprofits into a promising future.
Angela’s Vision
Meitler recently announced that Tom Heding was stepping down as the head of our company and that I was selected to become the third Director of this 50 year-old institution. For those who have not had the opportunity to work with me personally, I want to share some of my thoughts about the importance of Catholic schools and parishes and my vision for sustaining these pillars of the Catholic Church for the next generation. Meitler always starts its work with a new client by articulating the client’s vision for the institution, so it is only appropriate that I share my vision for Meitler under my leadership.
I’ve had the privilege of spending time with our firm’s founder, Neil Meitler; I’ve always been impressed with his deep spirituality, his concern for the future of our schools and parishes and his wisdom, particularly as it related to the foundational aspects of his company. I want to reaffirm the commitment Neil initiated and Tom Heding maintained in providing clients with a data-based rationale for strategic goals and access to consultants who have worked in their respective fields, whether that be schools or parishes. There is no substitution for real world experience when working with a school or parish on real world problems.
Meitler is blessed to be part of a larger group of companies under the Collegium banner, where BIG thinking – that is, Bold, Interdependent, and Generative thinking – is valued. While Meitler has always helped schools and parishes achieve the goals they set, I want us to challenge our clients to look at their future in a more transformational way. I want them to think BIG, with a plan that is Bold, Interdependent with complementary ministries and Generative as it positions the institution to support and strengthen the Church. We can’t lose sight of planning for the immediate needs of a school or parish, but let’s also look further into the future and ask what more could we be doing.
One Collegium company in particular, Ruotolo Associates Inc., is the perfect complement to Meitler’s work. While we focus on planning and strategies to achieve goals, Ruotolo Associates helps institutions advance their mission through annual and campaign fundraising, leadership development and executive search for both faith-based and secular nonprofits. Together, we intend to combine the skills and resources of Meitler and Ruotolo to provide a comprehensive approach for our clients, from planning to promise. You will hear more about this exciting new partnership in the coming weeks.
I may be the new Director for this respected firm, but I am only one spoke in our overall wheel. I am so gratified that Tom Heding has decided to remain as one of our valued consultants and that Jackie Lichter and Rick Pendergast will also continue as full-time consultants. Our adjuncts, such as Alan Meitler, Mark Mogilka, Mark Kemmeter, Br. Tom Long and Annette Parsons have agreed to continue to bring their unique skills and perspectives to our clients. And our highly skilled group of Project Coordinators, Diane Leon, Tina Heding and Amanda Diaz will continue to keep all of our projects organized and on time! I am humbled by the opportunity to lead this talented and dedicated group of people in support of the Church.
Meitler Announces New Managing Director
Meitler, the national consulting firm specializing in assisting the Catholic parishes, schools, and other faith-based institutions develop long-term strategic plans, announces the selection of its new managing director, Angela Gunderson, effective September 1, 2020. Angela becomes Meitler’s third leader, succeeding Tom Heding.
Angela has been a teacher and a principal in a Catholic elementary school. Her expertise lies in data analysis and curriculum planning as well as specific experience in leadership development, teacher instruction, and coaching for Catholic PK-8 schools. She currently also serves as the Director of the National Catholic School Mentorship Program, a national project to assist Catholic elementary school administrators, which operates as a partnership among Meitler, the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA), and Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities (FADICA). “Meitler’s long-standing history for success is one I take very seriously. I am blessed to have the opportunity to continue that success well into the future,” Angela said. “As we look and plan ahead, we are developing new and innovative strategies to meet the ever-changing needs of our clients.”
The educational world is rapidly and dramatically changing, so I believe it is time Meitler brings in a new generation of leadership to guide us and our clients into this new reality. Angela has proven herself to be a skilled consultant and an effective leader. Meitler is fortunate to have her on board.”
Tom J. Heding, Senior Consultant / Advisor
Meitler was founded by Neal Meitler in 1971 to serve the planning needs of the Catholic Church and other faith-based institutions. In 1998, Tom Heding, then Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of San Bernardino, assumed leadership. Tom will remain with the firm, serving as a Senior Consultant and advisor. “The educational world is rapidly and dramatically changing, so I believe it is time Meitler brings in a new generation of leadership to guide us and our clients into this new reality,” Tom said. “Angela has proven herself to be a skilled consultant and an effective leader. Meitler is fortunate to have her on board.”
Meitler is proud to be part of Collegium Holdings, Inc., a broad system of best-in-class professional services firms exclusively serving nonprofits. As part of the Collegium leadership, Angela will lead Meitler to next level of engagement with dioceses, Catholic schools, and parishes. She will make a great addition to the expertise provided by the other Collegium firms. Collegium is a system of interdependent professional service firms that are entirely self-sustaining and effective on their own but recognize the generative power of working in partnership.
