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SPICE 2008 Model Program Descriptions
Design for Success: New Configurations for Catholic Schools
Unified Catholic School System
Chippewa Area Catholic Schools
1316 Bel Air Blvd.
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
In 1986 the idea for the Chippewa Area Catholic Schools emerged from a plan presented by the Chippewa Falls Educational Task Force calling for a continuation of its three Catholic elementary schools. The plan involved keeping all schools open but embraced the concept of complete unification of all parish-based schools in 1987. Schools were grouped by grade level rather than parish affiliation; each school became part of a larger, unified parochial system rather than maintain the smaller, parish-based operation. Rather than remove the canonical authority of pastors for the parochial system of schools, the pastors became the authoritative body over the schools through the dean of the deanery.
The Chippewa Area Catholic Schools celebrated 20 years of unification during the 2007-2008 school year. Although enrollment, staffing, and finances continue to be challenging for most Catholic schools, this alternative operational model has helped perpetuate Catholic education in Chippewa Falls. With the help of a concentrated development program, utilization of system resources, consistent financial management including substantial parish investment, competent and sophisticated leadership, and a strong K-12 curriculum the Chippewa Area Catholic Schools is able to continue providing an authentic Catholic education to families of all economic circumstances through this unified system.
St. Augustine Schools K-12 = Success
St. Augustine Elementary and High School
1300 Galveston Street
Laredo, TX 78040
Located in South Texas in the Diocese of Laredo, St. Augustine School’s mission is to “develop the whole person, promote Gospel values, inspire a love of learning, and uphold academic excellence in a nurturing community.” The success of the school for the past 80 years is due largely to its mission. All stakeholders collaborate to ensure that students are successful and partner to provide a strong religious and academic foundation. The goal of academic excellence and faith formation meets the needs of the students, the expectations of the parents, and the tradition of the school in the community. Serving Grades K3-12 students provides seamless transitions from early childhood to primary grades to middle school to a college preparatory high school through an aligned curriculum, a strong religious program, a competitive athletic program, and a variety of extracurricular activities. The schools have shared facilities, faculty and staff as well as one board, one family school-organization, and one business office.
The elementary school is organized by teams- early childhood, primary, middle school, and special services while the high school is organized by departments- Religion, English, History, Science, Math, Arts, Languages. There are team and department chairs, each assigned to a member of the schools’ administrative team, to ensure a quality curriculum that meets the needs of all students. A school chaplain and campus minister support administration and faculty in providing masses, para-liturgical celebrations, retreats, and opportunities for the sacrament of Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation- helping to ensure strong faith formation. The schools collaborate to provide a variety of athletic and extracurricular activities for its students. Joint planning for curriculum, the religious program, and athletics and extracurricular activities helps ensure success at St. Augustine Elementary and High School.
Reframing Risen Christ School: Practicing Social Justice
Through Catholic Education in South Minneapolis
Risen Christ School
1120 East 37th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55407
Risen Christ Catholic School transformed itself from a disjointed, five-parish consolidated school into a highly effective community school tightly focused on its mission to prepare children from low-income and immigrant families for success in work and in life by providing them with the hope and opportunity that an outstanding Catholic education provides.
The reframing process was comprehensive, multi-dimensional, long-term and involved all key stakeholders of the school community. As a result, the school revised its governance structure and board membership criteria; adopted a new administrative model; created and implemented a long-range strategic plan; enhanced its development department and fund-raising capacity; engaged in data-driven financial forecasting; implemented or expanded educational programs to better meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of the students; developed more culturally competent and effective classroom teachers through focused and high quality professional development efforts; and developed partnerships with community organizations, churches and government agencies.
The process impacted the school in significant ways, including demographics, educational program, strategic planning and financial structure. As a result, Risen Christ Catholic School now better embodies the words of the USCCB: “Catholic schools are often the Church’s most effective contribution to those families who are poor and disadvantaged, especially in poor inner city neighborhoods and rural areas.”
Twin City Catholic Educational System
1050 Zephyr Drive
Neenah, WI 54956
Catholic schools face many challenges. Twin City Catholic Educational System (TCCES) has developed strategies to face common obstacles and continues to evolve as new issues arise.
Prompted by enrollment concerns, five K-8 schools completed a study that resulted in four of the schools joining together to form a system and create a middle school. Ultimately, the system grew from a loosely affiliated group of independent schools to the fully integrated system that it is today.
Over the years, TCCES encountered various challenges in practical matters such as establishing pay and benefits equity; facing rising expenses; and standardizing curriculum. In addition, more emotion-based concerns existed, such as combating insistence on “the way it’s always been;” instilling a “school system” mindset; and building the trust of board directors and parish/school leaders who were accustomed to autonomy.
TCCES developed effective ways to face these and other challenges. Successful strategies include hiring a system president; using a transition board to shift to a fully unified managing board; establishing joint administrative, business, advancement and technology practices; mapping PreK-12 curriculum across academic areas; and adhering to a short range strategic plan. Strategies also included implementing positive, consistent and system-wide marketing strategies, community-building events and fundraising opportunities.
Vision Driven Change
Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools
1018 Grandview Blvd.
Sioux City, IA 51102
This presentation demonstrates how a vision for a school’s future mobilizes a community to get behind the school and make and implement changes.
This program deals with consolidation of two cities Catholic Schools, Fort Dodge and Sioux City, Iowa. Fort Dodge has a population of 40,000 and Sioux City has a population of 80,000.
In both cases a vision was created and changes implemented including a new school in Fort Dodge.
The driving force behind the schools is a vision created by long-range planning. Vision Driven Schools focus on where they are going not on the bottom line.
Both of these school systems had faced declining numbers, existed in poor economies, and were struggling to have a future. Iowa Catholic Schools are being forced to change of die. This includes declining populations, competition from public schools and increasing costs.
Part of the solution is the role of Foundations for faculties and student tuition. In addition both of these schools use cost-based tuition and need based aid.
This presentation details how these changes were made, the challenges of the change and the results achieved. The key to this kind of change is to be able to create a very powerful vision for the future.
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National Catholic Educational Association
