Leading with Faith
by Joleen Dimitroff
Dear Catholic Community,
Last week, Human Resources Director Mike Baumann and I met with the School Board at Nativity of Our Lord in Orchard Park. Our conversation focused on new security measures across our diocesan schools and the impact of our Strategic Plan. The board expressed gratitude for the placement of security guards, and we were pleased to share our vision for a strong future in Catholic education. Their new Principal, Erin Collichio, has quickly become a confident leade who is embraced by her school community.
I visited St. Joseph’s University School on Wednesday, where the energy is contagious! Principal Mark Mattle continues to lead the way in outdoor education. Their Outdoor Learning Lab is one of a kind, and a new Campus Greenhouse is under construction—I look forward to the unveiling.
At St. Mary’s in Swormsville, Senior Principal Tris D’Angelo has created a culture of rigorous academics and compassionate learners. As Senior Principal, she is also committed to mentoring other administrators—a gift to her community and to our schools.
On Friday, Bishop Mike and I visited St. Peter’s in Lewiston. Bishop Mike celebrated Mass with the students, who eagerly shared their reflections on his homily. St. Peter’s Church, with its breathtaking stained glass, left me with a deep sense of calm and faith. They welcomed us after mass with a cookie reception and a tour of their bright, engaging school. Principal Maureen Ingham is BELOVED by staff and children. She is truly a part of the Lewiston Community. She tells me she is retiring after this year and if she does we wish her well. Her legacy will live on for generations. St. Peter’s is a little slice of Heaven due to Maureen’s vision and dedication.
As we look ahead, I am excited to continue visiting more of our schools, connecting with communities, and sharing the many ways Catholic education is thriving in Western New York.
Art Class at St. Joe's
Kindergarten at St. Mary's
by Stephanie Genco Gasiecki
"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven."
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
As we step into October, the season of fall reminds us of the beauty of change. The turning leaves and crisp air always feel to me like an invitation to reflect and reset. A new month is a new chapter—an opportunity to deepen our faith, refine our practice, and renew our dedication to the students and families we serve.
STAR Fall Screening: Now What?
With STAR fall screening assessments now complete, it's time for the next important phase: using the data to drive instruction. Assessment is not the end—it’s the beginning of a conversation about how we meet students where they are and help them grow!
A example comes from a Catholic school in Pennsylvania, featured in this Renaissance case study. Their journey shows how intentional use of data can transform teaching and learning. Key takeaways include:
Using data to identify learning gaps early
Setting clear goals for growth
Grouping students for targeted instruction
Engaging families in the learning journey
Let’s bring this spirit into our own schools!
In upcoming staff meetings and common planning, consider these guiding questions:
How can we communicate results to families—and students, when appropriate?
What goals for growth can we set?
Where do we need to provide intervention—and in what areas?
What materials do we have—or need—to do that?
How can we group students for small group instruction to better differentiate?
The STAR/Data conversations can’t end just because the fall screening is complete; we need to keep these conversations going and allow our results to carry us forward.
Free Special Education Workshops
I’m excited to share a valuable professional development opportunity for staff and administrators. The West Regional Partnership Center 2025–2026 Catalog is now available. Workshops are:
Free
Approved by the NYSED Office of Special Education
Open to all educators
Offered in various formats and locations
These sessions are a great way to deepen your understanding of inclusive practices and support for diverse learners. Visit e1b.org/wrpc for details.
Reminders & Updates
NCEA Reports: Thank you to those who have completed them. If yours are still pending, please submit ASAP. Reach out if you need help. All revisions from Chris Riso or me must also be addressed promptly.
BEDS Day is Tomorrow – October 1
Please see Chris’ directions in the Government Services Blog and watch your email for your Google Sheet from me tomorrow.Middle States Accreditation Work Session – Tuesday, October 7
Principals and school internal coordinators are invited to join us at the Catholic Center.Conference rooms 1 & 2 are available starting at 2:00 PM
Senior principals and planning team members available from 3:00–5:00 PM
Bring your laptop for best results
Can’t attend in person? Join us virtually via Teams link
by Chris Riso
9/29/25 NCEA Form Due via Online Google Sheet based on 9/12/25 Counts
10/1/25 BEDS Enrollment Anchor Date – Count All Staff & Students
10/16/25 Government Services Update via Teams
10/20/25 NCEA Updates/Corrections Due to our Office via Google Sheet
10/25/25 Voter Registration Deadline
11/1/25 2024-25 School (and Parish) Annual Reports Due to the Audit Department
11/3/25 Title I Letters Sent to Each Public School District w/Poverty Students
11/4/25 Election Day - Please Vote!
11/14/25 BEDS Report Due to NYSED via Business Portal IRS-Data Exchange
12/1/25 Fire Safety Inspection Must be Completed; Report Due 12/16/2025
BEDS Day is Oct. 1st – Complete Google Sheet before you submit to NYSED Online: Later today or early tomorrow, Stephanie Genco Gasiecki will send school principals information and a link to your school-specific BEDS Google Sheet to help you prepare for the NYS BEDS report based on student and staff attendance from Wednesday, 10/2/2024. The actual online BEDS report is not due to NYSED until November 14th using the Business Portal (via “IRS Data Exchange” under “My Applications”, not “BEDS/IMF”). I would encourage you to use the Google Sheet we created and the associated instructions to help you organize your information prior to the online submission to NYSED using their Business Portal. My instructions include some tricks I have learned over the years to avoid data entry issues. I would be glad to assist you with any questions you might have while you are working on your BEDS report.
NCEA Report – Please Return Any Requested Changes as Soon as Possible: Thank you to everyone for taking the time needed to prepare and complete your school’s NCEA report. Now that your online Google Sheet has been completed, Steph and I will review all tabs of your report to look for any confusing or missing information. If we notice anything we’ll send you an email and request any needed clarification. Please try to respond to these requests in a timely manner as we have a quickly approaching deadline for the Diocesan Summary report.
Title I for 2026-27 - Send Free/Reduced Lunch Lists to Public School Districts: If you have any students who qualify for free or reduced lunch (or would be based on their family income if you had a free/reduced lunch program), please send a list of these students to the each of the public school districts in which they live for the purpose of identifying those who might qualify for 2026-2027 Title I funding. The number of qualified students on these lists who live in the Title I attendance areas will help determine your 2026-2027 Title I allocation from each district. Feel free to use this template when writing to the school districts. I recommend you send these letters out to each affected school district by November 1st. If you are familiar with the school district, address this letter to the correct person or use the contact information in this Excel spreadsheet; if you are unsure you can always send it to the superintendent. Either way, you should follow up a week or so after you send it to make sure someone at the district received it. Be sure you keep copies of these letters for future reference.
Hardware, Software, and Library Materials – Order through School District of Location: If you have not already done so for this school year, please make arrangements to order hardware, software, and library materials through the Public School District in which your school is located using the state funds available for such items to be loaned to you.
Fire Safety Inspection Due by December 1; Fire Safety Report Due by Dec. 16: If your Fire Safety Inspection has not yet been completed, you must arrange to complete one prior to December 1st and, for most schools, the inspection report must be filed with the Commissioner via the Business Portal prior to December 16th. This year the Fire Safety Reports for all schools with more than 24 students not located in the city of Buffalo must be submitted via the NYSED Business Portal. Information on the process, the required Non-Public forms, and the Non-Public School Fire Safety Manual can be found on this webpage. Several schools had trouble locating the online report (NYSED presentation found here) so here is the best way to get to your report (from Directions on Accessing the Nonpublic School Annual Fire Safety Report (nysed.gov):
1. Log into the NYSED Business Portal at https://portal.nysed.gov/
2. Under “My Applications”, choose “Facilities Planning-Fire Safety”.
3. Once you select “SEDREF Buildings” your school will appear.
4. Select “Enter Report” to input the data from your completed Fire Safety inspection.
Please direct questions to the ORISS office using either of these email addresses: ORISS@nysed.gov or NPfiresafety@nysed.gov
Government Services Quarterly Updates via Microsoft Teams: This school year I will again host quarterly Government Services Updates for school board chairs, principals, business managers, chaplains, and pastors. These will be Microsoft Teams meetings tentatively scheduled for 10/16/25, 1/14/26, 2/26/26, and 5/20/26 at 3:15pm. I will send out an invitation and Teams link for the Fall meeting by 10/14/25.
by Nancy DiBerardino
Elementary Bowling
Today begins the second week of bowling. Students may be added to your roster no later than Oct 3rd. Invoices will be sent out to schools at the end of the week. Mark your calendars: The Championship Tournament will take place on Saturday, November 1st at Classic Lanes, 1874 Kenmore Avenue, Kenmore, NY. This event will start promptly at 9:00 AM. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 716-847-5504.
Safe Environment Training for Youth in Catholic Schools
This is a mandatory training that takes place yearly in our Catholic schools. The deadline for this training to be completed and recorded on-line is January 15, 2026. Attached please find a document that explains why this training is done, how to access the resources and how to record on-line that the training has been completed. If you have any questions, please the Safe Environment Office at 716-847-55
12th Grade Mass Registration
The 12th Grade Mass will take place on Tuesday, October 28th at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY at 10:30 AM. Registration for this event is required by October 17th. The registration form will be used for creating our seating chart.
8th Grade Mass Registration Form
The 8th grade Mass will take place on Wednesday, October 29 at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY at 10:30 AM. Registration for this event is required by October 17th. The registration form will be used for creating our seating chart. Register your school here.
by Mike Baumann
I am also available to work with our school leadership on any matters related to HR and personnel. Hiring and firing, employment agreements, contacts, employee discipline issues, documentation, benefits and job restructuring are all areas where I’ve already assisted in some schools, and I am happy to do so for you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
10/1 - BEDS Day
10/7 - MSA Work Session
10/10 - Diocesan Convocation
10/23 - Principal's Meeting
11/14 - BEDS Report Due
11/19 - STREAM Coordinator Meeting