I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. John 10 ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO CATHOLIC SCHOOLS Handbook for Pastors
To our Pastors, Grace and gratitude to you! Your work in and for our schools is a work of the Church, a liturgia of love and learning. We are critically aware of the time and the energy it takes to lead the Catholic school ministry in your parish and appreciate your generous response to the myriad challenges and demands on your leadership. We call on bishops and those in educational leadership to develop programs to assist pastors, clergy, seminarians, and laity to understand, appreciate, support, and promote the critical value of our Catholic schools in fulfilling the teaching ministry of the Church. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005 Our gratitude and prayers that your priestly ministry continues to be blest and a blessing, Office of Catholic Schools In presenting this First Version of the Pastor Handbook, we acknowledge it as a work in progress, one which we hope you will help us enhance over time so it may stay relevant for you and your brother pastors. As a living document, there is an online component and Portal page for you as a Pastor of a parish with a Catholic School. Changes will be posted frequently, drawn from your own experience. The Pastor Handbook has four sections: Catholic Schools: A Mission to the World is a brief summary of Catholic schools around the world and here in the Archdiocese. Insights from experienced pastors across the Archdiocese. Recently, some of your fellow pastors came together to share their wisdom about what works well in relationship to Catholic schools. The discussions have been organized into five themes. Rubrics and Benchmarks for Catholic identity in the schools. These Markers are put forth by the Archdiocese of Chicago Board of Catholic Schools, and the work was overseen by its Catholic Identity Committee, chaired by Monsignor John E. Pollard, Pastor of Chicago s Queen of All Saints Basilica. Resources for Catholic identity and financial management. These are provided to support your ongoing work, with links for further study and implementation. Principals so often comment on the support and guidance given them by their pastors. This small offering to you is in partial response to the 2005 request of the USCCB.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS: A MISSION TO THE WORLD For well over 150 years, the Catholic Church in the United States enjoyed the unprecedented growth of Catholic schools as a force for change in society and for growth in the Church. In those years bishops and religious congregations opened schools for a mostly poor immigrant population to educate children free of encumbrance from the State. The schools became the major instrument for providing this country with an educated Catholic community that has made and continues to make major contributions to the life of the Church and society. We are, in many ways, at a new moment for Catholic schools in the United States. Vatican II supplied new language for the mission of Catholic education around the world. The Council Fathers called the Church back to the roots of the apostolic foundation the roots of the Gospel. Every institution and service of the Church would have to assess the reasons for service in light of the mission of the Gospel. The Council Fathers said of the Catholic schools: The Church s role is especially evident in Catholic schools. These are no less zealous than other schools in the promotion of culture and in the human formation of young people. It is, however, the special function of the Catholic school to develop in the school community an atmosphere animated by a spirit of liberty and charity based on the Gospel. Declaration on Christian Education: Vatican II, 1965, #8. Since the Council, the Catholic Church continues to lead the largest community of believers among the Christian communions. Catholic schools continue their mission by providing apprenticeships in the Christian life for young people to learn how to be active and responsible members of Church and society. With the tools of the Christian CATHOLIC SCHOOLS 3
experience, Catholic school students can have what they need to find purpose in life and see that life is about service to others. They can know that their home is the Church and that they can be renewed and replenished in the sacramental and liturgical framework. That part of the Catholic school mission is clear. What is more challenging in these times are the realities of a 98% lay teaching community and parents whose own Catholic identities fluctuate with their own life journeys. For instance, in about half of marriages today Catholics are in mixed or occult marriages. There are increasing numbers of single parent families using our schools. Today, a smaller percentage of Catholic parents attend Sunday Mass regularly with their children. While this data may be looked at dismally, these realities are also opportunities to make the parish a place of adult lay formation to deliver the message of the Gospel and its sign of hope to the world. One of the most significant changes made by the Office of Catholic Schools was to unite with the Office of Catechesis and Youth Ministry to reformulate theology requirements into a catechetical formation process ending in certification by the Archdiocese of Chicago for Catholic school teachers. This has become for Catholic lay teachers a way of faith formation that is opening their eyes to a new found connection to their life in Christ and to their vocation as Catholic school teachers. As one teacher stated in her reflection process for initial certification, When I can help my students have a better understanding of their faith I am proud of them and myself. This is also a time when you as pastors can feel isolated in your responsibilities for managing a Catholic school. In the United States, we are still adjusting to how the Catholic schools serve the mission of the parish as a broader form of ministry. While the school serves Catholic parents they also serve families who need the schools as centers of excellence, havens of peace and safety as well as places of Catholic formation in the faith. Parishes indeed benefit CATHOLIC SCHOOLS 4
from the vitality of a Catholic school when families using the school also participate in the life of the parish. For families reintroducing themselves to the possibility of reconnecting to a parish through the sacramental preparation of their children, this is a re-evangelization opportunity for both parish and school. Your own personal generosity in service can be a light for parents to become attracted to the parish and its ways of service. In the world today, Catholic schools are engaged in the broader mission of social transformation. The Catholic Church is not squinting in its commitment to open schools for the poor, the dispossessed, the immigrant the same reasons we opened schools 150 years ago. The potential of the Church to create meaningful change in the lives of millions of people has to be considered one of the major forms of influence in society today. You are joining forces with bishops, pastors, religious and laity who now manage and teach in almost 200,000 nursery through secondary Catholic schools around the globe. It is an outstanding apostolate of hope, seeking to address the material, intellectual and spiritual needs of over three million children and students. It also provides a highly commendable opportunity for the entire Catholic community to contribute generously to the financial needs of our institutions. Their long-term sustainability must be assured. Indeed, everything possible must be done, in cooperation with the wider community, to ensure that they are accessible to people of all social and economic strata. No child should be denied his or her right to an education in faith, which in turn nurtures the soul of a nation. Pope Benedict XVI, Meeting with Catholic Educators at the Conference Hall of the Catholic University of America, 2008 You as pastors of the faithful, shepherds of a community in constant need of care and leadership, have a remarkable opportunity to utilize the service of a Catholic school to extend your work as catechetical and spiritual leaders. The Catholic school is a pearl of great price whose cost and keeping can only be measured over generations of time and in the hearts and eyes of children who need the tools of our Christian heritage to live life in connection with God. Thank you for your service to those children and families! CATHOLIC SCHOOLS 5
INSIGHTS On the following pages you will find a summary of discussions where a number of your fellow pastors shared the strategies, approaches, and characteristics that have served them well at their schools over the years. A number of common themes emerged and were explored in various degrees of depth. Especially evident was the commitment to Catholic school education among so many pastors, and it reminded of a quote from the 2009 University of Notre Dame U.S. Pastor Study, Little can succeed without their blessing, while great things can happen with their support. The pastor insights presented here are organized into five distinct, but interrelated themes: School as a Vital Parish Ministry Faith Formation Encouraging Sunday Mass Attendance Relationship with Your Principal Personal Characteristics Being Present, Good Communications As part of the discussions, pastors used a variety of words to describe their schools, many of which are illustrated in the graphic on the top of this page. INSIGHTS 6
More parish families are choosing our school as they witness all the energy and activity that is there. School as a Vital Parish Ministry With your responsibilities over all parish operations and ministries, aligning the vision of your school with the mission of your parish is very important work. Keeping the school in sync with the parish requires constant effort through explicit, repeated and intentional communication; fostering relationships among your leadership team; and organizing school committees and councils that contribute toward the parish s mission. A common theme from pastors is that families are in need of understanding that your school is not merely a private school; rather, it is one ministry (albeit, a very important one) of the parish. Pastors mentioned that tensions and conflicts often arise when this is not appreciated by families and others in the parish. However, there are multiple ways pastors help all particularly religious education and school families understand each other s perspectives, with a common goal of affirming overall parish life. The suggested practices below are ways that pastors actively and successfully position the school as a vital parish ministry: Holding weekly meetings with your core leadership team - school principal, director of religious education, business manager - and making sure they share your vision for the parish, and the school s proper role within it. Holding monthly meetings with the entire staff - all parish ministries, including school staff. Ensuring that your parish finance council interacts with your school board. Sharing parish finance information with school families on multiple occasions. An important piece of this financial data is the overall cost to educate a child in your school, compared to the tuition rate families pay. INSIGHTS 7
Pastors of souls have the duty to arrange all things so that all the faithful may enjoy a Catholic education. Canon 794, 2 Sharing statistics on your school s outcomes compared to public school outcomes. If you have students who walk right by the parish to go to the public school, invite them in for a visit with you and the principal. Helping families who are not enrolled in the school to understand they may be able to afford the school, and expressing your willingness to work with them. Reaching out to neighboring parishes without schools and inviting them to open house events. Welcoming the skills and knowledge of school families and helping them share these gifts with the parish. For example, a school parent who is a medieval literature professor at DePaul University gave a lecture on Dante s Inferno to her parish. Encouraging different age groups of parishioners to come together - senior citizens and school students. Inviting parishioners to volunteer at the school as tutors, story readers, or coaches. Engaging the school in the parish s social justice committee events and activities. Mentioning school events and good news from the pulpit. Inviting principal or school parents to speak at Mass. Inserting weekly parish bulletin in students backpacks on Friday. Promoting harmony between families enrolled in the school and religious education programs. INSIGHTS 8
Collaborating on common ground issues between religious education and the school by seeking to balance interests as best as possible. Planning and celebrating Sacraments together where appropriate, recognizing that the sacramental life of the parish is essential to the growth of the community. At start of year, establishing a planning committee of DRE, principal, RE teacher and school teacher, as well as liturgical director, and music director. Connecting religious education and school students as prayer partners with each other. Having one big party for all sacramental recipients and their families, not two separate gatherings. Faith Formation Without the faith dimension, our schools simply can not be. As a pastor put it, The Catholic thing isn t just another thing, it underlies everything. Ensuring the school s Catholic identity is paramount for you, even to families who have chosen your school primarily for its high academic quality. Your brother pastors noted that fostering the faith in our children brings the hope that parents will choose to grow in their involvement with the parish. Specific ways that pastors form the school community in the faith are below: - Establishing a Catholic Identity theme for the year, such as the Year of Liturgy, Worship, the Word, Service, or Virtue. - Conducting grade-specific liturgies. - Leading retreat/reflection day for school faculty and staff before school year on a specific topic (the Creed, morals, the Gospels), or during Advent and Lent. - Offering retreats to school families and parent associations. - Teaching a class, such as Mark s Gospel to 7th Graders. - Inviting faculty and staff to attend daily Mass. - Simplifying the weekly school liturgy to be less of a production, which may be welcomed by the teachers. - Giving talks to students who are receiving the sacraments. - Giving tours of the church, especially the sacristy, the Blessed Sacrament, and unique aspects of your church. - Giving teachers a list of topics you would be able to speak about with their students. Catholics who attended Catholic schools are significantly more likely to actively practice their faith, including the reception of the sacraments Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, Georgetown University, 2008 INSIGHTS 9
Encouraging Sunday Mass Attendance You call on your parishioners to attend Mass on Sunday, and this applies to the families who have students at your school. Creating a culture of welcome and invitation, while also setting an expectation of Mass attendance is an area that generated much conversation among pastors. Below are some of the observations and practices pastors shared about encouraging Sunday Mass. Embracing school families relationship with the school as an entry point or re-entry point to the parish and the faith. Helping families understand the importance of attending Sunday Mass. Reminding families that there is more to parish membership than just filling out a registration form, or placing an envelope in the collection. Involvement is what gives life to a parish. Meeting with all new school families and personally inviting them to attend Mass weekly. Taking a welcome photo with every new family, and posting it in the Church. Encouraging a specific target for school families (e.g. $15 per week in the collection - $780 rule). Asking for healthy encouragement from other school families. Holding monthly or weekly Mass where families are specifically invited. Involving children in the Mass brings more parents. Opening the gym or a gathering space after the 9:30 Mass for kids, and having coffee and donuts for parents and all others. Families often stay until 1pm. Using humor to attract families, giving away scholarships at Mass or your children are crying because they want to go to Mass on Sunday. Specifically recognizing mothers at Mass. Resolving how tightly to monitor Mass attendance for your community. Having requirements for attendance can be effective, though it can be overwhelming to monitor and enforce well. Relationship with Your Principal Maintaining good relationships with your community is a pastoral imperative, and among the most critical of these is the relationship you have with your school s principal. Support, trust, and open communication are general traits for a strong relationship and more specific examples from pastors are below. Recognizing that the principal is always a key staff member of the parish. Working on a shared vision for the school, and bringing in others to help shape it. Encouraging your principal s own faith life and supporting him or her as a faith leader in the school. INSIGHTS 10
A good relationship with the principal is the key to everything Place trust in your principal to make good decisions about the operations of the school. Being on the same page with your principal, especially when in front of other members of the parish community, including school faculty, staff, and parents. Empowering your principal to make decisions thoughtfully and promptly. Doing your best to not override a tough decision your principal needs to make. If you have a good working relationship, these decisions should come from a place of shared understanding and mission. Keeping morale up for principal, and your faculty and staff. Inviting questions, and asking them of your principal. Being a resource to your principal and asking regularly what she or he needs to be successful. Setting an expectation for hiring and developing excellent faculty and staff. Checking in daily with principal via e-mail, phone, or in person. Facilitating interaction with your principal and business manager, and others on your parish leadership team. Supporting principal, faculty and staff to be both professional and appropriately social with each other. Giving a heads up about issues is always appreciated, and part of good communications with each other. Principals appreciate being supported, especially in front of the board and families. Building clear and healthy boundaries for school families, and helping them understand what are your pastoral roles and what are your administrative roles. Including faculty on your Catholic Identity committee. Actively working with your principal, your board and parent associations. According to one pastor, our board of specified jurisdiction is the best thing to happen to our school, it s brought in people who support our school with the right skills and abilities we need for managing our school. INSIGHTS 11
We bring our children to salvation one at a time Personal Characteristics For this last section of insights, pastors shared a number of characteristics they felt were important in their relationship with their school. These characteristics are illustrated above. There are many specific ways in which these characteristics are put into practice, particularly in terms of Being Present and through Good Communication. Visiting faculty meetings, even for five minutes to say hello. Visiting classrooms, whether scheduled or unscheduled. Conducting a blessing on the first day of school. Being out on the playground, attending basketball and volleyball games; participating in service events, science fairs, the passion play, open houses, recruiting events, and admissions coffees. Hosting a luncheon at the rectory for faculty and staff and cooking for them on the grill, opening your home (rectory) really means something to the school staff and families. Inviting families to meet with the pastor (e.g. have a checkbox on registration materials). Welcoming students in the morning, and visiting with families. Being available in the parking lot after school. Offering to do a welcome video message on website. Helping families put many of their concerns in perspective. If you are newly assigned, go visit the principal and others in the school community before your arrival. Trusting those already in place, until you can gain enough understanding for the parish community and its culture. Asking your principal, and the faculty and staff how you can be helpful. Listening to the many voices in the parish. INSIGHTS 12
MARKERS OF CATHOLIC SCHOOL IDENTITY In June 2011, Msgr. John E. Pollard, STL, presented the Rubrics and Benchmarks for Catholic School Identity to the Archdiocese of Chicago Board of Catholic Schools. Assembled by the Catholic Identity Committee of the Board, the markers elucidate the major components of the Catholic identity of a school. The markers are categorized by topic areas with descriptions of policies, criteria, processes and procedures of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Office of Catholic Schools that show how the Catholic identity area is evidenced in a given Catholic school. The markers are a helpful tool to see at a glance how our Catholic schools are organized to carry out the work of the Church as vibrant Christian learning communities. Markers of Catholic School Identity Committee Members: Monsignor John Pollard, Committee Chair and Pastor, Queen of All Saints Basilica, Chicago Mary Jo Burns, Principal, Ascension School, Oak Park Father Larry Dowling, Pastor, St. Agatha Parish, Chicago Esther Hicks, Director of Catholic Identity and Mission, Office of Catholic Schools Monsignor Richard Hynes, Director, Department of Parish Life and Formation Father Patrick Lee, Pastor, Immaculate Conception-St. Joseph Parishes, Chicago Father John McDonnell, Pastor, St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish, Chicago Michael Mooney, Member, Archdiocese of Chicago Board of Catholic Schools Area One - The school is recognized as a Catholic school by the competent ecclesiastical authority. MARKERS 13
Area Two - All Catholic school personnel teach and act in accordance with Catholic doctrine and moral teachings. Area Three The principal of the Catholic school is a certified coordinator of religious education in the Archdiocese of Chicago. The principal: - Recognizes that all members of the faculty and staff are an integral part of the process of religious education. - Recruits teachers who are practicing Catholics, who can understand and accept the teachings of the - Catholic Church and the moral demands of the Gospel, and who can contribute to the achievement of the school s Catholic identity and apostolic goals. - Supervises, through observation and evaluation, the performance of each religion teacher. - Provides opportunities for ongoing catechesis for faculty members. - Designs a curriculum that supports the school s catechetical goals. - Develops goals for the implementation of an overall catechetical plan for the school, and periodically evaluates progress toward the goals. - Fosters a distinctively Christian community among the faculty, students and parents. - Provides, alongside the pastor, for the spiritual growth of the faculty. - Collaborates with parish, area and diocesan personnel in planning and implementing programs of total parish catechesis. Area Four The teacher in a Catholic school: - Takes four theology courses based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. MARKERS 14
- Participates in two days of in-service related to faith formation and catechetical development. - Participates in an anti-racism seminar. Area Five The teacher of religion in a Catholic school is a certified catechist in the Archdiocese of Chicago and: - Accurately imparts the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. - Conforms to the directives of the Archdiocese of Chicago s approved catechetical texts and series, and teaches in ways that are developmentally appropriate and relevant to the lives of students. Area Six - The religion curriculum of the Catholic school adheres to the Archdiocese of Chicago Religion Curriculum. - The catechetical texts and materials used in the Catholic school must be chosen from the list approved by the Archdiocese of Chicago. Area Seven The environment of the Catholic school is characterized by: - Daily prayer as a school community and in the classrooms. - Daily religious instruction in the classrooms. - Opportunities for sacramental preparation and celebration. - Regular all-school and class Eucharistic liturgies. - Seasonal celebrations based on the liturgical calendar. - Presence of religious are (crucifixes, statues, etc.) in the school and classrooms. MARKERS 15
Area Eight The school board or council of a Catholic school: - Receives information on the school s Catholic identity in the pre-service orientation process. - Receives training specific to the school s Catholic identity. - Begins each meeting with a prayer. - Includes a structured reflection on their contribution to the mission of the Church and the Catholic identity of the school at each meeting. - Forms a Catholic School Identity Committee of the Board or Council. - Participates in a spiritual retreat every three years. Area Nine The parents of school children in a Catholic school: - Know, understand and support the mission of the Catholic school. - Support the values promoted in the Catholic school. - Attend Mass with their children each Sunday. - Pray with their children at home. - Provide regular opportunities for their children to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. - Participate in school Masses where advisable. - Participate in the Catholic culture of the school and parish. - Prepare their children for the liturgical seasons of the Church year. - Assist their children in homework and preparation for religion classes and projects. - Attend sacramental preparation meetings. MARKERS 16
- Cooperate with school and parish authorities in the catechesis of their children. - Adhere to the Church s teachings on family life. - Model the Catholic faith in their home. Area Ten The pastor of a Catholic parish and school: - Has the obligation to arrange for Catholic parents who seek Catholic education for their children to have it. - Ensures that suitable catechesis is imparted for the celebration of the sacraments. - Ensures that a total parish plan for catechesis is developed and implemented. - Ensures that catechists are well formed and trained. - Ensures that catechesis is available for all language groups in the parish. - Ensures that the baptismal catechumenate is a vital component in the organization of catechesis in the parish. - Works with parents, school personnel and appropriate boards and commissions in the parish to plan and implement the catechetical mission of the Church in the parish. - Is visible in the school on a regular basis. - Supports and promotes the school. - Promotes vocations. - Is an ex officio member of the School Board or Council. - Conducts the annual performance review of the principal. - Cooperates with the other pastors of the Archdiocese to support Catholic school education as a ministry of the Archdiocese. The graphic on the top of this page is a summary of the responsibilities that a pastor has in his parish. MARKERS 17
RESOURCES With an awareness for the most important needs you face, the following resources are here to support you, particularly in the areas of Catholic Identity, financial management, enrollment management, and advancement (also known as development or fundraising). They represent best approaches gathered across Catholic schools in the Archdiocese, and you may be familiar with much of what is outlined below, while some of it may be new to you. More information on these and other important areas are now housed on a Pastor Portal Page at http://ocs.archchicago.org/pastors.aspx. Catholic Identity Resources Catholic School Teachers as Certified Catechists One of the major changes in the formation of Catholic school teachers is the opportunity for teachers of religion to become certified as catechists in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Since this program began in 2007 our Catholic schools now have nearly 1,500 teachers certified when, only some years ago they had less than 25. The components of the formation process includes: a) forty hours of theology based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Sacred Scripture b) reflection day spent on catechesis in a Catholic school c) personal reflection processes d) five-year certification with required 50 hours of ongoing formation for recertification e) supervision of teachers as catechists. RESOURCES 18
The catechetical and spiritual formation of lay Catholic school teachers, who are now 98% of our teaching force, is one of the most important adult formation processes we have to influence how the Church will look in the next generation. This is an immense task that pastors, principals and the Archdiocese of Chicago have as we understand how parents and teachers view their roles in passing the faith in a world that greatly needs the message of Jesus. Your ongoing support of this important effort is greatly appreciated. The Archdiocese of Chicago Religion Curriculum Since 2008, the Catholic schools have been implementing the newly written pk-12 Religion Curriculum of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Using the best learning by design practices known in educational practice today, the Archdiocese adopted a methodology that is based on ten catechetical goals with learning outcomes derived from the National Directory for Catechesis and current USCCB guidelines for every grade level from preschool to twelfth grade. Based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Sacred Scripture, the curriculum design uses these sources to provide a rigorous yet developmentally appropriate approach to initiatory catechesis in the classroom. All of our Catholic schools are required to use the curriculum as the primary resource for teaching and catechizing in the hope that a common language of the faith can help to inform teachers and students from school to school and parish to parish. The curriculum is found on the Pastor Portal Page. Catholic Identity and Evaluation for School Accreditation On a regular basis, each Catholic school undergoes an intensive self-assessment to analyze all aspects of its program. One area of assessment is the Catholic identity and mission of the school. The assessment team takes a look at how RESOURCES 19
the Catholic identity criteria match with the lived reality of the school. These criteria are in sync with the Archdiocese of Chicago Board of Catholic Schools identity markers. Below are listed the current criteria in the school accreditation process. Criteria One: The Catholic school is an apprenticeship in Christian living in which students learn and live the Gospel through receiving its message and participating in worship, prayer, community and service. Criteria Two: The school is identified as Catholic by engaging in the Church s mission of evangelization. Criteria Three: The Catholic school community provides leaders and teachers who are prepared and qualified to witness and teach the message of faith. Criteria Four: The Catholic school provides opportunities for its members to transform the world through the social teaching of the Church, works of justice and right relationships, and service. Financial Management All of our good intentions for the Catholic school apostolate are dependent on managing finances well. For many schools this means managing growth because of an increasing student population; and for others it is about bringing stability to deeply challenged situations. Wherever your school rests along this broad spectrum, the finance team in the Office of Catholic Schools, along with others at the Pastoral Center, are able to support your good work and RESOURCES 20
that of your principal and business manager. A few key resources from this team are listed below: Tuition Tracker: This tool enhances your school s budget by giving you real-time data on student registrations, tuition revenue, and financial assistance. You will benefit from seeing opportunities to grow both enrollment and revenue, and a member of the OCS finance team can help set this up and provide ongoing consulting with you. Tuition Management: FACTS or SMART are currently used by a large percentage of schools to out-source tuition collection. Schools using one of these vendors report a significantly improved ability to collect tuition, thereby improving their revenue picture. Financial Need Analysis: Private School Aid Service (PSAS) helps you analyze what families can afford as you make decisions on financial assistance, whether in the form of funded scholarships or by responsibly offering discounted rates (e.g. multi-child discounts, or when there are available seats in a classroom). Enrollment Management For most schools, the tuition families pay accounts for 80% of the total revenue seen each year. As your school works to retain your current students and enroll new students, the best practices from across the Archdiocese and the enrollment marketing team in the Office of Catholic Schools are resources available to you. Below are some of the resources and strategies that schools indicate are producing positive results, especially as over half of our elementary schools are stabilizing or growing their enrollments in each of the past two years. RESOURCES 21
Archdiocesan Marketing Enrollment Network: Provides enrollment management best practices for elementary and high school administrators, marketing/admissions staff, board/committee members, and others. Parent Ambassador Program: Trains parents of current students to be part of the school s recruitment team, focusing the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Enrollment Marketing Consultants: Provide on-site support to help organize your school s enrollment management efforts and team, focusing on marketing, new family sales, and retention sales. Advancement Non-tuition revenue at your school also plays a major role in overall vitality. In the ongoing shift toward a more strategic advancement approach for your school, the following resources available to support you are: Advancement Services: Provides services, training, materials and expertise to help schools in the areas of stewardship, fund raising, alumni and organizational development. Archdiocesan Development Council: A membership organization committed to the advancement of pre-collegiate, faithbased education and provides development personnel with opportunities for networking and professional growth. RESOURCES 22
It s not merely a school that happens to have a church attached to it. We are all part of a parish community, and that is our strength! Pastor Portal Page The preceding resources and other important areas - including leadership development, strategic planning, board development, legislative action, family school associations, athletics, and personnel - can be found online in expanded form at a new Pastor Portal Page: http://ocs.archchicago.org/pastors.aspx. Contact information for Office of Catholic Schools staff, as well as links to a number of external partners, such as the Big Shoulders Fund and higher education, can be found on this Page. It is built for you and will be dynamic, evolving, and interactive to help meet your needs. More Kids in Great Catholic Schools In closing, please know that the staff of the Office of Catholic Schools, operating with a goal of More Kids in Great Catholic Schools, is eager to continue working and consulting with you and your school. Thank you for the opportunity to partner with you on behalf of our Church and our children! The images seen throughout this Handbook come from videos that are part of a Pastors Appreciation Series and the Catholic Schools Facebook page, links for which can be found on the Catholic schools website: http://schools.archchicago.org. RESOURCES 23
Phone: 312.534.5200 http://schools.archchicago.org Office of Catholic Schools 835 N. Rush Street Chicago, Illinois 60611