News

Diocesan strategic education plans unveiled

By Patricia Kasten
Compass Associate Editor

Input needed What: Diocesan strategic plans For: Catholic schools and parish religious education Why: To standardize, promote and fund Catholic curriculum. How: Gather feedback from all Catholics When: By March 15; plans to be revised and submitted to Bp. David Zubik by early June. Where: Read the plans at the diocesan Website: www.gbdioc.org Send comments to Dr. Joe Bound, diocesan director of education at education@gbdioc.org

The diocesan Education Department has released the first drafts of strategic plans for schools and religious education programs across the diocese.

Parts of the plans, developed over the year, are already in motion in preparation for implementation by July 1. The strategic plans, which can be accessed on the diocesan web site this week (www.gbdioc.org), call for renewed curriculum, a greater focus on prayer, worship and Catholic identity, increased staff development and compensation, increased collaboration between parishes and schools, increased staff in the education department and additional plans for marketing, promotion and fund-raising.

The two plans were introduced to more than 200 parish leaders on Feb. 8 in De Pere, and to the diocesan Board of Education on Feb. 12.

After the Feb. 8 presentation, Joseph Bound, diocesan director of education, saw two common, positive responses: "There's a common understanding that standing alone isn't going to get the job done anymore. And we need to work together to realize our common mission and vision of what Catholic education is all about; that through a pooling of resources, we can achieve so much more."

Bound said he believed that those who attended the meetings, especially the parish leaders, came away with a renewed sense of shared visions.

"Our dreams, our aspirations, the things we're concerned with and that we'd like to see happen in this diocese - there was a lot of similarity," said Bound, who has headed the education department since January 2006.

Implementation of both strategic plans will be happen through a concerted effort involving marketing, fund-raising, staff training and technology upgrades at the diocesan, school and parish levels. The entire project will be overseen by Bound. The school strategic plan will be guided by Mark Salisbury, diocesan Superintendent of Schools. The religious education plan will be the responsibility of Rosie Bartel, newly hired diocesan religious education director. Bartel's first day will be March 1. Andrea Sabor, director of adult faith formation, has been working with the religious education plan and will continue to do so, adding her expertise on adult faith formation.

The schools' strategic plan covers five main areas:

Prayer includes faith formation and evangelization, with special emphasis on prayer, liturgy and the Eucharist;

Program covers areas such as curriculum, technology and a student guidance program;

People addresses personnel matters and collaboration between schools, parishes and the diocese;

Promotion offers a marketing campaign and looks at media promotion;

Price covers funding, including such things as tuition and third source revenue.

Salisbury, who has been with the diocese since September 2006, said that when parish leaders and focus groups approached the school plan, three areas of concerns repeatedly surfaced: the value of a common curriculum, the desire to aid life-long learning and a concern for equity in sharing of resources and setting salaries and benefits. They also agreed that organized marketing had been lacking in the past.

"It was one of those predictable -- but still pleasant -- surprises to see the overlap of concerns," said Salisbury, "to see that we can collaborate further."

While there is already a common curriculum for religious education in schools around the diocese, the plans will help assure that "whether you're in a big city or a small town, you'll get the same kinds of benefits," he said.

The religious education strategic plan also addresses five areas:

Faith, which looks at strengthening Catholic identity through training of parish personnel and educational experiences for adults and families;

Announcing the Gospel addresses ways to network, expand technology and marketing and identify the needs of diverse groups;

Investment looks at financial support, salaries and benefits, and explores equity in the sharing of resources;

Tools for the Mission is focused on curriculum, sacramental preparation and opportunities for life-long learning;

Human Treasure looks at professional development and support and fair compensations.

Sabor said that what impressed her most during the discussions with religious education professionals that led to the strategic plan was "the vision that our people have for incorporating life-long learning and for providing training and resources of our leaders and volunteers in our parishes."

Bound said that input for the religious education plan came from more than 80 catechetical leaders across the diocese, with members of GB-AREA acting as facilitators. For the schools plan, the schools advisory council facilitated focus groups that included Catholic school system presidents and principals.

There is a strong emphasize in both plans to supporting Catholic identity. Sabor, who has been with the education department since 1998, said this emphasis is meant to "help people of all ages know what it means to be Catholic and a faith-filled disciple."

The plans - which still need revision - are being presented to the various diocesan advisory councils, including the Bishop's advisory council, the pastoral council and the presbyteral council. There will be two more meetings with parish religious education leaders and one with school principals and system presidents.

Bound also urged everyone to read the plans on the diocesan website and offer comments to him via e-mail at education@gbdioc.org, by March 15.

"It is important," he said, "that people understand that this is a work in progress; it's not finished, but it's coming."

Financing for the plans' goals will include third-source funding, tuition, and diocesan and parish funds.

The timeline calls for formal presentations of the strategic plans to Bp. Zubik by early June. The bishop is expected to announce his decision on both by June 15, with formal implementation to begin on July 1. Full implementation will take three to four years, with on-going reviews and revision.