Superintendent: Schools are addressing challenges |
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Written by ANGELA KESSLER, Chronicle Editor
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Wednesday, 11 February 2009 01:00 |
TOLEDO—Catholic schools in the Diocese of Toledo are facing some tough challenges, but the diocesan schools office is responding to those challenges and schools continue to succeed, said Jack Altenburger, superintendent of Catholic Schools, during a State of Catholic Schools address Feb. 5.
“We do have challenges and we can’t speak of Catholic schools unless we speak of the challenges and what we are doing about those challenges,” Mr. Altenburger said. He categorized the challenges into three main categories: demographics, an increasingly secular society and the economy.
“Parents sacrifice to send their children to us, and we take that very seriously because we know that the financial sacrifices, particularly in the year 2009, are pretty profound,” he said. In today’s economy, he added, the sacrifices parents have to make are even greater.
To help parents maintain accessibility to Catholic schools, there are two scholarship opportunities for parents to consider. The first is a result of the One Faith … Many Blessings fundraising campaign conducted several years ago. From that a scholarship fund was established for students. In the 2008-2009 academic year, 195 scholarships were awarded at $700 each. While the scholarship aids parents in paying tuition, many more are seeking assistance. More than 600 applications were received for the diocesan-wide scholarship this year.
“If we could grow that, if we could make that endowment larger, then that would be a key. That would go a long way to help with the financial picture,” he said.
A second scholarship is available to families living in Lucas, Wood and Fulton counties. The Northwest Ohio Scholarship Fund grants need-based funds to families to help with private school tuition. EdChoice vouchers are also available from the State of Ohio for those who have children in underperforming schools. These private school vouchers are currently available for students living in Toledo, Mansfield, Sandusky and Lima.
Added to the economic struggles is increased competition from public schools, charter schools and other private institutions, he said.
“I hear people saying to me, ‘You know, Jack, it’s difficult in my area (wherever that might be) because we have good public schools,’ ” Mr. Altenburger said. “It bothers me because I don’t care what you define as good. Good cannot be passing on the faith. Good cannot be Catholic. I don’t see public schools as bad schools; I see them as having different missions.”
While Catholic schools do stress solid academics, they are different because teaching the faith is equally vital to a quality education. “So when you compare a good Catholic school with a good public school, it’s apples and oranges.”
While schools stress academics as a means to launch students into quality universities and great jobs, Mr. Altenberger said, Catholic schools want more.
“We’re not so sure we want our kids to grow up in this society. In fact, we want our kids that graduate from our Catholic grade schools and then Catholic high schools to go out and change this society. What we talk about is … transforming this society. That’s the mission we give to our kids,” he said.
But keeping children in the Catholic schools is getting more and more difficult as northwest Ohio’s demographics change. Families are smaller than they used to be and they are more transient than in the past, as well, Mr. Altenburger said. Generations of families are not staying and living in the same community, so the connection to parishes and schools are not as consistent.
As a response to the growing challenges, four years ago the Catholic Schools Office in the Diocese of Toledo launched its “Catholic Schools Initiative 2010.” From a Catholic Schools Summit in 2005, mission and vision statements were prepared along with six goals. Details of ongoing work of the initiative are available at www.cyss.org/Summit/summit.html.
Some of the work already started includes struggling parish schools working together to continue to be viable. Several areas in the diocese have already joined together for a common school with several campuses, including Sandusky, Norwalk, Tiffin, Defiance and Fremont.
“We have challenges, but I think we are addressing those challenges,” Mr. Altenburger said. “And in the end, the struggles, the sweat, the tears, all the work is worthwhile because what we are doing … is God’s work.”
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 31 March 2009 15:12 |
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