The Fulcrum Point

Callanan Media Services

In increasingly secular Western Washington, why is Catholic education growing in popularity? We'll take a closer look at some of the inspiring and innovative reasons behind this unexpected trend. In this podcast, we explore the Fulcrum Foundation's immense impact on Catholic schools in Western Washington, one of the largest school districts in our region, and its ripple effects throughout our communities. We'll examine Fulcrum's role in developing leaders, including staff, students, families, and community members.  A "fulcrum" is the tipping point of a lever. Join us as we "get to the point" of how the Fulcrum Foundation is finding new ways to leverage support for the power of Catholic education to inspire and unite communities across the Pacific Northwest. 

  1. MAY 1

    Season 2 Episode 7: Student Mental Health

    With reports of rising anxiety and depression symptoms in students ages 3-17, it’s clear that the crisis of student mental health has shifted from a passing post-pandemic phenomenon to a sustained, systemic challenge. So how are Catholic schools in Western Washington responding? This episode of “The Fulcrum Point” focuses on the increased efforts among schools in the Archdiocese of Seattle to bring social and emotional health into the curriculum at the PreK-8th grade levels. High schools in the Archdiocese are taking this work a step further—training students to serve as mental health facilitators for their peers. You’ll hear from long-time school counselor Denise Mullins, who’s built a social and emotional learning program at Holy Rosary Edmonds and St. Thomas More preK-8 schools. Her work is helping students take charge of their own mental health and also assisting kids and their families grapple with modern challenges like cyberbullying.  You’ll also hear from Joe Cotton, Executive Director of the Office of the Vicar General for the Archdiocese of Seattle, who’s built a program called the “Catholic Lifesaver Corps.” This peer-to-peer mental health program is literally saving lives and drawing international attention due to its success. Join host Brian Callanan to learn more about how Catholic schools in Western Washington are dealing with the many challenges of student mental health on this episode of the Fulcrum Point. Find out more about Fulcrum’s work to support Catholic education at this link. Connect with the 988 Lifeline for mental health challenges at this link. Learn more about Living Works suicide prevention training at this link.

    31 min

  2. MAR 17

    Season 2 Episode 6: Celebrating Catholic Schools Week

    Catholic Schools Week is a vibrant celebration that brings together all 74 Catholic schools across Western Washington. Comprising the 10th-largest school district in the state, Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Seattle bring together their 21,000 students every year for a week of building community and amplifying the uplifting message of Catholic education.  This episode of "The Fulcrum Point" takes a look at what makes Catholic Schools Week a success each year, and there's plenty to learn! You'll hear from Alison Seaton, Fine Arts Director for Forest Ridge of the Sacred Heart in Bellevue, who organizes the annual Festival of Catholic High School Choirs at Seattle's Benaroya Hall. The festival serves as a capstone to Catholic Schools Week, and brings hundreds of high school students together for a joyful vocal performance focused not on competition, but on uplifting one another. You'll also get some insights from Kristin Moore, Director of Marketing for the Office for Catholic Schools, who helps educators find a spark of innovation each year to make Catholic Schools Week an inspiring showcase of their communities. The work of the Office for Catholic Schools in Seattle has been a model for schools across the country!  Finally, you'll hear from the Fulcrum Foundation's Stewardship Manager, Alexandra Claeys, about the Celebration of Light gala, which absolutely rocked! The Celebration of Light serves as Fulcrum's annual fundraiser and highlights the amazing talents of Catholic school students across Western Washington. Fulcrum's already getting warmed up for a 25th anniversary bash at the Celebration of Light next year! Join host Brian Callanan to learn more about the excitement of Catholic Schools Week on this episode of the Fulcrum Point. Find out more about Fulcrum’s work to support Catholic education at this link.

    30 min

  3. JAN 6

    Season 2, Episode 5: Students Serving People in Need

    Teaching students about the importance of serving people in need is a core part of Catholic education. Across Western Washington, thousands of Catholic school students are learning this lesson with projects that are making an impact far beyond the confines of the classroom. This episode of "The Fulcrum Point" focuses on how Catholic schools are inviting students to live out their Catholic identity and faith through a variety of service projects. Just last year, during the 175th anniversary of the Seattle Archdiocese, Catholic school students contributed 138,000 service hours to help their communities! You'll hear from Connor Geraghty, an assistant superintendent for the Office for Catholic Schools for Mission and Catholic Identity, who's connecting middle school students with a service program called the Missionary Discipleship Institute.  You'll also get insights from Elianna Lucas, Director of Campus Ministry and Theology at Archbishop Murphy High School in Everett. The SPIN (Serving People in Need) program she oversees not only encourages students to volunteer with service providers in their communities, it also builds leadership skills for soon-to-be-graduating seniors as they organize service projects of their own. And there's an inspiring story from Aida, an Archbishop Murphy student whose service project may lead to a full-time career of serving others in the future.  Join host Brian Callanan to learn more about how Catholic school students are serving others on this episode of the Fulcrum Point. Find out more about Fulcrum’s work to support Catholic education at this link.

    32 min

  4. 12/01/2025

    Season 2, Episode 4: Honoring Educator Excellence

    Teachers play a critical role in Catholic schools by shaping our kids' lives as well as the communities they serve. That's why the Fulcrum Foundation honors a select number of educators from across Western Washington each year with a special recognition: the St. John Baptist de la Salle Educator Excellence Award. On this episode of "The Fulcrum Point," we're learning how the Fulcrum Foundation is presenting this award to not only recognize top educators, but also to help build up and encourage the vice principals, principals, and leaders of tomorrow.  You'll hear from the chair of Fulcrum's Board of Trustees, Tony Audino, about how this award has become such an important part of Fulcrum's professional development programs for the 1,300+ teachers in the Seattle Archdiocese.  You'll also hear the inspiring stories of two of this year's Educator Excellence Award winners: Angela Greenfield, a kindergarten teacher at St. Anthony School in Renton going into her 20th year of teaching, and Erica Billard, Director of Early Childhood Education and Vice Principal at Christ the King School in North Seattle.  Join host Brian Callanan to learn more about what makes these award-winning teachers and their Catholic school communities so special on this episode of the Fulcrum Point. Find out more about Fulcrum’s work to support Catholic education at this link.

    34 min

  5. 11/03/2025

    Season 2, Episode 3: A Day in the Life at St. Alphonsus Parish School, Seattle!

    On this episode of the Fulcrum Point, we're having some fun with one of the oldest Catholic schools in Seattle--but one that's coming up with some the newest and most innovative ways to connect with and educate students! We're learning all about St. Alphonsus Parish School, a pre-K through 8th school which has been operating since 1907 in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. Speaking with principal Nick Padrnos, we're learning more about a program to organize middle schoolers that's literally working like magic, a breakthrough in the battle over when kids should get a mobile phone, a project that helps provide affordable teacher housing, and more! You'll also hear from lead pre-K teacher Carissa Person about how support from the Fulcrum Foundation has helped classes for 3, 4, and 5 year-olds grow to unprecedented levels. Plus, math teacher Emma Min, a former college hockey captain, explains how she's helping students reach their "goals" with single-gender middle-school classrooms and some inspiring lessons in all aspects of STEM learning.  Take a listen to a day in the life of a typical Catholic school in Western Washington that's anything but!  Host Brian Callanan gives you plenty to think about, and smile about, with an insider's tour of St. Alphonsus Parish School on this episode of the Fulcrum Point. Learn more about Fulcrum’s work to support Catholic education at this link.

    30 min

  6. 10/06/2025

    Season 2, Episode 2: School Safety, School Choice Tax Credits, and More with Superintendent Nicholas Ford

    On this episode of the Fulcrum Point: Two national stories with significant local impacts.  After a tragic school shooting during an all-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minnesota, how are Catholic schools in western Washington responding--and how are they changing their safety policies? Plus, how could a controversial new federal school choice tax credit program impact our state? Nicholas Ford, superintendent of the Office for Catholic Schools, is answering these questions and more in this edition of "The Fulcrum Point." The Fulcrum Point is a podcast focused on the impact of Catholic education on western Washington brought to you by the Fulcrum Foundation. In this episode, the superintendent (who oversees the 74 schools in the Seattle Archdiocese) also breaks down how Catholic schools in our region have grown for the sixth consecutive year this fall, with a focus on professional development for staff and teachers, and an inclusive environment for students with different learning and behavioral needs.  Host Brian Callanan is putting Superintendent Ford to the test on these challenging issues in this action-packed episode!   Learn more about Fulcrum’s work to support Catholic education at this link.

    30 min

  7. 09/02/2025

    Season 2, Episode 1: Back-and-Forth with the Bishops!

    As students and teachers head back to school this fall, two leading voices of the Seattle Archdiocese have some important lessons to pass on! Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo and Auxiliary Bishop Frank Schuster join the podcast for a special episode to kick off our second season. Welcome to The Fulcrum Point, brought to you by the Fulcrum Foundation! In this episode, the auxiliary bishops open up about their own sometimes surprising educational backgrounds, their efforts to welcome as many students as possible--especially from our region's growing Hispanic population--into Catholic education, their thoughts on how a fast-moving world of technology and social media is affecting students of today, and more.  Host Brian Callanan also talks with Bishop Schuster and Bishop Elizondo about the continued growth of Catholic school enrollment in western Washington over the past five years--and what steps the Fulcrum Foundation can take to ensure that growth continues towards a bright, innovative and inclusive future.  Learn more about Fulcrum’s work to support Catholic education at this link.

    40 min

  8. 07/01/2025

    Episode 6: Understanding Education Marketing

    It may be June, but there’s no summer break for the innovative new programs Catholic schools are using to recruit and retain students and teachers. With nationally-recognized professional development programs and a focus on recruiting underserved communities, the Office for Catholic Schools is hard at work this summer. Welcome to The Fulcrum Point, brought to you by the Fulcrum Foundation! In this episode, we’re talking about the marketing efforts going on behind the scenes that have fueled steady growth of Western Washington’s 74 Catholic schools over the past four years. In this episode, host Brian Callanan talks with Kristin Moore, Director of Marketing for the Office for Catholic Schools within the Archdiocese of Seattle. The discussion covers a wide range of topics, from how Catholic schools are employing new programs like ALMA (Advancing Latino Multilingual Achievement) to reach out to a quickly-growing Latino and Hispanic population to INSPIRE, a nationally-recognized conference for Catholic school leaders and staff that’s drawing participants from around the country.  Learn more about Fulcrum’s work to support Catholic education at this link.

    33 min
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About

In increasingly secular Western Washington, why is Catholic education growing in popularity? We'll take a closer look at some of the inspiring and innovative reasons behind this unexpected trend. In this podcast, we explore the Fulcrum Foundation's immense impact on Catholic schools in Western Washington, one of the largest school districts in our region, and its ripple effects throughout our communities. We'll examine Fulcrum's role in developing leaders, including staff, students, families, and community members.  A "fulcrum" is the tipping point of a lever. Join us as we "get to the point" of how the Fulcrum Foundation is finding new ways to leverage support for the power of Catholic education to inspire and unite communities across the Pacific Northwest. 

Information

  • Creator
    Callanan Media Services
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Fulcrum Point
  • Show Website
    The Fulcrum Point