Schuttloffel: Responsibilities Of The Catholic School Principal

Reflecting on the responsibilities of the Catholic school principal, I found myself agreeing with the responsibilities described by Merylann Schuttloffel in her work, Character and the Contemplative Principal. Schuttloffel (2003) reminds readers of the additional responsibilities unique to Catholic school principals. Specifically, Schuttloffel (2003) states, “…Catholic educational leaders act to insure that students learn what it means to be Catholic- both morally and intellectually.” (p.2) This is such a powerful statement for me, and one that bears reflection and commitment. It is easy to get caught up in the day to day of running a school. Between student achievement on one hand and the smooth running of the carpool line on the other, the

(Schuttloffel, p.3). This was such an important theory in our prior course, and warrants review. Sergiovanni describes this theory as one where the Catholic school leader makes decisions based on the “right thing to do,” and the heart, head and hand of the school leader work together. Schuttloffel concurs with Sergiovanni and defines the union of the principal’s beliefs (heart), actions (hand), and head (world view) as authentic leadership, and for the Catholic leader, this union aligns with the school leader’s character as well as the leader’s witness to his or her faith. (p.3) Schuttloffel (2003) discusses the necessity for Catholic leaders to openly live their faith. It is not sufficient to be Catholic. The privilege of being Catholic carries with it the responsibility of living a Catholic life, and modeling what it means to be Catholic by finding God in all students and in all situations, and adhering to the mission of the school. This is no small task, as the mission of the Catholic school speaks to the faith formation of all students, the spiritual growth of faculty and staff, the development of community as well as providing for the academic growth of all

But reflecting on the reading, Schuttloffel encourages contemplation and commitment to focus on a virtuous life, and guide the decision-making process of the Catholic school leader. Schuttloffel encourages all readers to consider contemplative practice as a Catholic school leader, in order to learn from prior experience and improve the heart, hand, and head of leadership. After reflecting on the contemplative practice discussed in this section of the book, I recognize its value for Catholic school leaders. Our mission is an important one and not only affects students’ academically, it also affects their life in Christ. This is an awesome responsibility, and knowing that, Catholic school leaders should be contemplative on all actions they take, as well as reflective on the behaviors and virtues they model. Schuttloffel has served the Catholic school leadership community well by reminding us that through contemplation and close monitoring of our own relationship with Christ, and by living a virtuous life, we can be effective school