This six-month, online school leader training program, created in response to frequent requests, aims to prepare classroom teachers to move into school leadership positions in Catholic liberal arts schools. The program is offered twice yearly to meet the growing need for leaders in this spreading renewal and is led by Mr. Danny Flynn, an experienced principal, formerly of St. Jerome Academy in Hyattsville, MD, and currently ICLE’s Director of Diocesan and School Relations.
CONTENT:
The program includes an in-depth study of the following topics:
1. Mission Statements
2. Parent Education and Faculty Formation
3. Curriculum Integration
4. Prayer and Culture
5. Enrollment Management and Marketing
6. Hiring and Managing Staff
SCHEDULE:
Two monthly meetings take place the second and fourth week of each month for 60-90 minutes in a time slot outside of normal school hours. Each month, an assignment is given to reinforce the topics and put them into action. During the course of the program, participants also receive a one-on-one advising session with the program leader.
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicants must be currently working with a school.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Due to the limited size of this program, the cohort is determined on an application basis. Preference is given to those who display a sincere desire to learn and grow and whose experience will contribute to the collective wisdom of the cohort.
Rolling admission until all spots are filled. Applicants can expect to hear back within two weeks.
COST FOR JANUARY – JUNE 2025 PROGRAM:
$2,500
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
Two payment options are offered:
1. Paid in full within 30 days of acceptance
2. A six-month automatic payment plan beginning and ending according to the program dates
Payment must be paid in full or the automatic payment plan begun before the first session for the registrant to receive access to the classes and resources.
We have found that many benefactors, having led successful initiatives of their own, appreciate the importance of intensive leadership development and quality mentorship. With that in mind, we are happy to assist accepted applicants in acquiring funding by providing a sponsorship letter (click to see sample).
TITLE FUNDING:
Title funds (federal monies administered by your Local Educational Agency) may be available to help offset participant costs related to this program. Past participants in this program have successfully secured partial title funding. Please review some helpful information here.
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CLERGY AND VOWED RELIGIOUS:
A limited number of partial, needs-based scholarships are reserved specifically for clergy and vowed religious interested in participating in this program. If you are a member of the clergy or a vowed religious interested in applying for a scholarship, please complete this scholarship request form.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION:
An ICLE Certificate of Completion will be awarded for successful completion of the program.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
Due to hard costs incurred in contracts and planning, we provide a cancellation policy that aims to be respectful of your ministry in Catholic education, but also justly considerate of the fiscal responsibilities of our own ministry:
For all ICLE programs, with the exception of the National Conference, cancellations received at least 60 days in advance of the event will be honored with a full refund. Cancellations received at least 45 days in advance will receive a 50% refund. Cancellations received less than 45 days in advance will receive no refund.
For the National Conference, cancellations received at least 90 days in advance of the event will be honored with a full refund. Cancellations received at least 45 days in advance will receive a 50% refund. Cancellations received less than 45 days in advance will receive no refund.
Please allow up to 30 days for a refund to be processed.
MEET YOUR MENTOR:
Danny Flynn
Mr. Flynn is uniquely qualified to guide others based on the lessons of his own experience. He taught for six years at St. Jerome Academy after it became the first diocesan school in the country to adopt a classical liberal arts approach; he then stepped into the principal’s role in 2016. Under his leadership, the Pre-K through 8 school continued to thrive and expand. The school’s enrollment, which started at 230 in 2009, returned to a two-track system and is set to reach capacity of 525 in 2026. As an ICLE flagship member school, St. Jerome frequently hosts our School Leaders Forum, to showcase the approach in action. In summer 2024, Mr. Flynn joined the Institute full-time as the Director of Diocesan and School Relationships to share his expertise with dioceses and a growing number of Catholic liberal arts schools across the country.