LEGACY

Teacher & Student

When Mrs. Corvo moved from the Bio Lab into the front office two years ago, she knew she wanted to grow in her new position as Assistant Principal. Although she had been teaching here for 14 years, and had worn multiple leadership hats — Middle States Internal Coordinator, AcademicTeam Leader, Varsity Tennis Head Coach — she was new to administration. So Mrs. Corvo went back to school, and is now pursuing an Ed. S. in Education Leadership, Management and Policy at Seton Hall University.

By Lauren Corvo, Assistant Principal

When I enrolled in this unique program, I knew that it would help to prepare me for mission-based leadership at Saint E’ s. The curriculum knits together both the secular field of educational leadership, as well as the Catholic education and spiritual tradition. The coursework I’ ve already completed speaks to this blended approach, including classes like Catholic Identity, Ethos and Culture; Curriculum Development; and Supervision of Instruction. Right now I’ m enrolled in School Law as well as Leadership Dynamics. Both are very applicable to my work at the Academy, and I’ m learning a great deal about the administrative side of institutional leadership and governance.

Probably the best part of this program is meeting the other seven members of my cohort. This group is composed of a variety of Catholic school educators from north and central New Jersey, serving in all different roles in Catholic education. Aside from learning from the esteemed professors of the program, I have learned immensely from my amazing cohort. We have such varied backgrounds (some in education their whole lives, others started in the corporate world and then switched careers into education) and bring different perspectives and insight towards our common goal of educating students intellectually, spiritually, and socially. Especially during the struggles of 2020 and living through the COVID pandemic, this cohort has been an unbelievable support system and getting through these challenges together has brought us even closer.

We are all navigating these uncharted waters together and I am so grateful for the insight and knowledge this program and my fellow cohort members have provided me throughout the past year. Similar to the community/family atmosphere that I love so much about working at the Academy, my cohort feels like my extended family as well. We share best practices, professional experiences, advice, resources, and guidance throughout the school year and not just as it relates to the classes we are taking together, but more importantly about how to serve as an effective Catholic School Leader. I’ m most looking forward to taking the last course in the program. Principal As Servant Leader will be the true culmination of everything learned throughout the twoyear program. I’ m sure the information and collaboration from this course will be invaluable as I begin my journey as a Catholic School Leader.

One of the most important and applicable projects I have worked on so far in my program was to create a Technology Integration Proposal for the school in my Technology for Administrators course. The proposal I worked on was entitled, “Creating an Interactive Learning Environment in the Classroom using Promethean ActivPanels and Chromeboxes ” . As a college preparatory school, it is not enough to simply provide students with the content they need to excel academically, but we also must provide the skills they need to succeed. In today ’ s age of digital learning, 21st century skills such as creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, communication, media literacy, and technology literacy need to be infused into all areas of learning at the Academy. This is how we will continue to provide a scholarly environment for our students to prepare them for college, their careers, and life in this ever-changing digital world. Utilizing technology to create an interactive learning environment in the classroom empowers our students to have an active role in their learning and provides them with engaging lessons that motivate and teach digital skills.

This proposal was able to come to fruition at the Academy in the spring of 2020 just before the pandemic hit. The integration of this new technology was instrumental in a successful reopening of the Academy this past fall. The Promethean board upgrades gave teachers the necessary tools and resources to deliver effective instruction simultaneously to students in the classroom and those learning remotely.

Matt and Lauren Corvo surprised Ciella, 6, with a Christmas puppy named Jax.

Catholic school education provides the unique opportunity to teach through a lens of faith and moral values.

I feel blessed with the support, education, and guidance I received throughout my 14-year journey as a teacher at the Academy. This graduate program has provided me with the opportunity to strengthen my leadership skills and expand my knowledge of Catholic education so I can best support the students, faculty and staff at the Academy on their own educational and professional journeys.

I have found inspiration in the fellow Catholic school educators in my cohort who have embarked on this leadership journey with me. Catholic school education provides the unique opportunity to teach through a lens of faith and moral values. This is accomplished not just through the curriculum, but more importantly, through the Catholic educators who live the mission and model these values daily in the classroom.

My goals for completing this program are so much more than just adding another degree to my resume. I’ m looking to further my education and understanding of Catholic school culture, identity, and ethos. I’ m looking to deepen my faith and become an effective Catholic school leader. I’ m looking to help nurture the strong Catholic values the Academy was founded on. I’ m looking to further my development of the “ on the job” skills I’ ve picked up over the years. I’ m looking to serve as a mentor to the faculty and staff at the Academy to help them provide the best academic and service program they can. I’ m looking to ensure our students live their lives with integrity, honesty, moral responsibility, and are truly ready to take on life and their futures.

This program has given me the opportunity to reflect on my time at the Academy and I am honored to serve on a leadership team at an institution where our students are nurtured in a community surrounded by faith, demonstrate moral responsibility on a daily basis, provide service to those in need, and exhibit high standards of academic excellence and leadership.