Category: General

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.

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.

Read GRACE’s Fall 2021 newsletter for the latest information on the opening of the GRACE employee childcare program, a planning update on the 2018-21 strategic report, the launch of Chesterton Academy and much more exciting news!

Check it out by clicking here.

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.

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!

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.”

The GRACE school system was honored to be featured on SiriusXM radio’s “Conversation with Cardinal Dolan” program.

His Eminence, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, spoke with GRACE President Kimberly Desotell about our school system and an anonymous donor’s generous $1,000 gift to each of our nearly 190 contracted teachers for their talent and commitment to in-person education this past school year.

The segment also re-aired on the Catholic Faith Network. To watch the video, please click here. The conversation between Cardinal Dolan and President Desotell begins shortly after the 27-minute mark and lasts for 8 minutes.

Thank you Cardinal Dolan for your support of our GRACE school system. The teachers and staff members here at GRACE, in partnership with our families and parishioners, are truly blessed to be able to build academic excellence and life skills while growing our students in the Catholic faith.

The GRACE school system is honored to be featured in a story in The Wall Street Journal spotlighting the anonymous donor who in May 2021 gave $1,000 to each of our nearly 190 contracted teachers for their commitment to in-person education this school year. Blessings to journalist Nicole Ault for sharing our story with the world, and thank you to GRACE President Kimberly Desotell and GRACE teachers Beth Christensen and Nicole Hall for being interviewed for the story, which can be read online by clicking here. The story also appeared in the print edition of The Wall Street Journal. The publication has more than 3 million print subscribers and more than 6 million followers on Facebook. What a wonderful start to the summer!

We are pleased to announce that GRACE Principal Mr. Andrew Mulloy (St. John the Baptist School) and GRACE teachers Mrs. Jodi Sullivan and Mrs. Michelle Anderson (Holy Cross Catholic School) received prestigious honors from the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation!

Mr. Mulloy is among only 16 principals statewide to receive a 2021 Principal Leadership Award for, as the foundation states, “setting high standards for instruction, achievement and character, and creating a climate to best serve students, families, staff and community.”

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.”

We are blessed to have talented and caring educators like Mr. Mulloy, Mrs. Sullivan and Mrs. Anderson throughout the nine schools in our GRACE system. Congratulations, and thank you to all of our teachers and staff members for continuing to bring out the best in our students this school year!

Congratulations to GRACE teacher Mrs. April Neuville for receiving a prestigious 2021 Golden Apple Award from the Greater Green Bay Chamber! Mrs. Neuville, a first-grade teacher at Father Allouez Catholic School, was among only nine educators (individuals and teams) in the entire region to be selected for the honor.

“Mrs. Neuville is a consummate professional and truly is deserving of this prestigious award,” GRACE President Kimberly Desotell said. “She builds a strong sense of hope in her students that will carry with them always as she imparts wisdom, morals and faith into her teaching daily. We are fortunate to have her as a member of our GRACE family of teachers.”

The Golden Apple Award is the highest honor presented as part of the chamber’s awards program. It recognizes educators who demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism, leadership and innovation in teaching.

Principal Kay Franz of Father Allouez Catholic School used several glowing words and phrases to describe Mrs. Neuville, including: innovative, super communicator, committed to excellence. faith-filled disciple, thorough planner, life-long learner and instructional maestro.

“The care and concern she has for students is extraordinary,” Mrs. Franz said. “She not only insures each student in her class masters the curriculum, but she makes sure they grow in their faith and self worth. Father Allouez Catholic School is blessed by her willingness to share her teaching mission and ministry with our community.”

The Golden Apple Awards program will be televised on CW14 on Wednesday, April 21, at 6 p.m., and on Fox 11 on Sunday, April 25 at 5 p.m. The broadcasts also will include our additional GRACE educators (including Mrs. Neuville) who recently received Teacher of Distinction recognition from the chamber: Mrs. Emily D’Angelo (St. Bernard Catholic School), Mrs. Jodi Sullivan (Holy Cross Catholic School) and Mrs. Hannah Aschenbrenner (Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School).

Overall, 57 GRACE educators were among the area teachers nominated for Golden Apple Awards this school year. Every GRACE school was represented among the nominees.

Congratulations Mrs. Neuville, and thank you to all of our GRACE teachers for the oustanding work you put forth each and every day to bring out the best in our students both academically and spiritually.