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Steering committee to guide schools’ long-range plans

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
(Email Renee)

In an effort to make the Catholic schools of the diocese stronger, the diocesan superintendent recently announced that they are looking at how to proceed with long-range plans.

According to Dan Ryan, diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools, the importance of planning for the future unfolded not long after his arrival in the diocese last summer.

“Bishop Nickless and I had several conversations about what we were trying to accomplish in the schools, where the schools were going and how we could make them sustainable and viable for the long term,” Ryan said. “Those conversations eventually led into this idea and initiative for long-range planning.”

The superintendent of schools said that through this process, he hopes that they can take excellent academic and faith-based programs and make them stronger, that they can increase the number of students in Catholic schools and can learn new marketing and financial tools to make schools strong as they move to the future.

He acknowledged that when some people hear the words “long-range planning” they become frightened that it is designed to close down schools.

Tools for success
“It’s not my goal nor is it Bishop Nickless’ goal to close any schools because they are wonderful assets to the diocese,” Ryan said. “The goal of this project would be to provide them with tools to be successful.” While it would be unrealistic to guarantee that no schools would be closed, he stressed “that it is our intention to try to avoid that situation, partially by going through this process.”

Bishop R. Walker Nickless said that just as the parishes of the diocese have been involved in long-range planning that kept in mind diocesan resources and demographics, the schools should do the same.

“The schools are intimately connected with our parish structures and if those are going to change then the schools must also plan for the future and whatever that holds,” the bishop said.

Ultimately, Bishop Nickless said he wants to make sure that every school can survive and be effective.

“We need to look at ways where we can do that efficiently and make some difficult decisions if they need to be made - but that’s why planning is so important,” he said.

As the idea of long-range planning was discerned, Ryan explained that his conversations with the bishop expanded out to chancery staff to get their ideas and identify potential difficulties with the process. From there, he had discussions with school administrators, priests and local school board of education members. Ryan also contacted about 35 other dioceses to see if they have been involved in a like process.

Steering committee
A steering committee has been established to determine the direction of the long-range planning process. Ryan pointed out that every school had the opportunity to have a representative on the committee. While not all opted to do so, he said a large number of the schools are represented and members of the chancery staff round out the 15-member committee.

Penny Miller, principal of Kuemper Catholic High School in Carroll and a member of the steering committee, said that future planning is necessary for any organization to survive.

“As the demographics of our church population change, we must examine how our schools are currently being funded,” she said. “Are there better ways? What works in other places? We also must look at enrollment numbers and determine how we can stabilize and raise those numbers. Our young Catholic families aren't having eight children like their parents and grandparents did. That has an obvious impact of Catholic school enrollment numbers.”

At the local level, Miller said she believes the Foundation Board of Kuemper Catholic Schools has asked some tough questions of themselves in the last several years. The administrators and school board members must do the same.

“We must take a proactive stance to help ourselves,” she said. “I'm excited that it will be a Diocesan wide effort. We can support and help each other.”

Pat Joyce, another member of the steering committee, is president of the Emmetsburg Catholic School Board and serves on the Holy Family Parish Finance Committee.

He said he believes planning for the future of diocesan Catholic Schools is important “to be able to renew our parishes, families and schools with our Catholic identity, to explore strategies to contain cost and attract families, and ensure our schools are working toward being a school of choice for families seeking a high quality education in a faith-based environment.”

Joyce agreed to serve on the steering committee to represent his parish and school at the diocesan level to share local concerns and ideas as well as to be better prepared to help contribute positively to the direction of the school.

“The steering committee is starting to flesh out what the process will look like - who will be involved, when would there be meetings and how would they happen,” noted Ryan, who added that the steering committee is also discussing if they will use an outside company to help guide the process.

Enhancing the faith
Ryan said that ultimately Catholic schools “help train the next generation of Catholics and provide students with the knowledge and experience of their faith. The more students we can do that with, then the more we are enhancing our mission.”

The reason for Catholic schools, Bishop Nickless said, is to pass on the Catholic faith, values and morals.

“Catholic schools have shown again and again to be the best vehicle to accomplish that task,” the bishop said. “We have a cadre of dedicated and committed teachers and administrators that care about our faith and our values – nothing is more important to them to share it with the students that they teach. We as schools strive to assist parents in their primary role as being educators of their children in the ways of the faith.”

Ryan pointed out that the steering committee has met just one time so far and they will meet a couple more times over summer. By the end of summer, the group will sets goals and a general direction for the planning process.

“Currently, the thought process is that the diocese would have a plan that the Office of Education would take on to support the local schools,” he said. “We also envision each local school would have their own plan that would be customized to their own situation.”