School Type
Faith-based
Grade Levels
Pre K – 8
Student Enrollment
600
Neighborhood
North Philadelphia
Education
M.Ed. Educational Leadership,
Administrative Cerftication,
Cabrini University
B.A. English/Education,
Saint Joseph’s University
Kelly Lanza
Principal, Christ the Teacher Catholic School
Diocese of Wilmington
2018 Neubauer Fellow
“I serve as a principal because I believe very strongly in Catholic education. As a Catholic educator, I have three responsibilities: lead an academically excellent school, help students discover their unique relationship with God, and foster a community dedicated to service and social and emotional development. As a Neubauer Fellow, my personal learning and development never stops. It enables me to be the best Catholic urban leader possible and for that I am extremely grateful.”
Kelly became the principal of Christ the Teacher Catholic School in 2023. Previously, Kelly served as the principal of Sacred Heart Academy of Louisville, St. Martin De Porres School, and West Catholic Preparatory High School (2017-2020). Under her leadership, West Catholic HS school received a $300,000 grant from Philadelphia School Partnership for school turn-around work with The New Teacher Project. West Catholic also became a finalist for the Lemelson-MIT Grant of up to $10,000 to help high school students, educators, and mentors invent technological solutions to real-world problems of their own choosing.
Kelly has been an educator since 1999. Prior to becoming a principal, Kelly served as a 7th and 8th grade teacher, director of education for the Women’s Christian Alliance, assistant principal of academics and student affairs for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and a high school English teacher. Kelly grew up in Philadelphia and attended Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls.