Sister Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools
Sister Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, Ph.D., an Apostle of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was appointed Superintendent of Schools in March 2023 by His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan. Click here to follow Sister Mary Grace on Her X/Twitter Page!
Before becoming Superintendent of Schools, Sr. Mary Grace served as President of Cor Jesu Academy located in St. Louis, Missouri. In her tenure as President, Sr. Mary Grace served as the Chief Executive Officer and provided overall leadership and vision for the integration of faith and learning. Sr. Mary Grace served as the Provost for Education, Evangelization, and Catechesis and the President of Saint Thomas Seminary in the Archdiocese of Hartford, where she was responsible for the continuum of Catholic education and formation for all the faithful of the archdiocese and the supervision and coordination of the offices which served Catholic schools. From 2006 through 2015, she served as Superintendent and later Secretary of Catholic Education and Faith Formation in the Diocese of Bridgeport. She has also been an elementary and secondary school teacher and administrator in seven archdioceses throughout the country in parochial, diocesan, and congregation-sponsored schools and just completed her service as a provincial councilor for the Mary, Queen of Apostles province of her religious community.
Sr. Mary Grace holds a B.A. in English from Albertus Magnus College, an M.A. in Educational Administration and Supervision from Saint Louis University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration/Church Leadership from Fordham University. She is a trustee of Foundations in Education and serves on the executive committee of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) Board of Directors.
Letters From the Superintendent
Welcome to Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of New York
Welcome to the Catholic school system of the Archdiocese of New York, one of the largest and most diverse in the nation. For two centuries, we have taught and nurtured children from varied backgrounds, especially those new to our land. In doing so, we have successfully provided our students with the life-changing opportunities that are inherent in a Catholic education, opportunities that excite, encourage and inspire, and most importantly, which foster a lasting relationship with Our Lord.
Over the years, our graduates have made impressive contributions in the fields of law, medicine, government and business, and assumed leadership positions in corporations large and small. We are most proud, however, of how our students consistently demonstrate our values by bringing the commitment to service learned in Catholic schools to all that they do, enriching their families, parishes and communities.
With our shared community of faith as our inspiration, the Superintendent’s Office is committed to strengthening Catholic education for the future. As we position our schools to grow and thrive in the 21st century, we continue to implement our strategic initiative, Pathways to Excellence, to chart a fresh, bold course for our newly regionalized school system that will ensure excellence in all aspects of Catholic education throughout the Archdiocese.
We encourage parents and pastors, principals and parishioners, business leaders and benefactors to join with us as we build on our Catholic school tradition for a new era.
Sincerely,
Sr. Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, Ph.D.,
Superintendent of Schools
Pathways to Excellence
Throughout two centuries, the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of New York have maintained a steadfast dedication to educational excellence and Catholic culture rooted in faith, service and personal responsibility.
Inspired by that tradition, a three-year strategic plan, Pathways to Excellence, was initiated in 2010 to help the elementary schools of the archdiocese fulfill their critical mission as Christ-centered, academically excellent and welcoming communities.
Implementation entailed careful study and candid assessment of the school system’s strengths and areas for potential improvement. Designed not only to preserve, but advance Catholic education in New York, Pathways outlined critical objectives and realistic strategies to ensure the long-term success of a healthy system of fully-enrolled schools grounded in the Catholic faith.
One of the most ambitious – and necessary – strategies of this wide-ranging plan was to keep Catholic schools accessible and affordable by transitioning most elementary schools from the historical parish-based school model to a more sustainable regional one.
With regionalization, every parish, even those without a school on the property, and those whose schools remain parish-based, has a voice and an investment in the Catholic schools in their communities.
To serve students throughout the archdiocese, Pathways to Excellence embraces present challenges as an opportunity for change and renewal. It envisions current and upcoming leaders who will provide the bold, creative and energetic direction that will sustain the mission of Catholic education for generations to come. Pathways to Excellence reaffirms that the support of Catholic education is a communal, ecclesial duty that extends beyond the parents of school children and the parishes where schools are located.
Now, everybody is doing their part, sharing responsibilities and working together to ensure a bright and vibrant future for Catholic education in New York.
