Montana Catholic Schools Weekly
February 15, 2015
The Catholic School Crisis, Part II
Last week, I explored some of the reasons why Catholic Schools are in crisis. The latest statistic illustrating this crisis claims that 2,000 American Catholic schools have closed since 1999. Let me offer some suggestions for ending this crisis:
Mission
Pope Francis has called for a poor Church to serve the poor. This challenges us to consider why we even have Catholic schools. What is the purpose of Catholic schools? If the answer is “To serve the parents who choose to send them” then perhaps we have discovered one reason why Catholic schools are in crisis. Catholic schools were not established to be another private school option. And they certainly weren’t set up to only serve its own.
In Montana, 25% of our Catholic school students are enrolled in tuition-free Indian schools. Those schools were established to serve the marginalized students. We need to further embrace the vision of Catholic schools serving the poor.
This doesn’t mean that only the poor should be enrolled. It means that our mission needs to have a higher purpose of changing our culture by serving the poor. When we embrace this mission, then we have a sense of purpose and vision which can work to transform our schools into ministry. We can proclaim our value to our Church and to our communities which transcends parish boundaries. If we can’t proclaim a higher purpose, then our Catholic school system will resemble our Catholic hospital system where the Catholic identity is hard to distinguish.
Common Purpose
When we take a “free market” approach, we can accept the closings of restaurants, shopping malls, and schools as part of life. “They just couldn’t compete” we might say, or “people weren’t interested.” But we should view the demise of Catholic schools as OUR problem. We (the Church as well as we, the country) run the risk of losing an institution with tremendous potential for good.
This crisis shouldn’t be dealt with a compartmental approach. It’s not just the problem of one parish, for example, or one town. It’s the problem for all Catholics because we risk losing a valuable asset for the future. And it’s the problem for business and community leaders since we lose an institution which has given (and could give) so much to the community
Governance
The traditional model of Catholic elementary schools puts the pastor as the de facto superintendent. There are many problems inherent in this system:
· Governance is based on authority, not on expertise
· The schools can sometimes drift due to inattention or attention to individual priorities.
· The parochial model leads to an insulated view of the school (serving its own).
As Catholic participation in parishes wanes, elementary schools need to think beyond its shrinking boundaries and traditions. Without the guidance of intelligent and committed lay members, many schools cannot make this jump. If the Catholic school system cannot divorce itself from the traditional model of governance, many elementary schools will continue to flounder. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a role for priests as spiritual leaders and as administrators seated at the Board.
There are a myriad of solutions which may or may not improve the efficiency of schools: new tuition models, new instructional approaches, new types of schools, etc. But those changes cannot happen without engaged and empowered boards.
Many Catholic schools have already been separated from parishes through consortiums and governance revisions. However, without effective boards, they lack the same vision. Boards must be cultivated, trained, and empowered to help shoulder the burden. For a more detailed study of the problems of governance, I recommend reading: http://goo.gl/elVG9r
Finance
We need to build partnerships to strengthen our Catholic schools. We need to proclaim our mission in order to convince parents, parishioners, donors, and community members of our value. If we build these partnerships, our schools will look less like private schools and more like the church of the poor that Pope Francis imagines. Essentially, they will be worth saving.
Dr. Tim Uhl, Superintendent
The Week Ahead
Monday: Superintendent's Conference (cont)
Tuesday: Superintendent's Conference (cont)
Wednesday: Great Falls (morning) & Billings (afternoon)
Thursday: return to Helena & fly to Boise
Friday: St. Mary's WCEA previsit (Boise)
This week: 5,887 miles
Last week: 831 miles
2014-15: 22,085 miles
Montana Catholic Schools
Email: superintendent@montanacc.org
Website: www.montanacatholicschools.org
Location: 1313 11th Ave Helena MT 59601
Phone: (406) 442-5761
Twitter: @tduhl
Notes for Principals
- The minimum wage in Montana has been raised to $8.05 per hour. If you'd like a poster reflecting this news, email me
- The moral standards clause for our contracts will be posted on our website. This will remain in effect for 2015-16
- Apparently when I scheduled the Marian classes, I rotated incorrectly. For this fall, the Wednesday Marian class (Oct 14) will be held at Great Falls, the Thursday class (Oct 15) in Missoula, and the Friday class (Oct 16) in Billings.
- I will review survey results for the New Teacher Retreat this week and will have communication regarding its feasibility.
Great Falls Study Commission
February 11, 2015
Dear Great Falls Catholic schools supporters,
I am writing today to bring you up to date on the progress of the Great Falls Study Commission. We have met four times to discuss how to strengthen and sustain our Catholic schools. The commission was set up by Bishop Warfel in order to make recommendations for strengthening our Catholic school system. Bishop Warfel is a strong supporter of our Catholic school system and wants to see our schools thrive.
Our schools are led by talented principals and are a testament to the commitment and sacrifice of the Great Falls Catholic community.
Our meeting notes, minutes, and agendas can all be found on the Montana Catholic Schools website (www.montanacatholicschools.org)
In the face of rising costs, the commission was asked to make recommendations for improving our current system. The commission looked at the demographic and enrollment trends, the financial realities, and other Catholic school systems in comparable cities.
The commission has never considered closing one of the schools and never even discussed changing the current model (two PK-8 grade schools and one central high school). To be clear, nothing significant will change in the immediate future.
We are currently discussing three options which could build a brighter future for all three Great Falls Catholic schools:
1. Working together to cooperate on school services such as fundraising, curriculum, athletics, transportation, etc. There are certainly ways to streamline operations that could make the schools more financially efficient.
2. Setting up a foundation to raise money for the entire school system.
3. Setting up one School Board to provide direction for the entire school system.
Dr. Tim Uhl, Superintendent