A National Spotlight on Renewal: EWTN Premieres “The Catholic School Playbook”

In celebration of National Catholic Schools Week 2026, the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE) is proud to spotlight a landmark moment for the movement toward educational wonder. St. Jerome Academy in Hyattsville, MD – an ICLE Premier Member School – will be featured in the pilot episode of  “The Catholic School Playbook.” The documentary premieres on EWTN this Wednesday, January 28, at 9:30 p.m. ET. Hosted by Michael Ortner and based on the foundational book he co-authored with Kimberly Begg, this pilot provides a window into what is possible when a school reclaims the Church’s intellectual tradition.

This premiere is a vital opportunity for our mission-driven educators to witness the vitality of a Christ-centered education—one that recognizes Christ as the Logos, the Word through Whom all things were made and in Whom all subjects find their coherence.

Q&A WITH MICHAEL ORTNER

1. What do you hope viewers — and specifically leaders at other schools — take away from this pilot episode featuring St. Jerome Academy?
St. Jerome Academy is the proof-of-concept for the entire Catholic School Playbook. It’s a story of what happens when a community stops trying to compete with secular public models and instead doubles down on its unique value proposition. I fully agree with the ICLE that when you put Christ as the Logos at the center, every subject—from math to music—becomes an encounter with the Divine.

The better goal is a cultivation of a sense of wonder; helping kids fall in love with learning and growth, and seeking what Catholics call the transcendentals: truth, goodness and beauty in all that we study and all that we learn. We are going to acquire the habits that we want our children to form: we want them to be good thinkers, writers, listeners and speakers. If we graduate kids who are good thinkers, writers, listeners and speakers, they will thrive. Catholic schools can be a shining light example of what is possible. I hope viewers see the joy in those classrooms and realize that this renewal is a roadmap for any school willing to embrace its authentic identity.

2. In a wide-ranging educational landscape, how does Catholic liberal education transcend pragmatic goals to foster full human flourishing?

We shouldn’t sell our children short with short-sighted, overly pragmatic goals. In the business world, you succeed by offering something clearly differentiated. For a Catholic school, that means moving away from a primary focus on “college and career readiness” and instead focusing on forming the most virtuous and wise young men and women possible. If you form students with a capacity for holiness and wonder, they will naturally have the tools to excel in any profession. We aren’t just training workers; we are supporting the formation of future mothers, fathers, and citizens.

3. The Catholic School Playbook documentary emphasizes “Hiring for Mission.” Why is that so central to the success stories you’ve documented?

Your teachers are the curriculum. In business, you hire for culture fit; in a Catholic school, you hire for vocation. When schools use tools such as the ICLE Teacher Job Board, they are looking for witnesses, not just instructors. The teachers at St. Jerome are living curricula who lead by example. Hiring for mission is the most critical talent acquisition strategy because it ensures the school’s mission is lived out in every interaction. 

4. How can schools better equip parents and families as primary educators?

Schools shouldn’t treat parents and families like customers to be managed, but as partners in a rescue mission. We can help equip them by inviting them into the same intellectual life as their kids. If the kids are reading Plato, C.S. Lewis, St. Augustine or Chesterton, the parents should be too. The school exists to support the Domestic Church – the formation at home – not replace it.

5. Looking at the next decade, what gives you the most hope for the renewal movement?

One thing that gives me hope is the gaining momentum of the Catholic education renewal movement and the growth of individuals, organizations and apostolates behind it. The growth of the ICLE gives me immense hope. They are the boots on the ground, providing the training and vision for Catholic educators. Seeing a new generation of vibrant teachers and families flocking to these schools tells me that the Catholic springtime in education isn’t just a dream — it is already happening.

6. What is your call to action for ICLE member schools and anyone else regarding this premiere with EWTN?

We need to come together to support this project. We are grateful to EWTN. The premiere can be a megaphone for the renewal movement. For those interested in renewing Catholic education – all those in the ICLE Member School communities and those who have participated in ICLE programs and events – we invite you to watch, like, and share the official trailer and the Jan. 28 episode itself. Your engagement ensures we can continue telling the stories of schools that have reclaimed their mission. Let’s show the world that when we stay centered on Christ – thus offering something good, true and beautiful and cultivating a sense of wonder, our schools lead.