Denise Donohue, Ed.D.

Dr. Donohue is an experienced Catholic educator who is a thought leader in faithful Catholic education. She has spent the last 30 years in Catholic education. For the last decade she has worked full-time for the Cardinal Newman Society, which promotes and defends faithful Catholic education. Through them she speaks and writes nationally on items of importance to Catholic educators, especially at the diocesan level. Through her evaluation of Newman Guide schools, colleges, and graduate programs, her development of multiple state-of-the-art Catholic Identity evaluation tools, and her sought after consulting, she is widely networked with Catholic education leaders across the country. She helped develop both the Catholic Curriculum Standards as well as the Standards for Christian Anthropology. She is a board member of the National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools. Her Catholic school experiences include work as a religion teacher, religious education coordinator, vice-principal, university assistant professor, founding principal of an independent Catholic school, and board member at the local and diocesan levels. 

She currently teaches EDUC 503 Curriculum Leadership, Development & Catholic Integration

Peer Reviewed

Donohue, D. & Kingsland, J. (June 2020). Standards for Christian Anthropology: Based on John Paul IIs Theology of the Body. Available at https://newmansociety.org/educator-resources/resources/academics/christian-anthropology-standards/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2016, November). Catholic Curriculum Standards. The Cardinal Newman Society, Manassas, VA. Available at https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/program/k12standards/

Donohue, D. (2014). Components of Successful Private Independent Schools. Self-published.

Published Policy and Research Through the Cardinal Newman Society

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2023, April). The Call to Teach: Church Guidance for Catholic Teachers. The Cardinal Newman Society, Manassas, VA. Available at https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/call-to-teach/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2023, April). The Call to Lead: Church Guidance for Catholic Educational Leaders. The Cardinal Newman Society, Manassas, VA. Available at https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/the-call-to-lead/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2023, April). Guide for the Catholic Reader: Selected Reading List, Rubric, and Rationale for Catholic Education. The Cardinal NewmanSociety, Manassas, VA. Available at https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/the-catholic-reader-guide-for-the-catholic-reader-selected-reading-list-rubric-and-rationale-for-catholic-education/

Donohue, D. (2023, January). Policy Standards on Mission, Philosophy, and Faith Statements. Available at https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/policy-standards-on-mission-philosophy-and-faith-statements/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2020, October). Analysis of Advanced Placement Courses. The Cardinal Newman Society, Manassas, VA. Available at  https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/analysis-of-advanced-placement-courses/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2020, October). Analysis of The International Baccalaureate program. The Cardinal Newman Society, Manassas, VA. Available at  https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/analysis-of-international-baccalaureate-program/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2020, October). Analysis of secular character development programs and materials. The Cardinal Newman Society, Manassas, VA.Available at   https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/analysis-of-secular-character-development-programs-and-materials/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (October 13, 2020). Policy standards on secular academic materials and programs in Catholic education. Available at https://newmansociety.org/secular-academic-materials-and-programs-in-catholic-education/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2020, May). Policy standards on human sexuality in Catholic education. Available at https://newmansociety.org/human-sexuality-catholic-education/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2020, April). Maintaining Catholic identity in distance learning instruction. Available at http://newmansociety.org/wp-content/uploads/Maintaining-Catholic-Identity-in-Distance-Learning-Issue-Bulletin-Web-Version.pdf

Donohue, D. (2019, November). Community matters to Catholic school mission. Available athttps://newmansociety.org/educator-resources/resources/academics/christian-anthropology-standards/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2019, March). Literature, library, and media guide for Catholic educators. Available at https://newmansociety.org/literature-library-and-media-guide-for-catholic-educators/

Donohue, D. (2018, October). Catholic Schools not improving under Common Core. Issue Bulletin. The Cardinal Newman Society. Manassas, VA. Available at https://newmansociety.org/catholic-schools-not-improving-under-common-core/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D., (2017, March). Principles of Catholic Identity in Education: Faculty and Staff In-service. The Cardinal Newman Society, Manassas, VA. Available at https://7t5ytx6h223q3qj01iqd281c-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/Principles-Faculty-InService.pdf

Arthur, J., Donohue, D., Guernsey, D., and Reilly, P. (2017, March). Principles of Catholic Identity in Education: Questions for Reflection and Assessment. The Cardinal Newman Society, Manassas, VA. Available at https://7t5ytx6h223q3qj01iqd281c-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/Principles-Questions.pdf

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2016, April). Human sexuality policies for Catholic schools. The Cardinal Newman Society. Manassas, VA. Available at https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/human-sexuality-policies-catholic-schools/

Donohue, D. (December 2015). NAEP scores suggest some concerns for Catholic schools. The Cardinal Newman Society. Manassas, VA. Available at https://newmansociety.org/naep-scores-suggest-some-concerns-for-catholic-schools/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (June 2015). Faith and morals language in Catholic school teacher employment documents: Best practices brief. The Cardinal NewmanSociety. Manassas, VA. Available at https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/faith-morals-language-catholic-school-teacher-employment-documents-best-practices-brief/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (June 2015). Faith and morals language in Catholic school teacher employment documents: A compilation from diocesan statements, handbooks and contracts. The Cardinal Newman Society. Manassas, VA. Available at https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/faith-morals-language-catholic-school-teacher-employment-documents-best-practices-brief/(Hard Copy to all US Bishops and Superintendents)

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2015, May 27). Disconnect between common core’s literary approach and Catholic education’s pursuit of truth. Issue Bulletin, The Cardinal Newman Society. Retrieved from https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/disconnect-common-cores-literary-approach-catholic-educations-pursuit-truth/

Donohue, D. (2015, May 27). Many diocesan and private Catholic schools find success outside of common core. The Cardinal Newman Society.

Donohue, D. (2014, January 16). Common Core Assessments May Be Cost-Prohibitive for Catholic Schools. The Cardinal Newman Society.

Donohue, D. (2013, October). Technology and Alternative Assessments for Common Core State Standards. The Cardinal Newman Society.

Donohue, D. (2013, October). A safe harbor for private schools from Common Core testing uncertainty. The Cardinal Newman Society.

OtherPublished Essays

Donohue, D. (2021, May). Why critical race theory is contrary to Catholic education. Available at https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2021/05/25/why-critical-race-theory-is-contrary-to-catholic-education/.

Donohue, D. (2019, April). A Catholic school stands its ground. Crisis Magazine. Available at https://www.crisismagazine.com/2019/a-catholic-school-stands-its-ground.

Donohue, D. (2018, October). After Synod, faithful schools ready to lead. The Catholic World Report. Available at https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2018/10/31/after-synod-faithful-schools-ready-to-lead/

Donohue, D., & Guernsey, D. (2018, January). Choosing a Catholic school begins with mission. National Catholic Register. Available at http://www.ncregister.com/blog/guest-blogger/choosing-a-catholic-school-begins-with-mission

Donohue, D. (2017, May). Praise or pretense for Catholic schools? Homiletic and Pastoral Review. Available at http://www.hprweb.com/2017/05/praise-or-pretense-for-catholic-schools/