Category: General

GRACE Receives Significant Anonymous Donation to “Invest in Teacher Excellence”

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin: Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has announced a generous donation titled “Invest in Teacher Excellence.” The intention of this gift is unprecedented and was made possible through an anonymous benefactor’s strong belief in Catholic education and the professional development of GRACE teachers. 

The “Invest in Teacher Excellence” program will serve GRACE teachers in two capacities, offering a GRACE Educator Master’s Degree Path Program through St. Norbert College and initiating a Top Teacher Talent Award that will recognize exceptional teachers and provide a stipend to support continued teaching success. 

The GRACE Master’s Degree Path Program, developed through a collaboration with St. Norbert College, gives GRACE teachers the opportunity to apply for one of 19 fully-funded scholarships for a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies at St. Norbert College. The scholarship will cover the cost of tuition, books and fees of the master’s degree. GRACE teachers will apply to the graduate program, and the coursework will be conducted in a cohort model, giving teachers the opportunity to learn together. 

The Top Teacher Talent Award, centered on rewarding and reinforcing exemplary teaching in the GRACE system, will award $1,000 to 20 classroom teachers who demonstrate strong classroom results in the areas of engagement, leadership and instruction through an essay application and portfolio of examples. 

GRACE President Kimberly Desotell said, “We are thrilled to announce this during Teacher Appreciation Week and are completely humbled by the generosity of this benefactor. Their faith in GRACE teachers reinforces our commitment to our educators, giving them the tools needed for continued excellence. This is an innovative and unprecedented opportunity to recognize high-quality teaching and learning in our GRACE schools.” 

“Our mission at St. Norbert College calls us to provide a high-caliber Catholic education for our local and global communities,” said Jennifer Hockenbery, dean of humanities and professor of philosophy at St. Norbert. “That commitment extends beyond our campus to our area K-12 schools. This initiative will help grow Catholic education in our region,” added Hockenbery.  

Eligible GRACE teachers are encouraged to apply by May 23 for these Teacher Excellence Awards through GRACE Human Resources.

Dana Vance Named New Principal at St. John the Baptist School

We are pleased to announce that Dana Vance has been selected as Principal of St. John the Baptist School. She was selected from an extremely talented candidate pool in a competitive process that included input and participation from St. John the Baptist School staff, faculty, families, and GRACE Leadership. Dana will work with the current principal, Mr. Drew Mulloy, to ensure a smooth transition in leadership and will officially start as principal on July 1.

Dana has served as Principal at St. Helen School in Chicago, Illinois for the past two years, and prior to that was Assistant Principal at Sacred Heart School in Winnetka, IL for five years. Before serving in school leadership positions, Ms. Vance was a classroom teacher for 18 years in Catholic schools. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from DePaul University, a Master’s in Administration and Institutional Policy from the University of Chicago, and will complete her Master’s in Educational Leadership from DePaul in June 2022. Dana brings an excellent reputation as a faith-filled leader and skilled instructor to the principalship role. 

When asked what she was most looking forward to when coming to St. John the Baptist School, Ms. Vance said, “I am most excited about continuing the good work that Drew (Mulloy) has started. He has put so many great systems in place and has such high expectations for St. John the Baptist students, I want to keep amplifying this and take it to the next level.” Speaking about her educational vision, Ms. Vance shared, “my philosophy is to impart in our students the confidence to build the behaviors, habits and skills to interact with each other, to act in the community, and to know when to ask for help; I look forward to bringing my experience and building on the practices and faith traditions that have been implemented at St. John the Baptist School.”

“We are delighted to have Dana Vance join our GRACE St. John the Baptist community in this leadership role,” GRACE President Kim Desotell stated. “As a Catholic school educator her entire career, her faith leadership and skills will carry on the rich traditions of faith formation and academic rigor in all we do!”

When she’s not at school, Ms. Vance loves to spend time with her two sons, Cameron and Patrick, her Mastiff-Rottweiler Sam, and her house rabbit Miller. She loves to bake and you can always catch her reading a fantasy/science fiction novel or participating in a book club. A Chicago native, she is thrilled to embrace the friendly Green Bay community and the Wisconsin way of living. 

Please join GRACE in congratulating Ms. Vance upon her selection as the next Principal at St. John the Baptist School.

GRACE Educators Receive Herb Kohl Education Foundation Awards

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Two educators from GRACE (Green Bay Area Catholic Education System) have been selected as 2022 Award Winners by the Herb Kohl Education Foundation committee for the Student Scholarship, Teacher Fellowship, and Principal Leadership program based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Mrs. Crystal Blahnik, Principal of St. Bernard Catholic School in Green Bay was awarded the Principal Leadership Award, which recognizes principals who set high standards for instruction, achievement, and character, and create a climate to best serve their students, families, staff, and community.  Mrs. Tara Wildenberg, second grade teacher at Holy Cross Catholic School in Green Bay, was chosen as a Teacher Fellowship Award recipient, selected for her superior ability to inspire a love of learning in her students, her ability to motivate others, and her leadership and service within and outside the classroom.

These prestigious honors recognize extraordinary leadership demonstrated in the educational setting as well as outstanding academic scholars. In 2022, 100 Wisconsin teachers and 17 Wisconsin principals were recognized, and each winner is given $6,000 individually and $6,000 to their school.

Applauding Mrs. Blahnik and Mrs. Wildenberg, GRACE President Kim Desotell stated “this honor is a rigorous application process and an award that is recognized widely across our entire state of Wisconsin. In our GRACE system, we are most proud to have two winners this year, Mrs. Blahnik and Mrs. Wildenberg! This truly demonstrates the caliber and quality of our GRACE teachers and leaders!”

The Herb Kohl Foundation was established in 1990 by Herb Kohl, Wisconsin philanthropist and businessman. The Foundation has awarded more than $28.3 million to Wisconsin educators, schools, and students.  “Education is the key to the future of Wisconsin and our nation,” Kohl said. “I am very proud of the accomplishments of these educators and look forward to the continued contributions to our GRACE Schools in the future.”

Holy Cross teachers Mrs. Sullivan (first grade) and Mrs. Anderson (kindergarten) are among only 101 teachers statewide to receive 2021 Teacher Fellowship Awards for, as the foundation states, “their superior ability to inspire a love of learning in their students, their ability to motivate others, and their leadership and service within and outside the classroom.”

Honorees are selected by a statewide committee comprised of civic leaders and representatives of education-related associations and the program’s co-sponsors: The Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools, regional Cooperative Educational Service Agencies, the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, and the Wisconsin Homeschool Parents Association.

The Kohl Foundation Scholarship and Fellowship program was established by Herb Kohl, philanthropist and businessman, in 1990. “Education is the key to the future of Wisconsin and our nation,” Mr. Kohl said. “I am very proud of the accomplishments of these students, teachers and principals and look forward to the great contributions they will make in the future.”

CatholicLink to Host Leadership Conference

CatholicLink, a partnership of the pre-K through college Catholic educational institutions in the Green Bay area (GRACE, Notre Dame Academy, and St. Norbert College), are hosting the second annual Middle School Leadership Conference for 6th and 7th graders attending GRACE schools and Roncalli Middle School.

The conference will be at TitletownTech on Friday, April 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students have already applied and have been selected for this free conference.

“The conference is unique because it is designed and delivered by students for students,” said Mary Schaupp, executive director of CatholicLink. “Notre Dame Academy juniors with assistance from GRACE 8th graders and support from St. Norbert College students developed the conference to be an engaging and dynamic opportunity for students to connect, collaborate and grow their leadership understanding and skills, added Schaupp.”

Students will learn about leadership through interactive activities and dynamic sessions and TitletownTech leaders will provide inspiring insights.

For more information on the conference, contact Schaupp at mary.schaupp@snc.edu. For more information on CatholicLink, click here.

Announcing New GRACE Superintendent

Madeline Janssen | GRACE Director of Marketing & Communications

February 8, 2022

GRACE (Green Bay Area Catholic Education) is excited to announce the hiring of Mr. Drew Mulloy as the GRACE Superintendent. 

Mr. Mulloy is a graduate of UW-Green Bay, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and earned his teaching certification. In 2015, he received his masters of science in educational leadership from Cardinal Stritch University. 

He has experience teaching at the elementary and middle school levels as well as extensive experience in leadership and educational management across the GRACE system. Throughout his time with GRACE, Mr. Mulloy has served in additional roles including principal of Our Lady of Grace Virtual Academy and interim principal at Holy Family School. He has led in-depth studies for GRACE on summer school, preschool, and childcare. In 2021, Mr. Mulloy received the Herb Kohl Principal Leadership Award. Additionally, he was recently named a “Future 15” recipient sponsored by the Greater Green Bay Chamber Chapter of Current Young Professionals. He volunteers with St. John the Baptist Parish and is a member of the Board of Education at Notre Dame Academy.

“I am thrilled to invite Mr. Mulloy into this newly-created leadership role of Superintendent as we continue to position for growth and further development of learning and faith throughout our large system of Catholic education. Mr. Mulloy’s deep commitment to our Catholic faith as well as his leadership skills will be integral to this important position.” ~Kimberly Desotell, GRACE President

Mr. Mulloy stated, “I am blessed to have this new opportunity to serve the families through the ministry of Catholic education. I am humbled to be a part of the mission of GRACE, seeking to nurture the spiritual, emotional, and academic health of each child. GRACE is filled with outstanding principals, teachers, and staff. The opportunity to work alongside all GRACE schools is truly a blessing. The capacity and unique charism of each school is unique, giving families choices in their education. I’m excited for the opportunity to work with each of these schools in a new capacity.”

“Under Mr. Mulloy’s leadership, St. John the Baptist School has seen significant growth in enrollment, student achievement, and family engagement,” President Desotell said. “I am confident that through his vision and strong faith, Drew will continue to guide and evolve the GRACE system, benefitting our entire community of students, teachers, faculty, and families.”

Mr. Mulloy will remain principal at St. John the Baptist School through the remainder of the 2021-2022 school year, and will start his new role as GRACE Superintendent on July 1, 2022. 

ABOUT GRACE

GRACE stands for Green Bay Area Catholic Education and is a nine-school system that provides excellence in preschool through tenth-grade education and serves the 23 Catholic parishes within the Greater Green Bay community. GRACE schools range in offerings and locations, and each has its own distinct history, focus and parish connections. GRACE is among the largest Catholic school systems in the state of Wisconsin. To learn more, visit gracesystem.org.

Free and Reduced Meal Forms Available

All GRACE students will receive free meals during the 2021-22 school year (milk must be purchased separately) as the result of a USDA/DPI Federal Funding Grant called Seamless Summer Option (SSO).

But normal program requirements and options remain the same. So if you typically applied for the Free and Reduced Meal Eligibility Program, please continue to do; that information is used for other program benefits such as Pandemic Food Share (P-EBT).

The Free and Reduced Meal Elibility Program forms and additional details are available here: English | Spanish

Paper copies also are available at the GRACE Riverside Office, 1822 Riverside Drive, Green Bay, and at all school offices.

If you have any questions, please contact Wendy Gierczak, GRACE Food Service Administrative Assistant, at (920) 499-7330, ext. 1004.

Registration Open for GRACE Community 5K

The GRACE school system is excited to announce that the GRACE Community 5K Wellness Fun Run/Walk will be returning this summer. The event is scheduled for Saturday, August 28, 2021.

For more details and to register, please click here. The registration fee is only $5 per person and includes a T-shirt, post-race activities and a prize drawing.

This wonderful, non-timed event promotes wellness and strengthens our GRACE community of schools and parishes. We look forward to seeing you there when we gather together to help kick off the 2021-2022 school year!

Donor Gives $1,000 to Each GRACE Teacher

The Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) school system is pleased to announce that a member of the Green Bay community is generously donating $1,000 to each contracted GRACE teacher in appreciation for their hard work and dedication to in-person teaching throughout the 2021-2022 school year in support of our students’ academic, spiritual and social development.

In total, that accounts for nearly 190 GRACE teachers.

“GRACE teachers did not waiver nor miss a beat during the pandemic,” said the donor, who wishes to remain anonymous and have the spotlight shine on our GRACE teachers. “Learning continued for students, and the teachers are to receive credit for their roles in leading teaching each and every day.”

“GRACE teachers showed up, they got the job done, and they demonstrated dedication and commitment to putting students first in all they did during this extraordinary year,” the donor continued. “This gift recognizes their commitment and efforts.”

The announcement was made during a press conference at Holy Family Catholic School, one of nine GRACE schools that serve about 2,200 students in preschool through eighth grade. The event, held during Teacher Appreciation Week, was attended by members of area media outlets as well as all nine principals and a group of teachers representing our GRACE schools; all teachers were invited to tune in to a live update for the surprise announcement.

Speakers included Mrs. Kimberly Desotell, President of GRACE; Bishop David Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay; Mr. Bill Micksch, Chair of the GRACE Board of Trustees; and Mrs. Jodi Sullivan, an award-winning GRACE teacher for 22 years.

“We truly recognize that each and every individual employee throughout our schools contributed to our success this year, but we also realize that without our teachers our platform of education would not exist,” President Desotell said. “Our work is a product of the teaching and the faith that occurs daily in our Catholic schools. Thank you, GRACE teachers!”

Mr. Micksch echoed similar sentiments, saying, “We are very proud of this gift to each and every GRACE contracted teacher today. This is a testimony of the value of our Catholic school teachers and the way in which they have served students and families first during this challenging year. … Our faith, too, provided tremendous confidence for decisions and gave peace and certainty to families and teachers, to focus on the work and the needs of our students first.”

Mrs. Sullivan, a first-grade teacher at Holy Cross Catholic School, is representative of the outstanding educators throughout the GRACE school system. She is a recipient of several prestigious honors, including three Golden Apple Teacher of Distinction Awards (2013, 2019 and 2021) and a Herb Kohl Teacher Fellowship Award (2021).

She stated that teaching in-person this school year during a pandemic was a challenge, but it was a challenge that the GRACE community was ready to tackle head on.

“As a teacher, we had to take so many things that we do day in and day out and rethink those things,” she said. “Routines such as walking in the hall, using lockers, going out to recess, sitting down to lunch, literacy centers, spacing desks vs. using tables in the classroom, and how to use school supplies — all had to be reimagined.”

“We learned the value of sanitizing, sanitizing, and more sanitizing,” she added. “We came up with ways to make our schools safe, so we could all learn and succeed in person together! But we did it … and did it successfully!”

Mrs. Sullivan said the strength to adapt and overcome came from students, their families and GRACE colleagues, noting they all provided motivation and inspiration. She added that the anonymous donor’s generous gift will not be forgotten.

“I wish to thank this gracious donor not only from myself, but on behalf of every single GRACE contracted teacher,” Mrs. Sullivan said. “It feels good to be recognized and acknowledged for doing what we know is best. Students belong in schools, and schools are made to be full of students. Thank you for recognizing that. And thank you for your generosity. … May God bless you, your family and also may God bless all associated with our GRACE Catholic schools.”