Catholic schools return to class with focus on renewal, forgiveness, celebration

Father Mathew Thottiyil, parochial vicar of St. Anthony of Padua Parish and School in The Woodlands, blesses a group of St. Anthony of Padua School students on Aug. 12, the first full day of school. Below, a young student colors an activity page as the school’s nearly 500 students join thousands around the Archdiocese in beginning the new school year. (Photos by James Ramos/Herald)

HOUSTON — School is back in session for the 2025-2026 school year for the 12 Catholic high schools and 44 Catholic primary schools in the Archdiocese. 

Mazie McCoy, Ed.D., Archdiocesan superintendent of Catholic schools, said this year’s school theme is “Renewing Hearts and Transforming Schools: The Jubilee Mission of Catholic Schools.” 

“It is a call to enter into a year of renewal, forgiveness and celebration,” McCoy said. “It is a time to celebrate the great things taking place in our schools and to recommit ourselves to the transformative work we are called to do.”

McCoy said the Catholic Schools Office also continues to collaborate with the Archdiocesan advisory school council to develop a strategic plan that supports all schools, with identified goals and action steps, in the domains of mission and Catholic identity, governance and leadership, academic excellence, and operational vitality. 



Key stakeholders were surveyed to determine the goals for each area. SWOT process is a decision-making technique that identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an organization or project.

She added the office is also focused on efforts to attract and retain Latino families.

“A group of four principals attended the University of Notre Dame’s Latino Enrollment Institute this summer,” she said. “This year-long formation program provides Catholic schools with marketing strategies and school culture interventions to better attract and serve Latino families. The four principals will pilot this program during the 2025-2026 school year.”

Programs set aims high for STREAM

St. Theresa Catholic School in Memorial Park is starting a new chapter in their STREAM program with the Foundations Training part of STREAM Made Simple hosted by Eduscape. 
School Principal Sarah Fox said it is the first step in a multi-year effort to fully integrate STREAM into every grade level and subject area.

“Eduscape will be walking alongside our teachers throughout the year with coaching and workshops, giving them the tools and confidence to bring STREAM to life across the curriculum,” she said. 

Fox said that, in the past, STREAM at St. Theresa was mostly focused in lab and science classes. 

“Now, we’re taking it schoolwide. That means whether a student is in math, literature, religion or art, they’ll be engaged in hands-on, inquiry-driven learning that connects all content,” she said. “We have a strong foundation in place, but our students deserve so much more out of our program to be better prepared for the future.”

Fox said this expansion is about providing real growth opportunities, so students leave St. Theresa equipped not only with academic skills, but also with creativity, problem-solving abilities, collaboration skills and faith-filled leadership. 

“As a school, our mission is to grow leaders in faith, service and knowledge, and STREAM helps us live that mission in powerful, practical ways,” she said.

New principals also have 'first-day' experiences

The new school year includes a combination of new students, new teachers, new textbooks, new technology and new principals. This year, seven new principals have joined the Archdiocese.
Ivan J. Earls, Ed.D.At St. Helen Catholic School in Pearland, new principal, Ivan J. Earls, Ed.D., has journeyed from being a principal at both Catholic and public charter high schools in Louisiana.

In his first year, he intends to focus on strengthening the foundations of the school, including deepening the students’ Catholic identity, supporting high-quality instruction and building strong connections with families.

“I want every student to be known, loved and challenged to grow in wisdom, age and grace,” Earls said. He hopes to implement weekly professional learning communities for teachers.

“We are also creating more visible opportunities for students to live their faith through service, Liturgy and Catholic traditions,” Earls said.

Josh Kallus, new principal at Epiphany of the Lord Catholic SchoolJosh Kallus in Katy, didn’t travel far for his new position. He spent the last five years as the school’s assistant principal. The native Houstonian attended Catholic schools all his life, graduating from St. Pius X High School.

“At Epiphany, our mission — rooted in faith, knowledge, compassion and character — guides everything we do,” he said. “I am deeply committed to nurturing not only the minds of our students, but also their hearts and spirits. Each day, we strive to form young people who think critically, act with integrity, lead with kindness and grow closer to Christ.”

Juan SuarezJuan Suarez considers it a privilege and true blessing to begin his journey as principal at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School.

“I am deeply honored to join this faith-filled community and am committed to upholding the school’s mission of providing an education that forms the whole person, spiritually, intellectually and morally,” he said.

Suarez said the focus for the upcoming year is to strengthen the school’s distinctive classical curriculum. 

“We will continue to immerse our students in the rich tradition of classical learning and foster a love for poetry and literature,” he said. “This approach, rooted in Catholic educational philosophy, seeks to cultivate critical thinking and lifelong pursuit of truth and wisdom.”

Amanda SmithAmanda Smith previously served for 12 years at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School in Houston, including six as an administrator, where she led curriculum development, classical education initiatives and accreditation efforts. She also taught in a nearby public school district as a bilingual educator, gaining valuable experience in multicultural classrooms.
As a Catholic student herself, Smith’s journey in faith and education continues as principal at Shrine of the True Cross Catholic School in Dickinson. 

“As someone who attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through 12th grade in this Archdiocese, it’s a true joy to now serve as principal — giving back to the same community that formed me in faith and purpose,” she said. “Those formative years helped shape who I am today and inspired my vocation to serve in Catholic education,” she said.

Smith said her main focus in her first year is on building relationships by getting to know the students, families and faculty, and listening to what “makes True Cross so special.” 
“I want to support our teachers and help create a strong sense of unity and purpose as we work together to form our students in faith, virtue and knowledge,” she said. 

Sharon BradleyFor Sharon Bradley, new principal at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School in Galena Park, the journey was a little different. As a retired public-school principal from Pearland ISD, she spent 27 years in education, with 20 of those as an administrator. After four years in retirement, Bradley was motivated to get closer to her Catholic faith and back to what she loves doing, being a principal of a school.

For her first year at the school, Bradley said she will be focused on rigorous academics in a spiritually led environment.

“With a focus on rigor, our clubs and extra-curricular activities will support that mission,” she said. “By bringing in robotics, National Junior Honor Society and our Prayer Partner clubs, we hope to enrich the whole student, mind and soul.

Bradley said the school’s academic theme this year is “Prayer, Honor, Success.” 

“We will implement a house system where our students will be grouped by houses and led by a teacher as a house leader,” she said. “Students will compete from their different houses, encouraging competition and honor in fair play academically and physically.”

Catholic Schools Office prepares for Education Savings Accounts implementation in 2026
This year, Senate Bill 2, passed by the Texas Senate on May 3, is set to take effect on Sept. 1. 

The Texas Education Savings Account Program will provide parents of students in non-public Texas schools a publicly funded, government-authorized education savings account (ESA) to K–12 students starting in the fall of 2026. Parents may use the funds to cover eligible expenses, including school tuition, school breakfasts and lunches, uniforms, tutoring, online education programs, therapies for students with special needs, and textbooks or other instructional materials.

Superintendent McCoy said that with a $1 billion initial program appropriation, potentially up to 90,000 Texas students could receive an estimated $10,500 per year in the first year of this program. Students with state-recognized disabilities can receive up to $30,000 per year.

“The Catholic Schools Office’s focus this year is to educate current and prospective families on the benefits of the ESA program and how they can apply,” she said. 

By the end of January 2026, all parochial schools will elect to participate in the ESA program.

For information on enrolling or teaching in a Catholic school, visit www.ChooseCatholicSchools.org.