Fordham to Host Career Workshop for Catholic School Educators

Educators working at the 27 schools slated for closure by the Archdiocese of New York at the end of this school year may be wondering what their next career steps are. Fordham’s Graduate School of Education (GSE) would like to help.

Along with the Center for Catholic School Leadership and Faith-Based Education and Fordham Career Services, GSE will host a career-planning event for Catholic school educators on Saturday, April 30, in Westchester and on Wednesday, May 18, in Manhattan.

“Career Planning for Catholic School Educators” is designed to assist Catholic schoolteachers and administrators who will be affected by the closing of schools in the Archdiocese of New York. The event is the brainchild of Patricia Kelly-Stiles, Ed.D., (TMC ’70, GSAS ’75, GSE ’82, ‘99), associate director for the Center for Catholic School Leadership and Faith Based Education.

Prior to joining Fordham, Kelly-Stiles spent decades in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. As deputy superintendent responsible for teacher and principal personnel, Kelly-Stiles witnessed staff at a crossroads when the that diocese made the decision to close parish schools.

“I remembered interviewing many of these people when they were first starting out,” Stiles-Kelly said. “You felt the loss on a very personal level.”

Back in Brooklyn, Stiles-Kelly reached out to a Catholic university in the area who helped prepare the parish school staff affected by the closures for the job market.

“It worked very well,” she said. “I attended a conference at Boston College this past September that involved Catholic colleges and universities across the country, including Fordham. Father Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham, and Father William F. Leahy, S.J., president of Boston College, spoke about what Catholic colleges and universities can and can’t do for K—12 Catholic schools. So I knew Fordham would be willing to step up to the plate.”

Stiles-Kelly hopes the event will attract staff from the 27 Roman Catholic schools slated for closure.

“The Graduate School of Education has a special relationship with all of the schools in the Archdiocese of New York because we offer a religious school scholarship for people working in faith-based schools,” Stiles-Kelly said.

GSE staff will help attendees gain information about strategies and techniques for job searching and resume writing.

Linda Horisk, assistant dean of admissions and enrollment management at GSE, said the workshop is going to include a discussion and strategies for transitions. That portion will be presented by Annette McLaughlin, a human resources and development professional for more than 22 years, who provides career counseling through the Office of Career Services at Fordham.

“We’re asking attendees to bring a resume,” Horisk said. “We’ll discuss current issues in education today, information about core competencies in education, job search strategies and technique with an emphasis on technology and some networking.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Linda Horisk at gse_admiss@fordham.edu.

The schedule for events is as follows:

Saturday, April 30, at 1 p.m.
Fordham University Westchester Campus
400 Westchester Avenue West Harrison, NY 10604

Wednesday, May 18, at 5:30 p.m.
12th Floor Lounge
Fordham University Lincoln Center Campus
113 West 60th Street New York, NY 10023

—Gina Vergel