Pam Patnode
It’s been an eventful year for Pam Patnode, who became director of the Catholic School Leadership Graduate Certificate Program at The St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul this past summer, became an empty nester this fall and will become a grandma this coming winter.
“Oh, I’m so excited!” said the 52-year-old, a longtime member of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Community in Wayzata. “I have all kinds of games and activities and field trips and projects that would be just a delight to do with grandchildren.”
Q) After raising five kids in your home, you recently downsized. Was it a tough move?
A) As we were packing and purging, I joked that I was embracing minimalism. We started the process a few years in advance, which gave us time to prayerfully discern what do we need, what can we bless others with. I decided I didn’t need to hold onto multiple sets of dishes that were rarely getting used. I can finally admit to myself — and accept — the fact that I will not become a pastry chef nor a gourmet cook. I cleaned out several gadgets, tools, small appliances and cookware that were not being utilized.
Q) Do you feel lighter?
A) Yes! You feel like you’ve lost 20 pounds. It’s freeing. But it takes time to get into the deep, deep corners of the closet.
Q) What did you hang onto?
A) Books! I have inherited old books from my grandparents and parents over the years. Many of our children’s books hold wonderful memories of snuggling with my kids on the couch or in bed, turning the pages, laughing together and even crying together as we experienced the adventures of Ramona, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, Aslan and the characters from “Narnia,” Billy Colman and his dogs Little Ann and Old Dan, lives of many of the saints, “Goodnight Moon.”
Q) Do the programs at the School of Divinity feel like a well-kept secret?
A) Yes — and yet they’re growing like crazy. So, I think the secret is starting to get out! We have record numbers in the (Archbishop Flynn) Catechetical Institute and we see growth in the seminary and lay programs.
Q) You’re directing a new certificate program for leaders of Catholic schools that enrolls about 20 participants a year and is currently in its second year.
A) We’re seeing a tremendous momentum. The majority are teachers who are poised to become leaders in some capacity. We have directors, deans, vice principals and principals who are all part of the program as participants or mentors. It’s really intense in its community building.
Q) What makes a great Catholic leader?
A) Five things jump out. A great Catholic leader needs to have faith. They need to have training and continual learning. They need to focus on relationships. They need humility. And they need joy.
Q) Has COVID taken a toll on our Catholic school principals?
A) Yes. As I talk with principals — both local and those outside our archdiocese — I hear two things. One is that they’re continuing to strive to nurture relationships and provide excellence in education. And number two, they’re tired. Yet even though they’re running on empty, they’re committed to the mission. It’s amazing.
Q) What advice would you give a principal who has a veteran teacher who’s struggling — a larger class size, a shorter fuse, feedback from concerned parents.
A) It’s important to listen to the teacher and come from a place of empathy. And then I’m finding that principals who are having some success in this are encouraging self-care. You get so busy and then you quit taking care of yourself.
Q) It’s the first thing to go!
A) One Catholic school, in another diocese, is giving teachers three mental health days they can take. That’s a great idea! It’s such a challenging time. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. And gosh, we need constant prayer to give us the energy to continue.
Q) Ave Maria Press recently published your research paper “A Guide to Educating Hispanic/Latino Students in Catholic High Schools.”
A) The main takeaway I found aligns perfectly with what every church document on Catholic education says: The mission is to form the whole student while leading that student to Christ. Being intentional about validating students — going to their games, their school performances, thanking them for making a contribution in class, standing outside the classroom to greet them.
Q) Is the Catholic Church leading the way in educating Latino students?
A) It is. I came across a statistic that said Hispanic/Latino students who attend a Catholic school are 42% more likely to graduate (from high school) on time and they’re two-and-a-half times more likely to graduate from college.
Q) Before accepting your new job, you were Dean of Women at Chesterton Academy. That sounds like an important role.
A) Young women are facing so many pressures today: peer pressure, academic pressure, cultural pressures. And social media can amplify those pressures because students can’t ever turn that off. Their phone is right there. It’s a pressure that doesn’t seem to relent. It can affect their mental health, their physical health, their relationships and their academics.
Q) It’s such a widespread issue. Thankfully, G.K. Chesterton’s trademark wit seems to permeate the school.
A) As Christians we have hope. We have faith. And hopefully we have wonder, so we can maintain a sense of joy despite the chaos unfolding in our world. A good, hearty, belly laugh can do a lot to lift one’s spirits.
Q) What do you love about being Catholic?
A) I love the Eucharist. I love the communion of saints. I love the universality of the Church. And I do love the promise of eternal life with Christ.
Q) What do you know for sure?
A) I know for sure that I love the Lord.
Q) What are you still learning?
A) Everything! I’m finding that, the older I get, the more I realize what I don’t know. So, I continue to learn about faith. I continue to learn about education. I’m also learning about brain health and gardening.
Q) What helps you learn from other people?
A) I tend to have a lot of questions, and they come from a place of curiosity and interest. I have a daughter who’s a chemist, and when I read her published research, I often have to say to her: “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” I just love learning. The older I get, the more I realize there is to learn.
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