Kateri Catholic School System announces plans for transition to single campus |
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Written by SALLY OBERSKI, Diocesan Communications Director
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Friday, 02 January 2009 01:00 |
OREGON—With an emphasis on sustainability, Father David Reinhart, president of the Kateri Catholic School System introduced a strategic plan that creates one central campus for a kindergarten through 12th-grade school where four schools now exist.
The plan, announced during a town hall-type meeting at Cardinal Stritch High School Dec. 2, requires a transition of one to two years, Fr. Reinhart said.
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Fr. David Reinhart |
Standing before a crowd of more than 200 concerned parents, grandparents, educators, employees and students, Fr. Reinhart cited reasons why the volunteer board of the Kateri Catholic School System developed the strategy. Declining enrollment and financial concerns of the schools’ supporting parishes, he said, are the primary reasons for the plan, which is to be presented this month for Bishop Leonard P. Blair’s approval.
The Kateri Catholic School System, formed in July 2008, unites Toledo Sacred Heart, Toledo St. Thomas Aquinas and Walbridge St. Jerome elementary schools with Oregon Cardinal Stritch High School. Parishes without schools in the Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Deanery include Bono Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Oregon St. Ignatius, Toledo Good Shepherd, Toledo St. Michael and Toledo St. Stephen. In the plan, these parishes would join financial resources to support the school system.
Toledo St. John in Point Place is also part of the deanery and has a school, but is not a part of the Kateri Catholic School System. Fr. Gerald Chmiel, pastor at St. John, said the parish will support the high school portion of the plan, but will continue working to strengthen its own kindergarten through eighth-grade school.
According to an executive summary distributed at the meeting, the formation of the Kateri Catholic School System is a "proactive step of all parishes in the deanery and Cardinal Stritch High School to ensure a sustained commitment to Catholic education."
During the presentation, Fr. Reinhart revealed that the total enrollment for the schools in the Kateri Catholic School System has decreased 25 percent each year over the last three years, and the schools are projected to lose up to $1.1 million dollars this year, with $990,000 of that in the three elementary schools.
"It costs us $5.1 million to run our schools now," Fr. Reinhart said. "During the transition we project it will be $4.6 million, and at the final stage of the transition we project it will be $4.1 million." The savings, he said, is realized in operating costs.
Fr. Reinhart described a transition to a single campus over the next two academic years. During the 2009-2010 year, Cardinal Stritch High School is to continue to operate in its current form, and two new kindergarten through eighth-grade schools are to open in the deanery. For planning purposes, Kateri Academy North would be located at either Sacred Heart or St. Thomas while Kateri Academy South would be located at St. Jerome.
In the 2010-2011 academic year, Kateri North and Kateri South campuses would close, and all students would attend elementary, middle school and high school on the Cardinal Stritch campus.
Fr. Reinhart said planning continues on exactly what the single campus would look like.
"We are very aware of the need to have three distinct settings" for elementary, middle school and high school students, he said. Meetings are ongoing to work out the details of the physical aspects of the single campus. Right now, he said, everything is on the table, including modifications, additions and new buildings.
During the transition, educators would be trained in new methodology for teaching inside an elementary, middle and high school environment. The plan also calls for a new academic curriculum.
By joining resources in fewer buildings, students should have access to additional learning opportunities such as advanced math and science classes and extra-curricular programs such as music, art and technology, according to the plan.
The average class size for elementary grades would be 25 students and administrative functions, athletic programs and extra-curricular activities are to be combined.
Fr. Reinhart said he expects the staff to decrease from 90 employees to 65 over the two years and hopes some of those would come through attrition and retirement.
While many of the specifics of the plan could not be answered during the meeting, the board responded with encouragement for questions and feedback as they proceed with the transition plan.
According to Fr. Reinhart, additional town hall meetings, focus groups and subcommittees are to be scheduled.
Stressing, the incorporation of feedback from all parties involved in this transition, Fr. Reinhart said the plan includes an opportunity for parishes, teachers, students and the community to submit comments on paper or via an online survey on the school system’s Web site, www.katerischools.org.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 March 2009 13:43 |
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