Deadline extended until March 31
The purpose of this initiative is to provide Catholic schools in mission dioceses with training and resources to attract and serve Latino students more effectively.
Catholic Extension has partnered with the University of Notre Dame ALMA Initiative: Advancing Latino and Multilingual Learner Achievement through Catholic Education to offer the Latino Engagement Institute training to school administrators in your diocese. This agreement covers the cost to participate in the Institute, including up to $1,600 of the associated travel expenses. Participating schools will only pay for any remaining travel fees and less than 40% of the registration fee.
The Latino Engagement Institute is designed for schools that have identified their unmet capacity for enrolling new Latino students. The program consists of a summer workshop at Notre Dame for the school principal and one other staff/faculty member. A third spot is reserved if the pastor of each eligible school is interested in attending. ALMA will provide each school an LEI mentor that will work with the school leader throughout the year, answering questions as they arise and facilitating a close community of learners among the group through monthly video conference calls and online modules. The ALMA program also will convene a mid-year educational workshop for participating principals. After completing the institute, ALMA staff members will assess the responsiveness at each school and annually monitor enrollment figures.
Participants will learn effective practices and strategies for:
- Recruitment and retention of Latino students
- Becoming more aware of the cultural nuances of working with Hispanic communities
- Developing culturally sustaining classrooms
- Understanding the common barriers that Latino students face with Catholic schools
After completing the program, participating schools will be in a position to enroll a markedly higher percentage of Latino students compared to the period before the program began as well as better address the needs of current Latino students enrolled in the school.
Duration: 4 DAY IN PERSON PROGRAM (June 28 – July 1, 2026) including a year of mentorship and support. Overall Value to Participating Diocese: $4,800 (per school)
DOCUMENTS: Latino Engagement Institute Guidelines
To apply:
Deadline for Catholic Extension applications are due March 31, 2026
For more information:
Contact Erika Cedrone, Assistant Vice President of Mission, at 617-817-2907 or [email protected]