Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

As the new school year begins, families in Catholic schools will notice updates to the curriculum and plans for continued improvement.

Early Childhood Education

The Catholic Schools Office has collaborated with early childhood educators in Catholic preschool programs to offer support and establish curriculum standards for infants and pre-kindergarten students. “We know that education starts way before they reach our (grade) schools,” said Mary Parola, school improvement and professional learning specialist for the archdiocese. The initiative aims to help young children "develop the skills they need to be successful adults."

This effort has resulted in a curriculum document featuring new standards aligned with Kentucky state standards but unique to the archdiocese. The curriculum focuses on “four Cs”: creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication, explained Christine Kelly, who serves as the curriculum, instruction, and assessment specialist for the Office of Catholic Schools. With these resources, early childhood educators will prioritize growth in these areas.

Parola emphasized that the document ensures equal learning opportunities across the diocese. “We’ve seen them (the early childhood educators) grow into a professional learning community and be so supportive of each other,” she added.

Social Studies Curriculum

Grade-school students throughout the archdiocese will encounter a new social studies curriculum this year, developed with input from local Catholic schools and their teachers. While content remains largely unchanged, educators will receive new resources aimed at enhancing instruction. Kelly noted that these resources are designed to better engage students.

New additions include a reading list ranging from picture books to novels for kindergarten through fourth grade students and strategies for fifth- to eighth-grade instruction. Social studies teachers also participated in summer professional development sessions where they could network and share resources.

The Catholic Schools Office plans to evaluate religion standards across the archdiocese over the next academic year, involving parish faith formation offices and personnel in this process.

School Improvement Plans

Schools within the archdiocese will continue updating their school improvement plans this year. Many have focused on enhancing student experiences by improving teacher skills through professional learning opportunities such as peer learning or conferences. Each school has distinct objectives under its improvement plan.

For instance, Mercy Academy has enhanced its arts program by purchasing new musical instruments and pottery equipment; Assumption and St. Martha School have created professional learning communities; Presentation Academy is increasing AP course offerings; St. John Paul II Academy is developing a broadcasting lab.

According to Parola, all objectives aim to assist Catholic leaders and educators in providing an excellent Catholic academic education.

District Improvement Plan

The Catholic Schools Office is also emphasizing professional development for school leaders through an ongoing district improvement plan described by Parola as a “living document” based on national standards grounded in Catholic theology.

“We are refining the school leadership process and ways to support principals in their leadership,” Parola stated. This includes developing a new professional-goals plan and creating a teacher-observation tool refined with input from teachers and principals within the archdiocese. This tool helps principals provide feedback on teachers' goals while supporting instructional skill development.

The district improvement plan also supports teachers using the Danielson framework for teaching which focuses on planning/preparation, classroom environment, instruction, professional responsibilities—and an additional area of focus: Catholic identity.