News

Education department plans to restructure itself

By Patricia Kasten
Compass Associate Editor

The diocesan department of education is being restructured to better meet the needs of parishes and schools throughout the Green Bay Diocese.

Dr. Joseph Bound, who became director of education in January, has spent the last six months visiting schools and parishes and attending various meetings related to Catholic education concerns.

"What this has done," said Bound, "has confirmed for me the need to develop three strategic plans: for Catholic schools, for parish religious education and for adult faith formation."

As a result, the education department is being restructured along these three lines. Several positions will be filled by staff yet to be hired, since previous personnel have retired or left the diocesan staff for new pursuits over the past several months.

The new positions will be:

• A Superintendent of Schools, yet to be hired. The superintendent will supervise the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, who will be Fr. Bob Kroll. OFM. Administrative support will be provided by Rosemary Van Dalen.

• A Director of Religious Education, with an associate director, both of whom need to be hired. Elaine Kane will provide administrative support and continue with reception duties.

• The Director of Adult Faith Formation will be Andrea Sabor. An associate director will also be hired and support will be provided by Sheila Schaut.

Debbie Linnane will remain office manager.

As part of the restructuring, the diocesan Board of Education will be expanded and develop six committees that Bound envisions being "ambassadors working out there for us in the various areas of the diocese."

The restructured board will have six committees:

• Catechesis - to develop a religious education plan for the diocese, develop religious education curriculum, review religious education texts and develop a plan for adult faith formation
• Curriculum - to work with school and local employers to better prepare children in Catholic schools with the skills needed in the future.
• Finance - to review school and parish finances and assist in financial analysis.
• Policy and Personnel - to improve personnel policies in all three areas of focus and suggest salary scales.
• Marketing and Advertising - to involve a variety of media in promotion of schools, religious education and adult faith formation.
• Nominations - to seek out members for the board and its various committees.

The board of education and its committees will work in an advisory capacity, said Bound, as well as act as a resource of experts in the various areas.

"I want to be able to tap people in the field," Bound said of the board and its committees, "who can visit parishes and school to insure that various curricula, policies and programs are being implemented and to provide quality assurance for the benefit of children and adults."

As part of the restructuring, the Audio-Visual Center will be phased out over the next year.